Archives: SFW News
Hoyt Expands into 150,000 sq.ft. Facility
Hoyt Expands into 150,000 sq.ft. Facility
Hoyt Archery, the dominant leader in the archery industry, has just announced its expansion into a brand new, state of the art, 150,000 sq ft manufacturing facility. The move into this new facility comes on Hoyt’s 80th year in business. Established in 1931, Hoyt has been a steady force and leader in the archery industry innovating and pioneering countless technologies and products that have changed archery forever with their latest being their revolutionary carbon bow designs.
The continued and rapid growth of the Hoyt Archery company forced an expansion from their 85,000 sq ft building into their new, spacious, high tech facility. Custom built specifically for the Hoyt Archery operations, this new complex will be home to all of Hoyt’s precision manufacturing areas such as their state of the art machine shop, limb lamination and fabrication, specialized paint and finishing operation, custom string building and all assembly production, including all carbon specific production lines. The facility also includes new state of the art research & development and engineering labs allowing Hoyt’s team of engineers to continue to push the envelope, maintaining an intense focus on archery innovation and technology, strengthening their position as a leader in the archery industry.
Along with the manufacturing, engineering and research & development operations, all of Hoyt’s corporate offices will be operating from the same facility. Due to the demand for factory tours, the new facility has also been designed with an elevated catwalk and observation decks, allowing for a bird’s eye view of the high tech Hoyt operation for tour groups. The facility is also equipped with a state-of-the-art conferencing centre with theatre-style seating for special group meetings. All operations have been moved and are fully functioning in the new facility.
Hoyt President, Randy Walk commented “This is a very special and momentous time for Hoyt Archery. The construction of this new, custom-built facility is a huge step to our future developments and ensuring our continued success moving forward. The phenomenal growth we have experienced over the years is truly humbling. We are very proud of our 80 year track record and look forward to the next 80 years of engineering and designing innovative products that truly benefit archers and bowhunters around the world and that drive the industry forward.”
Hoyt has been one of SFW’s longest corporate sponsors and a true friend to wildlife conservation efforts throughout the United States.
Hoyt’s new address:
Hoyt Archery Inc.
593 N. Wright Brothers Drive
Salt Lake City, UT 84116
Wolf Update
Sportsmen for Fish & Wildlife Helps Young Woman Fulfill Dream
Adam Eakle (KSL-TV Outdoors) spent a weekend in late August 2011 with a very inspirational young lady. 12-year-old Kierra made a great shot on a 3×4 mule deer buck despite her disabilities and claimed this trophy muley! Her story was the first show aired on KSL OUTDOORS in September. Kierra made a remarkable shot! A lot of sportsmen stepped up to help her achieve her goal, including SFW, Western Lands Outfitters, Rusty Hall, Trophy Hunter Magazine, and others. This is a story about sportsmen stepping up to help a courageous young lady fulfill her otherwise impossible dream. Meet Kierra and watch her video…
Kierra, Byron Bateman and Adam Eakle
DWR Director Receives Lifetime Achievement Award
Jim Karpowitz, director of the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources, recently received the prestigious Phillip W. Schneider Lifetime Achievement Award. Read more …
Field & Stream Picks Hoyt “2011 Best of the Best”
Best New Bow: Hoyt Carbon Element
Last year, Hoyt introduced the best carbon riser in years—the Carbon Matrix. It has now refined that design in the Carbon Element, a bow that melds ingenious form, space-age material, and meticulous craftsmanship. Read more…
Parleys Canyon Wildlife Fence Reduces Roadkill
BY LEE DAVIDSON
The Salt Lake Tribune
Far fewer cars are crashing into deer, elk and moose along Interstate 80 in Parleys Canyon after federal stimulus money paid for a high fence to reduce roadkill along a deadly three-mile segment. Read more …
Wolf Update
Aug. 3, 2011
Today is a great day for wildlife! The federal government and Wyoming’s Governor announced that agreements have been reached to delist wolves in Wyoming. A subsequent court ruling upholding the Congressional action to delist wolves in Montana and Idaho quickly followed. Big Game Forever grateful to its members, SFW members and other sportsmen groups for the loyal support and many efforts in the fight for the future of wildlife in America. Expanded wolf delisting is coming closer to reality. If US Fish and Wildlife Service fulfills its commitments, Wyoming, Michigan, Minnesota and Wisconsin should be delisted in the next few months. The experts continue to show that regulated harvest of wolves presents no threat to the ongoing viability of recovered wolf populations. It is time to allow states to do their job. The fight is not over, but the overwhelming evidence in support of delisting can no longer be ignored. Take a few minutes and look at the news on wolf delisting in this newsletter. We also encourage you to join BGF on facebook for more frequent updates on wolves, predation, state wildlife management and other important issues in protecting our hunting and outdoor heritage.
–Ryan Benson, Big Game Forever
NEWS: Judge Molloy Upholds Constitutionality of Wolf Delisting
(MISSOULA) – Wolves will stay off the Endangered Species List, at least for now, after U.S. District Judge upholds the constitutionality of Congressional action taking the wolves off the protected list. Some environmental groups wanted Molloy to overturn the May decision, saying lawmakers had violated the Separation of Powers Doctrine. But in an 18-page ruling issued this afternoon, Molloy rejected the plaintiff’s claims for summary judgment and backed the government’s position. That leaves the question of long-term ESA protection for Idaho and Montana wolves in the hands of the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals.
Trophy Hunts
Editorial Opinion
Published by The Salt Lake Tribune
Ron Mika's trophy bull elk
Most human societies have evolved past the point where hunting was the job of every man in the tribe. Today, hunting is a sport. And some Utahns believe that the alpha males and females in the tribe are taking more than their share simply because they have more clams than all the other hunters.
Sunday’s Tribune profiled how big-game hunters pay up to $79,000 at auction for a special permit to hunt a trophy animal — a Rocky Mountain bighorn sheep, mountain goat, elk, moose, mule deer, bison, pronghorn, cougar, bear or turkey. Ponying up thousands of dollars entitles the hunter to pursue a trophy animal in the most desirable game areas of the state.
The average Joe, by contrast, may have to wait years to win the right in a lottery to hunt certain species in certain areas, and may never have the good fortune to draw a permit.
The other half of this story, though, is that the $1 million or so the Division of Wildlife Resources earns from the auctions annually allows the agency to purchase wildlife habitat and transplant animals into and within the state. DWR officials point out that these programs benefit not only the populations of animals all other hunters and wildlife lovers enjoy, but they make life better for species of non-game critters as well.
So, while with one hand the policy of auctioning trophy permits is turning hunting into the sport of kings, or at those with princely incomes, with the other hand it is helping a much broader group of people, hunters and non-hunters alike.
If the rest of Utah’s hunters don’t like the idea of the capitalist elite buying trophy permits at huge prices, there are other options, but none of them is particularly attractive. The DWR could simply drop the auction program, but that would kill off valuable habitat preservation and management programs because of lack of funds. The DWR could raise the prices of tags for everyone to make up the difference, but that would do more to price the hunter of humble means out of the sport than does the status quo.
Another alternative would be to look for general government revenues to pay for wildlife programs. For years, hunters have paid the bills for wildlife management through their license fees and taxes on ammunition and outdoor gear. People who oppose hunting on ethical grounds complain that the DWR listens only to hunters, but it is natural for the agency to listen to the folks who are paying the bills.
Since state governments are struggling today with budget deficits and an economic recession, it is not realistic to expect them to come up with bigger contributions for wildlife management from general revenues. State income-tax check-offs to raise funds for non-consumptive wildlife have been a bust.
But if non-hunters are serious about funding wildlife management and habitat preservation, maybe they should propose taxes on water or real estate that would benefit wildlife directly. After all, every drop of water or square foot of ground that is taken for human use reduces resources for wildlife.
Until reforms like this are enacted, auctions for coveted big-game tags may remain the best shot at preserving wildlife and hunting for the everyday member of the tribe.
Copyright 2001, Salt Lake Tribune
SFW & MDF Raise Funds for Utah State Parks & Recreation Wildlife Programs
SFW presents a check for $283,500 to the Utah Division of State Parks and Recreation for wildlife habitat improvement
Salt Lake City, Utah – Sportsmen for Fish and Wildlife (SFW) and the Mule Deer Foundation presented a check for $283,500 to the Utah Division of State Parks and Recreation for wildlife habitat improvement and management work on Antelope Island State Park which is located in the Great Salt Lake. The funds were raised from the auction of a Mule Deer tag and a California Bighorn Sheep tag to be hunted on the Island this fall. The tags were auctioned last February at the Western Hunting and Conservation Expo (WHCE) held in Salt Lake City. The Mule Deer Tag sold for $265,000 and the Sheep tag sold for $50,000. The WHCE retains 10% of the sale price.
Mule deer have not been hunted on Antelope Island for overmore than 30 years. Bighorn Sheep have not previously been hunted on the Island . The Bbighorn Ssheep were transplanted to the Island in 1997 by the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources. The Sheep herd has served as a source of transplant animals for the West Desert area of Utah.
The most visible Island resident is the Bbison. “From bison and bighorn sheep, to mule deer and pronghorn, all island wildlife will benefit from this generous gift,” said Director Mary Tullius, Utah State Parks and Recreation.
Mike Styler, Executive Director of the Department of Natural Resources says, “This is a prime example of sportsmen reinvesting in habitat, and in this case the recipient is a great state park. Because of one deer and one bighorn sheep tag, we will have more than $280,000 invested directly into habitat work.”
Byron Bateman, President for Sportsmen for Fish and Wildlife says, “The $283,500 raised at this year’s Expo is a wWin/Wwin for Utah State Parks and the Bbighorn Ssheep & Mmule deer that live on Antelope Island with 100% of the money going directly to projects to benefit both species.”
State Park’s budget has been reduced in recent years resulting in layoffs and some parks potentially being shut down. The auctioning of these special tags will bring much needed funds to help maintain and improve wildlife habitat on the Island that wouldn’t be available due to the budget cuts.
“We are glad we can help fund wildlife projects on Antelope Island during these difficult economic times.” says Miles Moretti, President/CEO of the Mule Deer Foundation. Moretti continues “tThis is a great example of a public/private partnership finding innovative ways to provide funding for the Park.”
In addition to the two auction tags, a public drawing was held for one deer and one sheep tag. The hunts will take place in November 2011.
Sportsmen for Fish & Wildlife Expands Into New Utah Headquarters
Sportsmen for Fish & Wildlife (SFW) has centralized its corporate operations at a 3,900 sq. ft. office and warehouse facility in North Salt Lake, Utah. Generous donations from key SFW supporters Steve Creamer, former CEO of EnergySolutions, and Utah entrepreneurs Marc and Debbie Bingham, made the purchase of an existing building possible. SFW officially assumed occupancy of the building at 215 North Redwood Road in March 2011.
“In 2010 we found ourselves in need of a central location where we could manage the day-to-day activities of wildlife conservation operations in the western United States and Alaska,” said SFW President Byron Bateman. “The business of protecting wildlife and hunting opportunity has simply outgrown the capacity of our home and basement offices. It’s high time we made this move, and SFW will be a stronger, more effective organization because of it.”
SFW serves chapters in seven states and more than 13,000 members spread throughout all 50 states. The purchase of the building enabled SFW to secure its Federal Firearms License and to eliminate commercial rental space at several locations. It will also provide a spacious conference room and warehouse space as well as offices and meeting space for members of SFW’s Executive Board and staff.
”SFW has seen steady growth and success in our wildlife conservation efforts for nearly 16 years,” said Ryan Foutz, SFW Membership & Marketing Executive. “This new facility will enable us to continue achieving the goals of the SFW mission and better serve our state and local chapters.”
On the second level of the building, the conference room is large enough to accommodate up to 40 people. SFW is making the conference room available to state and local SFW chapters for meetings. The warehouse portion of the building has multiple security features and will enable SFW to inventory banquet and fundraising merchandise, store trailers, ship and product to its membership throughout the country.
About SFW: (www.SFW.net) Headquartered in North Salt Lake, Utah, SFW is a charitable, non-profit 501(c)(3) organization. The mission of SFW is to promote the protection and enhancement of wildlife habitat, assist in providing quality wildlife management programs, educating the public about the role hunters play in wildlife conservation, and perpetuating the family tradition of hunting and fishing. Phone: (801) 936-1386.
SFW’s Executive Board: Byron Bateman, SFW President; Ryan Foutz SFW Vice President, Bryce Pilling, SFW Secretary
SFW Staff: Troy Justensen, Banquets & Fundraising Mission Fulfillment Board Chairman, Mike Pritchett, SFW Turkey Coordinator; Ryan Benson Legal Council-consultant & Big Game Forever Executive Director
SFW’s Executive Advisory Board: Todd Abelhouzen, Kevin Pritchett, Kurt Wood, Dave Woodhouse & Scott Czaja CPA, Hanie & Company
