What did you buy or book at the SCI Nashville convention

[Altitude sickness]

It looks like a quality hat

 

[Dinsdale]

Does he still call them a bean field rifle

Bean field is his longer range rifles….and an action you supply or choose.

I’m pretty sure he still calls his heavier larger bore guns “professional hunter” and built on his own action and barrels.

I haven’t seen him in years, but Kenny was always fun to talk to and deal with when I ordered my 375 HH from him.I have quite a few rounds through mine and quite a few hunts; still shoots basically one hole groups at a 100yds.

 

[Scott CWO]

Got to meet up with a lot of friends and met some new ones on Thursday night.

I bought the ESP molded hearing protection system after my Tanzania PH, Mike Fell, suggested them.

After a busy 2023 in the Yukon and Tanzania, I didn’t really plan on buying any safaris but that thought didn’t last long! Earlier, during the WSF Sheep Show auction, some friends and I bought the eland, kudu, roan and darted rhino donated trip for four hunters by Game Trackers Africa for just $12.5k. Splitting it four ways is quite economical. I’m doing the rhino and will add some South Africa indigenous plains game. This will be a 2025 trip.

At SCI, I didn’t plan on buying any hunts unless something went cheap on the auction. Well, I need a roan and the Cameroon roan and buffalo hunt at the Wednesday night auction wasn’t going very high so I bid just twice and got it for just $9k! I am upgrading for a Lord Derby Eland for $20k and that’s a cheap LDE opportunity. I can also hunt kob, korrigum, etc… A good friend hunted the same concession two years ago and got a big LDE and could have shot four others and 2024 Conklin Award winner, Eduardo Negrete, just had a great hunt there so I figured that was good enough for me!

Found out at the SCI Show that my son’s Dall sheep was the oldest ram killed in the Yukon in 2023 at 14 years old. The outfitter’s 2023 rams averaged 9.9 years old. The outfitter was Chris McKinnon of Bonnet Plume Outfitters.

It was a great show and happy to hear it will stay in Nashville. Probably won’t go next year because I might be in Cameroon in early February.

 

[LivingTheDream]

I started working on a Dall's sheep hunt after finding out the Unit was just closed where I have the full bag hunt for September. The sticker shock literally hit me like a gut punch! I took a day to absorb this doubling of prices and am still narrowing it down.
I did get tempted by the Rigby Shikari double.

Phil if there is anything I can do to help let me know, I researched Dall sheep hunts pretty hard and just hunted one in 2023. Good luck man, the sticker shock is real.

 

[skydiver386]

Another great convention.

Booked red stag and chamois in Austria for this September (during the roar!).

Also picked up some purses for my lady, Jim Shockey's book, and the Hunter Chef cookbook.

Went to Michael Hunter's wild gamr cooking class- which was great. He cooked goose breast with a blueberry compote, which was delicious. Hope they bring him back next year for more cooking classes!

View attachment 585015
View attachment 585016

Is your hunt in Austria with Miesenbach? Those are some good folks and they are on my list up near the top!

 

[Tra3]

I missed both shows this year due to coaching high school skiing.
That allowed me an edge in my spousal negotiations this weekend. After a full Saturday at the office, I observed with my better half that the money saved by missing the show and the money earned by working Saturday(s) was really a windfall! Hence, I should be able to book a hunt to Africa. She gave me a green light with the only contingency being a simultaneous trip for her to Europe.

So, fellow members, missing the show wasn’t all that bad in the bigger strategy.

 

[ActionBob]

Seriously good looking hat. I’ve got to stop by there next year!

I'm going to need to do that too. Moved to Texas and I'm still all cows, no hat

 

[AZDAVE]

Going to lock in a hunt in New Zeland for 2026. Sat down with the outfitter for our Moz safari this year and the outfitter in Namibia for the 2025 safari. Talked to a tone for old friends and had a nice trip. Talked to Jerome at Rigby and looked at their new boxlock double. Very nice double.

 

[Hunting Hitman]

Elephant, Cape Buffalo, Leopard in the Caprivi strip of Namibia
Black Bear hunt in Alberta, Canada
Banteng and Water Buffalo in Darwin next year

HH

 

[ActionBob]

We ordered a long range rifle and scope combo for Gina. @Just Gina can tell more about that. She picked it out while I was looking at Thermal optics.

Ended up buying a Leica Thermal monocular that can be used as a hand held and also clips onto a scope so you sight through the scope but see thermal. They had video of shooting armadillos that just blew up, pretty cool through the thermal

I also bought an extra scope with a built in level that lights up green inside when level.

Pretty sure we are hunting with Bossie of Limpopo Big Game Safaris but I also checked out some tourist options while in South Africa. May need to add another extra week

 

[Brandon.Gleason]

Shored up last minute details for a boat based black bear in Alaska this September with Alaska Raven.

Booked a lioness hunt in the Save for August 2025 with Mbalabala Safaris.

Started discussions with some friends about a family trip to RSA for 2026, TBD.

Custom ear plugs form ESP.

Got to enjoy seeing my 7 year old son experience the show for the first time.

 

[Huntforever]

It's been a while since I've been to SCI or any hunting show.
I went there for two days to see some old and new friends and give them a hand at their booths.
Least to say I got a sticker shock.
Same item I've got for $65 from SA were selling for $400.
North American hunts and some of the African hunt prices were over the top ridiculous.
Best bargains to be had mostly European or South American hunts.
Generally speaking for Africa I would wait and jump on a cancellation hunt here rather then get carried away at the show or buy one at the auction if you know the outfit and understand the value.

I couldn’t agree more!! Sheep hunts are 70k to 100k now.

 

[rgsiii]

Looked at a lot of different hunts for 2025—none bought yet. Didn’t see anything that screamed, “what a deal.” However, saw lots of what appear to be great hunts. Being there only one day, I did not have time for the auctions—apparently this was to my detriment.

I will evaluate the material I picked up in Nashville along with what I will pick up at the state SCI before making a decision.

Spent lots of time looking at optical stuff. Talked to people at NECG for possibly adding another set of claw mount rings for a rifle.

Picked up a Diamond Blade knife, some books, a three piece cleaning rod and jags from Trader Keiths.

 

[rinehart0050]

Is your hunt in Austria with Miesenbach? Those are some good folks and they are on my list up near the top!View attachment 585151

That's the one! We chatted with them last year and they seemed like great folks that will be fun to hunt with. Looking forward to it- bringing the family along for this one.

 

[rinehart0050]

Got to meet up with a lot of friends and met some new ones on Thursday night.

I bought the ESP molded hearing protection system after my Tanzania PH, Mike Fell, suggested them.

After a busy 2023 in the Yukon and Tanzania, I didn’t really plan on buying any safaris but that thought didn’t last long! Earlier, during the WSF Sheep Show auction, some friends and I bought the eland, kudu, roan and darted rhino donated trip for four hunters by Game Trackers Africa for just $12.5k. Splitting it four ways is quite economical. I’m doing the rhino and will add some South Africa indigenous plains game. This will be a 2025 trip.

At SCI, I didn’t plan on buying any hunts unless something went cheap on the auction. Well, I need a roan and the Cameroon roan and buffalo hunt at the Wednesday night auction wasn’t going very high so I bid just twice and got it for just $9k! I am upgrading for a Lord Derby Eland for $20k and that’s a cheap LDE opportunity. I can also hunt kob, korrigum, etc… A good friend hunted the same concession two years ago and got a big LDE and could have shot four others and 2024 Conklin Award winner, Eduardo Negrete, just had a great hunt there so I figured that was good enough for me!

Found out at the SCI Show that my son’s Dall sheep was the oldest ram killed in the Yukon in 2023 at 14 years old. The outfitter’s 2023 rams averaged 9.9 years old. The outfitter was Chris McKinnon of Bonnet Plume Outfitters.

It was a great show and happy to hear it will stay in Nashville. Probably won’t go next year because I might be in Cameroon in early February.

Congrats on getting that cameroon auction. I was trying to explain to some guys at my table why that was a smoking deal. They didn't really understand Cameroon daily rates and felt that was too much for just a roan. Best of luck on your LDE!

 

[Altitude sickness]

I thought it was a great price for a LDE also

 

[JimmyJack54]

I picked up a cartridge slide from Trader Keith’s. I used one (458 Lott) last fall for a buffalo hunt and it worked well so I thought I would pick up another.
My wife and I also purchased two $5 Cliff Bars so we could push through lunch. Relatively inexpensive trip. There is a camo fur coat/jacket that continues to call her name but fortunately she’s been able to resist. We left Saturday morning again this year but she wants to stay until Saturday evening next year to bargain shop.

I attended the CWD seminal with Keith Warren. It was informative. I bid and got stopped out on two auction lots during the day, a group blackbuck hunt in Argentina and an ibex hunt in Kyrgyzstan.

Unfortunately I wasn’t able to attend the AH meet and greet so hopefully I can catch that next year.

 

[skydiver386]

That's the one! We chatted with them last year and they seemed like great folks that will be fun to hunt with. Looking forward to it- bringing the family along for this one.

You do know that hunting in Austria, Germany or Switzerland involves large amounts of sausage eating, beer drinking, Lederhosen slapping, accordion playing, cream puff nibbling, Schnitzel munching, schuhplattler dancing, and other forms of Germanic buffoonery right?

Therefore, your mission, should you decide to accept it, is to lead the after dinner sing along "Fliege mit mir in die Heimat". Every Austrian young and old will not only sing along, but become your lifelong friend.

 

[mdwest]

Going to lock in a hunt in New Zeland for 2026.

Have you decided who youre going to hunt with?

We're locked in with these guys for a 2025 hunt while at DSC this year (still thinking about dates.. but most likely May/June when the rut is going on with the species we are most interested in... tahr, chamois, and red stag)..

https://newzealandsafaris.com/

We spent a good amount of time chatting with Jim (owner/guide) took in a lot of information about their location, their lodge, hunt options, etc.. and think we found a really good fit (will know for certain in 2025! )...

 

[mdwest]

Chairs. I didn’t see that coming!

do tell! which chairs?

I was pretty tempted by the chairs in the Rigby booth that were for sale at DSC... but didnt make any moves..