Sportsman Channel’s 2010 Sportsman Choice Awards

Sportsman Channel

New Berlin, Wis. --(Ammoland.com)- Following the tabulation of more than 20,000 votes – doubling last year’s total - Sportsman Channel, the leader in outdoor TV for the American Sportsman, announced today the finalists for the 2010 Sportsman Choice Awards.

By casting their votes during each quarter in 2010, Sportsman Channel viewers have narrowed the field to the finalists listed below in the following categories: Best Hunt Show, Best Shoot Show, Best Fish Show, Best Combination (hunting and fishing) Show, Best New Series and Best Show Host(s).

Additionally, viewers can vote on finalists for the Best Clip categories, including Best Small Game Clip, Best Big Game Clip, Best Shoot Clip and Best Fish Clip. New for this year’s awards, Sportsman Channel executives have added a Best Show Open award.

All finalists and clips can be viewed at www.votesportsman.com

“Another banner year for Sportsman Channel and our programs with more than 20,000 votes logged in this year,” said Gavin Harvey, Sportsman CEO. “Viewers have given us an overwhelming response to the awards program and we appreciate their dedication to our programming. This massive viewer interaction underscores our passionate fan base for Sportsman’s unmatched programming across the hunt, fish and shoot categories.”

Today marks the beginning of a fresh new round of voting, so everyone is encouraged to log on to www.votesportsman.com to cast their ballot, regardless of whether they voted in the first round or not. Winners in all categories will be based exclusively on the opinions and the votes of viewers. Voting ends December 18 with finalists announced thereafter. The winners in all Sportsman Choice Award categories will be crowned during the Shooting, Hunting and Outdoor Trade (SHOT) Show in Las Vegas on January 19, 2011.

The finalists for the 2010 Sportsman Choice Awards are as follows. (Listed in Alphabetical Order)

• Best Hunt Show: Africa with Craig Boddington and Ivan Carter, Arrow Affliction, Back Country Quest Buckventures Outdoors, Drake’s Migration Nation, Excalibur’s Huntin’ the Backwoods, The Fowl life with Chad Belding, Gore-Tex Big Game Adventures, Heartland Bowhunter, Maximum Archery World Tour, North American Whitetail, Pigman, The Series, Predator Pursuit, Predator Quest, Shoot Straight with Chad Schearer, The Zone, Whitetail Properties
• Best Shoot Show: Davidson’s Gallery of Guns, Guns and Ammo TV, Handguns, Personal Defense TV Tactical Arms, Tactical Impact
• Best Fish Show: Addictive Fishing, Alaska’s Fishing Paradise, Flats Class, Florida Sportsman, Fly Rod Chronicles, Hooked on the Fly, In-Fisherman Critical Concepts, In-Fisherman TV, Lip’em and Rip’em, Trout Unlimited On the Rise
• Best Combo Show: Down the Road with Rick Rhoads, G3 Sportsman, HuntFishCook, Midwest Outdoors, Mike Avery’s Outdoor Magazine, Respect Outdoors, Sportsmen of North America, Woods N’ Water
• Best Show Host(s): Andy Ross- Maximum Archery World Tour Bob Foulkrod – Gore Tex Big Game Adventures Brian “PigMan” Quaca- Pigman, The Series Capt. Blair Wiggins – Addictive Fishing Casey & Chris Keefer – Back Country Quest Chad Belding – The Fowl Life with Chad Belding Colorado Buck – Where in the World is Colorado Buck Craig Boddington and Ivan Carter – Africa with Craig Boddington and Ivan Carter Curtis Fleming – Fly Rod Chronicles Dan Wallace – Excalibur’s Huntin’ The Backwoods Doug Stange – In-Fisherman TV Fred Eichler -Predator Nation Haley and G.O. Heath – Family Traditions with Haley Heath J. Paul Jackson – Drakes Migration Nation Jeff Danker – Buckventures Outdoors Kyle and Jennay Wieter – Adrenaline Junkies Les Johnson – Predator Quest Michael Hunsucker & Jeff Simpson – Heartland Bowhunter Team Predator Pursuit – Predator Pursuit The Addicts of Bowhunting Addiction TV – BowHunting Addiction TV
• Best Show Open: Adrenaline Junkies, Back Country Quest, Personal Defense TV, Solo Hunters, Where in the World is Colorado Buck

The Best Clip finalists were required to be one continuous sequence from a single episode that aired in 2010. The nominees for Best Clips are:

• Best Small Game Clip: Heartland Bowhunter, Outdoor Junkies, RNT-V, The Zone
• Best Big Game Clip: Buckventures, Christensen Outdoors, Life at Table Mountain, North American Whitetail
• Best Shoot Clip: BowHunting Addiction, Family Traditions with Haley Heath, Predator Nation, Sportsmen of North America
• Best Fish Clip: Adventures South of the Border, G3 Sportsman, In Fisherman Critical Concepts, Respect Outdoors

The Best New Series category eligibility is based upon shows that were newly created and aired in 2010 on Sportsman Channel.

Adventures South of the Border, Alaska’s Fishing Paradise, BACK Outdoors, Battle of the Bow, Big Boys Adventures, BowHunting Addiction TV, Brush Country Monsters, Davidson’s Gallery of Guns, Down The Road with Rick Rhoads, DownEast Outdoors, Drake’s Migration Nation, Gameface TV, Hidden Creek Adventures, Hooked on Adventure, Hooked on the Fly, Hunting for the Dream, Just Pass’n Thru, Life at Table Mountain, Midwest Whitetail with Bill Winke, Modern Rifle Adventures, No Limits Outdoors, Pigman, The Series, Predator Pursuit, Rack Man, Respect Outdoors, SOLO Hunters, Tagged Out TV, The Industry, The Real Deal, The Zone, Wide Open Outdoors

About Sportsman Channel:
Launched in 2003, Sportsman Channel is the only television and digital media company fully devoted to the more than 82 million sportsmen in the United States, delivering entertaining and educational programming focused exclusively on hunting, shooting and fishing activities. Sportsman Channel is now available in HD, check with your local cable or satellite provider. Acquired by InterMedia Outdoors Holdings in 2006, Sportsman Channel reaches nearly 27 million U.S. television households and is a part of the nation’s largest multimedia company targeted exclusively to serving the information and entertainment needs of outdoors enthusiasts. Visit www.thesportsmanchannel.com, follow on Twitter, @SPORTSMANchnl (www.twitter.com/ SPORTSMANchnl), or become a Fan on Facebook, www.facebook.com/sportsmanchannel.

Wisconsin DNR

LA CROSSE, Wi --(AmmoLand.com)- After an afternoon of bow hunting for deer in the Coulee Experimental State Forest, Peter Smith returned to the parking area at dusk to find his truck was the only one left.

As Smith put away his gear, he noticed someone had left bow, arrows, backpack, sweatshirt and sunglasses in the lot. He waited for a full hour to see if the owner would return.

The actions Smith took that night and the next day had an unexpected result, and he was invited to attend the late April meeting of the Natural Resources Board where he was presented with the 2009 La Crosse Tribune/Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources Hunter Ethics Award.

In presenting the award, warden supervisor Steven Dewald noted that Smith made five different efforts to locate the owner and return the equipment before succeeding. The owner of the gear, Darren Russell of La Crosse, had shot a large buck that day and was so excited he’d left his gear behind.

“Russell had recently moved to Wisconsin from Michigan,” Dewald said. “He said he was happy to find out hunters in Wisconsin were so honest.”

When the hunter didn’t return that night, Smith put the gear in his vehicle to safeguard it. He found Russell’s back tag in the backpack with his name and address on it. He drove to the nearest registration station but no one had reported missing gear. He called the La Crosse area DNR office but it was closed. He spent more than an hour trying to find the hunter’s home on La Crosse’s south side without luck. Finally, he took the gear to Dewald’s home and asked the warden for help. Dewald located the hunter and returned the gear, worth several hundred dollars.

Smith, 66, is a La Crosse County Town of Medary resident and 1961 graduate of Logan High School. Chosen for the 13th annual Hunter Ethics Award, he reacted with humility.

“I’m a little embarrassed by it,” he said. “I just represent a lot of hunters who would have done the same thing.”

North American Safari

Fairfield, ME - -(AmmoLand.com)- North American Safari TV Show won 6 national awards in 2009.

The show features big game hunting from around North America. In a field of over 600 shows, North American Safari came out on top 5 times and one second place award.

Nature Productions is the production company. Blaine Anthony is the host of North American Safari and the CEO of Nature Productions

“ We have come a long way in 5 years and are very proud for the awards we won in 2009” states Anthony. “I would really have to thank all the other shows and producers who raise the bar daily keeping us on our toes. Outdoor television has become more entertaining and we have done nothing except trying to keep up with the great shows available today. We also took on a 3-D artist to add what we have been missing for years, and that has improved the video quality immensely.”

Nature Productions is currently working on A-Way Outdoors and Hunting for the Dream and hope to bring the same success to those shows also. North American Safari has just signed a contract with The Sportsman Channel starting at the end of March as well as Comcast Sports, MAV TV, KTSS, Fox sport and Wild TV all coming in 2010.

Pheasants Forever

Austin, Texas –-(AmmoLand.com)- The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has presented Pheasants Forever’s Dave Nomsen with a National Great Blue Heron Award in recognition of his wetland and waterfowl conservation work. Nomsen, who is Pheasants Forever and Quail Forever’s Vice President of Government Affairs, received the award yesterday at the Waterfowl Working Group meeting of the Association of Fish & Wildlife Agencies gathering in Austin, Texas.

The National Great Blue Heron Award recognizes participants whose activities with the North American Waterfowl Management Plan Committee results in substantial benefits to waterfowl and other wetland-associated migratory bird populations of North America over a long period of time. Nomsen has been a conservation leader on a national scale for nearly two decades, with his work extending beyond pheasants, quail and other upland birds to a wide array of wildlife.

Nomsen’s influence helped shape the last three federal Farm Bills – 1996, 2002, & 2008 – and he became one of the nation’s loudest voices in support of the Conservation Reserve Program’s (CRP) wildlife legacy. CRP land in the Prairie Pothole Region of Iowa, Minnesota, Montana and North and South Dakota is some of the most productive waterfowl habitat in the world, contributing more than 2 million ducks annually. Most recently, Nomsen helped the creation of a new CRP practice called Conservation Practice 38, better known as the State Acres For wildlife Enhancement (SAFE) practice, which has allowed many states to create new wildlife and wetland conservation initiatives. And through his leadership, local Pheasants Forever chapters have restored 60,000 acres of wetlands across America.

Nomsen has also served on North American Wetlands Conservation Act (NAWCA) Council since 1999. His first appointment by the Secretary of the Interior under President Clinton and then subsequent re-appointments by President Bush’s administration showcased Nomsen’s ability to bridge parties in the name of conservation.

“Wetlands and waterfowl conservation have always been as near and dear to my heart as upland conservation – both are equally important, and equally connected,” said Nomsen, who points to his early work with the with South Dakota’s Cooperative Wildlife Research Unit as the source of his most important knowledge about wetlands. “While this award is quite an honor, it is ultimately reflective of the passion of the 125,000 Pheasants Forever and Quail Forever members across the country. It’s an honor to represent a group of such dedicated conservationists.”

Past recipients of the National Great Blue Heron recognition have included former Theodore Roosevelt Conservation Partnership Chairmen Jim Range, U.S. Senator Patrick J. Leahy, the Delta Waterfowl Foundation and The Nature Conservancy.

Nomsen is a Clear Lake, Iowa native, where his father, Richard Nomsen, was the chief pheasant biologist for the Iowa Conservation Commission (now the Iowa Department of Natural Resources). Nomsen received a master’s in wildlife management from South Dakota State University. He has been with Pheasants Forever since 1992, where he began as Pheasants Forever’s wildlife biologist for Minnesota. He makes his home in Garfield, Minnesota, with his wife, Melanie, and his Labrador retriever, Nellie, and Springer Spaniel, Little TR.

About:
Pheasants Forever and Quail Forever are non-profit conservation organizations dedicated to the protection and enhancement of pheasant, quail, and other wildlife populations in North America through habitat improvement, land management, public awareness, and education. Pheasants Forever and Quail Forever have more than 125,000 members in 750 local chapters across the continent.

For additional information please visit www.PheasantsForever.org and www.QuailForever.org

Winchester Repeating Arms

Nashville, Tenn --(AmmoLand.com)- Former Winchester® exhibition shooter, Herb Parsons, was recently inducted into the Legends of the Outdoors National Hall of Fame, August 22, in Nashville, Tenn.

Parsons, a leader in the shooting sports industry, began working for Winchester as a salesman in 1929. He excelled on the trap range, won the Grand American in 1954, was a member of Sports Afield’s trap and skeet All-American team, served as a gunnery instructor for the U.S. Army during World War II, and demonstrated shooting exhibitions for millions of people.

Because of his excellent marksmanship, Parsons has been recognized as the greatest exhibition shooter of all time in publications such as Guns & Ammo, Outdoor Life, Sports Afield and many others.

“This Hall of Fame induction of Mr. Parsons, is well deserved. I just wish he was here to receive it himself,” said Dick Hammett, president of Winchester Ammunition. “He was a leader for his family, for Winchester and for our entire industry. We are thrilled to see that his work and talents are being recognized. We also congratulate all of the 2009 inductees for their efforts, their leadership and their wisdom for our industry.”

During a medical procedure in 1959, Parsons died at a young age of 51. His sons, Drs. Lynn and Jerry Parsons, attended the ceremony on his behalf.

“Mr. Herb Parsons was a hero to every young boy and girl who ever had the chance to see him perform,” said Garry Mason, president and founder of Legends of the Outdoors National Hall of Fame. “To get to induct one of my lifelong heroes is a dream come true for both me and my staff. To become an outdoorsman was a dream come true for thousands of kids while growing up in the fifties and sixties. Mr. Herb Parsons made that dream come closer to reality for us all. Winchester could not have had a better ambassador to the great outdoors than that of Mr. Herb Parsons. His legendary performances for Winchester should be shown on television each and every day.”

During the ceremony, Brenda Valentine, the “First Lady of Hunting” and prostaffer for Winchester Ammunition, was the guest speaker. She was also the first woman to be inducted into the Legends of the Outdoors National Hall of Fame.

Other 2009 Inductees include:

• – Jim Crumley
• – Toxey Haas
• – Rob Keck
• – Terry Redlin
• – Eddie Salter
• – Emily Shaffer

For more information, visit www.legendsoftheoutdoors.com or contact Garry Mason at 731.539.0171.

To learn more about Winchester Ammunition products, visit www.winchester.com.

Pheasants Forever

Saint Paul, Minn. - -(AmmoLand.com)- Pizza Ranch is stepping up its support of Pheasants Forever’s (PF) youth programs. In addition to sponsoring PF’s successful “First Bird” program for the 2009-2010 hunting season, Pizza Ranch will assist local Pheasants Forever chapters across the Midwest in promoting chapter youth events, including youth mentor hunts.

PF’s “First Bird” program sponsored by Pizza Ranch was developed in 2008 to recognize the accomplishments of youth hunters who successfully bagged their first upland bird. Pizza Ranch is looking to add to the initial success of the “First Bird” program by stepping forward to support youth mentor hunts in local communities.

PF chapters based in the same town or area as a Pizza Ranch have the opportunity to partner with their neighboring franchise to create a local youth mentor hunt. All participating chapters will receive 24 blaze orange hunting caps and a banner to publicize the event. Chapters can become involved by simply contacting their nearby Pizza Ranch.

“We are excited to partner with Pheasants Forever on another great project for our area youth. Pheasants Forever youth mentor hunts are a great way to get local youth involved in our communities and the outdoors,” stated Gwen Lahrs, Senior Advertising and Marketing Manager for Pizza Ranch.

“The first year of the First Bird program generated phenomenal response, and with the help of Pizza Ranch, we’re excited to publish even more youngster photos on the pages of our magazines and at www.PheasantsForever.org ,” said Greg Emerick, PF Director of Corporate Sales, “Pizza Ranch also prides itself on being active in local communities, and boosting Pheasants Forever chapter youth events this fall will definitely help strengthen our youth outreach efforts.”

TO ENTER the Pheasants Forever “First Bird” program sponsored by Pizza Ranch

The Pheasants Forever “First Bird” program sponsored by Pizza Ranch is aimed at getting todayâ?Ts youth actively involved in outdoor activities such as hunting.

Young hunters who send in a photo of their first bird will receive:

• A “First Bird” Commemorative Pin
• Coupon for a free pizza at a Pizza Ranch restaurant
• A chance to get their photo published in the Pheasants Forever Journal of Upland
• Conservation and Upland Tales youth magazine.

Please send your photo (prints will not be returned) along with your first and last name, birth date, mailing address, phone number, and any other information you would like to share to: Pizza Ranch Inc., Attn: First Bird, PO Box 465, Orange City, IA 51041-0465.

About Pizza Ranch
Pizza Ranch has 144 franchises in Iowa, Minnesota, South Dakota, North Dakota, Wisconsin, Nebraska, Michigan and Illinois. The chain was founded in 1981 in Hull, Iowa and since has grown to its current size while focusing its brand around “providing a business ministry opportunity where guests receive a legendary experience through quality food and service.” More information about Pizza Ranch can be found at www.pizzaranch.com .

About Pheasants Forever
Pheasants Forever and Quail Forever are non-profit conservation organizations dedicated to the protection and enhancement of pheasant, quail, and other wildlife populations in North America through habitat improvement, land management, public awareness, and education. PF/QF has more than 125,000 members in 750 local chapters across the continent.

For additional information about Pheasants Forever, please visit www.PheasantsForever.org

Arizona Game and Fish Department

Phoenix, Arizona - -(AmmoLand.com)- The Arizona Game and Fish Commission is soliciting nominations for its 2009 Commission Awards to recognize Arizonans who have contributed significantly to the welfare of the state’s wildlife and the mission of the Arizona Game and Fish Department.

Nominations may include individuals, organizations, clubs, foundations or government agencies. Arizona Game and Fish Department employees are not eligible for nomination.

Categories for nomination include Award of Excellence, Youth Environmentalist of the Year, Outdoor Writer of the Year, Media of the Year, Conservation Organization of the Year, Conservationist of the Year, Volunteer of the Year, Educator of the Year, and License Dealer of the Year, as well as three new categories: Natural Resource Professional of the Year, Mentor of the Year, and Advocate of the Year. Descriptions of each category are on the nomination form.

To download a nomination form, visit www.azgfd.gov/commissionand click on the “commission awards” link.

Return the nomination form and all supplemental materials to: Arizona Game and Fish Department, Attn: Marty Fabritz – DOHQ, 5000 W. Carefree Highway, Phoenix, AZ 85086. Forms can also be faxed to (623) 236-7299 or e-mailed to Mfabritz@azgfd.gov.

Submission deadline is 5 p.m., Aug. 7, 2009.

Winners of the 2009 awards will be honored at the Meet the Commission banquet in Phoenix in January 2010.

For more information, visit www.azgfd.gov/inside_azgfd/commission_awards.shtml.

About:
The Arizona Game and Fish Department prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color, sex, national origin, age, or disability in its programs and activities. If anyone believes that they have been discriminated against in any of the AGFD’s programs or activities, including employment practices, they may file a complaint with the Deputy Director, 5000 W. Carefree Highway, Phoenix, AZ 85086-5000, (602) 942-3000, or with the Fish and Wildlife Service, 4040 N. Fairfax Dr. Ste. 130, Arlington, VA 22203. Persons with a disability may request a reasonable accommodation or this document in an alternative format by contacting the Deputy Director as listed above.

Hunter's Specialties

Cedar Rapids, IA - -(AmmoLand.com)- Al Morris, a member of the Hunter’s Specialties Pro Staff, has started off the year with a bang by not only winning the top three elk calling contests in the country, but the World Coyote Calling Championship as well.

“This is turning into a dream year for me,” said Morris. “My predator hunting partner and I, Garvin Young, won the 2009 World Coyote Calling Championship, making us the first three time winners in the history of the competition. After that I traveled to Harrisburg, Pennsylvania to compete in the Northeastern Elk Calling Championship where I won first place. At the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation Convention in Fort Worth, Texas, I entered in the Professional Division and took home another first place prize. Lastly, I went to Utah for the Best of the West contest and managed to win that one as well.”

“Al’s hard work and dedication to the sport has paid off for him in a big way,” said Hunter’s Specialties Field Services Coordinator Neal Denison. “He’s definitely at the top of his game right now.”

“I have to give Hunter’s Specialties a lot of credit for my success,” said Morris. “The new Infinity Latex that we’re using in our Wayne Carlton’s Calls has really helped me to make quality elk sounds. It’s so consistent and durable that I don’t have to worry about the sound of my calls changing in the middle of a competition. The Johnny Stewart Calls all use the original authentic Johnny Stewart sounds, so I have a lot of confidence when calling predators. With the great start I’ve experienced in 2009, I’m definitely looking forward to what the rest of the year has to offer.”

For more information, log onto the Hunter’s Specialties website at www.hunterspec.com, write to 6000 Huntington Court NE, Cedar Rapids, Iowa 52402, or call a Consumer Service Specialist at 319-395-0321.

National Scholastic Sportsman Program

Metropolis, Illinois – -(OutdoorWire.com)- Alli Armstrong of Elizabethtown, Illinois was awarded the 2009 NSSP Female Student of the Year by the National Scholastic Sportsman Program.

Eleven year old Alli received the award on Saturday, February 21, during the National Scholastic Sportsman Program (NSSP) 3rd annual Convention and Summit Awards banquet at Harrah’s Hotel and Convention Center in Metropolis, Illinois. NSSP members and pro staff attended the event along with their parents, advisors, and other guests.

In her acceptance speech Alli expressed her appreciation to her parents, and to “organizations like the NSSP and NRA for promoting youth hunting and most of all to God for all He has created.” Alli also said, “I hope all kids get the chance to hunt like I have.” Alli was also nominated for Pro Staffer of the Year and Best Video of the Year for her family friendly video titled Armstrong’s Outdoors. This was Alli’s first year in NSSP and she is one their youngest pro staff members. She is also the daughter of Susan Armstrong, a member of SHE Outdoor Apparel’s Field Staff.

NSSP membership is open to middle and high school students throughout the nation. The goal of NSSP is to provide a positive outlet for students who love the great outdoors or to cultivate an interest in those who haven’t been exposed to that lifestyle. The cost to join is $15.00 annually for students; members must take an active role to keep their standing in the program.

Several awards were given including Pro Staffer of the Year, Archer of the Year, Fisherman of the Year, Waterfowler of the Year, Video of the Year, Officer of the Year, Male Student of the Year and Female Student of the Year. For more information visit www.nsspoutdoors.com.

NASHVILLE, Tennessee - -(OutdoorWire.com)- Bath, Michigan, resident Al Stewart, the upland game bird specialist with the Michigan Department of Natural Resources (MDNR), was honored with the prestigious Henry S. Mosby Award at the National Wild Turkey Federation’s (NWTF) 33rd annual Convention and Sport Show held Feb. 19 to Feb. 22 in Nashville, Tenn.

The Mosby Award is named for Dr. Henry Mosby, whose research with wild turkeys in the mid 1900s set the standard for their management. He also helped found The Wildlife Society and was the winner of its highest honor the Aldo Leopold Medal.

For more than 30 years Stewart dedicated his career to conservation. Stewart was instrumental in enhancing the Michigan’s popular wild turkey cooperator patch program. The wild turkey cooperator patch program was initiated in 1988 as a voluntary incentive for hunters in exchange for cooperator patch by mailing feathers to wildlife biologists. Michigan students in grades K-12 created each year’s patch design through a contest. Stewart also championed the causes of the disabled and made it easier for everyone to access the great outdoors.

In 1992, President George H. Bush and Congressman Dave Camp gave Stewart the Teddy Roosevelt Conservation Award for his work on a barrier-free viewing and hunting platform at the Maple River State Game Area. In 1998, the NWTF Michigan State chapter awarded him the Outstanding Conservationist Award. In 2000, the Arizona Fish and Game Department selected Stewart to assist with the Gould’s wild turkey restoration in Arizona. In 2005, he served as coordinator of the 9th Annual NWTF Wild Turkey Symposium.

“Al Stewart has shown unequaled dedication to conservation and wild turkeys throughout his career,” said James Earl Kennamer, Ph.D., NWTF’s chief conservation officer. “His work through the wild turkey cooperator patch program has brought the great story of wild turkey conservation to the children and hunters of Michigan.”

Stewart and his wife, Patricia, who serves as the MDNR’s chief communications officer, are the parents of two sons, Chris and Tom.

Since 1985 NWTF’s volunteers in cooperation with the MDNR have spent nearly $2.9 million on habitat enhancements, wild turkey research, law enforcement and outreach programs. NWTF’s efforts include spending more than $1.5 million on habitat improvement projects for maintaining and developing brood habitat and wildlife openings, conducting prescribed fires, planting trees, restoring riparian area, completing water development projects, controlling invasive plant species and supporting seed subsidy and conservation seed programs — improving habitat for more than 57,886 acres within the state.

2009 Convention Sponsors
Bank of America, Bass Pro Shops, Browning, Call Makers and Collectors Association of America, Chevrolet, Crescent Cardboard Co., LLC, Federal Premium Ammunition, Foxy Huntress, Gaylord Opryland Resort and Convention Center, Knight Rifles, Leupold & Stevens, Longleaf Camo, Marlin Firearm/H&R 1871 LLC, Mathews Bows, Inc., MeadWestvaco, Motorola, Nashville Convention and Visitors Bureau, National Band and Tag, O.F. Mossberg & Sons, Inc., Outdoor Channel, The Outdoor Connection, Inc., Remington Arms Company, Inc., S.C. State Chapter, Sustainable Forestry Initiative, Tennessee State Chapter, The Sportsman Channel, USDA Forest Service, U.S. Sportsmen’s Alliance, Weatherby, Inc., Weyerhaeuser, Wild Turkey Bourbon and Winchester Olin

About the NWTF: In 1973, Tom Rodgers founded the National Wild Turkey Federation in Fredericksburg, Va., as a national 501(c)(3) nonprofit conservation and education organization with a mission dedicated to conserving wild turkeys and preserving hunting traditions. Shortly thereafter, Rodgers relocated the NWTF to Edgefield, S.C., where it’s still headquartered today.

At the time NWTF was established, there were only 1.3 million wild turkeys. Today that number stands at more than seven million birds throughout North America, thanks to the efforts of state, federal and provincial wildlife agencies, the NWTF and its members and partners.

Growth and progress define the NWTF as it has expanded from 1,300 members in 1973 to nearly a half million today. With that growth has come impressive strides in wildlife management as the NWTF has forged dynamic partnerships across the country to further its conservation mission. Together, the NWTF’s partners, sponsors and grassroots members have raised and spent more than $286 million upholding hunting traditions and conserving nearly 14 million acres of wildlife habitat.

While wild turkey restoration is nearing completion, the NWTF still has much work to do. Across North America, supporters are working to enhance habitat for wild turkeys and other wildlife while providing hunters with more opportunities and access to public and private land. In addition, NWTF volunteers and partners are introducing youth, women and people with disabilities to the outdoors through special educational events.

If you would like to become a member of Team NWTF, join a committee or start a chapter, please visit our Web site at www.nwtf.org or call us at 800-THE-NWTF.

HARRISBURG, PA – -(AmmoLand.com)- Scott Weidensaul of Schuylkill County, PA, a successful writer and avid conservationist, has received the 2008 Eastern Sports & Outdoor Show Achievement Award for Conservation.

Weidensaul is the author of more than two dozen books on natural history, including the Pulitzer Prize-nominated “Living on the Wind,” about bird migration.

Weidensaul is a trustee of the Ned Smith Center for Nature and Art, Hawk Mountain Sanctuary, Audubon Pennsylvania, as well as being an active field researcher. Each fall, he oversees a crew of more than 100 volunteers banding migrant saw-whet owls in central Pennsylvania.

One of fewer than 200 hummingbird banders in North America, Weidensaul has traveled throughout the Western Hemisphere researching his books.

A 1976 graduate of North Schuylkill High School, Weidensaul began his professional writing career as an outdoors writer and general assignment reporter for the Pottsville Republican.

“Scott has been an extraordinary volunteer and driving force for the Ned Smith Center for Nature since the very beginning” said Jerry Regan, the Center’s Executive Director.

Weidensaul was a founding member of the Ned Smith Center for Nature, and has served on the Board of Directors since the Center’s inception in 1993.

About:
The Eastern Sports & Outdoor Show Outdoor Achievement Award for Conservation is presented annually to an individual or organization in recognition of their demonstrated commitment to protecting and improving our outdoor resources and animal habitats.

HARRISBURG, PA – -(AmmoLand.com)- Harold Stoneberger of Lewisbury, PA, has received the 2009 Eastern Sports & Outdoor Show Youth Mentor Award for his efforts in promoting the outdoors and outdoor sports to youth.

When it comes to mentoring youth, Stoneberger leads by example. He realizes the value of teaching young people about the outdoors and outdoor sports and has implemented programs for youth at the grassroots level.

The Crushers are a group of youth ranging from 5th through 12th grade that practice shooting clay targets at the Central Penn Sporting Clays Club owned by Harold Stoneberger.  Harold organized and sponsors this group of youth that shoot in a clay target program competing on both state and national levels. This program has grown over the last five years and now includes about twenty male and female participants.

Stoneberger also opens his sporting clays club each fall to other youth programs, including a youth field day. A variety of shooting activities including sporting clays, muzzleloaders, rim-fire rifles, archery, and even shooting game birds over dogs are available for the youth to experience.

Each year, Stoneberger puts on a youth fundraiser at his club with Safari Club International Blue Mountain chapter.  In 2008 they netted $14,000 for youth programs. In the past three years they have been able to send over 20 youngsters to the Wyoming Wilderness School for Youth.

Stoneberger also owns three farms in York County and allows only youth to hunt on them. This year alone four buck and four doe were harvested on his farms by hunters under 17 years of age.

About:
The Eastern Sports & Outdoor Show Outdoor Youth Mentor Award is presented annually to an individual or organization in recognition of their demonstrated commitment to using their knowledge of the outdoors and outdoor sports to educate and help young people.

HARRISBURG, PA – -(AmmoLand.com)- Bob Herman has received the 2009 Eastern Sports & Outdoor Show Humanitarian Award for his efforts in raising money for The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society through Capitol City Bassmasters.

Herman and the Capital City Bassmasters began their association with The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society in 2003. The Bassmasters, in conjunction with The Pennsylvania Outdoor Writers Association, hosted a children’s fishing derby and invited pediatric cancer patients and their families from The Four Diamonds Fund and The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society for a fun day of fishing and a hot dog cookout.

All children who attended received a rod, reel and tackle box compliments of Bass Pro Shops.

“When the kids get there, some are sick and look very tired, others are shy and a little unsure of what to do, but by the end of the four hours, they’re standing up, throwing rods, and appear to be having the time of their lives. After seeing the look on their faces after the first year, the feeling we went home with was just tremendous. The Bass Classic tournament got started because we wanted to do more for these children,” said Bob Herman, public relations chair for the Capital City Bassmasters.

As a result of the fishing derby, The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society’s annual Bass Classic was created. The Bass Classic takes place over Labor Day weekend during Harrisburg’s annual Kipona festival. It is one of the largest bass events held on the Susquehanna River and has raised over $35,000 since it’s inception four years ago.

Through Herman’s efforts, the Bass Classic and the kid’s fishing derby are sponsored by such generous benefactors as C.A.I.  Computer Aid Inc., the City of Harrisburg, the Pennsylvania Outdoor Writers Association, and Bass Pro Shops.

The funds raised during this event are directed to blood cancer research and local patient services programs including patient aid.  The Central Pennsylvania Chapter of The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society could not offer these programs without the work of local benefactors like Herman and Capital City Bassmasters.

About:
The Eastern Sports & Outdoor Show Humanitarian Award is presented annually to an individual or organization in recognition of their demonstrated commitment to using their knowledge of the outdoors and outdoor sports to improve and support their community.

Safari Club Internationa

Reno, Nevada – -(AmmoLand.com)- Safari Club International (SCI) is pleased to announce that MaryAnn Sachman is the 2009 winner of the prestigious SCI Diana Award.

Named for the huntress of Roman mythology, the Diana Award recognizes the women of SCI who have excelled in international big game hunting. Award winners have shown exemplary ethics in the field, remained committed to the mission statement of SCI, and have personally given their time and energies to enhance wildlife conservation and education.

MaryAnn Sachman is a lifetime member of SCI and has been a member of the New York Tri-State Chapter for many years, where she has chaired various committees and events. She has served on the SCI Board of Directors as Chapter President and is a member of the SCIF Hunter Legacy 100 Fund.

Under Sachman’s leadership the New York Tri-State Sables donated over $40,000 to organizations and direct need recipients. She has supported rhinos in Zimbabwe, sent thousands of pounds of books to Africa, provided funds to the Girls Scouts of America to visit Africa and has sponsored students and teachers attending the American Wilderness Leadership School.

The chapter also funded programs such as the Roosevelt Sanctuary, the Leithen Valley Trophy Hunts, Zambia Village Project, Disabled Hunter program and Dream Hunt. Under her leadership and vision, the NY Tri-State Chapter is once again growing strong with new members and chapter participation.

The Diana Award was conferred upon Sachman this week during SCI’s 37h Annual Hunters’ Convention, in Reno, Nevada.

Contact:
Nelson Freeman
Public Relations and
Governmental Affairs
(202) 543 – 8733
nfreeman@safariclub.org

About:
SCI-First For Hunters is the leader in protecting the freedom to hunt and in promoting wildlife conservation worldwide. SCI’s 189 Chapters represent all 50 of the United States as well as 18 other countries. SCI’s proactive leadership in a host of cooperative wildlife conservation, outdoor education and humanitarian programs, with the SCI Foundation and other conservation groups, research institutions and government agencies, empowers sportsmen to be contributing community members and participants in sound wildlife management and conservation. Visit the home page www.safariclub.org or call (520) 620-1220 for more information.

Safari Club Internationa

Reno, NV - -(OutDoorWire.com)- Safari Club International (SCI) is pleased to announce the list of award recipients at from the 37th Annual Hunters’ Convention in Reno, Nevada. Award winners include members and chapters who display a strong commitment to and have made great contributions to the sport of hunting, displayed a dedication to the conservation of wildlife, and have a history of service to the global hunting community and to SCI’s goals and are committed to SCI’s programs and mission statement.

Individual Award Recipients:

• CJ McElroy Award – Jim Shockey
• Diana Award – Maryann Sackman
• International Hunter Award – Bruce R. Keller
• Young Hunter Award – Alec Janda
• Young Hunter Award – Chase Blalock
• Hall of Fame Award – Mike Rogers, Sr.
• World Hunting Ring Award – Byron Sadler
• World Hunting Ring Award – Kenneth L. Barr
• World Hunting Ring Award – Federico Sada
• Professional Hunter International Award – Giuseppe Carrizoza
• Professional Hunter Award – Jim Shockey
• Pathfinder Award – Camron Tribolet
• Pathfinder Award – Louis J. Riccardi

Chapter Award Recipients:

• Top Gun Award – Alaska Chapter
• Diamond Conservation Chapter – Alaska Chapter
• Chapter of the Year, 51-100 members – Magnolia Chapter and Northern San Joaquin Valley Chapter
• Chapter of the Year 101-250 members – Blue Mountain Chapter
• Chapter of the Year 251+ – Flint Regional Chapter
• International Chapter – London Chapter
• Rookie Chapter – San Juan River Chapter
• Membership Growth – SE Michigan Bowhunters Chapter

All of these awards were conferred upon the recipients this week during the 37th Annual Hunters’ Convention in Reno, Nevada. SCI’s Convention is the most dynamic and diverse hunting show today with over 650,000 square feet of exhibit space, dozens of informational and educational seminars, and the opportunity for thousands of SCI members to come together. For more information on any of the awards or recipients please contact Nelson Freeman at (202) 543-8733.

New Berlin, Wisconsin – -(TheOutdoorWire.com)- The Sportsman Channel is pleased to announce the following winners for the 2008 Sportsman Awards. The winners were announced on Friday, January 16th during the 5th Annual Sportsman Channel Awards event held at BB Kings in Orlando, Florida.

• Best Show Open Nominees: Christensen Outdoors
• Best Graphics or Visual Effects: All Outdoors with Alan Probst
• Best Videography: FlatsClass TV
• Best Video Editing: Own the Zone
• Best Informational/Educational Episode: Africa with Craig Boddington
• Best Small Game or Turkey Episode: Shoot Straight with Chad Schearer
• Best Upland Bird or Waterfowl Episode: Jay’s Outdoor Magazine with Mike Avery
• Best Freshwater Fishing Episode: Fly Rod Chronicles
• Best Saltwater Fishing Episode: FlatsClass TV
• Best Whitetail Deer Episode (new category): Whitetail Properties
• Best Big Game Episode: Hunting with the Pros
• Best Combination Show: Red Arrow
• Best New Series: Africa with Craig Boddington
• Viewer Favorite Hunting Show: Predator Quest
• Viewer Favorite Fishing Show: Addictive Fishing
• Viewer Favorite Combination Show: Cabela’s Ultimate Adventures
• Viewer Favorite Personality: Haley Heath of “Family Traditions with Haley Heath”
• Sportsman of the Year: Mike Avery with “Jay’s Outdoor Magazine with Mike Avery.”

“The Sportsman Channel is home to many of the industry’s top producers and to be singled out in that group is truly an honor,” said Mike Avery, receipt of TSC’s 2008 Sportsman of the Year. “I’m very pleased to get this award at a time when TSC is growing as a major force in the world of outdoor television.”

About the Sportsman Channel
Launched in 2003, The Sportsman Channel is the only network fully devoted to the more than 82 million sportsmen participants in the United States, delivering 100 percent hunting, fishing and shooting programming 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Acquired by InterMedia Outdoors Holdings in 2007, TSC is now a part of the nation’s largest multimedia company targeted exclusively to serving the information and entertainment needs of outdoors enthusiasts. Check out TSC’s new, interactive website and sign up for a free program guide/magazine at www.thesportsmanchannel.com.

Accokeek, Maryland - Once again, Benelli Multimedia has been nominated for The Outdoor Channel’s prestigious Golden Moose Award. Benelli was nominated for their award winning spot, “Benelli Duck Commander-Boom, Boom, Boom!” featuring Duck Commander, Phil Robertson and his Duckmen using ultra-reliable Benelli shotguns under every imaginable kind of hunting and weather condition. “A shotgun must have three things,” in Robertson’s opinion – “Boom, Boom, Boom!”

“Benelli Duck Commander – Boom, Boom, Boom!” is a nominee in the General Category for the Best Commercial for The Outdoor Channel’s (TOC) 2009 Golden Moose Awards. Often referred to as the “Outdoor Oscars,” the 9th Annual Golden Moose Awards will take place January 17, 2009, at the Hard Rock Café in Orlando, Florida, where the winners will be announced during the 2009 Shooting, Hunting and Outdoor Trade (SHOT) Show.

“To be nominated for a Golden Moose Award is a great honor for Benelli, much like being nominated for a Hollywood Oscar. A Golden Moose Award stands for excellence and accomplishment in the outdoor industry and we are pleased to be in excellent company,” said Stephen McKelvain, Benelli USA’s VP of Marketing & Communications.

Benelli Multimedia’s productions are shot in dynamic HD using state-of-the-art video technology with a strict focus on high-end cinematography. The award winning 30-second spot also runs on Versus, ESPN 2, The Sportsman Channel, The Pursuit Network and Wild TV. The spot was honored earlier this year with both a Communicator Award and a Telly award.

To get the latest news and product information on all Benelli USA brands, along with many bonus features, log on to www.benelliusa.com.

The Sportsman Channel

New Berlin, Wisconsin - The Sportsman Channel is pleased to announce the following nominees for the 2008 Sportsman Awards. The winners will be announced on Friday, January 16th during the 5th Annual Sportsman Channel Awards event held during the Shooting, Hunting, and Outdoor Trade (SHOT) Show in Orlando, Florida.

• Best Show Open Nominees: Christensen Outdoors, Hunting with the Pros, Own the Zone TV
• Best Graphics or Visual Effects: Africa with Craig Boddington, All Outdoors with Alan Probst, Whitetail Properties
• Best Videography: Africa with Craig Boddington, FlatsClass TV, Trijicon’s The Outfitter
• Best Video Editing: FlatsClass TV, Hunting with the Pros, Own the Zone TV
• Best Informational/Educational Episode: Africa with Craig Boddington, New Age Outdoors, RNT-TV
• Best Small Game or Turkey Episode: Predator Quest, Shoot Straight with Chad Schearer, C’Mere Deer’s Spiritual Outdoor Adventures
• Best Upland Bird or Waterfowl Episode: Cabela’s Ultimate Adventures, Jay’s Outdoor Magazine with Mike Avery, Open Season
• Best Freshwater Fishing Episode: Fly Rod Chronicles, Patagonic Waters, C’Mere Deer’s Spiritual Outdoor Adventures
• Best Saltwater Fishing Episode: FlatsClass TV, Hooked on O.C., Wild Adventures
• Best Whitetail Deer Episode (new category): Cabela’s Ultimate Adventures, C’Meer Deer’s Spiritual Outdoor Adventures, Whitetail Properties
• Best Big Game Episode: Christensen Outdoors, Hunting with the Pros, The American Outdoorsman
• Best Combination Show: A-Way Outdoors TV, Own the Zone TV, Red Arrow
• Best New Series: Africa with Craig Boddington, Own the Zone TV, Red Arrow

To be nominated, producers had to submit their best episode for each category to The Sportsman Channel (TSC). TSC’s Director of Programming, Jim Seeley, sorted through the abundance of submissions and narrowed down the entries before TSC staff and InterMedia Outdoors Board of Directors decided on the final nominees and eventual winner for each category. “Each year it becomes increasingly more difficult to choose the winners from our producer audience,” said Seeley. “The awards are coveted by our producers as it helps secure sponsors for the coming year and tells viewers that this show is the best of the best.”

The Viewer Favorite Awards are chosen by The Sportsman Channel viewer’s via an online voting process that begins two months prior to the awards. “Our viewers are very passionate about who they like to watch,” said Seeley. “We can never guess who is going to win this award – it is part marketing and PR on the producer side and part dynamic charisma from the host on who will be chosen.”

• Viewer Favorite Hunting Show Nominees: Predator Quest, Arrow Affliction, Back Country Quest
• Viewer Favorite Fishing Show: Fly Rod Chronicles, In-Fisherman TV, Addictive Fishing
• Viewer Favorite Combination Show: Cabela’s Ultimate Adventures, Red Arrow, Family Traditions with Haley Heath.
• Viewer Favorite Personality: Les Johnson of “Predator Quest,” Haley Heath of “Family Traditions with Haley Heath,” and Chris Brackett of “Arrow Affliction.”

The most coveted award is the Sportsman of the Year Award. This is chosen by The Sportsman Channel staff and owners on the one producer who went above and beyond assisting the channel in marketing, promotions and branding for 2008. This year’s nominees are: Alan Probst of “All Outdoors with Alan Probst” (recipient of the award in 2007), Chad Schearer with “Shoot Straight with Chad Schearer,” Haley and G.O. Heath of “Family Traditions with Haley Heath,” and Mike Avery with “Jay’s Outdoor Magazine with Mike Avery.”
About the Sportsman Channel
Launched in 2003, The Sportsman Channel is the only network fully devoted to the more than 82 million sportsmen participants in the United States, delivering 100 percent hunting, fishing and shooting programming 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Acquired by InterMedia Outdoors Holdings in 2007, TSC is now a part of the nation’s largest multimedia company targeted exclusively to serving the information and entertainment needs of outdoors enthusiasts. Check out TSC’s new, interactive website and sign up for a free program guide/magazine at www.thesportsmanchannel.com.