How the Boone and Crockett Club (B&C) shaped North American conservation

Abstract

Wildlife in North America was under great threat in the late 1800s and large mammals and birds were declining at a rapid rate. There were no legal restrictions on the use of natural resources and excessive exploitation was the rule. To return wildlife to their historic habitats required immediate action. Theodore Roosevelt and other prominent citizens formed the B&C in 1887 for this purpose. The B&C became a leading force in the formation of national parks and forests, wildlife laws and conservation policies, and its efforts salvaged wildlife and created the system of conservation that still exists today. Herein, we provide a brief sketch of the role of the B&C in North American conservation.

Keywords:

• Boone and Crockett
• Conservation
• Leadership
• Wildlife

Acknowledgements

M. Bucci and J. Tripp assisted with research for this project. The time to prepare the review was provided by the Boone and Crockett Program at the University of Montana.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.