An awesome year - My son attended with me this year and we had a great time!

For us, Nashville is the best - we drove down, stayed at the Hilton which was an 8min walk to the convention and Martins BBQ is right across from the hotel lobby :-). I am thrilled that we will be going to Nashville for the next decade!!!


Have to admit it was an expensive year for me LOL!

- Made my final deposit to Neal & Brownlee for my Tajikistan hunt this December

- Bought Karl Stumpfe’s early season trophy buff hunt, going this May

- Gave Karl a deposit for my son and I for a 14 day hunt May 2025

- Bought two leather recliners from Great Blue Heron

- Bought the Swaro TM35 thermal sight from Eurooptic

- My son ordered a coat from Alan Michael and I ordered a custom sport coat

- Bought an Iridium GO for upcoming Taj and Mongolia hunts

- New pair of Courtney PH boots since our lab puppy decided to eat one of my current pair

And to wrap it all up - spent a pathetic amount of money with Gracy travel for tickets to Kasane and Dushanbe for my upcoming hunts ugh!!

I dropped out of the Pakistan Sindh Ibex hunt on the Saturday nite auction at 15k.. If it had been for 2026 instead of 2025 I would have gone higher..

We had a great time all 4 days.. Saw 38 Special and Foreigner - both bands rocked it!!

Saw lots of friends and made a lot of new ones. Even got to say hello to Larry and his wife even though if it was just in passing on the sidewalk!

I too had a great time. No SNAFUs that I was aware of - from registration to show floor in record time.
Bought me a flagpole - a 30'er. Been wanting one for a long time and got a fair deal on it.
Saw lots of friends and past hunting buddies. Attended all the meetings I was supposed to.
I was shocked by the BOD meeting and all the stuff SCI is involving themselves in. All for the good and amazing how the Executive Cmte is leveraging our $ for the good of hunting WORLDWIDE. but especially here in N Amaerica.
My favorite event was the Veterans Breakfast. I sat beside an amazing female MSG Ret that has written a book about her experience as a Pathfinder. Can't wait to read it.

I thought this was a great convention. I'm quite happy that it's going to be in Nashville for the next handful of years.

I met up with Alaska Raven Guides to shore up plans for this September for a boat-based black bear hunt. Most of the discussion was surrounding arrival/departure logistics and gear recommendations.

I booked a lioness hunt for August 2025 with Mbalabala Safaris in the Save, along with one (potentially two) members of my chapter who will be hunting buffalo on the same trip.

My wife and I had discussions with some friends about a potential duel-family trip to RSA for plains game for 2026. Still a lot to flesh out on this one. The other couple has an outfitter (Bosveld Jacobs) that their family and SCI Chapter hunt with annually, so I'm going strongly on their recommendation. We will be following up with the outfitter at the New England chapter banquet in late April to discuss further.

I finally splurged and got custom molds made by ESP for valved ear plugs. I won't be getting them for 2-4 weeks, so jury is still out on whether or not they're worth it.

This was my son's first trip to a Convention and I really enjoyed watching him meander around the show. He got a kick out of the primate taxidermy that was strewn about playing golf, or serving candies, etc. He made it a half day x 2 days. My wife broke him free for swimming and a trip to the Nashville Science Center on each day they were down with me. He's looking forward to coming back next year, again.

Although I feel like I got a lot done at the show, I also felt like I didn't get to do all of my usual things. I skipped the seminars with the exception of the Measurer's Course on Saturday morning. I didn't make it to any of the day auctions. I didn't really browse the silent auctions. The placement of the day auctions downstairs from the floor really put me off of walking to that.

Although better than Vegas, we still spent an awful amount of money on hotels and food this trip. Food options in the convention center again were lousy, requiring us to go off campus and chew up floor-time to get lunch. Drink prices in the convention seemed to have crept up, too, if I'm remembering last year correctly?

quote:

Originally posted by Scott Powell:
An awesome year - My son attended with me this year and we had a great time!

For us, Nashville is the best - we drove down, stayed at the Hilton which was an 8min walk to the convention and Martins BBQ is right across from the hotel lobby :-). I am thrilled that we will be going to Nashville for the next decade!!!


Have to admit it was an expensive year for me LOL!

- Made my final deposit to Neal & Brownlee for my Tajikistan hunt this December

- Bought Karl Stumpfe’s early season trophy buff hunt, going this May

- Gave Karl a deposit for my son and I for a 14 day hunt May 2025

- Bought two leather recliners from Great Blue Heron

- Bought the Swaro TM35 thermal sight from Eurooptic

- My son ordered a coat from Alan Michael and I ordered a custom sport coat

- Bought an Iridium GO for upcoming Taj and Mongolia hunts

- New pair of Courtney PH boots since our lab puppy decided to eat one of my current pair

And to wrap it all up - spent a pathetic amount of money with Gracy travel for tickets to Kasane and Dushanbe for my upcoming hunts ugh!!

I dropped out of the Pakistan Sindh Ibex hunt on the Saturday nite auction at 15k.. If it had been for 2026 instead of 2025 I would have gone higher..

We had a great time all 4 days.. Saw 38 Special and Foreigner - both bands rocked it!!

Saw lots of friends and made a lot of new ones. Even got to say hello to Larry and his wife even though if it was just in passing on the sidewalk!

And not a penny wasted!

I hope you and your son have the time of your lives.

Enjoy it while you can.

Great show
Didn’t book a hunt there but plenty of ideas for upcoming year

Is the SCI convention still planning on going to New Orleans in the future?

quote:

Originally posted by Jim in Katy:
Is the SCI convention still planning on going to New Orleans in the future?

Not in the next 10 years .

That is good. I am hoping to go to Nashville next year. Never been to SCI and I cannot bring myself to go to Atlanta for DSC

quote:

Originally posted by dogcat:
That is good. I am hoping to go to Nashville next year. Never been to SCI and I cannot bring myself to go to Atlanta for DSC

I am sure you would enjoy it !!

quote:

Originally posted by larryshores:

quote:

Originally posted by Jim in Katy:
Is the SCI convention still planning on going to New Orleans in the future?

Not in the next 10 years .

They cancelled New Orleans in 2026 and 2028?

quote:

Originally posted by Wesheltonj:

quote:

Originally posted by larryshores:

quote:

Originally posted by Jim in Katy:
Is the SCI convention still planning on going to New Orleans in the future?

Not in the next 10 years .

They cancelled New Orleans in 2026 and 2028?

Yes - convention is in Nashville for the next 10 years...

That's too bad that New Orleans is out. I was really looking forward to those shows. The food is just great there. That Indy is out, no big deal. Surprised that it's Nashville for the next ten years considering that SCI moved to San Antonio, that has a huge convention center, particularly when DSC is in Atlanta for the next 5 years.

quote:

Originally posted by Wesheltonj:
That's too bad that New Orleans is out. I was really looking forward to those shows. The food is just great there. That Indy is out, no big deal. Surprised that it's Nashville for the next ten years considering that SCI moved to San Antonio, that has a huge convention center, particularly when DSC is in Atlanta for the next 5 years.

The move to San Antonio did not come into play at all. The contracts with the venues were executed well before the decision was made to move to San Antonio.

quote:

Originally posted by Wesheltonj:
That's too bad that New Orleans is out. I was really looking forward to those shows. The food is just great there. That Indy is out, no big deal. Surprised that it's Nashville for the next ten years considering that SCI moved to San Antonio, that has a huge convention center, particularly when DSC is in Atlanta for the next 5 years.

There was a time (before the hurricane) that I would have loved it to be in NOLA. I went there frequently on business in the early 2000s, now I wont step foot there..

The success in Nashville simply nailed it in my opinion. The density of hunters in the midwest and south is significant and growing while the opposite is happening in many western states. So many attendees within a 5-7hr drive are now discovering the SCI convention - I met ALOT of people that drove in for the weekend and are planning on attending next year.

We are able to tap into the wealth of whitetail, turkey and duck hunters like never before!

I for one, am very excited for the future!!!

quote:

Originally posted by Wesheltonj:
That's too bad that New Orleans is out. I was really looking forward to those shows. The food is just great there. That Indy is out, no big deal. Surprised that it's Nashville for the next ten years considering that SCI moved to San Antonio, that has a huge convention center, particularly when DSC is in Atlanta for the next 5 years.

San Antonio has plans to remodel/add on their convention center, Austin, too. As for Dallas convention center (KBH), I’d be shocked if the new center is complete in 5 years.

I have heard the same thing about these other facilities Karl.

I have no idea how long this project will take . That facility is massive . Just tearing the existing facility will have to take a lot of time .

quote:

I have no idea how long this project will take . That facility is massive . Just tearing the existing facility will have to take a lot of time .

Yep…hell of a demo job. With the FIFA World Cup semi-finals coming to the DFW area in 2026, I’ve heard that business community is pushing to delay demo until after World Cup festivities. That would make good business sense, to me. It would also make good business sense for another organization to step in and “fill the void” for Texas hunters during this time.

quote:

Originally posted by Wesheltonj:
That's too bad that New Orleans is out. I was really looking forward to those shows. The food is just great there. That Indy is out, no big deal. Surprised that it's Nashville for the next ten years considering that SCI moved to San Antonio, that has a huge convention center, particularly when DSC is in Atlanta for the next 5 years.

I get it on the surface but not sure how familiar you are really. I live in Nashville and also not only have many friends in NOLA but own part of a business there
1) the food I would rank as the only and number one reason perhaps….good luck with the masses getting into the better places
2) much harder logistically to get to
3) convention area WAYYYY worse and dirtier and less safe
4) Entire surrounding area WAYYYY less safe and higher crime petty or otherwise
5) nightlife? Sure..Nashville is not only comparable but perhaps even more broad. Much much safer albeit with less historical aspect

NOLA had big issues with the current situation and garbage Mayor etc.

quote:

Originally posted by K Evans:

quote:

Originally posted by Wesheltonj:
That's too bad that New Orleans is out. I was really looking forward to those shows. The food is just great there. That Indy is out, no big deal. Surprised that it's Nashville for the next ten years considering that SCI moved to San Antonio, that has a huge convention center, particularly when DSC is in Atlanta for the next 5 years.

San Antonio has plans to remodel/add on their convention center, Austin, too. As for Dallas convention center (KBH), I’d be shocked if the new center is complete in 5 years.

I keep hearing from DSC folks that San Antonio is going to remodel. They just finished an expansion and remodel. Yes, there is a plan to increase floor space, but that’s putting another floor on top of what there and that would not close the convention center. I doubt it will happen, as that money will be used to buy out UT Institute of Texan Cultures so they can build the Spurs another new basketball arena downtown.

https://www.wildsheepfoundatio...nts/major-show-dates



Link has the SCI show dates in Nashville through 2030. Other organization show dates are also listed.

DSC and SCI are only 10 days apart in 2025. Atlanta and Nashville are 4 hrs drive from each other.

I wonder if they will cannibalize their audience with the drive-in crowd. A big factor of the rationale of choosing those locations was that they had a large population of hunters within driving distance.

The SHOT Show overlapping with SCI is going to be a problem for the product companies.