Unfortunately, I renewed for 3 years about 3 weeks before the wife/convnetion rule was announced.
I haven't asked for a refund, but I might. To me, "the rules of engagement" have been changed and we whould have the right to opt out.

I proudly am. I am also a member of the Dallas Safari Club and NRA, too. They might each have some flaws but I know they are protecting my rights against those that would do away with my hobbies!

I have been curious about these polls. You show the number of votes but how does that relate to the number of people who visit the site? Are they counted or just the people who answer the poll counted? What can the significience of the poll be. I'm not much of a statistician just curious.

I am a proud member since 1987...

Member of NRA

SCI has done to much for hunting for all of us hunters not to be a part of it.

I love to hunt!!! To everyone that marked no, think about the days in the field!!!

I am a memeber of SCI, NRA, and Ducks Unlimited. While I have issues with all of them, they are the strongest advocates for all outdoors enthusiats.

I think all gun owners should support the NRA and all hunters should support SCI.

If you cannot support these organizaions, what do you support? Or do you sit back and just bitch

quote:

If you cannot support these organizaions, what do you support? Or do you sit back and just bitch

There's a lot of that going on around here Jim!

I dont belong to SCI.
I do belong to FNAWS, NRA, MDF, and the Oregon Hunters Association.
I think SCI needs to do a much better job of spending its money before I would consider joining.
FNAWS has an 10% operating cost, leaving 90% to benefit wildlife.

I've been a member of SCI almost since it's begining, and a member of NRA since I was 18 yrs old, and I'm in my 70th year today. I also belong to several law enforsement groups, as well!

I've never been to a SCI convention, and have no desire to go to one! They have always been too expensive, and the snobb factor there is not appealing to a Hill country Ranch kid, who has had to work for a meager living all his life, just to raise four kids, and do a little hunting, and shooting! Now that they have added another level of snobbery to the convention, I doubt I'll ever go to one! I will remain a member, however, because no matter the snobbery involved, they do a yoman's job with the folks who would remove my rights to hunt, and shoot! The Dallas Safari club, is highly involved in wildlife conservation, and the rights of it's members as well, and at $100 per year is a bargain as I see it, for the return!

I am a life member of SCI. There is no organization doing better at defending our right to hunt, period. I also belong to NRA. There is no organization out there doing better at defending our right to own firearms, period. Nuff sed.

patrlyhntr, amen and amen! By the way I am going to Mike Showers sometime this week to pay for my tanning and I am going to have him do my long neck shoulder mount. He is also taking care of my incoming from NZ and I think I will have him to the Taxidrermy on those also.

I'm an Endowment Member in the NRA, a Professional Member in the DCS, and A Life Member in SCI. I've been in SCI since 1978.
I've been a member of the human race since 1945.
Rich Elliott

Well Rich you have been with the best the longest!

I became a member just two years ago. I am glad I did. I am also a member of the NRA, and many other organizations related to hunting. I don't believe in everything they preach, but strongly support some of their missions.

quote:

Originally posted by zimbabwe:
I have been curious about these polls. You show the number of votes but how does that relate to the number of people who visit the site? Are they counted or just the people who answer the poll counted? What can the significience of the poll be. I'm not much of a statistician just curious.

I posted the poll solely out of curiosity. I do not know much as statistics unless they favor what I like. No agenda, just curiosity.

I wasn't meaning to take any exceptions I just wanted to know what it MEANS. As I write this it shows 64 yes 19 no and 10 life. Since that cannot be out of ALL the subscribers to AR as it would truly be insignificient it has to be out of the ones who have visited this thread but since this number is not reported it makes the numbers meaningless. I was just curious as to why have a survey that proves nothing.

Member of both SCI and NRA for many years now. I don't attend conventions, but support both organizations as much as I can. They do a good job of keeping the anti's at bay, and as long as they do that, I will support them.

A couple of things-

The reason for the poll is because I was curious - there is no other reason or hidden agenda.

Second - To be a "viable" poll, then, all AR regeistered posters would need to answer. If they did, what significance would that be? None, other than a lot more comments. The reason for the poll being on the African Hunting forum is that the people that post here seem to be more opinionated and will post better than any other group other than the Political and Cat Hater's forum's.

I suggest that you not worry about the meaning of the numbers. I prefer reading the comments by each poster as to "why" they are members rather than if they are members of SCI.

There is no other reasons and if the results are meaningless to you - that is ok. No big deal....

quote:

Originally posted by KC Carlin:

FNAWS has an 10% operating cost, leaving 90% to benefit wildlife.

Just out of curiosity, does anyone know what the ratio is for SCI?

Zimbabwe, apparently you have not followed the national news which reports surveys of one sort or the other daily and none of them mean a damn thing! Those surveys keep people employed this survey is just for the fun of it and to create problems for those of you who need to get a life.

African Hunter,

You sound like your going to war!

Remember one thing, the dues you paid aren't for the convention, they go to help our hunting!

Read what devildawg66 had to say:

{QUOTE}Member of both SCI and NRA for many years now. I don't attend conventions, but support both organizations as much as I can. They do a good job of keeping the anti's at bay, and as long as they do that, I will support them.[QUOTE]

I'm a member regardless of the disagreements I may have with some of the policies. They do a lot to support and promote hunting for us all.

Mark

I have a Life Member of both SCI and the NRA.

Just to clarify my position. It seems it would be better to ask why you like or dislike SCI than cloak it in a poll which implies some statistics are involved. I am a Life member of SCI and an Endowment Life member of NRA. I believe in BOTH organizations.

I am only asking who is a member of SCI. Nothing else, no editorial on the pros or cons - simply - who is the member and who is not.

The pros and cons are bashed on regular 9 month intervals on this forum... So I do not care about that...

THere is no agenda and nothing "cloaked in a poll"....

Quote:
"Remember one thing, the dues you paid aren't for the convention, they go to help our hunting!"

Widowmaker416:

I am well aware of what my dues are for and the heavy overhead they carry. My complaint is still their effort to extort more if you go to the convention or else leave the wife at home. From what I see and read they aren't very efficient with the funds they have now.

I have been a life member of the NRA for nearly 40 years. That doesn't mean I always agree with them.

SCI, NRA, DSC, FNAWS, RMEF.... Because they help preserve the wilds of this country and others, because they fight for our right to hunt and own guns, because they fight against those who would love to take away those rights.

I, like others, don't agree with all of the policies of all of these organizations but I believe in what they are trying to do.

yes I'm a member SCI and a lifer in NRA damm proud of it too!
I don't agree with everything either org does 100% of the time but then again I don't agree with my wife 100% of the time either. And I'm married to her forever too!!

Life member of SCI and NRA.

Life for the last 16 years, plain Jane before that a while...

I a life member of NRA. Have been a Ducks Unlimited Sponsor for over 25 years. I regret that I have only been a member of SCI for three or four years. Prior to that time I was unaware of them or what their purpose was.

While I might not agree 100% of the time with these organizations, they all play a major role in preserving our right to hunt, to protect ourselves and to enjoy the great outdoors.

Life Member SCI for over 25 years (when it was $250.00). Life Member Sables. (When I had a couple of extra cocktails at the Banquet one night.) Life member NRA for close to 30.

Since no one else has answered Erik D, I will start with what I have found on line about SCI spending. Others please chime in with more facts, opinions, etc.

According to CharityReports, SCI Foundation spends 75% of the contributions on actual programs, the rest on administration and fundraising. This rates 2-stars on a 5 star rating system. It is curious to note this is the same rating as HSUS, and the lowest rating of the 5 "comparable groups" listed by default on this site.

SCI is not listed on the Better Business Bureau web site.

Please post others stats and links if you have them available. I believe that education about where organizations spend their funds is the best way to influence behavior.

Bill

quote:

Originally posted by zimbabwe:
Just to clarify my position. It seems it would be better to ask why you like or dislike SCI than cloak it in a poll which implies some statistics are involved. I am a Life member of SCI and an Endowment Life member of NRA. I believe in BOTH organizations.

Zimbabwe, this has been gone over ad nauseum. Most who have posted here for some time have already made known what their feelings are. Let the guy have his thread. If you want to start another one, go right ahead.

If you would like to explore the finances of SCI Foundation further, here is a link to their IRS filing for 2005: IRS form 990

Since HSUS was mentioned, I thought it might be nice to see what we are up against. I found this statement from 2004:
HSUS financials for 2004

I also found this website: Evaluation of HSUS
This quote from the site:
Evaluation Conclusions

Humane Society of the United States (HSUS) does not meet the following 2 Standards for Charity Accountability.

1: A board of directors that provides adequate oversight of the charity�s operations and its staff.

HSUS does not meet this Standard because it reports that no member of the board is assigned the responsibility of serving as the treasurer of the board of directors. In general, the board's treasurer helps provide independent oversight of the organization's finances.

8: Spend at least 65% of its total expenses on program activities.

HSUS does not meet this Standard because according to its audited financial statements for the year ended December 31, 2003, its total program expenses ($47,379,795) were 63% of total expenses ($74,867,684).

Member of SCI and NRA like my signature says.

Guess devildawg66 said it !

SCI and NRA annual member. Just sent off Dallas Safari Club membership today.

The NRA irritates me frequently but they are flat out effective. I'd keep SCI membership for the magazine alone.

patrykhntr,

Thanks for posting the tax form for SCI foundation. I think there is a lot of information here to peruse. Do you have a similar return for SCI - not the Foundation? It would make similarly interesting reading. I encourage everyone to read these forms.

I also notice you posted the evaluation of HSUS. The rating site, Give.org does not seem to have done a rating on SCI. I'm not sure what to make of this.
CharityReports ranks both of these groups the same, with a low 2 stars. I don't intend any other link between these organizations, as I hope we can all agree that HSUS deserves nothing from scorn from hunters. I am disappoipnted to see such a low rating for SCI.

Bill

I don't know what to tell you llamapacker. The site that carries most of the "charitable" activist organizations is Activistcash.com. They have a definite conservative bent, though, so what they tell you about an organization should be taken for what it is worth. Most sites that disclose the financials for organizations pick and choose those that favor their point of view and make those that don't look bad. It is always true that if you are looking for the good an organization does, you can find it. The converse is also true. While I belong to a number of organizations, each has its faults. If one is looking for the perfect and faultless organization, SCI is not it, but IMO, the good that they do for us hunters is unmatched by any other organization to which I belong, including FNAWS and RMEF.
Here is the IRS form 990 for SCI for 2005. I have not scrutinized it.
SCI form 990