Tire kickers and strollers to many... lots of wannabees!!!
I always enjoy the sport show in the dead of winter here in Pa. Was the first warm weather in over a month, enjoyable... I put in four days over the lenght of the show...
Some outfitters I have spoken before to always complain it it doing poor but they come back for another year again and again... Spoke to another from Montana and he said this and I quote, " This is the Granddaddy of all the Sport Shows". There were 90+ RSA hunting outfits looking for hunters and 40+ Namibian outfitters also... The original RSA outfitter was there the first who ever came to the sports how 20 year ago... Back then he booked 140+ hunts that year... There were the canned lion hunt all over.. One guy says to me I have one lion on quota and shows me a MGM cat behind a fence, I politely said no thank you an walked away....
Met up with some old friends from Zim and they were almost booked up and did pick up some more DG hunters buf and a few eles... Another Zim operator book around 6 or 7 DG hunts as well... He was very happy also... It seemed to me from many who I spoke too plains game hunts were slow to book...
Some people booked none and some did very well...
Some of the hearing protection people sold less at Reno...The eastern show did go over last years goal at $16K this was on Saturday morning with 2 days to go...
Was great to meet fellow AR members some from Dallas living in the east and others coming to the Show and having booths... Bill, Rob, John it was a pleasure to sit and talk with you...
This does not include hunt brokers...

Mike

Mike, glad to hear your show went well. I tried recently to add a leopard to my Zim hunt and they were quota sold for 2009. Perhaps some holes in 2010 based on what I heard. I do know if that stock market doesn't find a bottom soon it is going to be tough next year.

Mike is pretty spot on, most of the Namibian and RSA guys I spoke with had at least one or two bookings.
I know one guy who hunts MOZ that sold out all his quota at this show. My take is people that were saving to go to Africa , just did it , screw the economy. There were some goofy deals as well.RSA $3500 10 days /10 animals incl. airfare. I can just imagine what hidden fees lie around that corner.
Mike , you missed my monkey skull now sporting a new nickel plating ! just needs some red led lights to turn it into a fearsome monster.

I finally made it on Friday the 13th. Very big crowd, and I second the motion that there were way too many strollers!

I spoke with a few outfitters, and no one was very happy with the number of hunts booked.

I went back on Sunday and there were probably 300 people waiting to get in by 10:00 opening time, I was thru the door by 10:15AM. The crowd was at least bearable.

While I was talking with the fellows at Duke Safaris (Limpopo) one of them slipped across the aisle to the stand belonging to some fellows from Zimbabwe and put up a hand made sign "Show Special, 10 days, 10 animals, with Taxidermy, $2,999.99!". Then they sat back and laughed while at the expressions of the staff at that booth as folks inquired about the "Special".
When they finally figured it out, the main figure from the Zim booth brought the add back over and said "Dey can come hunt squirrels for dat price". Sounds like a group that Walterhog could love

It seemed like there were more offers for buffalo in South Africa and Mozambique than in years past and more outfitters offering elephant hunts. But that may be just me.

I made it out with just a Zeiss Conquest scope for $299.00 and a bit of education.

I second the vote on strollers. However, I am always glad to see parents with their children (read that future hunters NRA and SCI members) at the shows.


Dutch

I don't ever have a problem having children come to a show to see African animals and any of the animals there.. I loved seeing any mounted animals and I sure can understand the excitement of seeing an elephant head mounted...
But I cannot see bringing babies in strollers to use them to carry items purchased...
At Dallas PVT said if it came to selling hunts to children, I would have sold more then a 100 to the children who looked at my croc skin and head at the show on display...

Mike

Mike

Mike--It was a pleasure, believe me. That kielbasa and horseradish of yours is top shelf. I really enjoyed your photos. Anybody that head shoots a black mamba with a double rifle is a fine rifle shot--and your double is obviously well regulated.

Best, Bill

quote:

That kielbasa and horseradish of yours is top shelf. I really enjoyed your photos.

I'll second that, and it was great to have met you and yur lovely wife. Thanks also to Rick R and blackfly for stopping bye, it was great to put a few faces to names.

Regards,

John

I really enjoyed the show. Met Mike and his wife, and a couple of other AR members, relived some memories, and although I can't make it back to Africa for a couple more years, booked an antelope hunt in Wyoming. Thoroughly enjoyed it.

Mike, Ill send you a PM re the audio tape.

Cheers,

Mark

I always enjoy the tire kickers and their kids, I was one for a long time. The show was where I could come to dream and talk to real PH's. It kept the dream alive when I could hardly buy groceries.
The outfitters that I know told me that they were having a good show as well. That was good to hear.
Nice to meet you too John, hope you had a nice visit to balmy PA.
Bfly