"The Hearbeat of a Community"
Houston Safari Club Foundation 2026 Worldwide Hunting Expo & Convention Recap
I’ve attended well over a dozen conventions in my lifetime—first as a kid collecting and trading baseball cards, later performing at conventions and conferences with my band, and eventually working behind the scenes helping to plan seminars, book speakers, moderate panels, and even as a speaker, myself.
With 20 years in the hunting and outdoor industry and nearly 40 as a hunter, I came into the Houston Safari Club Foundation Convention with a fairly clear idea of what I expected to experience: an exhibition hall filled with ranch owners, guides, professional hunters, and brand representatives promoting hunting and fishing adventures across the globe. I anticipated high-tech gear showcased alongside handcrafted custom rifles, bows, knives, and other traditional equipment. It was familiar territory. I’d been to conventions like this before.
And for the most part, I was right. The Exhibition Hall featured all of those elements—but there were aspects of this convention that I didn’t anticipate experiencing. And that’s what I want to talk about.
I had known of the Houston Safari Club Foundation for years and was well aware of its support for youth education, fundraising, grants, and partnerships centered around its mission:
With 20 years in the hunting and outdoor industry and nearly 40 as a hunter, I came into the Houston Safari Club Foundation Convention with a fairly clear idea of what I expected to experience: an exhibition hall filled with ranch owners, guides, professional hunters, and brand representatives promoting hunting and fishing adventures across the globe. I anticipated high-tech gear showcased alongside handcrafted custom rifles, bows, knives, and other traditional equipment. It was familiar territory. I’d been to conventions like this before.
And for the most part, I was right. The Exhibition Hall featured all of those elements—but there were aspects of this convention that I didn’t anticipate experiencing. And that’s what I want to talk about.
I had known of the Houston Safari Club Foundation for years and was well aware of its support for youth education, fundraising, grants, and partnerships centered around its mission:
To preserve the sport of hunting through education, conservation, and the promotion of our hunting heritage.
It wasn’t until about a year ago, however, that I truly began to peel back the layers of the organization. That started when I was introduced to Derek Ham, the 2026 HSCF Convention Chair, and Executive Director, Joe Betar. What began as professional conversations quickly turned into what will likely be lifelong friendships. After discussing how I might be involved, we decided I would come aboard as part of the Convention team—interviewing key partners, sponsors, and staff in the months leading up to the event and throughout the weekend itself.
When the doors of The Woodlands Waterway Marriott Hotel & Convention Center opened for load-in, I documented people from all over the world setting up their booths, reconnecting with old friends, and preparing for the days ahead. I introduced myself, scheduled interviews, and captured the energy of the convention as it came to life.
A couple days later, I arrived with my wife, Meg, our youngest daughter (aka my video assistant), and my mother-in-law, Margie, and got to work. We walked the exhibition hall from end to end, meeting top-notch people along the way and documenting the incredible auction and raffle items to be showcased during the Friday Night Dinner & Auction, Saturday’s Gazelles’ Luncheon, and the Saturday Night Gala.
I met and interviewed remarkable people and witnessed countless families walking through the exhibition hall—wide-eyed, smiling, and clearly excited to be there. We experienced the generosity and outpouring of support from the community, raising significant funds for the Foundation’s scholarships, grants, and programs. The events featured some incredible live music, memorable speakers and the announcement of some very meaningful awards. The food was always delicious. I even ate kangaroo for the first time—and yes, it was very good!
One of the vendors I interviewed was Jon Stone, owner of the Stone Ranch, in Crockett, Texas. Beyond offering exceptional hunting, fishing, corporate retreats, weddings, and private getaways with first-class amenities, Jon created a brand called “Heartbeat of a Hunter.” The logo features heartbeat lines pulsing through a scope, with deer, waterfowl, and fish all incorporated within. This represents the target, our love for the outdoors and how it makes our heart's beat!
When the doors of The Woodlands Waterway Marriott Hotel & Convention Center opened for load-in, I documented people from all over the world setting up their booths, reconnecting with old friends, and preparing for the days ahead. I introduced myself, scheduled interviews, and captured the energy of the convention as it came to life.
A couple days later, I arrived with my wife, Meg, our youngest daughter (aka my video assistant), and my mother-in-law, Margie, and got to work. We walked the exhibition hall from end to end, meeting top-notch people along the way and documenting the incredible auction and raffle items to be showcased during the Friday Night Dinner & Auction, Saturday’s Gazelles’ Luncheon, and the Saturday Night Gala.
I met and interviewed remarkable people and witnessed countless families walking through the exhibition hall—wide-eyed, smiling, and clearly excited to be there. We experienced the generosity and outpouring of support from the community, raising significant funds for the Foundation’s scholarships, grants, and programs. The events featured some incredible live music, memorable speakers and the announcement of some very meaningful awards. The food was always delicious. I even ate kangaroo for the first time—and yes, it was very good!
One of the vendors I interviewed was Jon Stone, owner of the Stone Ranch, in Crockett, Texas. Beyond offering exceptional hunting, fishing, corporate retreats, weddings, and private getaways with first-class amenities, Jon created a brand called “Heartbeat of a Hunter.” The logo features heartbeat lines pulsing through a scope, with deer, waterfowl, and fish all incorporated within. This represents the target, our love for the outdoors and how it makes our heart's beat!
During our interview, Jon explained the idea behind the brand. "We are all hunting something. That may be a particular animal, a once-in-a-lifetime fish, the perfect photograph, the right career, or even the right person to share life with. No matter what we’re chasing, our heartbeat races as we get closer to that moment—during it, and even long after it passes". Those moments excite us. They make us feel alive. His logo represents the heartbeat that runs through the outdoors and our way of life.
After returning home and unpacking my truck, I began backing up photos, videos, SD cards, and interviews from the convention. As I reviewed the footage, the interview with Jon continued to stand out. It helped me put words to what the experience had been for me.
After returning home and unpacking my truck, I began backing up photos, videos, SD cards, and interviews from the convention. As I reviewed the footage, the interview with Jon continued to stand out. It helped me put words to what the experience had been for me.
I had just been a part of the collective heartbeat of this amazing community.
The Houston Safari Club Foundation draws members from all over the world—from the storied plains of Africa to the mountain ranges of Alaska, and all areas in between. The taxidermy may differ from aisle to aisle, accents may shift from booth to booth, yet cultures intersect throughout the hall. It wasn’t the differences that left the greatest impression on me. It was the similarities. The shared values. The bridges being built. The sense of community. It is what nearly every single person that I interviewed also spoke of - the feeling of being a part of a larger family.
The attendees, the welcoming vendors, the key sponsors and partners, the HSCF staff and volunteers, the speakers, and the donors--we all create the heartbeat of this community. It takes everyone working together to bring this convention to life, and the echoes of that effort will last well beyond a single weekend. Those impacts will live on through scholarship recipients, dream adventures auctioned off, grants being given to make greater changes, ongoing educational programs that shape the next generation of land and wildlife stewards, and even the stranger you meet at the end of a Gala, who may end up becoming a lifelong friend.
If you’ve ever considered becoming a member of the Houston Safari Club Foundation, I can confidently say you’ll find a welcoming and passionate community. You’ll make new friends, discover new places, and see firsthand how involvement—at any level—can positively impact people, wildlife, and the lands and waters we care so deeply about.
The convention was everything I thought it would be—yet so much more than I could have ever expected.
Hope to meet you all there, next year!
~George Bowe Blitch
The attendees, the welcoming vendors, the key sponsors and partners, the HSCF staff and volunteers, the speakers, and the donors--we all create the heartbeat of this community. It takes everyone working together to bring this convention to life, and the echoes of that effort will last well beyond a single weekend. Those impacts will live on through scholarship recipients, dream adventures auctioned off, grants being given to make greater changes, ongoing educational programs that shape the next generation of land and wildlife stewards, and even the stranger you meet at the end of a Gala, who may end up becoming a lifelong friend.
If you’ve ever considered becoming a member of the Houston Safari Club Foundation, I can confidently say you’ll find a welcoming and passionate community. You’ll make new friends, discover new places, and see firsthand how involvement—at any level—can positively impact people, wildlife, and the lands and waters we care so deeply about.
The convention was everything I thought it would be—yet so much more than I could have ever expected.
Hope to meet you all there, next year!
~George Bowe Blitch
To check out interviews related to HSCF, tune into the Son of a Blitch Podcast wherever you listen to podcasts, or visit:
YouTube.com/@SonofaBlitch
Podcast.SonofaBlitch.com
YouTube.com/@SonofaBlitch
Podcast.SonofaBlitch.com
