Latest Safari Magazine Travesty

21 July 2013, 03:09

AilsaWheels

quote:
Originally posted by Full Roar:
I sent SCI a hunt write up complete with pictures from a hunt I did in New Zealand last year where I took a very nice Stag, Fallow Buck, a Tahr that charged me thru the wilding pines and a Black Ram, all under the back drop of Mount Cook. I went to considerable effort considering my writing skills and had a chapter member here in Reno that has some ties to national help me finish it up and send it off for me.

I received a very nice letter from SCI that basically said thanks but no thanks, they had lots of similar articles they could use if they wanted to put a article in the publication about New Zealand. OK, fine, I am not sure what qualifies one particular article over another, I just know I have read some real shit in the SCI monthly, and my hunt was a walk and stalk with real effort
What really set me off was they used the opportunity to ask if I would like to donate more to SCI. Pretty ballsy considering they just told me to shove off with my article I sent in. Maybe if you donate tons they publish your article????

I am turning more and more into a DSC only member every time SCI does their stupid shit.
I'm already boycotting SCI convention this year and will be attending my first DSC Convention

Full Roar, If you publish your article here on AR I will read the article and so will many others. The articles I read here on AR are more enjoyable than what I have been reading in any magazines these days. Keep the hunting reports coming.

21 July 2013, 04:30

Code4

quote:
Originally posted by yellowstone:
It seems that modern magazine rags, Safari being one of them, cater to the national level of ADHD. Nearly all of them start with a mid-hunt scenario just before the trigger is released. It is to draw the attention challenged into the story. Then it reverts to the beginning with a plethora of name drops on equipment, clothing, transportation, ammo, ad naseum, plus a complaint about the heat or cold or altitude (no country for old men) until the "said attention challenged" hunter is brought to the less than rousing climax of his journey, which must be SCI Gold Medal or something like that. Injected into this ridiculous format in Safari magazine is always the notatation that the trackers (Friday, Hope, Faith, Bibi, Zumba, etc., etc., etc.) are unfathomably and mystically proficient, the food in camp was unbelievable, the wine was exquisite, the sunsets were breathtaking (which they are, but so is Texas and Montana) and the PH knows his business like no one else, which he probably does. Lastly it's topped off with the assurance for the well heeled hunter that he has "collected" blah, blah, blah. It is a very rare article that actually has some depth and stellar literary content. With the dumbing down of America, much of what I just ranted about can be seen in American Hunter, Peterson's Hunting, Boar Hunter, Muley F-----g Crazy, Guns & Ammo, and so on. THEY ARE DESIGNED TO SELL PRODUCT AND RAKE IN MONEY FROM ADVERTISING!!!

Sports Afield is a quality rag, IMHO, and so are Rifle, Handloader, and the slick paper African Sporting Gazette. I'm sure most of us remember Hatari Times. I sure wish Harald was still writing. And personally, I have learned more.............much more from about 6 or 7 years of AR than all this other crap combined. Could it be because this site if first for hunters? Run and shared by hunters? Yeah we bitch and fight sometimes or often, but call SCI directly and file a complaint. What's to lose..........oh yeah, I forgot, your short term memory.

Bingo we have a winner. The most relevant post so far.

21 July 2013, 05:44

Steve416

quote:
Originally posted by dinsdale:
Total POS.

I skimmed it walking up the driveway and it went in the trash can; didn't even make it in the door.

Very disappointing. Used to look forward to receiving it.

21 July 2013, 06:23

BrettAKSCI

quote:
Originally posted by leopards valley safaris:
quote:
Originally posted by BrettAKSCI:
So I opened and "read" the latest issue last night. This morning I received and email from a friend and I think he pretty well summed it up.

"I received the new Safari Magazine from SCI. It has an article about jam(yes, the fruity spread), jewelry trends, and martinis(the drink, not the rifle). It was also thinner than most issues. What's next--safari chic kitchen appliances, removing wine stains from cammo, nifty wall tent decorations for under $1(Oops, it's SCI. Make that $1000)? I can see it now, the new SCI Martha Stewart Award, the SCI Cocktail Grand Slam(requiring at least seven drinks from five categories at the diamond level), and the most coveted award of all--the SCI Lifetime Canning Achievement Award("I've canned two hundred species from five continents!")............."

I found exactly 0 articles that I wanted to read in the entire frigging magazine!!! I REALLY hope SCI recognizes the wheels have fallen off, the car is in flames, and is going over a cliff........we'll see.

Brett

No worries Brett, Next time Im in Anchorage Ill bring you some African sporting gazettes and some African Outfitter mags.

Thanks Dave! Hope to see you in February!!!

Brett

DRSS
Life Member SCI
Life Member NRA
Life Member WSF

Rhyme of the Sheep Hunter
May fordings never be too deep, And alders not too thick; May rock slides never be too steep And ridges not too slick.
And may your bullets shoot as swell As Fred Bear's arrow's flew; And may your nose work just as well As Jack O'Connor's too.
May winds be never at your tail When stalking down the steep; May bears be never on your trail When packing out your sheep.
May the hundred pounds upon you Not make you break or trip; And may the plane in which you flew Await you at the strip.
-Seth Peterson

22 July 2013, 02:29

gunny

Member since 1995 and I will not renew. It's DSC or bust!

22 July 2013, 07:04

Badger Matt

Joining DSC tomorrow.

22 July 2013, 07:14

jdollar

interesting trend developing here but do you guys thinks SCI cares?? NOT ON YOUR LIFE! they are too busy pushing jam and jewelry in what was once a good magazine....

22 July 2013, 11:11

Matt Graham

interesting trend? .... it makes me sick to see hunters deliberately running down a hunting organisation and encouraging people to unsubscribe.

22 July 2013, 20:50

MARK H. YOUNG

I'm with Matt. I don't agree with everything SCI does and I have not really read the magazine for sometime but I'm not going to leave them anymore than I'm giving up my NRA membership and I sometimes think NRA is just coo-coo. I do think SCI is trying to protect our hunting rights and NRA is protecting out gun rights. These two things let me overlook basically anything else.

Mark

22 July 2013, 21:16

BrettAKSCI

quote:
Originally posted by MARK H. YOUNG:
I'm with Matt. I don't agree with everything SCI does and I have not really read the magazine for sometime but I'm not going to leave them anymore than I'm giving up my NRA membership and I sometimes think NRA is just coo-coo. I do think SCI is trying to protect our hunting rights and NRA is protecting out gun rights. These two things let me overlook basically anything else.

Mark

I think Matt and Mark have got the point of this thread. By all means join DSC, but I'm looking for people to give feedback to SCI on their magazine.....not quit the largest/most affective pro hunting/conservation organization in the world. I spoke with a friend regarding the magazine "quality" and he suggested that the way to affect real change would be to speak with the chapter presidents and get them onboard with the idea that Safari's new direction in not for the better. So I would encourage you all the contact your chapter presidents and have them look at Safari magazine and see if they agree. If enough chapter presidents feel this way and give feedback to National it will carry a LOT of weight. The bath water not the baby folks!!!

Brett

22 July 2013, 21:19

Todd Williams

quote:
Originally posted by Matt Graham:
interesting trend? .... it makes me sick to see hunters deliberately running down a hunting organisation and encouraging people to unsubscribe.

I completely agree with you Matt. As I stated in my earlier post on this thread, I'm very disappointed and really surprised at the direction the magazine has taken. However, I'm not ready to throw out the baby with the bath water.

It is painfully clear that some here are very good at bitching and pointing out faults while at the same time, are very poor at, or even incapable of offering constructive criticism that might help improve the largest hunter advocacy organization around. And no, peanuts thrown from the gallery will not turn things around. It takes hard work and effort working from within to do that. Some are pursuing that positive course of action.

I see no conflict in being a member and supporter of both SCI and DSC. Although they pursue goals differently, they are not working against each other.

22 July 2013, 21:33

BrettAKSCI

quote:
Originally posted by Todd Williams:
It takes hard work and effort working from within to do that. Some are pursuing that positive course of action.

I see no conflict in being a member and supporter of both SCI and DSC. Although they pursue goals differently, they are not working against each other.

+1

Brett

23 July 2013, 01:55

Mario

I made a complaint directly to the office of our italian chapter. They said they will call Steve Comus. Hope this works...

23 July 2013, 08:22

fujotupu

quote:
Originally posted by Mario:
I made a complaint directly to the office of our italian chapter. They said they will call Steve Comus. Hope this works...

How they say in Italian? .... "Aspetta e spera" (wait and wish)

23 July 2013, 08:31

jdollar

quote:
Originally posted by Matt Graham:
interesting trend? .... it makes me sick to see hunters deliberately running down a hunting organisation and encouraging people to unsubscribe.

i don't need to run down SCI- they have done a excellent job of that all by themselves for the last 5-6 without any help from me or other members. of course, Kevin Anderson( OoAAS attorney and past SCI president) made criticism a slam dunk. BTW, whatever happened to SCI'S MAJOR hunt donor /advertiser and his rhino poaching charges in RSA???

23 July 2013, 10:39

DAL

I just got my copy today. To read you old ladies bitch and whine, I expected a lot worse. Lots of stories, including one on bow hunting. Good reading. BTW, I skipped the single page on preserves.

23 July 2013, 12:36

Mario

yes "aspetta e spera..."

23 July 2013, 21:16

dande_jack

I just sent a letter by e mail to SCI, telling them how unacceptable this is. Members need to call and complain or e mail to complain. This editor needs to find a real job.

03 November 2013, 06:47

bwana cecil

I believe the November/December issue is an improvement.
I had called & left a voice mail.

03 November 2013, 07:00

Orvar

Just got it yesterday. Agreed, a step in the right direction.

03 November 2013, 09:23

Anjin

quote:
Originally posted by MARK H. YOUNG:
I'm with Matt. I don't agree with everything SCI does and I have not really read the magazine for sometime but I'm not going to leave them anymore than I'm giving up my NRA membership and I sometimes think NRA is just coo-coo. I do think SCI is trying to protect our hunting rights and NRA is protecting out gun rights. These two things let me overlook basically anything else.

Mark

I quite agree with Mark on this.

I left SCI years ago because of a local chapter thing, but when I get back to the US, I am ready to join again for the very reasons Mark states.

Let's face it, we need to support SCI, DSC, NRA and similar groups and keep involved enough to influence them to stay on the right path. In part, this jam and jewelry phase is simply following life style changes – the same kind that destroyed great hunting stores like Abercrombie & Fitch, Eddie Bauer, et al.

SCI will walk the right path if its members insist. It is not all about economics. They will focus on their target market if we make enough noise. Goodness, knows, there are enough people who are anti-hunting that if they don't, their livelihoods will fade away.

On a side note, the Namibia rhino hunt in cooperation with DSC has been getting a huge amount of favorable press. We even see it here in Japan. SCI needs to work on similar programs.

03 November 2013, 16:38

scruffy

Sad to say but I cancelled my membership after the last issue came out.

03 November 2013, 16:43

bwana cecil

quote:
Sad to say but I cancelled my membership after the last issue came out.

RE-UP.

03 November 2013, 16:46

Matt Graham

quote:
Originally posted by scruffy:
Sad to say but I cancelled my membership after the last issue came out.

Were you a member just to get the magazine?

03 November 2013, 16:48

Cajun1956

I have allowed my SCI membership to expire as well. Cheers, a current member of DSC and HSC

03 November 2013, 17:28

R. Gunn

Hey, this is easy. Cancel your subscription, drop your membership; that's how you get these guys' attention. I did a long time ago. You can always rejoin when the magazine improves.

03 November 2013, 17:59

cal pappas

Support: yes!
But support DSC and let them lead the way now. SCI is too twisted in their inner doings and it seems to have evolved into an inner club of rich and powerful assholes.
If the Alaska chapter would drop SCI and either go it alone (as did Dallas) or transfer their loyalty to Dallas and join them, I would work night and day in my support. From what I understand the Alaska chapter is one of the top fund raisers of all the chapters in the nation or world and could easily make it on their own. I mean, why send a large percentage of their income to SCI? I'd rather them keep the money and make their own plans.
Just my opinion.
Cal

_______________________________

Cal Pappas, Willow, Alaska
www.CalPappas.com
www.CalPappas.blogspot.com
1994 Zimbabwe
1997 Zimbabwe
1998 Zimbabwe
1999 Zimbabwe
1999 Namibia, Botswana, Zambia--vacation
2000 Australia
2002 South Africa
2003 South Africa
2003 Zimbabwe
2005 South Africa
2005 Zimbabwe
2006 Tanzania
2006 Zimbabwe--vacation
2007 Zimbabwe--vacation
2008 Zimbabwe
2012 Australia
2013 South Africa
2013 Zimbabwe
2013 Australia
2016 Zimbabwe
2017 Zimbabwe
2018 South Africa
2018 Zimbabwe--vacation
2019 South Africa
2019 Botswana
2019 Zimbabwe vacation
2021 South Africa
2021 South Africa (2nd hunt a month later)
______________________________

03 November 2013, 18:22

Steve Ahrenberg

quote:
Originally posted by cal pappas:
Support: yes!
But support DSC and let them lead the way now. SCI is too twisted in their inner doings and it seems to have evolved into an inner club of rich and powerful assholes.
If the Alaska chapter would drop SCI and either go it alone (as did Dallas) or transfer their loyalty to Dallas and join them, I would work night and day in my support. From what I understand the Alaska chapter is one of the top fund raisers of all the chapters in the nation or world and could easily make it on their own. I mean, why send a large percentage of their income to SCI? I'd rather them keep the money and make their own plans.
Just my opinion.
Cal

Good morning Cal, I and 10 others left the Phoenix Chapter simultaneously. That is to include no less than 5 past Presidents. The reasons are what you stated and many others. SCI as a international hunters advocacy organization has fundamentally lost its way.

I, personally phoned the President of DSC. We spoke about DSC adopting the National Chapter model. At that time they were not interested. We had a Chapter in Phoenix ready to form, full officers and members at large. Doesn't make sense to me. Perhaps they have or will change direction and reach out for Chapters.

International Hunting is not about tuxedo's, bands, rings inner circles or cliques. SCI has lost its way.

Now back to splitting firewood for the long hard Phoenix winter.

03 November 2013, 18:50

Matt Graham

quote:
Originally posted by Nganga:
quote:
Originally posted by cal pappas:
Support: yes!
But support DSC and let them lead the way now. SCI is too twisted in their inner doings and it seems to have evolved into an inner club of rich and powerful assholes.
If the Alaska chapter would drop SCI and either go it alone (as did Dallas) or transfer their loyalty to Dallas and join them, I would work night and day in my support. From what I understand the Alaska chapter is one of the top fund raisers of all the chapters in the nation or world and could easily make it on their own. I mean, why send a large percentage of their income to SCI? I'd rather them keep the money and make their own plans.
Just my opinion.
Cal

Good morning Cal, I and 10 others left the Phoenix Chapter simultaneously. That is to include no less than 5 past Presidents. The reasons are what you stated and many others. SCI as a international hunters advocacy organization has fundamentally lost its way.

I, personally phoned the President of DSC. We spoke about DSC adopting the National Chapter model. At that time they were not interested. We had a Chapter in Phoenix ready to form, full officers and members at large. Doesn't make sense to me. Perhaps they have or will change direction and reach out for Chapters.

International Hunting is not about tuxedo's, bands, rings inner circles or cliques. SCI has lost its way.

Now back to splitting firewood for the long hard Phoenix winter.

Five past presidents simultaneously walked away from their own hunting club chapter... what does that say about their own leadership?

03 November 2013, 19:10

Saeed

It will take something very drastic to get SCI to change their silly ways.

03 November 2013, 19:42

Fjold

quote:
Originally posted by Saeed:
It will take something very drastic to get SCI to change their silly ways.

The people who can make changes benefit from the present format. I can't see any significant chance of even minor changes in the future.

03 November 2013, 20:23

Steve Ahrenberg

quote:
Originally posted by Matt Graham:
quote:
Originally posted by Nganga:
quote:
Originally posted by cal pappas:
Support: yes!
But support DSC and let them lead the way now. SCI is too twisted in their inner doings and it seems to have evolved into an inner club of rich and powerful assholes.
If the Alaska chapter would drop SCI and either go it alone (as did Dallas) or transfer their loyalty to Dallas and join them, I would work night and day in my support. From what I understand the Alaska chapter is one of the top fund raisers of all the chapters in the nation or world and could easily make it on their own. I mean, why send a large percentage of their income to SCI? I'd rather them keep the money and make their own plans.
Just my opinion.
Cal

Good morning Cal, I and 10 others left the Phoenix Chapter simultaneously. That is to include no less than 5 past Presidents. The reasons are what you stated and many others. SCI as a international hunters advocacy organization has fundamentally lost its way.

I, personally phoned the President of DSC. We spoke about DSC adopting the National Chapter model. At that time they were not interested. We had a Chapter in Phoenix ready to form, full officers and members at large. Doesn't make sense to me. Perhaps they have or will change direction and reach out for Chapters.

International Hunting is not about tuxedo's, bands, rings inner circles or cliques. SCI has lost its way.

Now back to splitting firewood for the long hard Phoenix winter.
Five past presidents simultaneously walked away from their own hunting club chapter... what does that say about their own leadership?

If you knew the current "King" you'd have a better understanding. We are mostly businessmen, volunteering our time. I for one am not about to get tossed about by some corporate cockroach climbing the SCI ladder.

03 November 2013, 21:22

MacD37

I just received the Nov/Dec issue of Safari magazine, and it is much improved from the last issue. That being said SCI is still a far cry from what it was when I first joined, back in the 1970s.

Still SCI does a lot of good world wide for the hunter, especially the Safari hunter, but if the magazine is any indication of the direction they are moving IMO SCI will go the same way as Eddie Bauer, catering to the urban dim wits who are basically anti hunting!

I'm standing by, but have the door open ready to hit the silk, and leave the plane to crash by it's self!

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

04 November 2013, 01:29

Matt Graham

IMO much of the issue with the magazine is a lack of sponsors - the safari industry (as a whole) has been bleeding out its eyeballs since 2010 and going back to 2008 of course.

04 November 2013, 01:55

Steve Ahrenberg

I get several "Special Interest" magazines.

Cycling; they DO NOT TRY to be all things to the bike riding demographic. Bike riders like wine as well, never have I seen or care to see an article on wine or cigars.....or cheese.....or fur coats.

It's like looking at the show floor in Reno.

I believe the real issue is experience in the publishing field. Pros have this figured out. Stay within your core competency. Hunting, all types. I would even not be opposed to some international fishing stuff.

If an issue of Safari (the old style) showed up and of the multitude of hunting stories were not of an interest to me, I could just read the two or three that there were that did interest me.

Now, they are so diluted, I just pitch the whole shebang without ever even taking it out of the plastic sleeve.

If SCI doesn't care, piss on em. They know whats going on.

Back when I threw in the towel, I did it here, I listed the reasons and posted my SCI membership number. I got a phone call. They seemed semi interested.

Nothing can or will exist in a vacuum. Something will fill the void.

04 November 2013, 02:45

Matt Graham

So are you still a member or not?

How do you know whats in it if you just pitch it unopened in the trash?

04 November 2013, 03:01

Steve Ahrenberg

quote:
Originally posted by Matt Graham:
So are you still a member or not?

How do you know whats in it if you just pitch it unopened in the trash?

In all honesty, I do open it. I'd rather read it in the John than the stuff my wifey puts in there. Chico's advertisements are only so stimulating.

And yes, I recently re-joined SCI. The only reason was, my taxidermist had two of my full-mounts in Reno. I wanted to see them there, Met Larry Sellars as well, what a nice man.

Funny thing was, I hadn't been in probably 4 years. The place was EXACTLY the same, same booths in mostly the same places. Same people, same hotties, same cab rip-offs.

The fact that I live in Phoenix, just down the road from the International HQ. amplifies the treachery, the back biting, the deal making. What a complete politically corrupt organization. OoA stays in and Mark Sullivan gets thrown out? for no reason given......still.