Las Vegas, Nevada - Safari Club International (SCI) is pleased to announce Jim Shockey of Vancouver Island, Canada as the 2012 recipient of the International Hunter of the Year award. Jim Shockey will be recognized at the evening banquet on February 3, 2012 at the SCI 40th Annual Hunters' Convention at the Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas, Nevada.
"I am honored to receive the International Hunter of the Year award, and join an incredible group of hunters from around the world," Shockey said. "SCI's leadership position in worldwide conservation efforts makes all of this possible for those of us who quest for hunting adventures on every corner of the earth."
"Safari Club is very proud have the opportunity to bestow such an incredible honor on such an incredible hunter," said SCI's Chief Communications Officer Larry Rudolph. "Jim has been an international ambassador not only for hunting, but also representing SCI."
Jim Shockey will receive the 2012 International Hunter of the Year award during the Friday evening banquet. Tickets are available for the Friday banquet: www.showsci.com. For a chance to meet Jim, please stop by his booth #1850 and #1852 at SCI's 40th Annual Hunters' Convention.
Join Safari Club International's 40th Annual Hunters' Convention at the Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas, Nevada February 1-4, 2012. SCI will be bringing 13% more exhibitors than in any other year in the organization's history. The total convention exhibit hall is over 50% larger than in 2011, with over one million square feet of the world's finest hunts, finest guns and greatest taxidermy. Register today for the SCI convention at www.showsci.com.
About Jim Shockey: Jim is a world-renowned Professional Hunter, Outfitter, Television Producer, Outdoor Writer and multi-award-winner. He has hunted six continents, more than 40 countries and has taken over 265 big game species, including more than 50 world records. He has over 350 entries in the SCI Record Book of Trophy Animals and is the definitive leader of the muzzleloading contingent. Jim Shockey is the first and only hunter in the world to complete the "North American Super Slam" and "Ultimate Slam" with a muzzleloader and received SCI's "Professional Hunter of the Year" award in 2009. Jim also received the prestigious C.J. McElroy award that same year for achieved excellence in worldwide hunting, a dedication to wildlife conservation and a history of service to the global hunting community. Jim is also the first and only hunter to use a muzzleloader to achieve the World Hunting Award Ring and qualified under the same criteria used by rifle hunters.
Born in Saskatchewan, Canada, Jim was formerly an All-American swimmer in university (combined Biology Psychology major) and then played on the National waterpolo team for six years. Jim participated in both the 1978 and 1982 world championships but did not attend the 1980 Olympics because of the international boycott against Russia. Jim is considered to be one of the world's foremost experts on the Ethnocentric Folk Art forms from Western Canada and is an avid collector of Tribal art and artifacts from around the world. His collections have appeared several times in publications such as Country Living and Century Home.
Jim has been married to his best friend Louise (a former actress), for nearly 30-years and the two of them split their time between their home on Vancouver Island and their ranch in Saskatchewan. They have two now grown children, Branlin and Eva, who have both joined the family business, Branlin as the producer of The Professionals TV show and Eva as Public Relations and Events Coordinator and on camera hostess of the Hunting Adventures TV show.
Contact: Nelson Freeman, Media@safariclub.org
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Becoming an SCI Member:
Joining Safari Club International is the best way to be an advocate for continuing our hunting heritage and supporting worldwide sustainable use conservation, wildlife education and humanitarian services. JOIN NOW: www.safariclub.org/Join.
Safari Club International - First For Hunters is the leader in protecting the freedom to hunt and in promoting wildlife conservation worldwide. SCI's approximately 200 Chapters represent all 50 of the United States as well as 106 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
