Safari Club International and Captive Hunting

©Satchell/The HSUS

Wildebeest are among those targeted by SCI in canned hunts.

Safari Club International accepts animals killed on captive hunts for inclusion in its record books. Captive or "canned" hunts are staged on game ranches where animals—sometimes exotic, tame species obtained from zoos and roadside circuses—are shot within fenced enclosures.

Captive hunting is opposed by many hunters and hunting organizations. The Pope and Young Club and the Boone and Crockett Club both refuse to accept animals killed on captive hunts for inclusion in their record books. Others, such as the Orion Hunters' Institute and the American Hunters and Shooters Association, criticize the practice as unsporting.

SCI's trophy record book is filled with animals killed on captive hunting ranches, including more than 2,000 shot on the 777 Ranch, in Hondo, Texas. This ranch boasts a wide range of exotic species confined in fenced enclosures, including addax, dama gazelle, ibex and markhor, who are all endangered.

More than 1,000 captive hunting ranches offering domestic and exotic wildlife are located in some 25 states nationwide.

What You Can Do

Urge your U.S. Representative to crack down on cruel captive hunts.

Updated April 7, 2008

Related Links

Safari Club International

SCI Targets Endangered Species

Polar Bears: Already on Thin Ice, Now Threatened by Trophy Hunters

The Safari Club International Record Book a Showcase for Bloodlust

The True Face of Safari Club International: Leadership and Membership

Bending the Rules: How Trophy Hunters Break the Law and Scam Taxpayers

Safari Club International: Founded for Trophy Hunters by Trophy Hunters

Safari Club International: Frequently Asked Questions