Georgia Chapter Of Safari Club International Honors Wildlife Enforcers At 2025 Banquet

Cpl. Shawn Elmore won the Investigative Officer of the Year for his work in catching poachers. Pictured from left are Capt. Casey Jones, Georgia Chapter President-Elect Michael Coppersmith, Col. Mike England, Cpl. Elmore, Sgt James Keener and Georgia Chapter President Lester Richardson.

More than 200 sportsmen and women from across the Southeast gathered at Adventure Outdoors in Smyrna on June 7 for “Stewards Of The Wild” Annual Banquet and Auction hosted by the Georgia Chapter of Safari Club International.

“Nothing is more important to us than giving others the opportunity to enjoy the traditions of the outdoors, especially through hunting and fishing,” said Lester Richardson, the President of the Georgia Chapter. “We are grateful for the hard work of the wildlife officers and for the generosity of our supporters who contribute so selflessly.”

Richardson said Georgia SCI was proud to again recognize outstanding individuals from the Georgia Department of Natural Resources.

The Investigative Game Warden of the Year award was presented to Col. Shawn Elmore. Deputy Commissioner Thomas Barnard, as well as Capt. Casey Jones, Col. Mike England and Sgt. James Keener and their families, were present.

Tens of thousands of dollars raised during the annual Sportsman’s Banquet and Auction will help fund the Georgia Chapter’s full slate of educational programs, such as the Chapter’s Introduction to Hunting Firearms event, youth deer hunts, First-Timer Mentored Deer Hunt, support for DNR enforcement and wildlife research, as well as Wounded Veterans’ Fishing Weekend and veterans’ deer and pheasant hunts.

Georgia Chapter of SCI President Lester Richardson presents the Youth Award to young hunter Isaac Powell, of Savannah. Isaac is an exemplary sportsman who has hunted around the world and recently returned from hunting black bear with Jim Shockey in British Columbia.

Richardson also announced plans to organize what’s being called a Young Hunter Extravaganza, which will be open only to younger hunters who want to be able to bid and be awarded hunts, gear and services that perhaps they are unable to win among older SCI members at the banquets. The date and location is to be determined at this time, but it’s expected to this fall.

“We are going to lose money in this event, no doubt,” said Richardson. “But we will win the next generation. There will be no hunting in our future if we lose this next generation. This will be a great investment in our future.”

The Georgia Chapter of Safari Club International (SCI) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, volunteer-based organization dedicated to promoting and protecting our hunting heritage through education, conservation, and humanitarian efforts. Founded in 1981, the Georgia Chapter is one of the oldest SCI chapters in the world.

Visit georgiasci.org for more information or to join us.

Guns from popular manufacturers, such as Benelli, Bergara, Taurus and Smith & Wesson, were raffled during the course of the June 7, 2025 SCI Georgia banquet at Adventure Outdoors in Smyrna.