Safari Club rewards Michigan hunters for survey participation

Michigan Department of Natural Resources sent this bulletin at 09/15/2014 10:30 AM EDT

Bay City, Unionville residents collect crossbow and rifle.
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Press Release

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Sept. 15, 2014

Contact: Pat Lederle, 517-243-0700 or Ed Golder, 517-284-5815


Safari Club rewards Michigan hunters for survey participation
Bay City and Unionville residents win crossbow, rifle

Two Michigan hunters were presented with new hunting equipment by the Michigan Involvement Committee of Safari Club International at last week’s meeting of the Natural Resources Commission in Two Michigan hunters hold a new crossbow and rifle with representatives from Safari Club International.Lansing, Michigan. The gear – a Weatherby rifle and a TenPoint crossbow – was given by the committee as thanks for all hunters’ participation in Department of Natural Resources hunter surveys.

Sixty-year-old Tim Balzer, of Unionville, snagged the rifle, while Bob Block, 75, of Bay City, collected the brand new crossbow.

For more than a decade, the SCI Michigan Involvement Committee has presented bows and firearms to a few lucky hunters randomly selected each year from among the thousands of hunters who respond to DNR Wildlife Division surveys. Balzer and Block completed surveys following the 2013-14 hunting season.

“The responses from hunters to these surveys are extremely important to Wildlife Division,” said SCI Michigan Involvement Committee Chairman Bob Taylor, who made the presentation. ”The Wildlife Division needs this information to manage wildlife populations, especially the deer population, in Michigan, and we’re pleased to be able to help them.”

Both prize-winning hunters said they were surprised at being drawn for the awards and that they were unaware they were eligible for awards by returning the surveys – they were just doing their small part to help the DNR better manage wildlife populations.

“This is the first time I’ve ever won anything,” said Block, a retired autoworker who was given the option of a compound bow or crossbow. “I think it’s wonderful.”

Balzer, who was given his choice of caliber for the rifle he was presented – he picked a 30.06 – said he has been surveyed numerous times over the years and regularly responds to DNR questionnaires.

“I’m ecstatic,” said Balzer, a tool and die maker. “I’ve never won a gun in my life.”

In addition to the rifle and crossbow, the SCI Michigan Involvement Committee announced that it had also awarded some $8,000 in scholarships to six wildlife management graduate students at two Michigan universities.

The SCI Michigan Involvement Committee was formed in 1980 with representatives from each Safari Club International chapter in Michigan. Committee members work with the Department of Natural Resources to coordinate funding of DNR wildlife conservation programs and research projects that might otherwise not be funded. Learn more at www.scimic.org. 

The Michigan Department of Natural Resources is committed to the conservation, protection, management, use and enjoyment of the state’s natural and cultural resources for current and future generations. For more information, go to www.michigan.gov/dnr.
 
/NOTE TO EDITORS: An accompanying photo is available below for download. Suggested caption follows.

SCI-MIC hunter survey winners.jpg: Two lucky hunters were rewarded by Safari Club International’s Michigan Involvement Committee for their participation in 2013-14 hunting season surveys. Pictured left to right are Bay City resident Bob Block, winner of a TenPoint crossbow; SCI Michigan Involvement Committee board member Rich DeLisle; Unionville resident Tim Balzer, winner of a Weatherby rifle; and Bob Taylor, chairman of the SCI Michigan Involvement Committee./