Well, now you have done it. After the success of my musings on the DSC show, you got my juices flowing for SCI. Anyway, what you are about to read will be a revelation to some and blather to others, so enjoy and comment..

1. Wow! Talk about conspicuous consumption! Rarely can one find in one place the visible signs of wealth and spending on self pleasure all in one locale. No issues with how one chooses to spend ones money ( you cannot take it with you as the Bible says). No issues at all. Just a lot of money was evident. Not sure those at this show know we have a world wide recession in its infancy. Great layout, great organizing, lots to see and do.

2. I took an informal survey of 7 to 10 agents and outfitters asking a variety of questions, so here are the informal and unscientific results -

a. "What does your agent(s) do for you?" - question to outfits. Answers ranged from "nothing" to "skim me for 10%" and not doing any real work to "they keep me booked up and I like the guys" and "it is worth what I pay them as they don't get anything unless they send clients". Overall, my read was that agents are a necessary evil and are tolerated - like the side effects of chemo on a cancer patient.


b. Why do you daily rates differ between dangerous game and plains game by as much as 100%? - This stirred the pot for sure. A couple said - "because we can". Others said the costs for DG are more than for PG. I then asked, "how is that, when you use the same truck, the same PH, the same trackers, the same location". Well, they said - "there is greater skill required and the PH's charge more". Ok, that I can understand but I still do not get "greater skill". Greater danger - yes, maybe. But not greater skill. Anyway - this question was frowned at each time I asked.

Here is my intuition - they charge what they charge because someone will pay it.

3. "Did you donate to SCI to get this space?" - Yipes, you would have though I looked up their wives skirt to see the reaction. A lot of pursed lips that said everything from - "no comment" to "yes sir, may I have another" and "yes, by all means as I really like giving away $10,000 in profit and $25,000 in expense" that I will not get back.

I then asked the loaded question - "The why do it?". You know the answer to that one - because we were "asked". Ouch. As Mr. T said in Rocky III when asked to predict the pending fight - "I predict PAIN! and pity the fool!"

4. "How are bookings?" - everything from fine to I can use one more to "this looks for a rough 2009 and 2010".

5. "Are you going to discount anything?" - No, no, no, no, maybe, might, may have to - were the answers.

6. "Can I buy a guaranteed lion hunt from you?" - Yes, but all I can guarantee is the "hunt part" of the lion hunt. The "lion" part is the problem. Another response - "go to South Africa", another response - "go to Harare and look for an 84 year old guy in bad clothes, as he is a lion." - Best response I had.

More to be added.

Dog Man:
Once again, you got it. Bingo!

Great post, there are a number of my own observations which I will list below:
1) I've never seen so many spiked heels, tight-fitting pants, uplifted and prominately displayed busoms, leopard print clothing, and puffy styled hairdos on women in one location (not that I'm complaining)
2) A message to the well-dressed old geezers walking around holding hands with a hot-looking young babe that is obviously not your grand-daughter, "you're quite amusing to other men and no matter how many health products you take, age related performace issues will be present"
3) There was a PH that specializes in making videos of animals charging who's easily offended if you don't know who he is and fawn all over him (to be truthful, this was learned by some acting on my part)
4) If any other men had no clue about what jewelery to purchase for there wife, you could go the the lady @ the Ruger booth and get help like I did; just don't mention anything about diamond a line of diamond jewelery shaped like a Winchester rifle.
5) Speaking of Winchester rifles, if the people skills of one of their representatives at the convention is any indication of the company's attitude about customers, they should just avoid the delay and close now. I did not appreciate being spoken to in a condescending and demeaning manner, and talking with other people, it was learned I was far from the only one.
6) As usual, I had a great time at the convention. It is one of the few places where people from diverse economic backgrounds can share one common thread, the love of hunting.

Has anyone been watching the auctions to compare asking price to selling price spreads? That would be interesting as to what is really happening.

Excellent and funny reportage and commentary BulldogMaster!

You are not only a bulldog master, but also a master of trenchant observations and probing questions.

In your spare time, are you a producer for Fox News or 60 Minutes?

I find that SCI - and Reno generally - are a catastrophe of bad judgment compounded by worse taste.

But I still go nearly every year!

From my own personal observations I thought that it was much slower than in years past.

the staff at the winchester booth were consistent: consistently ill-prepared to discuss firearms, and got my vote for most obnoxious. I thought most of them would have been happier selling used cars or household appliances.

I still had a ball. Compared to the SHOT Show this is a hunters paradise of "big boy toys" to look at.

Rich
Buff Killer

quote:

I still had a ball. Compared to the SHOT Show this is a hunters paradise of "big boy toys" to look at.

Rich
Buff Killer

are you referring to the silicone implants & trophy wifes???

quote:

"yes, by all means as I really like giving away $10,000 in profit and $25,000 in expense" that I will not get back.

If he didn't think he would make his money back, and more, by being at SCI than why did he participate?

Sounds like an idiot that you would be better off staying away from.