Book Review - The History Of Safari Club International

As a life member of Safari Club International (SCI) I have volunteered with my local chapter as chairman of the banquet committee, and as a chapter board member. Our local SCI chapter has raised money for a number of youth projects and in support of shooting ranges as well as a number of other valuable projects. I think that a number of SCI's programs are excellent and I participate in some of them. For instance, we are participating in the SCI "Blue Bag" program on our upcoming trip to Africa.

While I was a chapter board member I met SCI founder C.J. McElroy on a number of occasions at chapter functions and various events. I remember a barbeque he attended and told stories to the assembled group. It was a slice of SCI history literally in our backyard.

I was always vaguely familiar with the history of SCI but I never really knew the "whole" story. With SCI's recent publication of The History of Safari Club International by Bill Quimby a lot more of the story is revealed. The book traces the history of the organization from its first steps when it was a small hunting club in California to the world leader it has become today. The History Of Safari Club International is remarkably candid. It describes not only the history of an organization but it discusses the personalities of its founders and contributors. Every organization of stature has its personalities associated with it. They all go through "growing pains" as they develop. Often those growing pains are kept under wraps by the organization to put a good face on things. Not so in this book.

Anybody who ever met "Mac" knows he was a colorful guy with a strong personality who had his way of doing things. The book makes this eminently clear. It exposes a number of the internal struggles that occurred in the forging of the organization.

I have served a number of years now as a member of the National Rifle Association's Board of Directors and I have seen first hand that it takes strong personalities to run political organizations. There is no doubt that SCI has had them and "Mac" was chief among them.

To me the candid style of the book is refreshing.

I also think it is important that the book recognizes those that have worked hard to make SCI what it is today. From the board members who donated hundreds of thousands of dollars to save the International Wildlife Museum, to the artists and gun makers who made the original conventions so successful. I have to admit that I am a complete rifle nut so the chapter that describes the "Big 5" series of rifles is fascinating to me. Not only were record amounts of money
raised with those rifles but, the standard in custom rifle
building was elevated to never before seen heights.

For example, the elephant and leopard rifles made by David Miller Co. surpassed any rifles built to date. The work that David Miller and Curt Crum did on those rifles set the rifle building bar pretty darn high. They transformed rifle building forever. The leopard rifle sold for over $200,000 which was a record at the time for an American rifle. It raised critical funds for SCI and it made headlines which also elevated the SCI convention to a level unsurpassed by any other hunting convention.

If you are interested in the history of SCI or are just a member who enjoys the many benefits of your SCI membership you will find this book fascinating. - TJR

The History of Safari Club International is available from Safari Club International Publications: Email: Lorie-Anne Peltz lpeltz@safariclub.org or call 520-620-1220 extension 244