I just received this today. I am in a state of shock by this action. Looked like they just stepped on the feet of MANY long time members/supporters/ exhibitors.
------------------------------------------------

Fellow consultants and outfitters,

Check out this latest move from our “big government” SCI.

CEO Phil DeLone announced in recent executive meetings held in Washington D.C. that SCI has begun the process of starting a complete hunting and travel service out of Tucson AZ. SCI-Outdoors is the name and will have services such as hunting trips, airfare, tag services etc. They have hired Kirk Kelso as director to run SCI Outdoors.
All of us who have been members and supported SCI through donations, memberships, booths, and own and operate hunt consulting services (and outfitting operations) are being kicked to the curb by SCI’s latest move to corner the market and divide the hunting industry. Please forward to everyone you know and send your thoughts and responses in asap to the Executive Committee. See additional letters from XXXXXXXX below.

This solitary move by SCI will do nothing good for the hunting industry as a whole, and certainly will reduce SCI to a pile of useless rubble. I for one will take my business - and clients - elsewhere and spend my advertising dollars with other organizations and promote other outfitters who are pro-wildlife and pro-conservation, not “First for Money.” The beauty of the outdoor industry is in the small businesses, operators, and agents who have been there and done that, not the corporate entities out for a quick buck and cookie cutter adventures.

Please forward this to your outfitters, travel agents, and clients who are SCI members. They will be just as negatively affected if they are not one of the “chosen few” selected to be SCI-Outdoors worthy operators.

Regards,

quote:

Originally posted by larryshores:
I just received this today. I am in a state of shock by this action. Looked like they just stepped on the feet of MANY long time members/supporters/ exhibitors.
------------------------------------------------

Fellow consultants and outfitters,

Check out this latest move from our “big government” SCI.

CEO Phil DeLone announced in recent executive meetings held in Washington D.C. that SCI has begun the process of starting a complete hunting and travel service out of Tucson AZ. SCI-Outdoors is the name and will have services such as hunting trips, airfare, tag services etc. They have hired Kirk Kelso as director to run SCI Outdoors.
All of us who have been members and supported SCI through donations, memberships, booths, and own and operate hunt consulting services (and outfitting operations) are being kicked to the curb by SCI’s latest move to corner the market and divide the hunting industry. Please forward to everyone you know and send your thoughts and responses in asap to the Executive Committee. See additional letters from Bob Kern & Bev Wunderlich below.

This solitary move by SCI will do nothing good for the hunting industry as a whole, and certainly will reduce SCI to a pile of useless rubble. I for one will take my business - and clients - elsewhere and spend my advertising dollars with other organizations and promote other outfitters who are pro-wildlife and pro-conservation, not “First for Money.” The beauty of the outdoor industry is in the small businesses, operators, and agents who have been there and done that, not the corporate entities out for a quick buck and cookie cutter adventures.

Please forward this to your outfitters, travel agents, and clients who are SCI members. They will be just as negatively affected if they are not one of the “chosen few” selected to be SCI-Outdoors worthy operators.

Regards,

Sad

Mike

Every time I think they may have seen the light, something else like this comes up.

Truly shocking!

quote:

Originally posted by larryshores:
Every time I think they may have seen the light, something else like this comes up.

Truly shocking!

From the outside and I am not a SCI member, it looks more like a quasi insiders for profit business venture than a hunting rights and conservation organization.

Mike

Wow - What a kick in the teeth to ALL the outfitters, travel agents, and providers of these same services who purchase booths and support SCI at their Convention. Maybe they are following Cabela's lead? Wonder if they intend to start selling hunting and fishing gear and clothing now??

This will make a lot of us take a long hard look (me included) as whether to support this major development or not.

Larry Sellers
SCI(International)Life Member??? Maybe/maybe not
Sabatti 'trash' Double Shooter
R8 Blaser
DRSS

What can one expect from an orgenization that has been blackmailing the hands that feeds it for so many years?

I could say I told you so.

Maybe they will offer hunts with Out Of Africa at a discount now.

May be they will specialize in supplying canned HIGH SCORING SCI trophies, like most of those in their silly book are anyway?!

After trying to work with them on the lion issue...I gave up. Hence my lack of entheusiasm for trying to work with them on the ele import ban.

WOW...this is possibly their most ridiculous move yet. I hate that I just sent in my membership renewal, and only did that because I felt like they at least tried to do the right thing on the elephant issue. Talk about an in your face conflict of interest...

Yet another reason I'm glad I non-renewed many years ago. Idjits.

At least we don't have to argue anymore about whether or not SCI is just in it for the money.

UNBELIEVABLE !!!

"CEO Phil DeLone announced in recent executive meetings held in Washington D.C. that SCI has begun the process of starting a complete hunting website out of Tucson AZ. SCI-Outdoors Web Services is the name and will have features such as hunting reports, special inner circle members only forum, gear review and even a political forum. DeLone went on to say its time there is a Tucson based and hosted web site for hunters instead of this anti SCI website called AR run out of Dubai. They have hired Conrad Evarts as director to run SCI Outdoors Web Services."

Quite day for me as you can tell. This is a joke - not that the SCI needs any jokes. They are serious conservationist first.

Mike

Was the supposed to be Evarts?

quote:

Originally posted by larryshores:
Was the supposed to be Evarts?

thanks

conrad is a very impressive fellow

Gentlemen I have been a continuous member of SCI almost from it’s beginning! It was, for many years a very good organization and a very valuable asset to the hunting community all over the world. However in the recent past it has become more and more a lackey’s clubhouse, that has been priced out of reach for the common hunters who have made it’s very existence possible!

This revelation has just about sealed the deal for me! It seems the clouds of an impending storm are closing in!
...............................................................Congratulations SCI, IMO that move just dug your grave!

Larry my boy, you beat me to it!

Yep, good ole SCI has now decided to (in my opinion) start competing directly with those that have been long-time supporters of their organization through membership dues, huge hunt/adventure donations that have resulted in millions of dollars raised for SCI over the years, and not to mention the thousands and thousands of dollars spent each year by these same supports to exhibit/attend the annual convention (booth spaces, etc, etc)

What type of conservation organization goes into for-profit competition, with its very own members/supporters/exhibitors??? A move I am 100% certain you would never see from DSC! My understanding is they have in fact hired at least one well known outfitter/agent to run the operation. At least what I have seen does have his name on it.

Trust me, this has been quite the buzz this week, amongst the many booking agents I know and consider my friends. Some of whom are huge supporters of SCI, and who have already sent formal letters to SCI in attempt to let their dis-pleasure with such a plan - be known.

Its a real slap in the face to hundreds of exhibitors/members/donors who are outfitters, agents, and travel agents as well, in my opinion. A move that I thought was even below the belt for SCI, but I guess not?????

What next, used car sales in the parking lot???

Not much shocks me, but this does. Remember Mr.Evarts is the fellow who called us all 'Douche Nozzles'
The worst, I mean worst move a convention driven organization could make. A slap at every customer they have in the booking business,

This is why I quit the N.R.A. several years ago.
Money and Power

quote:

Originally posted by Saeed:
May be they will specialize in supplying canned HIGH SCORING SCI trophies, like most of those in their silly book are anyway?!

Amen brothuh...! I'm hardly surprised by anything those dolts at SCI do anymore. What a bunch of clowns.

Operators and agents should boycott the SCI convention.

This is a total screw job by SCI.

Be interesting to see who on the board goes on hunts simply to write them off in the name of business development.

quote:

Originally posted by JGRaider:

quote:

Originally posted by Saeed:
May be they will specialize in supplying canned HIGH SCORING SCI trophies, like most of those in their silly book are anyway?!

Amen brothuh...! I'm hardly surprised by anything those dolts at SCI do anymore. What a bunch of clowns.

x3

I just got this as well.




Subject: SCI OUTDOORS

"Dear ____________________:
I would like to take a moment to introduce you to a new division of Safari Club International. SCI Outdoors(SCIO), opening in early October, is an outdoor adventure consulting agency, offering sportsmen and women, hunting, fishing, wing-shooting, adventure & vacation travel. The Club is excited about this new arm of SCIand it will be very rewarding for participating Outfitters.

SCI Outdoors will also offer members Hunt Tag Application Services, full traditional travel agency services for air, ground and sea, along with available emergency field rescue & country conflict evacuation coverage through Global Rescue, in-country firearm permitting, and advice on shipping and freight forwarding of trophies.

SCI Outdoors is a new benefit operating exclusively for the use of SCImembers. Services will also be marketed to non-members, who in turn, must buy a membership and join SCI at the eventual point of purchasing an adventure.

The four primary reasons SCI Outdoors will be advantageous to you and your business include:

1. Exhibiting outfitters at our annual convention are in contact with typically 20,000 or more possible customers visiting the Las Vegas Show floor. More than 30,000 others don’t attend, and in turn outfitters aren’t in touch with them, other than through advertising in SCIpublications. Being part of SCI Outdoors will give you complete access to our entireSCI membership, through our experienced sales consultants who are trained to represent you – the SCIExhibitor.

2. Existing SCI exhibiting outfitters will be the preferred“First Tier” of suppliers used to fulfill the hunting, fishing, and wing-shooting trips sold toSCImembers.

3. SCI Outdoors is the gateway for exhibitors to access the events held by the over 192SCI Chapters globally. Most exhibitors from the Las Vegas annual convention rarely attend Chapter events. SCI Outdoorswill be at many of them, representing you as our preferred supplier. This will give your company exposure to theSCI Chapter members and also thousands of others who attend these events, but have yet to join the Club.

4. SCI Members now have a “one stop shop” to put our members within reach of our exhibitors 365 days a year, rather than just four days every February at convention.

Our extensive marketing campaign will include advertising in each issue of Safari Magazine and Safari Times as well as television and print advertising in other “non-SCI” publications and media venues. We anticipate a high volume of participation from both SCImembers and those yet to become members.

We are currently in the process of organizing and implementing our Outfitter base of preferred suppliers, and because you are an SCI exhibitor at our annual convention, we would like to present the offer to you to participate first.

Our loyalty stands with you, and that is why we are approaching you first with this tremendous opportunity.

If you are interested in participating as an “Elite First Tier” supplier, please contact me as soon as possible, so we can review the details and get you added to our base. My contact information is below and please call or email me at your earliest convenience.

On behalf of the staff at SCI Outdoors, I encourage you to get on board. We anticipate a very fruitful and lucrative venture between your company and ours.



Sincerely yours,




Kirk Kelso, Director
SCI Outdoors, LLC
4800 West Gates Pass Road
Tucson, AZ 85745
Office Toll Free (844) SCI-TRIP
Office Direct (520) 798-4851
Cell (520) 308-8691
kkelso@safariclub.org
kirk@scioutdoors.com
www.scioutdoors.com
“2007” SCI North American Professional Hunter of the Year"

"I didn’t include any of the details in the first message, but what SCI is doing is forming a large, full service booking agency to offer members the services of our exhibiters 365 days a year instead of 4 days at the convention and whenever they see an ad in a magazine. Our intention is to gain as well as retain members by giving them another reason to stay on. We will require everyone to be a member to purchase, and if they aren’t already one, we will be giving a free membership at the start to get everything rolling.

Our focus will be on the Chapters as with 192 of them worldwide and after crushing the Convention attendee numbers for each of the last 5 years, they determined that on average, only 2500 Chapter members participate! What we intend to do is take the convention and our top exhibiters to Chapter events and offer them and the thousands who attend who are not members the opportunity to buy a hunt.

We will operate just like any other agency on a commission basis. Normally, as with __________ companies, we retain 15% of the daily rate. We are going to offer a 1-stop shop for clients with bookings, travel, trophy import, etc. We will collect all fees and forward them to your company. It will be a huge success and I hope you can come on board.

Thank you,
Kirk Kelso"

quote:

Originally posted by Aaron Neilson:
My understanding is they have in fact hired at least one well known outfitter/agent to run the operation.

Blair?

What would happen if all the outfitters & agents boycotted the SCI convention in Jan?

How many would buckle in and suck up to SCI in the hope of getting crumbs rather than fight?

I am not a SCI member but I just hate Big Bully tactics.

From the original letter it seems like they want to be the clearing house/marketing arm for outfitters and agents rather than be in direct competition with them.

Not much different than a lot of similar trade organizations. Question is whether it will work or not.

I believe SCI will be getting an earful from agents, one of which is me. The big box, represent every hunt on the planet "agent" types often are manned by a guy, working from home who says "Well, they say the huntings great there"
This is about to be a very big deal boys.

quote:

What would happen if all the outfitters & agents boycotted the SCI convention in Jan?

There will be a lot of bitching and saber rattling but the exhibitors will still show up.


.

SCI FIRST FOR HUNTERS - LAST FOR CUSTOMERS !

Dave - Its last for supporters/members/donors!

I would highly recommend all outfitters/agents/travel agents contact your SCI sales rep, asap. I would tell him/her, as I will tell Jim Lenhart the next time he calls me - which will be soon as I get a call from him once a week, that no longer will I even consider buying advertising in any of their magazines, newspapers, promotions, etc, etc, etc.

EVERYONE SHOULD DO THE SAME!

quote:

Originally posted by tanks:
From the original letter it seems like they want to be the clearing house/marketing arm for outfitters and agents rather than be in direct competition with them.

Not much different than a lot of similar trade organizations. Question is whether it will work or not.

I didn't read it that way; they are keeping 15%. This has got to be classified as "unrelated business income" - why on earth do you need to be a NP to do this?

Anyone trying to book hunts or sell their own (saving the commission) is getting TOTALLY SCREWED here.

What happens to the 15%? Will it be used for hunts by SCI officers? Oh wait...lion conservation.

My guess is this is a way for SCI officers to go on hunts in the name of research and write off those hunts.

Oh boy this is exciting news! I guess I need to call National Geographic and cancel my trip to the Galapagos.

What are these people thinking?

So now you pay to exhibit at the convention, make an additional 'donation' and then when you don't sell anything because $CI have stolen the punters, $CI come along to farm out the booking they've stolen back out to you, you have to pay an additional commission!

I wonder how the $CI cheerleaders will try to spin this one as a good & justifiable idea!

This has to be the funniest idea I've heard all year!

On a more serious note, this has to be their dodgiest stroke ever!

quote:

Originally posted by Aaron Neilson:
Dave - Its last for supporters/members/donors!

I would highly recommend all outfitters/agents/travel agents contact your SCI sales rep, asap. I would tell him/her, as I will tell Jim Lenhart the next time he calls me - which will be soon as I get a call from him once a week, that no longer will I even consider buying advertising in any of their magazines, newspapers, promotions, etc, etc, etc.

EVERYONE SHOULD DO THE SAME!

Right on Aaron. And AR members should pledge never to buy one of their hunts. I will be the first to sign up.

I never thought I would see something as stupid as Blair's move on the sheep hunt but I think I just saw it. So I adjusted my signature line.

Furthermore, we need to castigate any outdoor communicators who espouse this service. I wonder who will be first to write about it. Gee, let me guess...

I bet Jim Shockey is conflicted on this, as he sells his own hunts. I bet there have been some interesting chats there as he is perceived as SCI's spokesman!