I just got my SCI Safari magazine, and was leafing through it when I saw the page for the "awards" given for May and June 2014.

This by itself I can understand, but, some awards have left me scratching my head!

They have a WORLD HUNTING AWARD and a WORLD HUNTING & CONSERVATION AWARD - what is the difference?

CROWNING ACHIEVEMENT AWARD?

ZENITH AWARD?

Several PINNACLE AWARDS?

AFRICA 15?

ASIA 8?

EUROPE 12?

GLOBAL HUNTING AWARD?

MULTIPLE METHOD INNER CIRCLE?

RINGED-HORNED ANTELOPES?

Bloody hell, no wonder they have no time to do anything useful!

Something tells me you don't think much of SCI....just sayin'

quote:

Originally posted by Frostbit:
Something tells me you don't think much of SCI....just sayin'

.....................

What gave you the first clue?

quote:

Originally posted by Saeed:
I just got my SCI Safari magazine, and was leafing through it when I saw the page for the "awards" given for May and June 2014.

This by itself I can understand, but, some awards have left me scratching my head!

They have a WORLD HUNTING AWARD and a WORLD HUNTING & CONSERVATION AWARD - what is the difference?

CROWNING ACHIEVEMENT AWARD?

ZENITH AWARD?

Several PINNACLE AWARDS?

AFRICA 15?

ASIA 8?

EUROPE 12?

GLOBAL HUNTING AWARD?

MULTIPLE METHOD INNER CIRCLE?

RINGED-HORNED ANTELOPES?

Bloody hell, no wonder they have no time to do anything useful!

Saeed,

Let's put it this way. If you had a really ugly wife, would you need to be constantly reminded that she was ugly?

Jeff

Jeff,

Beauty is in the eyes of the beholder.

But, seriously, what are all these silly awards for?

What difference does a "zenith" award has from a "pinnacle" award?

What is "Africa 15"?

I thought there are a lot more animals in Africa than just 15?

What is the difference between a "world hunting award" and a "global award"?

"Crowning achievement" award?

Anyone wants to bet that many, if not most, of the animals entered in there were canned animals?

I did a bit of research, and what I found makes the mind boggles!

Yep, SCI IS "FIRST FOR HUNTERS"

Nothing can be further from the truth.

I 100% agree with you on this Saeed, SCI has become a sad joke..

Some folks hunt for the enjoyment of the hunt. Other folks have different motivations. SCI has built a big business out of catering to those different motivations.

Saeed,

The point is and I'm sure you realize it is to have more categories to allow more people to participate in the awards program. If the awards don't turn your crank that's your choice but for those that do it just makes it more interesting for them.

Mark

Very true Mark.

But, this tends to dilute the whole bloody "trophy" aspect it becomes meaningless.

I got a few friends that are members to SCI,, and all of them are what I would call collectors,, they got to have one of everything. This one is a gold class SCI,, etc,etc., That is fine if that is what you are interested. In August I will be back to Namibia, people ask me what am I going there to hunt,, I tell them,, whatever Africa presents for me to hunt. If I get a chance at a nice gemsbock,, then game on, or if it is a eland,, or wait,, maybe a impala....You won't see my name in the SCI magazine,,

In my opinion. all these awards are simply a money making gimmick for SCI. It costs something to enter your trophies and I am sure that SCI makes a ton of money off of those entries.

465H&H

SCI - Stroking Egos For Profit Since 1972.

quote:

Originally posted by 465H&H:
In my opinion. all these awards are simply a money making gimmick for SCI. It costs something to enter your trophies and I am sure that SCI makes a ton of money off of those entries.

465H&H

Precisely. And if you choose not to participate or to participate, that is your call. Just like how the NRA has Life Members, Benefactors, Double Platinum Life Members, Super Duper Supreme Life Members, etc. All a way to make money by finding someone vain enough to step up to the next level.

quote:

Originally posted by MJines:

quote:

Originally posted by 465H&H:
In my opinion. all these awards are simply a money making gimmick for SCI. It costs something to enter your trophies and I am sure that SCI makes a ton of money off of those entries.

465H&H

Precisely. And if you choose not to participate or to participate, that is your call. Just like how the NRA has Life Members, Benefactors, Double Platinum Life Members, Super Duper Supreme Life Members, etc. All a way to make money by finding someone vain enough to step up to the next level.

Agreed. It is to generate money and some of the guys who participate spend a lot of money on the big trophies to honour themselves. Never will understand the desire to spend a bunch of coin on a big, gauche trophy to stroke your own ego………. and I mean some of them are bloody abortions that I could not imagine anyone with a modi come of good taste putting on display in their home.

Oh well……… to each their own I guess.

I have to agree with Saeed though, many of the awards seem redundant and a tad ridiculous. Seems they have to keep adding critters to the list and new awards to keep the big players with new beasts to enter and new trophies to buy.

quote:

The point is to have more categories to allow more people to participate in the awards program. If the awards don't turn your crank that's your choice but for those that do it just makes it more interesting for them.

...And as 465 H&H said, "are just money-making gimmicks" which are of prime interest to the SCI elitists who in order to stoke their ego, will blindly pump in money to participate (mainly against each other).

In reality the majority of the members don't have time for these dumb awards and consequently have no place within the "Inner Circle" - theirs is the privilege of paying the membership dues that float the boat - no more, no less.

Saeed,
You need to understand that this a cultural issue. In the USA, no one is allowed to fail or come in second place. We are all winners! Hence we are all losers as well but that would damage our fragile ego.

When my kids were young, we played sports. Everyone got a trophy. We call them "participation trophies". They mean nothing other than the kid showed up and played in some games.

I see the SCI awards the same way - participation trophies. The recipient pays for the trophy or the plaque and he feels better about himself. He also pays to be recognized by his "SCI brothers".

What a crock of ele dung....

As a life member, SCI's award program has never been of any interest to me. I was also just offered to upgrade to NRA benefactor from NRA Life Member for an additional amount of money. Ignored it as well.

quote:

Originally posted by Opus1:
SCI - Stroking Egos For Profit Since 1972.

You hit the nail squarely on the head!

While I have exactly zero interest in these awards, I don't fault SCI for using the awards as a profit center. It obviously appeals to many. I am not one of them .

quote:

While I have exactly zero interest in these awards, I don't fault SCI for using the awards as a profit center. It obviously appeals to many. I am not one of them .

I have to agree with Larry on this, I have ZERO interest in the awards & did not even open my SCI awards magazine that recently arrived. but I just don't care if others do.

Just can't see the reason for the rants about the SCI Awards Program? Participation in the SCI Awards is strictly up to each individual Member. Participation is not required to be a Member. So why anyone would continue to blaa, blaa, blaa, about it is beyond my comprehension. Damm, if you don't like it, don't participate. Continuing to complain really makes you look like a whiner with toooooo much time on your hands. Or maybe you just want to increase your post totals

Larry Sellers
SCI(International)Life Member
Sabatti 'trash' Double Shooter
R8 Blaser
DRSS

quote:

Originally posted by Larry Sellers:
Just can't see the reason for the rants about the SCI Awards Program? Participation in the SCI Awards is strictly up to each individual Member. Participation is not required to be a Member. So why anyone would continue to blaa, blaa, blaa, about it is beyond my comprehension. Damm, if you don't like it, don't participate. Continuing to complain really makes you look like a whiner with toooooo much time on your hands. Or maybe you just want to increase your post totals

Larry Sellers
SCI(International)Life Member
Sabatti 'trash' Double Shooter
R8 Blaser
DRSS

Larry,

I would be happy to keep my mouth shut if SCI stop claiming that they are working for us as hunters, and stop coming up with the most ridiculous ideas that not only put us as hunters in a bad light, but turns its own members against it.

I would much rather post something positive about them, but it is extremely hard to find anything like that about them in their present form.

Saeed

Not much a secret with the awards. Like most things with SCI, it's about money. I got a letter from SCI saying that I qualified for some kind of awards. If I wanted to have my name in print in the Safari Magazine, for the paltry sum of $1,100.00 my name would be listed with the other folks. Included in the $1,100.00 were the awards and certificates. I, like Larry said above, I declined to participate. I would rather put the money in another safari.