Safari Club International 50th Anniversary Convention A Record Breaker 2022

[rinehart0050]

Since you're so close . . . it might be nice to have an AH dinner at SCI like they have at DSC!

I'm game to do the leg work if we want to plan on one.

Sounds like a good time!

I think we may do both DSC and SCI next year. We live on the east coast, so SCI is within driving range in Nashville. And Nashville is awesome!

 

[Philip Glass]

Anyone can throw stones at SCI or claim that DSC was bigger this year but they would be mistaken on several counts.
Everyone needs to know what the mission is. I am a life member of both. SCI puts real money straight into the court room fighting for our rights here at home. It takes money to have a full time team of attorneys in DC fighting Brandon and his cronies. Others can not make this claim.
When you pay an SCI membership or pay a few hundred bucks to go to convention you are contributing to the cause.
Both conventions were way down. Saturday at DSC was quiet and normally you can’t walk because everyone who has $20 is in the door.
On Tuesday night alone $660K was raised for conservation in Vegas! The auctions and the hunts being booked on the floor were amazing at Vegas.
If a fella wants a cheap show to visit and drink beer there are plenty. If he wants to really contribute to conservation there is really a difference IMO?
I do hope Nashville will appeal to a new group of hunters and things will continue to grow. Our future depends on it.
Regards
Philip

 

[Philip Glass]

@justin wiles

Just did a search and found this, maybe someone here can confirm

View attachment 449370

Confirmed!

 

[flatwater bill]

I used to think SCI was too pricey. But I have changed my mind. There are a lot of cheap shows that attract tire-kickers. One expensive show with a different but parallel mission is OK. The Western Outdoor Expo in SLC in two weeks will likely attract more visitors than SCI. It is $25 to enter, and that usually attracts the tire-kickers. But there is a high percentage of avid hunters there, and that somewhat offsets it. Fighting in the courts is an essential mission of SCI...............................FWB

 

[sierraone]

I used to think SCI was too pricey. But I have changed my mind. There are a lot of cheap shows that attract tire-kickers. One expensive show with a different but parallel mission is OK. The Western Outdoor Expo in SLC in two weeks will likely attract more visitors than SCI. It is $25 to enter, and that usually attracts the tire-kickers. But there is a high percentage of avid hunters there, and that somewhat offsets it. Fighting in the courts is an essential mission of SCI...............................FWB

If I were closer to Utah, I would go to the Western Outdoor Expo at least once. DSC will continue to be my go-to show because I am either a 5 hour drive or 1 hour flight away, and have been going for many years. First show I attended was in 1990 when it was at DFW airport, and have attended continuously for the past 8 or 9 years except for the Covid year. My conservation donations have been going to Conservation Force every 2 months since 2014. Have no reason to believe I will change that. Since SCI will be in Nashville next year, I will give it serious consideration as time grows closer since it is about the same distance for me as Dallas, just the other direction. If I do, it will be in addition to DSC.

 

[Rider717]

I went all 4 days in Vegas. Wednesday and Thursday were both "normal" to what I've seen pre-covid. A lot of walk throughs tring to size up the deals for the show. Friday morning and afternoon were good with probably the best attendance of the week. Saturday was a surprise as the afternoon was not as busy as I would have thought. From talking with the exhibitors there: Sales were good to better than average. Attendance was down but outfitters I talked with and booked with were happy and had filled a lot of hunts through 2023. Not just Africa but South America, Alaska, Europe. I think Covid closed down so much international hunting that folks were eager to grab a trip where they could. I myself have booked a trip to Argentina for red stag, a trip to Brazil for peacock bass fishing and my dream hunt to the Selous in Tanzania in 2023 (and if the stars align maybe adding Massailand to the Selous hunt). Las Vegas is definitely not what it was 20-30 years ago and has gotten very expensive for mundane things like bottled water. I personally am looking forward to Nashville. Closer to home and more affordable. Most of the money raised by SCI goes to funding conservation and hunting advocacy so it is money well spent to attend.

On a side note: sorry I missed the mixer at S Lounge. Got into an interesting conversation at the bar with a sheep hunter and missed meeting everyone there.

 

[Backyardsniper]

Its a 2.5 hour drive for me so I may very well do DSC and SCI next year. This year was my first DSC and me and the wife enjoyed it very much.

 

[Philip Glass]

Here is a new link. SCI attendance was more than the last two years combined and had over 700 vendors. I think it didn’t feel crowded due to the floor plan being spaced out with larger aisles.

SCI Concludes its 50th Annual Convention - Safari Club

Safari Club International last week hosted its 2022 annual convention, celebrating 50 years of protecting the freedom to hunt. This record-breaking

safariclub.org

 

[Hank2211]

Anyone can throw stones at SCI or claim that DSC was bigger this year but they would be mistaken on several counts.
Everyone needs to know what the mission is. I am a life member of both. SCI puts real money straight into the court room fighting for our rights here at home. It takes money to have a full time team of attorneys in DC fighting Brandon and his cronies. Others can not make this claim.
When you pay an SCI membership or pay a few hundred bucks to go to convention you are contributing to the cause.
Both conventions were way down. Saturday at DSC was quiet and normally you can’t walk because everyone who has $20 is in the door.
On Tuesday night alone $660K was raised for conservation in Vegas! The auctions and the hunts being booked on the floor were amazing at Vegas.
If a fella wants a cheap show to visit and drink beer there are plenty. If he wants to really contribute to conservation there is really a difference IMO?
I do hope Nashville will appeal to a new group of hunters and things will continue to grow. Our future depends on it.
Regards
Philip

Philip, not sure who you're referring to, but given that it was my post which expressed some criticisms of SCI, you may have interpreted this as "throwing stones." Not what I was doing and not what I intended.

Having said that, I live by the rule that anything and anyone (except my wife) can improve, including me. To refrain from well-intentioned criticism isn't usually not a good idea (except in a marriage!), and smacks a bit too much of doing the party line for my taste.

I said I found that SCI was becoming a bit elitist. I stand by that. And I'm not the only one who has that feeling. That's a bad long term strategy for success. Could this be one reason attendance is down (it was down even before COVID). If SCI is turning off some of its supporters, then maybe it should look at what it's doing and see if it can improve. Like any customer-centred organization would.

I said that it seemed we were being asked for money every time we turned around. I stand by that as well, mostly because it's true. The money may well be put to good use - no real argument there, but see below - but if that's the feeling that I (and others) have, again, it may be worth a look to see if you couldn't improve your asks.

Now, one comment on how SCI's money is used. I understand that the large majority of SCIs members are from the US, mostly because the large majority of hunters are, it seems, from the US. But there are lots of us who are not American and pay the same (actually higher) dues than you do, and telling me that SCI spends tons of money fighting "Brandon and his cronies" in the US courts isn't really giving me a good reason to belong or to give more of my non-American money. This is, of course, only partially true, since if Americans can't hunt, then many other countries will suffer, but as a general statement, I think it holds up.

I have been a member of SCI for a long time, I've attended over a dozen conventions, and I plan to attend next year in Nashville. And I plan to keep attending so long as SCI doesn't turn me off completely.

 

[WAB]

Some very good points Hank. Personally I think the good outweighs the bad with SCI, but they certainly have areas where they could improve their effectiveness.

Things I really like:
1) They champion our sport in DC and the courts,
2) They advance the cause of conservation globally,
3) They support hunters legally and in commercial relationships.

Things I don’t like:
1) the record book and awards system. I feel very strongly that the award system incents poor behavior and the record book encourages the harvest of animals still in breeding age.
2) the pressure put on outfitters to make hunt donations in order to get preferred booths. These folks are the backbone of our sport and are not getting rich at it. Many of them feel abused by SCI and feel much more welcomed by other organizations.

I get your point on the elitism and seemingly never ending requests for money. I guess i just let that roll off.

Again, I think SCI’s good outweighs the bad, but IMO there are a couple of areas they need to do some serious soul searching.

 

[Tanks]

Wow. I get the membership fee but $120 to go to a show?

Keeps the tire kickers out. That being said a lot of hunts and rifles were sold at DSC. I wanted to place an order with Wesley Richards, they took 20+ orders at DSC and delivery time now is 5+ years out. I don't know if my body will still handle shlepping a .500 NE when I am 70+.

SCI was convenient as it is a 4 hour drive to Vegas from Southern CA, I will miss Vegas. I will go to Nashville as I have never been there and will turn it into a sight seeing trip while there.

 

[CoElkHunter]

Keeps the tire kickers out. That being said a lot of hunts and rifles were sold at DSC. I wanted to place an order with Wesley Richards, they took 20+ orders at DSC and delivery time now is 5+ years out. I don't know if my body will still handle shlepping a .500 NE when I am 70+.

SCI was convenient as it is a 4 hour drive to Vegas from Southern CA, I will miss Vegas. I will go to Nashville as I have never been there and will turn it into a sight seeing trip while there.

Consider a .470 NE when your 70? LOL Actually, the reality is, that within those 5 years we'll be on our umpteenth Covid variant and your shoulder(s) will be so sore from all the boosters you won't want to shoot anything more than a .22 SHORT? Ha! Ha!

 

[Philip Glass]

Philip, not sure who you're referring to, but given that it was my post which expressed some criticisms of SCI, you may have interpreted this as "throwing stones." Not what I was doing and not what I intended.

Having said that, I live by the rule that anything and anyone (except my wife) can improve, including me. To refrain from well-intentioned criticism isn't usually not a good idea (except in a marriage!), and smacks a bit too much of doing the party line for my taste.

I said I found that SCI was becoming a bit elitist. I stand by that. And I'm not the only one who has that feeling. That's a bad long term strategy for success. Could this be one reason attendance is down (it was down even before COVID). If SCI is turning off some of its supporters, then maybe it should look at what it's doing and see if it can improve. Like any customer-centred organization would.

I said that it seemed we were being asked for money every time we turned around. I stand by that as well, mostly because it's true. The money may well be put to good use - no real argument there, but see below - but if that's the feeling that I (and others) have, again, it may be worth a look to see if you couldn't improve your asks.

Now, one comment on how SCI's money is used. I understand that the large majority of SCIs members are from the US, mostly because the large majority of hunters are, it seems, from the US. But there are lots of us who are not American and pay the same (actually higher) dues than you do, and telling me that SCI spends tons of money fighting "Brandon and his cronies" in the US courts isn't really giving me a good reason to belong or to give more of my non-American money. This is, of course, only partially true, since if Americans can't hunt, then many other countries will suffer, but as a general statement, I think it holds up.

I have been a member of SCI for a long time, I've attended over a dozen conventions, and I plan to attend next year in Nashville. And I plan to keep attending so long as SCI doesn't turn me off completely.

Hank,
No, nothing personal at all. It just seems when this discussion comes up that most people are not members of anything and have no idea what the two organizations actually do. The discussion goes on in a direction of “I want to go to the cheapest show I can find and don’t really want to be a member”. I feel we are in a critical time for hunting and conservation worldwide. If everyone in our circles only wants to go somewhere that they can only be out $20 a day and have a great time then where is the commitment to conservation?
What I am trying to say is that we need all hunters to contribute in as many ways as they can.
SCI is not only in court in the US but is diligently working on all issues worldwide. They are at every CITES meeting and influence these decision makers at every turn. I sat at a table at one of the banquets with the ambassador from Zimbabwe. He won an award and was invited by SCI to join us at convention. It’s things like this that amaze me and reinforce to me that we are doing the right thing and our work makes a difference.
Regards,
Philip

 

[Speedster]

OK. I see that Philip is directing this toward my post. I get what he says. I was just surprised the show costs more than a membership. I would have figured it the other way around; $120 for membership and $65 for the show. I do not belong to SCI obviously(or DSC). I do belong to the local Izaak Walton League and pay $110 annually for that. Also, lets be honest here. For many on this site $120 to a show is peanuts. For me it is not. I have seen some of your posts Phil and I can never dream to afford to go to the places that you have been to. I have been to SA once and am going again for what will likely be the last time because that is all I can afford. I don't mean that in a bad or envious way, I am just saying that all of us on this board have a common goal to preserve and pursue hunting with the resources they have, be they great or small. And yes I do understand what the fees go for. Maybe I am wrong but I would think higher membership fees would generate more revenue than a show would.
Also, as far as Tanks' response about it keeping the "tire kickers" out, are they bad to allow in? I would think if more people come then some of them would buy or contribute that maybe they would not if they were not there. Is the show put on in such a way that crowds need to be limited? I ask this not to defend the browsers. I am asking out of ignorance and trying to learn something here.

 

[Gemsbok45]

I’m just tired of Vegas!!!

 

[PHOENIX PHIL]

Also, as far as Tanks' response about it keeping the "tire kickers" out, are they bad to allow in?

Not in my opinion, see my previous post about today's tire kickers are tomorrow's buyers. Maybe not all, but some will be. If either DSC, SCI or any other hunting org wants to be so exclusive they push away the new comers to the shows in favor of only current well to do buyers, the long term future is being compromised for short term gain in my opinion.

 

[Scott CWO]

The wife and I have a great time at SCI in Vegas and don’t mind the SCI fees but the $20 G&Ts, the $20 glass of wine, the $80 steaks and the $20 baked potatoes are ridiculous. I bought a pop at the Mandalay Bay convenience store by the elevators and it was $5.50. Really? Really?

I thought the attendance was down but buying up. The auctions are also helped by all the online bidders nowadays. We intended to go to the Thursday evening meet & greet but ran into some friends/clients that we needed to talk to about some hunts. We won’t miss the meet & greet or dinner in 2023.

Nashville will be a nice change of pace. My wife loves country music and I like about all music except hip hop and rap so we are looking forward to making a full trip out of it.

 

[Deleted member 40394]

Just purchased a regular membership today. I must say it cost me about what my Nwtf ticket to my local banquet costs. I did see one SCI chapter in SC and noticed their website pictures were outdated a bit. If it wasn’t for my brother in law being Nwtf chapter president I wouldn’t join Nwtf anymore. I know they strive to get kids i the outdoors but they need a new conservation plan that actually helps with the wild turkey. Atleast SCI directly fights for our rights.

 

[Hogpatrol]

I've kicked a few tires at Chevy dealers looking for a new Corvette. Didn't cost me anything to get in the showrooms. Got blown off by more than one salesman. Eventually bought three new ones. Some people and companies know how to sell and others just peddle goods. I get all the conservation, lobbying, glad handing BS that is necessary to keep hunting, but from this chair, a hundred twenty bucks to get in the show is just another wallet squeeze. And Vegas now? Fuggeddaboutit. YMMV.

 

[AZDAVE]

I support both organizations, I have attended DSC more often. But that is basically because I don't like Reno and Have been over Vegas since I my early 20's. I like Nashville and will be attending SCI next year, and most likely DSC too next year. See ya all there