Jason Matzinger to Headline Boone and Crockett Club’s Generation Next Youth Banquet at 32nd Big Game Awards

Acclaimed filmmaker, conservationist, and hunter Jason Matzinger will be the keynote speaker at the Boone and Crockett Club’s Jack Steele Parker Generation Next banquet presented by Buck Knives. The banquet will take place on Friday, July 25 during the 32nd Big Game Awards events in Springfield, Missouri. The Generation Next event honors young hunters (ages 16 and under) who have had an animal accepted into Records of North American Big Game from 2022 to 2024. In addition, an episode of the Boone and Crockett Club’s new Heritage of the Hunt podcast will feature a conversation with Matzinger about his role in the Generation Next banquet, his deep commitment to hunting and conservation, and his film Selective that will premiere on Saturday July 26 to coincide with the Big Game Awards.

“To some, Boone and Crockett is just a name in the record books. But to me—and to those who know the real history—it’s a cornerstone of conservation in North America. Founded by Theodore Roosevelt in 1887, this Club wasn’t created to celebrate trophies—it was created to protect the very species we pursue,” Matzinger noted. “These were hunters who saw that wildlife was disappearing—and they did something about it. They believed in something revolutionary for the time: selective harvest, fair chase, and long-term conservation. And their actions literally helped shape modern wildlife policy. Because of their efforts, we still have wild places, thriving herds, and a future worth fighting for. That idea—that hunting and conservation go hand in hand—lit a fire in me.”

Jason Matzinger, known for his passion for wildlife stewardship and storytelling, has produced 16 seasons of his television show Into High Country that artfully conveys stories of the hunt and preserving hunting traditions—all while inspiring future generations. His work seamlessly aligns with the Boone and Crockett Club’s commitment to fair chase hunting and conservation values. To further highlight Matzinger’s impact on conservation, his highly anticipated original documentary Selective will have its national television premiere on the Sportsman Channel at 6 pm EDT on Saturday July 26. This film explores the profound connection between selective harvest and wildlife conservation, tackling misconceptions about trophy hunting and emphasizing the importance of sustainable hunting as part of successful wildlife management programs. Matzinger’s personal experiences in the field with his father and his own sons, as well as the message conveyed in Selective, are explored further in his interview on the B&C Heritage of the Hunt podcast episode available starting on July 24.

“Jason Matzinger has a unique voice in our industry and can eloquently convey to the youth in the Generation Next event what it means to be a hunter conservationist,” said CJ Buck, president of Buck Knives and a member of the Boone and Crockett Club. “We are honored to have him speak to these young people so they can understand the legacy of having an animal in our record book, and how critical they are to the future of hunting and wildlife conservation.”

The Boone and Crockett Club has been measuring the antlers, horns, and skulls of North American big game since 1895 with the original vision of creating a record of what was thought to be the vanishing wildlife in the country. The organization’s Records of North American Big Game was first published in 1932 and, now in its 15th edition, serves as a vital record of biological, harvest, and location data on hunter-taken and found big game species based on the principle that the existence of mature, male specimens is an indicator of overall population and habitat health. 

The 32nd Big Game Awards display, including the Generation Next exhibit, is open now at Johnny Morris’ Wonders of Wildlife National Museum & Aquarium in Springfield through July 26.