CBH/SAA Big Game Club

In the early 1940’s there were two separate archery associations in the state of California: the Southern California Field Archery Association (SCFA) and the Northern California Field Archery Association (NCFA).

On May 5, 1943, Roy Hoff of the SCFA and Bill Childs of NCFA met in Sacramento with other concerned bowhunters at a legislative meeting of the California Fish and Game Commission. These two met, each the president of their separate organizations, and decided that, for the overall advancement of archery in California, the North and South should join forces to form one state archery association. Out of this meeting, the California Bowmen Hunters and State Archery Association (CBH/SAA) was born.

The prime objective of the CBH/SAA during its first few years was to obtain a bowhunting season in California. Through the combined legislative efforts of the CBH/SAA and the Associated Sportsmen of California, such a bow season was eventually instituted.

In 1962, under the leadership of CBH/SAA President Doug Walker, three new CBH/SAA state offices were created – 2nd VP Field, 2nd VP Hunting, and 2nd VP Target. At this point it became the duty of the 2nd VP Hunting to coordinate all of the hunting programs of the CBH/SAA.

That same year, 1962, the California Big Game Records Club was established by the CBH/SAA to start record keeping of big game animals taken by bowhunters within the state of California.

In 1962, and still today, the purpose of the Big Game Records Club was to provide a fair and complete records system for big game animals taken by bowhunters within the state boundaries of California, and to provide a system of goals by which bowhunters throughout the state may set their own standards. The Big Game Records Club was fashioned after the national record keeping organizations of the Boone and Crockett Club and the Pope and Young Club.

Since 1962, the CBH/SAA Big Game Club, under the guidance of the 2nd VP Hunting, has recorded and maintained accurate records of California big game and small game bowhunting trophies.

All big game bowhunting records of the CBH/SAA Big Game Club are kept by the 2nd VP Hunting. The 2nd VP Hunting appoints a Big Game Records Committee from the ranks of the Big Game Club. This committee is charged with administrating programs of the Big Game Club.

The 2nd VP Hunting also appoints a Small Game Coordinator to manage the affairs of the Golden Eagle Society (small game program) and a Measuring Chairman who trains CBH/SAA members to become certified measurers for CBH/SAA.

A Two-Year Awards Program is held for both big game and small game programs. Awards and special recognition are given to the hunters who have harvested by legal means, the three largest animals of each big game species. These trophies must be committee measured (three different measurers at the same time, all agreeing upon the animal’s scores). The Two-Year Awards Program for big game will begin on July 1st and end on June 30th of the even-numbered years. Any applications received after the cutoff date will not be eligible for the two-year competitions.

The awards will be presented at a biennial Big Game Awards Banquet held in odd-numbered years.