Congratulations to Craig Boddington, who has been named the 2017 Weatherby Hunting and Conservation Award winner.
DSC Life Member Craig Boddington was born and raised in Kansas, where his early big-game experience, in the mid-1960s, included pronghorn and mule deer in Wyoming, whitetail and mule deer in Kansas, and mule deer in Colorado. When not involved with hunting and shooting, much of his early years were spent in Boy Scout activities. At 14 he became an Eagle Scout, at 16 received a Silver Palm on his Eagle, and at 17 was the youngest person to become Activities Director at his regional Boy Scout camp. Boddington attended the University of Kansas on an NROTC scholarship, graduating with an English degree and a regular commission in the United States Marine Corps.
Craig’s first “international hunt” was in northern British Columbia in 1973; his first African safari was in Kenya in 1977. He has extensive experience on six continents, including the Capra Super 30, Ovis Super 20, two North American Grand Slams, and the North American Super Slam from Grand Slam/Ovis. He is one of only two hunters known to have taken all nine of Africa’s principal spiral horns twice, and he completed the African Big Five in 1986. His favorite hunts are African buffalo, which he has pursued in 12 countries; and whitetail deer, which he loves to both hunt and guide in Kansas.
His outdoor writing career began in college and continued while on active duty. In 1979 he joined Petersen Publishing Company, initially as Associate Editor of Guns & Ammo. From 1983 to 1994 he was Editor of Petersen’s Hunting Magazine, the longest tenure as Editor in the magazine’s history. His current position with Outdoor Sportsman Group (formerly Petersen’s, Primedia, and Intermedia) is Executive Field Editor of GUNS & AMMO, Petersen’s Hunting, and Rifleshooter; and co-host of Guns & Ammo TV and Petersen’s Hunting Adventures TV. A prolific writer, his body of work includes over 5,000 published articles and 28 books, and he has hosted six series on outdoor television. He is extremely proud that his wife, Donna, and his two daughters, Brittany and Caroline, are all avid hunters. Craig and Donna reside in Paso Robles, California, and have a small farm in southeast Kansas.
The Weatherby Foundation also congratulates the other finalists for the 2017 Weatherby Hunting and Conservation Award (in alphabetical order). This is a huge accomplishment for all of them.
Larry Higgins
Malcolm King
Pepe Madrazo
Eduardo Negrete
Dr. Doug Yajko
The Weatherby 61st Annual Awards Banquet will be held on Wednesday Jan. 3, 2018 in conjunction with Legacy DSC’s Convention and Expo.
For more information, call (866) 934-3976 or (480) 209-1561or email info@weatherbyfoundation.com.
