President's Mid-Year Update - 2025
By Tony Caligiuri
July not only marks the middle of summer, but it also brings the Boone and Crockett Club’s triennial awards to the national stage. The 32nd Big Game Awards were held July 26th at Johnny Morris’ Wonders of Wildlife National Museum and Aquarium in Springfield, Missouri—and true to tradition, this year’s entries reminded us why fair chase hunting and wildlife conservation matter so deeply. This year’s awards were named in honor of longtime member and past Vice President of Big Game Records, Buck Buckner. Buck was there in person and rightfully recognized for his decades of service and dedication to the Club.
The bear categories kicked off the night, with black bear, grizzly bear, and Alaskan brown bear entries all coming within fractions of current world records. That alone is a testament to just how healthy our bear populations are across North America—especially in the East and Great Lakes regions, as the top three black bears came out of Pennsylvania and Wisconsin.
While most folks think of the Rockies when they picture big bull elk, this year’s top honors broke tradition as both the number one typical and non-typical Rocky Mountain elk came from Pennsylvania. And in the Roosevelt’s elk category, Tim Carpenter entered an incredible 455-5/8’s bull that now sits as the new World’s Record.
As always, the mule deer and whitetail divisions drew a lot of attention. Some incredible bucks came across the scoring bench, and the sheer number of whitetail entries continues to prove that whitetail deer are North America’s most popular—and most widely pursued—big game animal. The moose categories were equally strong, including a Yukon bull scoring 245-2/8’s, taken by one of our own Boone and Crockett regular members, Tom Teague. This awards period also included several exceptional world-class bison entries, a trend we expect to grow as more fair-chase herds are certified. Aron Wark’s musk ox took top honors and broke the world record at 131-4/8 points.
The always impressive sheep categories saw strong entries across all four species. Particularly exciting were the Dall’s sheep—one of the more elusive book species in recent years. The night was capped off with yet another new World’s Record, a Rocky Mountain goat taken by Justin Kallusky, who also earned the rarely given Sagamore Hill Award. His entry surpassed the previous record by a wide margin.
The weekend wasn’t just about the trophies. It was about the people. The Jack S. Parker Generation Next Banquet honored youth hunters who entered animals during the awards period and proved testament to our young hunters and the future that awaits us. The welcome reception in the trophy display area was a highlight, as was the always-popular Field Generals Lunch recognizing our Official Measurers. The benefit auction raised $232,000 to support the awards program—including an astounding $134,000 bid for a desert sheep hunt at LaPalmosa, generously donated by regular members, Emilio and Emilio Jr. Rangel.
Looking ahead, our December annual meeting in Scottsdale is right around the corner. You’ll be receiving your registration materials in the mail soon. This year’s event will be held at the iconic Arizona Biltmore and promises to be one of the most memorable gatherings we’ve ever hosted, not only with a world-class setting and perfect Arizona weather, but time well spent with good friends and fellow members that you won’t want to miss!
While it may be the dog days of summer in many parts of the country, our work is far from slowing down. Club staff and members remain deeply engaged in policy, education, conservation, and wildlife health efforts nationwide. One potential threat we’re monitoring closely is the New World screwworm, which is moving north through Mexico and poses a serious concern for Texas wildlife. I saw firsthand this summer in South Africa the devastating impact screwworm infestations can have. We must do everything humanly possible to prevent a screwworm outbreak in the United States and stop the flow north in Mexico as it threatens that country's traditional big game hunting areas. Wildlife officials in both the U.S. and Mexico—including several B&C professional members—are on the front lines, but resources are tight on both sides of the border. We’ll share more information and updates at the annual meeting.
Until then, enjoy the rest of your summer and good luck as hunting season gets underway. I hope to see you in Scottsdale!