The RooseveltBrowning Hunting Club began as a way to recognize and honor Theodore Roosevelt's contributions to conservation, hunting and sportsmanship. The future 26th president of the United States spent two years in the West following the death of his beloved wife in 1884. During his time in the Dakota Territory, Roosevelt saw the value of outdoor life, becoming dedicated to big game hunting and conservation [source: Nobel Prize.org].
"There can be no greater issue than that of conservation in this country." These words by Theodore Roosevelt back in 1912 ring true today. Roosevelt, famed for his big game hunting, understood that habitat preservation was key to successful hunting [source: Theodore Roosevelt Conservation Partnership].
Roosevelt believed that great tracts of land must be set aside for public enjoyment and use. As president, he authorized the creation of bird and game preserves, national forests and national parks. To say that he was committed to this cause is an understatement. During his administration, land was preserved at the rate of about 84,000 acres (33,994 hectares) each day, for a total of 230 million acres (93.1 million hectares) [source: Theodore Roosevelt Association].
At the same time, the club wanted to honor John M. Browning for his unique contributions to the firearms industry. Browning, the second man for whom the hunting club is named, was an inventor and gunsmith who lived from 1855 to 1926. By the time he was 13 years old, Browning had engineered his first gun. His father was a Mormon gunsmith; no doubt that gave the younger Browning an advantage. In 1879 Browning patented a breech-loading, single-shot rifle. Other patents followed, including the automatic pistol in 1911, the machine gun in 1917 and the automatic rifle in 1918 [source: Chambers Biographical Dictionary, RooseveltBrowning Hunting Club].
Now that the club's history has been revealed to you, don't you wonder about its mission? Check out the next section to learn more.