UEG and I were speculating about this at lunch yesterday. At SCI Saturday Night Auction the Mark Watts 28 day full bag Tanzania hunt with the two custom Rigbys was auctioned. UEG said he thought he heard it had brought the biggest number of any SCI auctioned hunt ever. Does anyone know?

$155,000.00

If you were in the market for a 28 full bag hunt in TZ and two custom Rigby's, that's pretty hard to beat.

Were any trophiy fees included?

SCI has already removed the auction listing, but I located the following on the web:

"Leading the list of auction items for 2010 is a premier safari package offered by Rungwa Game Safaris. This package celebrates John Rigby & Company’s 275th anniversary and includes two new custom rifles, a 21-day Tanzania safari for lion, leopard, sable and roan. The winning bidder then moves to the Selous Game Reserve for elephant and buffalo. Award-winning hunting personality, author, and DVD producer Marc Watts of Sable Trail Productions will be on hand to film the safari. Estimated value of his package is $400,000."

Trophy fees were NOT included, air charter NOT included either.

SCI description provides:
SN020
21-day, full bag Tanzania safari for one hunter and one observer.
The exclusive use of each luxury camp.
Rungwa’s owner, Harpreet Brar, will personally conduct the hunt and provide a bait vehicle to maximize opportunity on cats.
Hunt dates are August1-21, 2010, only.
John Rigby & Co. will build two customrifles, a sidelock double for dangerousgame and a bolt gun (.500 Nitro Express & .300 H&H)
Marc Watts & Kappie will film the safari.
The buyer will also receive a rough cut of all footagetaken on the hunt and a high resolution disc of all still photos taken.
To prepare for the safari, Marc will host the winning bidder at his ranch and trophy room outside of Chicago for a shooting lesson and to sight inrifles.
Donation includes accommodations and meals on safari, camp change fees, firearms permit, licenseand permit fees, beverages of choice, field prep, use of bait vehicle, two Rigby rifles, as described, rough cut video footage of safari, DVD of still shots taken onsafari, round trip expenses for travel to-from Marc’s ranch, and lodging at ranch.
Not included are trophy fees for game taken or wounded, before/after huntexpenses, air charter fees, dipping/packing and shipping ($5,000 approx.) and gratuities.
100% donation.

at SCI Reno, I saw Dawie Groenewald at Marc's booth. Marc was writing out a check to him.

Anybody know if Marc has any business dealings with Out of Africa Safaris??

no I am not stirring up crap-----just thought it odd to see Marc with such a scumball Dawie

And if he does, then I guess he is next in line for condemnation by some on here? Grow up people, there is a real World out there, whether you want to believe it or not.

Met Marc in Reno and chatted for awhile and came away with a whole new impression of Mr. Watts, very good by the way.

Larry Sellers
SCI Life

quote:

Originally posted by quickshot:
at SCI Reno, I saw Dawie Groenewald at Marc's booth. Marc was writing out a check to him.

Anybody know if Marc has any business dealings with Out of Africa Safaris??

no I am not stirring up crap-----just thought it odd to see Marc with such a scumball Dawie

You see, this is how crap gets started and he said she said becomes viral, and people start to get really pissed off.

Quickshot: I did not write a check out to the gentleman you mentioned. You perhaps saw me signing the DVD covers of two DVD's he purchased from me...I also wrote him a receipt for a shooting target he purchased from my booth.

I was not in possession of any personal/business checks nor even a checkbook in Reno. FYI I do not have any business dealings with Out of Africa. Never have hunted with the outfit. They have nice brochures and it looks like they shoot alot of nice animals. I like Dawie alot, speak to him every year in Reno. He's never done anything bad to me. All kinds of guys come to my booth.

His money is just as green as anybody else's. Should I refuse his purchase, because of what people say about him? That wouldn't be fair.

Just trying to keep the facts straight here. I did not write a check to anyone in Reno.

Hey Marc

It was good to see you again at Reno and share a table with you... even if the speaker didnt amuse you!!!

Cheers mate
Matt

Yup good seein' you too. Atleast the wine did amuse me!

Marc: I met your Dad and mom. Wonderful people, who are very proud of you. Thanks for the AR gift! Best Regards.

That hunt sounds pretty cool and decadent.

What would the trophy fees be for a Lion, Leopard, Sable, buffalo and elephant cost?

Would it take the hunt up to $200,000?

Thanks UEG. I don't know if the auction drew the largest number ever for an SCI hunt. Those auctions are hit or miss. Sometimes you hit a homerun; sometime you only get a single.

BTW I still owe LionHunter a shirt. If anyone has his address please lemme' have it. I'm guessing he's an XL?

I thought the speaker that night did an excellent job, especially without a teleprompter. Guy that bought the hunt is most likely a republican. Dinners in camp will make for interesting conversation.

Rats! I dropped out at $150,000 when they would not take my IOU backed up with my Enron 401k account number.

Wish I could have done that hunt - what a hoot it would be.

Marc - thanks for the explanation about OoA, even through I think it wasn't needed. Obviously Quickshot is no banking genius, not knowing a receipt from a check???

Thanks again for the AR gift and I too had the privilege to meet your Mom and Dad. Seems your Dad has some New Mexico ties and enjoyed the visit with him. We will get some of those BIG Buffalo targets headed to New Mexico as soon as Bill gets settled back in.

Larry Sellers
SCI Life Member

Damnation, I didn't get a shirt!

Marc, thanks for signing my son Will's book. He read it cover to cover on the flights home.

Paul: Consider your shirts in the mail. I have your address.

TNJohn: I agree. President Bush gave a wonderful speech. Earlier that day he stopped near my booth and took a picture with the Moja-ettes. He and I have history-from back in the day. We always compare Lucheses. Don't know what you're getting at by suggesting auction buyer is a member of the GOP.

Interesting chats unfold in camp regardless of idealogies. Are you asking me which way I swing politically? I'm an Indy, voting for Dems and Repubs. Voted for GW both times. He needed teleprompter too back in the day. But give the same speech for an entire year, even you wouldn't require a prompter.

I use to live in Texas. They'll always be some cowboy in me...voted for Daddy Bush too.

It was a pleasure to meet you as well Marc. Thank you for the gifts.

Brett

There were a few at the dinner table that had their minds made up before the speech. Did'nt even have positive comments regarding our armed services members. That is not steered to you.

The "amusing" comments made in this post indicate a displeasure with the speaker. Puzzling after I had seen the traffic jam at your Booth. Perhaps there is an inside joke, perhaps you are telling me you liked Bush and disliked the wine. Perhaps you have heard this speech before and that is what amused you.

I dont care which way anyone swings politically and learned a long time ago when you are dealing with the public, keep your views on politics, religion and college sports teams to yourself.

It would be quite interesting to share a campfire with you.

TNJohn: Oh I see what you're saying. The back and forth between Matt Graham and the "amusing" comments are in reference to a speaker at an entirely different dinner. Not the SCI Bush Dinner.

(See what you started Matt!) Matt wasn't sitting at my table during the Saturday night auction dinner event. He and I were hanging out at the same event on Tuesday night, and that's the venue he was referring to.

Thank you!

Sorry for misreading and assumming it was this dinner.

John

yeah sorry I was talking about the Weatherby Dinner... I didnt go to the "Bush Dinner" ... wish I had of now though, everyone was abuzz with his speech.

Funny - I was in my booth on Saturday when the Presidential golf-buggy stopped opposite at the Banovich booth for a presentation or whatever. While the party was inside I noticed the video screen on a laptop in my booth was frozen on a shot of me... I manoevered the screen such that I might take a photo of me on the screen AND the President when he walked out of the gallery! As he came out he made some quips to the crowd, out of my sight, then sat in the buggy - just as I snapped the momento a secret service guy jumped in beside him and ruined it .....aaarrrggghhhhhh!!!

Would have been funny if it worked out... me and my 'old buddy' GW...

Marc, thanks, I also will be ordering a buffalo target for practice. Plan to go to Zimbabwe in 2011 and go for buffalo, leopard, and sable.

And here's a message from Will: "it was nice seeing you, and thanks for the book and poster. I also like the dvds, especially Fire and Ice."