Recent Impact
We’ve served members and our community for over 30 years, protecting hunters’ rights and promoting wildlife conservation and outdoor education.
Hunters’ rights, wildlife conservation and outdoor education, since 1989
West Michigan Bowhunters is a chapter of Safari Club International (SCI). Our chapter was founded in 1989 and currently has over 80 members. We are committed to protecting hunters’ rights and promoting wildlife conservation efforts. We promote good fellowship among all who love the outdoors and hunting, while sharing hunting experiences and information among our membership. We also help advocate for the wise and sustained use of Michigan’s natural resources.
Additional ways we make a difference in the communities we serve:
• Promote conservation of the world’s renewable wildlife resources, recognizing hunting as one of the many management tools.
• Educate youth, sportsmen and the public in conservation of our wildlife and our forests, which are our natural heritage.
• Operate the association as a non-profit organization, consistent with its charitable purposes, while providing enjoyment for our members, always with the goal to helping to conserve the animals that we love to hunt today – for those who will come to love the sport tomorrow.
SCI Hunters Code of Ethics
Recognizing my responsibilities to wildlife, habitat and future generations, I pledge:
• To conduct myself in the field so as to make a positive contribution to wildlife and ecosystems
• To improve my outdoor and hunting related skills to ensure humane harvesting of wildlife;
• To comply with all game laws, in the spirit of Fair Chase, and to influence my companions accordingly
• To accept my responsibility to provide all possible assistance to game law enforcement officers;
• To waste no opportunities to teach young people the full meaning of this code of ethics
• To reflect in word and behavior only credit upon the fraternity of sportsmen, and to demonstrate abiding respect for game, habitat and property where I am privileged to hunt
30%
The percentage of proceeds donated to SCI headquarters each year from our annual conventions fundraiser. We sent checks for $44,483 in 2023 and $40,000 in 2022.
Out-of Door Youth Camp Scholarships
Veterans Outreach
$4,000
Given to academic scholarships to local college students planning to make careers in natural resources management.
Want to support our cause?
Share our passion? Take it to the next level.
Board of Directors
PRESIDENT
Ed DeYoung
Hudsonville, MI
Cell: (616) 293-4835
Email: Edeyoung18@gmail.com
VICE PRESIDENT/DONOR CHAIR
Kyle VandenBosch
West Olive, MI
Cell: (616) 283-3750
Email: kyle@prototecinc.com
TREASURER
Case Overweg
Hudsonville, MI
Cell: (616) 540-4924
Email: coverweg@bradleyco.com
SECRETARY
Randy Roelofs
Hudsonville, MI
Cell: (616) 403-0691
Email: roelofsrandy@gmail.com
CONVENTION CHAIR
Scott Overweg
Hudsonville, MI
Cell: (616) 540-6354
Email: scott@wmdshred.com
CONVENTION CHAIR
Scott Wondergem
Allendale, MI
Cell: (616) 292-6289
Email: wondergem914@yahoo.com
EDUCATION
Dr. Tim Meade
Hudsonville, MI
Cell: (616) 340-5664
Email: tmeadedds@msn.com
SOCIAL MEDIA
Peter Miedema
Holland, MI
Cell: (616) 581-1690
Email: longrangearchery2@gmail.com
TROPHY NIGHT SPECIAL EVENTS
Brian Carter
Hudsonville, MI
Cell: (616) 450-1625
Email: bcarter@wamgr.com
HUMANITARIAN
Douglas Yff
Jenison, MI
Cell: (616) 822-0864
Email: dougyff@yffandscholma.com
MEMBERSHIP CHAIR
Johnathan Berghorst
Grand Rapids, MI
Cell: (616) 836-9101
Email: johnathanberghorst@gmail.com
DIRECTOR
Lance DeYoung
Hudsonville, MI
Cell: (616) 491-7970
Email: lancedeyoung@gmail.com
DIRECTOR
John L. Koetje
Byron Center, MI
Cell: (616) 437-9235
Email: johnlkoetje@comcast.net
SCI/MICH. INVOLVEMENT COMM. LIAISON
Bob Novosad
Grand Rapids, MI
Cell: (616) 437-0200
DIRECTOR & FOUNDING MEMBER
Jerry Bouwkamp
West Olive, MI
*Original Founding Board Member
In Memory of Jerry Bouwkamp
1940 – 2022
Beloved family man, and co-founder of the West Michigan Bowhunters SCI Chapter, and life member of Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation, White Tails Unlimited and the National Wild Turkey Foundation. Jerry felt the need for a chapter dedicated to the art of bow hunting and began his quest in 1988. He received some resistance from other chapters, but after consulting with many avid bow hunters on the International board, he was granted a charter, dependent on his providing a minimum of twenty five members. Jerry accomplished that task in short order and was given Chapter status in 1989. Since that time, the chapter has grown and has maintained between sixty and one hundred members. Jerry served faithfully as the chapter’s president and board member for many years. Prior to that as a member of the Michigan Chapter, Jerry was very instrumental in the Michigan Involvement Committee’s partaking of the moose transplant from Ontario to Michigan’s Upper Peninsula. SCI lost a very dedicated and generous member, who is sorely missed. Jerry is survived by his wife AJ, one son and three daughters.