Buzz,
This is not a short answer, but since it’s important, I hope you’ll take time to read all this.
1. Chris did send out an email in support of the bill. He meant it to go out as a personal email to friends only, with no business tag line attached, but he forgot to remove the tag line. His opinion is just that, his own, and does not represent the opinions of Elk Hunter Magazine as a whole. In fact, my own personal opinion (I’m the Editor of Elk Hunter Magazine) is in 100% disagreement with Chris in the means for fundraising – and that’s the great thing about America is that we can all voice our opinions and sometimes agree to disagree.
2. However, even though on this particular issue I disagree in philosophy with Chris on auction tags,
Chris’s dedication to wildlife is one of the reasons I chose to come and work with him. Chris Denham has probably done more for wildlife than maybe any other single person in the entire West. Here’s a portion of his resume:
• Founder of Outdoor Experience 4 All – OE4A’s mission is to take kids with terminal diagnoses, physical disabilities, and children of our fallen heroes on outdoor experiences.
• Arizona Sportsmen for Wildlife Conservation – Founding member
• Arizona Elk Society – Founding member
• Arizona Deer Association – Past President
• Arizona Bowhunters Association – Past Treasurer
• Arizona Wildlife Federation – Past Board Member
• Life Member of B&C
• Life Member of RMEF
• Life Member of NRA
• Life Member of Wild Sheep Foundation
• Life Member of Arizona Desert Bighorn Sheep Society
• Life Member of Arizona Antelope Foundation
3. If you would like to ask Chris something specifically, please email him at
[email protected]. Like I said, even though he and I disagree in principle on the means of fundraising for this bill, I have a TON of respect for Chris, who he is, and what he does, and I don’t know a better person. I’m sure he’d be glad to help answer any questions. He is on the road at the moment, but he checks his email as much as he can.
4. We all have our own opinions on a lot of things, and we’re not bound to agree on everything. However, as Editor of Elk Hunter Magazine, I can assure you that I intend to keep the quality, content, ethics, and overall message of Elk Hunter Magazine at an extremely high level, reflective of all the hardworking blue-collar elk hunters. My entire reputation has been built on this exact stance and I can assure you it won’t change.
5. Our other editors have a pretty amazing history in hunting, ethics, and conservation as well. For example, 1) Our Hunting & Conservation Editor, George Bettas, is a founder and past President of the Mule Deer Foundation, served as Chair of the Board for the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation, became a Regular Member of Boone and Crockett Club in 1989, and recently retired as Executive Director of Boone and Crockett Club. 2) Our Photography Editor, Tony Bynum, is involved with a multitude of conservation work and is a board member for the Professional Outdoor Media Association. 3) I am a 20+ year member of Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation, worked as an Assistant Director for Boone & Crockett Club, and have spent my entire career trying to set as high an ethical standard as possible in all publications for which I’ve served as Editor. I’ve also spent a good portion of my life attempting to preserve Idaho’s big game hunting history. Our staff is dedicated to elk, elk hunting, and conservation.
6. RMEF has a two-page spread in each and every issue of EHM, because we believe that much in wildlife conservation. We’ve also made it a clear point in our magazine that we want each and every subscriber to ultimately be a member of RMEF.
7. Our mission statement is to “educate, entertain, inspire, and share, while making our audience better hunters and more dedicated conservationists”. It’s printed in our first issue.
I really appreciate your time and hope that you can see where Elk Hunter Magazine stands as an entity and publication and can separate that from 12 different individuals’ opinions on each and every topic we may come across in the future!
Ryan Hatfield
Editor, Elk Hunter Magazine
[email protected]
