Mark Sullivan kicked out of SCI

[safari hunter]

A buddy told me today that Mark Sullivan has been kicked out of the SCI as an exhibitor. Apparently they did not even tell him why. He won't be missed by me.

 

[Big5]

Safari Hunter, your buddy is correct. Sullivan was denied an exhibitor booth at the upcoming convention in Reno.

This situation has been brewing for several years now. There seems to be an influential faction within SCI that believes Sullivan does not portray the image and/or adequately represent the values the organization is attempting to promote. I think you can bet that his egocentric videos had much to do with sinking him.

I don't know whether it's fair or not, but I do know I won't miss him.
.

 

[billrquimby]

Check the SCI website for the rules and regulations form governing video presentations in convention booths that exhibitors are asked sign.

Bill Quimby

 

[billrquimby]

The entire form can be seen at:

http://www.showsci.com/docs/ex...nd Regulations.pdf


SCI is extremely aware of media and public sensitivity regarding graphic hunting scenes. Because “graphic” is subject to personal interpretation, it is increasingly necessary for us to not only have video display standards for our Annual Hunters’ Convention, but also be ready to respond to convention attendees who find certain visual presentations objectionable. In an effort to ensure an environment that is consistent with SCI’s image and mission, the below listed criteria are defined for our exhibitors.

SCI’s Convention Committee and staff personnel will strictly enforce these standards. If show management receives any complaints, we will ask you to immediately stop running the specific display or remove the offensive photos, signage, etc. Failure to do so could result in removal from the exhibitor floor.

VISUAL DISPLAY STANDARDS:

HUNTING ETHICS STANDARDS:
No wounded or prolonged dying animals
Show proper respect for animals
No charge killing
Demonstrate appreciation of environment
No labored breathing or kicking
No profanity or inappropriate language
No crippled chase or gut shots
Proper handling of animal after the kill
No dispatching of wounded animals
No “hero” shots (sunglasses, bare chests, etc.)
No excessive blood
Presentable image of animal and hunter
No mouth or tongue shot
No high fence/enclosure barriers displayed
No arrow left in game
alcohol in hunting scenes
No high-impact killing or repetitive kill shots
Demonstrate proper trophy care
No gutting/field preparation
No immature game
Don’t straddle the game

EDUCATION & ENTERTAINING: VISUAL PRODUCTION
Project positive hunter image
Ensure highest quality of video/DVD, etc.
Educational content must be accurate
Use appropriate music background
Provide complete instructions Use a script where possible
Demonstrate ethical hunting standards
Visual support should cover promotion
Entertainment value must be defined
Finished product should be a good value
Visual should be able to be shown to non- hunting groups, on national television, etc.
All signage and photos displayed within exhibit area must meet these same standards.

WEAPONS SAFETY: CONSERVATION & GAME LAWS :
Total gun and bow safety
Abide by rules of fair chase
Stress no shell in chamber
Compliance with license laws
Unload weapon over fence, stream, etc.
Clean up camp/pick up trash
Demonstrate tree stand safety
No shooting from boats, trucks, etc.
No long-distance or poorly advised shots
Wear hunter orange (where applicable)

AUDIO/SOUND STANDARDS:
In general, exhibitors may use sound equipment in their booths so long as the noise level does not disrupt the activities of neighboring exhibitors. External speakers and other sound devices should be positioned facing into the booth to direct the sound into the booth rather than into the aisle. Television monitors up to 25 inches with built-in internal speakers may be positioned facing into the aisle with sound adjustments set at reasonable levels. Rule of thumb: Sound and noise should not exceed 85 decibels.

 

[AfricaHunting.com]

SCI Visual and Audio Display Rules and Regulations

Attached in a PDF format is the SCI Visual and Audio Display Rules and Regulations form that Bill is talking about. Thank you for that Bill.

 

[derekwest]

About time! I bet SCI will miss his significant yearly "donations" but this guy is not a hunter by any stretch of the definition.

 

[Safari Chick]

Not my cup of tea, so he will not be missed by me. Watched part of one of his videos a while back and could not stand to even finish it! Too much ego and shmarm... ew! And I won't even start on the actual hunting or whatever that was called.

 

[safari hunter]

Safari Hunter, your buddy is correct. Sullivan was denied an exhibitor booth at the upcoming convention in Reno.

This situation has been brewing for several years now. There seems to be an influential faction within SCI that believes Sullivan does not portray the image and/or adequately represent the values the organization is attempting to promote. I think you can bet that his egocentric videos had much to do with sinking him.

I don't know whether it's fair or not, but I do know I won't miss him.
.

Thanks Big5 for confirming my rumor. I found this letter to his "fans" posted on his website, I especially got a kick out of this part: my world-wide sales of thousands of dangerous game movies and my two books have probably done more to reinvigorate safari hunting in Africa than any single individual in the last twenty years.... That's quite a statement!


S C I - 2 0 1 0
A N N O U C E M E N T

A Personal Letter

To all of my loyal Customers, Hunting Clients and Friends

As a result of the large number of inquiries from so many of you, I wanted to alert you to a yet to be explained action by Safari Club International (SCI). Every year I look forward to attending the annual SCI Convention usually held in Reno, Nevada. For the January 2010 SCI Convention, the SCI Executive Committee unilaterally and without prior notice or warning notified me that I would not be allowed to have an exhibitors booth.

They took this action just before the start of my 2009 safari season in Tanzania knowing that I would have little or no time to challenge this unexplained action. I immediately requested an explanation, a hearing, a meeting or just an opportunity to have someone at SCI inform me of the basis for this decision. I even offered to return home from Africa in the middle of my season just to meet with the Executive Committee. SCI rejected that idea, refused all of my requests, said the decision was final, and flatly refused to tell me why they were doing this.

SCI`s conduct should be measured by its members and the hunting community with great scrutiny and a determined demand for transparency and fairness. Bear in mind that I am one of the earliest members of SCI dating back to June 1976 when I first drove down from Phoenix, Arizona to Tucson to meet with C.J. McElroy, SCI`s founder and president. As a result of that meeting Mac and I became lifelong friends. It was Mac who steered me in the right direction and who booked my first safari to Zambia in 1977. I was SCI`s first Master Measurer; being trained by Mac himself, measuring all of Mac`s trophies for inclusion into the first SCI Record Book.

My wife Kathy and I contributed generously to the building of the SCI Museum and Headquarters and were featured guests at its Grand Opening. We were one of just five couples to be honored at the highest donor level. I served as Regional Vice President and attended Executive Committee meetings. My wife and I have supported SCI and its programs for over thirty-three years. We`ve donated to SCI, donated hunts to be sold at the Convention to benefit SCI, and have been a faithful exhibitor at the Convention since 1989. For 2010 we donated a $25,000 safari which was later refused when SCI terminated our participation. In these troubling economic times this decision by SCI in and by itself seems hard to understand begging one to question; What is the real reason for my expulsion?

More importantly, and evidently forgotten or arrogantly overlooked by SCI is the fact that my hunting style, my world-wide sales of thousands of dangerous game movies and my two books have probably done more to reinvigorate safari hunting in Africa than any single individual in the last twenty years. Long before the flood of movies on the market today, there was Africa`s Black Death and the "blood-on-the-shoes" footage brought to you only by Nitro Express Safaris. This pioneering footage and eleven unique movies to follow, as well as my emphasis on hunting up close with a large caliber double rifle pushed and encouraged thousands of new hunters to hunt in Africa. All of this benefitted SCI without any cost to it.

I greatly appreciate all of the support I have received from hunters, customers, friends, clients and SCI members on this perplexing and unexplained action taken by SCI this year. Your outpouring of compassion and outrage at their decision encourages me to continue to try to convince SCI that it made a mistake and there is in fact room at the Convention for a professional hunter that relishes the opportunity to challenge Africa`s most dangerous game within the distance of the smell-of-its-breath. Rest assured, I will always provide unique hunting experiences for my hunting clients as well as spectacular footage of close encounters with buffalo, hippo, lion, elephant and leopard. This year alone my clients enjoyed four of the greatest charges I have ever experienced; adding once more to the growing list of hunters who have stood their ground, faced death on the hoof, standing toe-to-toe with me.

Most of all, I regret that I will not be able to spend time with you and personally deliver my movies and books to you at the Convention this year. I have always cherished and valued those meetings, handshakes, autographs, and photos. I will miss it all. In closing, I wish to thank each and every one of you who have, over the many years, supported me by purchasing my movies, books and safaris. To all of you, please accept my deepest and warmest "thank you". God bless each and every one of you and God bless this great country of ours.

With Warmest Regards,

Mark Sullivan
Professional Hunter

 

[Shallom]

I do not want to get judgemental on this, but i do not see how the 'personal letter' is doing any favors or helping the situation. I guess SCI could use this very same letter to justify their action...

Don't have much to say really - but i guess that is just my 'style'. Honestly people! Just a little respect for wildlife and wild places would go a long way in making our industry more acceptable and less controversial. This is a pretty open declaration of material value and personal ego, over hunting ethics and public interest. I rest.

 

[Red Leg]

If you really want to get a feel for what he is doing to "reinvigorate safari hunting in Africa," look at some of his clips on YouTube and read the commentary in the comments sections below them. They are painting all of us in a pretty broad and pretty ugly light.

 

[Shallom]

On his New Book…

"Only in this book will you learn why hippo hunting the Sullivan way is the most exhilarating sport on earth. Mark presents his philosophy on hunting as a rebuttal to his critics and to ask you to decide how you will hunt when you step into the African bush. Only in this book will you read why the nose shot on charging buffalo cannot be true and how this advice originated. You may have read veiled criticisms of Mark's method of hunting. In his direct style he names his critics and tells you why they are the ones who are unprofessional."



On his New Video…

"In recent years, my manner and method of hunting has increasingly come under attach. Watch this movie and you will know why. Yes, I willingly walk up to wounded Cape buffalo and invite a charge. So what? I make no apologies for how I hunt. Yes, I do what no other professional hunter is willing to do. But this is how I chose to live my life. This movie tells my story. You will see for yourself, all my greatest footage, all the times I could have been killed, but feined death at the last second; just feet away.

Of course, I have my detractors, but that is hunting as I know and practice it. When push comes to shove, I shove. I thrive on the challenge of trying to stay alive in the face of certain death. Doing what other professional hunters and clients, given the same opportunity, are not willing or able to do. Greatest Buffalo Hunts gives you all of my greatest footage in one DVD. This movie is the greatest bang for the buck I can offer you. This movie has over-the-top adreneline like you have come to expect from Nitro Express Productions."

Making a lot of new friends in the industry...

 

[BETO]

If you really want to get a feel for what he is doing to "reinvigorate safari hunting in Africa," look at some of his clips on Utube and read the commentary in the comments sections below them. They are painting all of us in a pretty broad and pretty ugly light.

Red,

you have the link to the YouTube videos of the mark, I'm curious to see!

thank you very much

BETO

 

[AfricaHunting.com]

Mark Sullivan Video

Mark Sullivan Video
(This video contains an audio track that has not been authorized by WMG. The audio has been disabled)

 

[AfricaHunting.com]

Mark Sullivan Video

Mark Sullivan Video
(This video contains an audio track that has not been authorized by WMG. The audio has been disabled)

 

[Red Leg]

Jerome has posted the clips. If you use YouTube's search engine, you will find them and all the viewer commentary will be below them.

 

[AfricaHunting.com]

Here are the links to Mark Sullivan YouTube videos that I posted so that you can check out the comments...

YouTube - Dangerous Animals - Mark Sullivan

YouTube - Dangerous Animals II - Mark Sullivan

 

[RayAtkinson]

I think the pressure came from some of his peers...If what I have been told over the last 5 or 6 years is true, then he should be canned out, if not then some of the best known Safari Operators in Tanzania are simply liars..I would put my money on those operators knowing what they are talking about, its been pretty common knowledge and includes some horrendous criminal game violations..In all fairness, I don't know who is right or wrong, and it's hearsay on my part but it's hearsay from some very reliable folks IMO...

 

[safari hunter]

Good to see you back Ray! Without naming any names I would be interested to hear some of the things that you've heard.

 

[LouisB]

HHMM it sounds like certain people are getting what they deserve.

I just returned from visiting a friend in the US and had the unfortunate privilege of watching one of his DVD's what a load of crap.

But some people like that kind of thing unfortunately or he would not have made money out of the DVD’s.

 

[enysse]

I have never watched his videos. I would if they were free...just to give an opinion. But from what I heard from this jackass...is enough. He must have a huge ego. Talking about all he's done to promote hunting is Africa. Get real! SCI may not be perfect is every shape and form, but between them, Houston Safari Club and Dallas Safari Club, those are the Conservation groups in the U.S. that have done more to promote hunting in Africa and the world for that matter than anyone really has.

The one person that has done a lot of writing mainstream and now video...is Craig Boddington. And I never question his ethics or heart about his love for hunting, conservation and respect for the animals he hunts. Craig seems to understand the circle of life and how to portray it to public in a decent way.

Love his show "Tracks Across Africa".