In Memory of:
Richard1936 - February 17, 2014
“Dick” Cabela
October 8,
R
ichard “Dick” Cabela, co-founder and Chairman Emeritus
of the world’s largest outdoor retailer, Cabela’s, Inc.,
passed away in February at the age of 77.
Dick joined the U.S. Sportsmen’s Alliance (USSA) Board of
Directors in 1999 and served as Chairman of the Board since
2001. During his time with USSA, Dick and his wife Mary
showed their love of our hunting heritage through their
support and advocacy for issues affecting sportsmen as well
as their dedication to the Trailblazer Adventure Program,
a youth outdoor program of the U.S. Sportsmen’s Alliance
Foundation.
Dick, Mary, and his brother, Jim, founded Cabela’s somewhat
inadvertently after offering hand-tied fishing flies through the
mail. Since that time, Cabela’s has grown to be a $3.6 billion
company with a worldwide catalog and Internet business and
50 stores in the United States and Canada.
“While Dick was a great leader and long-time supporter of
USSA, he was also a dear friend of many in the organization,”
said Nick Pinizzotto, USSA president and CEO. “He built a great
company from the ground up, and he will truly be missed by
the USSA family and the outdoor community.”
USSA honored Dick and his family’s leadership by establishing
the Cabela Lifetime Business Achievement Award in 2006. The
award honors Dick and his family’s dedication to protecting
outdoor sports, including hunting, fishing, and trapping. It is
presented to companies that demonstrate the same passion
and commitment to protecting America’s outdoor heritage.
States Mulling
Legislation to
Ban Drones
S
everal states are considering legislation to protect
hunters, anglers and trappers from harassment by
unmanned, aerial drones while exercising their legal
right to pursue and take wildlife. As reported by U.S.
Sportsmen’s Alliance (USSA) in October of last year, PETA
has offered small drones for sale and is encouraging its
members to utilize them to monitor sportsmen in the
field.
bill addressing unmanned aerial vehicles contains a
prohibition against causing a nuisance with drones, and
a New Jersey bill increases the penalties for harassing a
person legally taking wildlife.
Following the example set last year by Illinois, which
passed a law to prohibit the use of drones to interfere
with sportsmen, USSA is seeing similar bills put forward
in other states early in 2014. Bills to outlaw harassment
of sportsmen with drones are currently being considered
in Alabama and Tennessee. While in Hawaii, a broader
“It is encouraging to see legislation arising that takes
a stand against the extreme actions of the animal
rights lobby,” said Nick Pinizzotto, USSA’s president
and CEO. “Hunters are the driving force behind wildlife
conservation in this country and should not be painted
as criminals by radical anti-hunting organizations.”
Sportsmen’s Monthly February/March 2014
3