Hi Wink, we do miss you. Well first off every day AR members are invited to the room donated by the DSC. C-4 is the location right off the main escalator to the right at top. Every day at 3pm AR members are invited to attend. and meet fellow AR members and friends.

Much larger and move in was like a well oiled machine. Will try to update as time goes.

Yesterday Die ou Jager, Postdriver, Frank Beller, Mike B,
Bill 5268, Camshaft, Bigguy458, Ricardo, retreever, and interested.
And I know I am forgetting some guys.

Just met John Sharp here at the Aloft as I was typing this.

Looking forward to seeing you all lord willing

Mike

Mike,

Thanks for the live update and boy do I wish I were there. AR members have their own special and private meeting space at the Dallas Safari Club annual convention! Confirmation that we are the greatest group of hunters ever organized by some guy in Dubai (what's his name?).

I noticed the room yesterday morning.
Great idea!

Sure wish I was there

Well guys just aa reminder AR members are welcome into the hospitality room all day at any time. But we are planning to meet every day at 3pm for hellos and just some bull sessions.

Todays 3oclock get together got over 2 dozen AR members together for name and face recognition.
Great to meet new guys and old friends.

Well just got back from the first big gathering and dinner of AR members and friends.
There was an unbelievable 90 in attendance.
Many new members and damn I don't know how I will remember all of them. But took many photos and will post them. I am no good on a lap top.

Mike

dinner was fantastic, great to put faces with screennames... thanks to all responsible!!!

What dinner?

Well another AR party is drawing to a close. What a wonderful time meeting the AR guys again and talking shop and just havinf a good time. The show was very busy today and thye weather man is predicting snow. Glad I am flyinf out Monday.

Mike

Here is a report I posted on Nosler's forum about my attendance on Thursday.

I attended yesterday, the opening day. It was the only day I was be able to go. Attendance is usually lower on Thursday, which is the reasons I go at that time. It is much easier to talk to folks and get questions answered. That being said, I thought the attendance was good for the first day. The big crowds are on Saturday and Sunday. Friday gets pretty busy too.

The first thing I noticed was the addition of a new hall that was added due to the growth and popularity of the show. They added about 300 more booths. The real nice addition was another food court area. Last year there was only one. Folks can get their food and drinks much faster, which was really nice.

I went by the Nosler booth and talked to Shawn Finley and Kevin Abell. I enjoyed visiting with these two young men as they were very nice and knowledgeable. They were running a special on the custom rifles at the show (I think the show price was $2495). The rifles they brought with them had been lost by the airlines and they expected to have them by Friday (today). They made some suggestions about which Nosler bullet to use on PG. I think Shawn has been on a PG hunt. They even gave me a Nosler cap. :grin:

I went by and talked to several PH's and vendors. I spent a couple of hours with Brent Hein of Zimbabwe. He operates in the Bubye Valley Conservancy, formerly known by many as the Lemco. He also operates in other areas as well (Omay, Chrisa, and Matetsi to name a few). Brent is a very talented PH and a really good and honest man. His web address is: http://www.brentheinsafaris.com. If you are looking for a Dangerous Game or Plainsgame safari, contact Brent. I hope to do PG hunt with him in the near future. I have known Brent for about ten years.

Other booths I visited were: Ruger, Trijicon, Nikon, Sako/Beretta/Tikka, Tuffpak gun cases, as well as a few other Zim operators and Tracy Vrem's Blue Mountain Lodge in Alaska. Tracy and his wife Linda are very nice folks. I talked to them about a fly fishing trip. I also had a nice visit with Frank Stukel owner of Stulel's Upland Adventures located in Gregory, SD. They have a great Pheasant hunting operation. http://www.stukels.com

The DSC show is known for lots of African hunting. However, there are many outfitters from Alaska, Canada, and the lower 48 as well as from all around the world. I saw some operators booking hunts and getting checks. That's a good sign, especially on the first day. I talked to one operator in Alaska that thought there were too many Alaska outfitters selling Brown Bear hunts thus diluting the market. A few of the the Alaska operators I talked with that are normally booked up on Brown Bear and booking for 2012 and 2013, had hunts available.

I had a nice visit with Craig Boddington. What a nice and very humble man. As a left handed shooter myself, we talked about different rifle and caliber options for my, hope to happen, PG hunt. Craig takes the time to talk to everyone. He takes time to answer your questions and does not hurry you up just to move on to someone else. As you can imagine, he draws a big crowd. He also stated that his business is slower than normal due to the economy. He also told me the Bubye Valley Conservancy, ie Lemco, is an outstanding DG and PG area. If you are thinking about going to Africa as a first timer, I can recommend his two DVD set African Experience. I have watched it so many times, I have lost count.

The taxidermy on exhibit is worth the $20 admission alone. It is unbelievable! Many, many full mounts of North American as well as African species. For the ladies, lots of clothing (She Safari has a very large booth), jewelry, furs, etc. Cabela's had many double rifles for sale. Other rifles makers attending included Kimber, Blaser, Christensen, and Krieghoff, just to name a few. Lots of doubles!

Another personality that always draws a crowd is PH Ivan Carter from Zimbabwe. Ivan has filmed many shows on Tracks Across Africa conducted with Chifuti Safaris that hunts in the Zambezi Valley of Zim. He and Craig Boddington have done several DVD's together. I did not get a chance to speak with him this year, but my brother did. Ivan is a another real nice guy. He is mostly known as an Elephant PH, but hunts all species. He also PH's some with well known Botswana PH Johan Calitz. Several years ago Johan nearly lost his life from a Buffalo charge that went bad. Johan draws a pretty good crowd himself. Another nice man. Have visited with him in the past.

Please do take my visiting with some of the hunting celebrities as boasting. It is something that anyone can do at the DSC show. I'm just another face in the crowd. I have had the fortune to get to know a few people because of living in the Dallas area. I can remember when the show was small, very small. It has been lots of fun to see it grow over years. It is an annual event I always look for to attending. Come on 2012! :grin: It is the only time I get to see folks from other parts of the world. I feel fortunate to have gotten to know many of these fine people.

If you have never attend this show, you should treat yourself if you can. It is well worth the time and expense.

The Dallas Safari Club (http://www.biggame.org) is NOT a part of SCI. They are a stand alone organization. The Houston Safari Club is the same, but is a much smaller group. They both support each other.

I hope I have done a decent job of reporting on the convention. If you have any questions, I will be glad to try to answer them.


Take care,

Paul

The show was great and it was alot of fun seeing everyone and meeting some new folks. I'd like to send a BIG thank you to Mike, Cherie, and Ed; and another BIG thank you to the DSC - a very class act. Now, if we could just get Saeed to visit....

Mike, very well done....it was great. The nametags helped place screen names with faces, and you were instrumental in putting together folks who you knew had past interactions on the different forums.

The dinner at Papasitos was great, and the fact that the DSC paid for it was just stunning! The Saturday night get-together worked well. Well done!!!

best show i ever been to. keeps getting every year

Paul....thanks for a great report !!!

I hope you enjoyed the bottle of single malt that I left in the C4 meeting room. I had to leave at 2pm Sat., so I just left the bottle on the table. My Grandson and I really enjoyed it.
Butch

To all of our AR friends,

Thanks for attending the DC 2011 Convention, Visions. By all accounts, it was a very successful event. As I write this, two AR members are leading the Move Out crew, after seamlessly getting all exhibitors into the hall last Tuesday and Wednesday. Due in part to the many AR members who joined, we increased the membership of DSC by nearly 15% in 4 days, one of the more remarkable numbers coming out of the early post-convention reports.

We were pleased to be able to pick up the tab for the Friday night event, and provide the hospitality room, and we look forward to seeing more of you at next years' convention, Out of the Wild, January 5-8.

Special thanks to Die Ou Jager, retreever and all the other AR members who helped make this a great event.

Richard T. Cheatham (Ricardo)
DSC Predsident elect

retreever and All!

Wow! Thank you so much for the hospitality from everyone, all AR members I met, and I was astounded at the hospitality from the DSC group! Normally I am a Shot Show and NRA attendee, and this was my first DSC show. I can tell you now that this week I will become a life member of DSC, and in addition to that, I will be in attendance every year from this point forward. I will clear my calender for this event!

I enjoyed so much meeting some of you guys and talking with you. I was only there for part of the day Thursday, Friday and Saturday. Next year, I will be there from the time the door opens, until they close at the end! Very Excellent!

Thanks to all at DSC, and all AR members

Michael

As usual, it was a great time.

Dadgum weather, though. We had to get American Airlines to reschedule us out of Dallas early Sunday morning to beat the snow to Atlanta (which we did).

I want to thank all the folks who were kind to my daughter (who is a hunter) and my girlfriend (who is not). I think 50 folks came by our seats at the Friday night dinner to say hello and welcome and encourage them. You folks made them feel pretty special.

I also have to especially thank Joyce Beller. I think that this year was the 5th time she's met me at the airport and delivered me to the hotel. What a great lady and what a great welcome to my ladies to see Joyce and Frank pull up at baggage claim with a big smile.

I meet a lot of the guys here for the first time but i did miss meeting a lot more I had planed on looking up but I got kinda busy with Tims radio broadcast and spending time at Aubrey's booth. best sow I have ever attended my thanks to everyone from DSC who made mt friend Tim welcome and bent over backwards to make his broadcast a successes. from the vender's I talked to most had a good show booked hunts, sold products. If you missed Bailey Bradshaw's double falling block rifle have no fear we are working on getting an article published in a few months. Thanks again to every one especially Saeed for the forum it was well represented in Dallas

Mike it was good to see you there...and...thanks for the trivia question and answer!

I wish I had met more of you guys than what I did! I will catch you next year no doubt! I just signed up for my Life Membership, and my Wife as well! So we will be there from here on out!

Michael

Michael, tell your little daughter she'll have to go a whole year until that guy gives her a "Noogie" again!!!

quote:

Originally posted by Biebs:
Michael, tell your little daughter she'll have to go a whole year until that guy gives her a "Noogie" again!!!

Biebs

I think she will be ready for you next year, David talked her into a "coon hat", she might be wearing that and ready for you then! HEH! She had a great time and is all for coming next year!

Thanks

Michael

Thank you for all the kudos. But the thanks should go to Frank Beller and Joyce his wife and Ed.
The only thing I can take credit for is that my wife and I always enjoy meeting fellow AR members and wives and friends.
No snow in Detroit,but the southern delays are affecting us. Home flight delays, from 215 to 645pm and also booked on later flight wont get home till 1130pm

I truly love the DSC ahow and the friendly atmosphere and the friends I have made there.

Mike & Cherie

Mike, and Ed, it was good to see the Pa delegation in attendance.

Mike it was a pleasure meeting you and that nice lady who allows you to hang around her

What a great show it was.... just a damn shame I couldnt make it to any AR functions (I was staying out of town) but maybe next year!! Thanks to all the many AR members who called at my booth!!

Matt, I missed your booth....too busy tying up the details on my new falling block double at Bailey's booth. But I've planned to go to the Land Down Under in 2012, and will be in contact before then.

Got to meet L. David Keith from Gray Ghost Safaris. Not really knowing who anyone else was, I was on a mission to meet him and thank him for his help. A buddy won a trip via an auction and even though we didn't have the chance to book through him, Mr. Keith was willing to help anyway as we had no clue what to expect.

The DSC show was fun and I'll be going again. And, thanks again Mr. Keith, pleasure to meet you.

-Rick

Butch, Had a shot of your scotch in the AR room. Later, Retreever asked me to go by and get it for the party. Wasn't there. Darn, because it was sure good. Thanks. Max

Thanks Max,
My Grandson was worried that somebody that was not an AR person may have snitched it. I hope the guys enjoyed it.
Butch

I had a great time at the DSC. I want to thank everyone for the help with my interviews and the live broadcast of High Caliber Radio. I have about 14 interviews canned up for future shows including 35 minutes with Craig Bodington and an Ivan Carter piece. This was my first DSC and will not be my last. I've been wanting to get back to Africa for some time and now that I have met Aubrey and Paul, it will be sooner rather than later. Now to get the .300 H&H ready for the trip My friend Don Hooker was invaluable to the success of last week's weeks show. Thanks again for the great company to all the AR members that I had the pleasure to meet. BTW, we'll have some more moonshine for next year

Due to family doings, I could only attend the show on Friday, but I really enjoyed meeting everyone in the AR room at 3:00. I left before I wanted to so I could be at Boddington's seminar on lion hunting at 3:30. By the time I got back everyone was gone. I tried to get directions to Pappasito's Cantina and was under the impression it was much closer than it was. After heading north on I-35 for quite a little bit, I assumed that I had missed it and called my mom who lives in Plano that I would just go to her house and eat there. Not long after I got off the phone I saw Pappasito's and realised I just didn't go far enough. Hopefully next year I won't be so rushed to see the show and everyone on one day. I'm excited after visiting the Ruger booth to learn they will have their Hawkeye African available in 9.3X62.

quote:

Originally posted by Ricardo:
To all of our AR friends,

Thanks for attending the DC 2011 Convention, Visions. By all accounts, it was a very successful event. As I write this, two AR members are leading the Move Out crew, after seamlessly getting all exhibitors into the hall last Tuesday and Wednesday. Due in part to the many AR members who joined, we increased the membership of DSC by nearly 15% in 4 days, one of the more remarkable numbers coming out of the early post-convention reports.

We were pleased to be able to pick up the tab for the Friday night event, and provide the hospitality room, and we look forward to seeing more of you at next years' convention, Out of the Wild, January 5-8.

Special thanks to Die Ou Jager, retreever and all the other AR members who helped make this a great event.

Richard T. Cheatham (Ricardo)
DSC Predsident elect

dropped my SCI membership this past year due to their serious lack of an ethics committee that is ethical.after reading these glowing reports, plan on joining DSC and attending next year's show. obviously you guys are doing a damn good job and these posts speak for the quality of that job. SEE YOU NEXT YEAR!

I really MUST attend DSC in 2012. Thanks for posting, AR vets. Sounds like Visions was well worthwhile.

quote:

Originally posted by jdollar:

quote:

Originally posted by Ricardo:
To all of our AR friends,

Thanks for attending the DC 2011 Convention, Visions. By all accounts, it was a very successful event. As I write this, two AR members are leading the Move Out crew, after seamlessly getting all exhibitors into the hall last Tuesday and Wednesday. Due in part to the many AR members who joined, we increased the membership of DSC by nearly 15% in 4 days, one of the more remarkable numbers coming out of the early post-convention reports.

We were pleased to be able to pick up the tab for the Friday night event, and provide the hospitality room, and we look forward to seeing more of you at next years' convention, Out of the Wild, January 5-8.

Special thanks to Die Ou Jager, retreever and all the other AR members who helped make this a great event.

Richard T. Cheatham (Ricardo)
DSC Predsident elect

dropped my SCI membership this past year due to their serious lack of an ethics committee that is ethical.after reading these glowing reports, plan on joining DSC and attending next year's show. obviously you guys are doing a damn good job and these posts speak for the quality of that job. SEE YOU NEXT YEAR!

Jdollar, thank you, and we look forward to seeing you next January. Feel free to list me, Karl Evans or any other DSC members you may know as your sponsors on the online membership application.

Ricardo

I signed up yesterday online for life membership, and my wife as well--I did not have a sponsor???

Michael

Michael,

It's a formality, and wont have any affect on your application. I'm not even certain the online app calls for sponsors, but the hard copy form does.

Also, anyone who is a member of AR is certainly good enough for us.

Either way, welcome to the DSC, and thanks for attending Visions.

Ricardo

Thank you so much. I will confide something here for all to see. I attended "THE OTHER SHOW" a tad bit further west some years ago, and while I was glad to attend, I vowed to NEVER return. I have been invited to DSC many times over the last few years, and declined because I figured that the atmosphere and attitudes would be the same as the "Other Show". Finally I relented this year, and fully expected something far different than reality. I saw many of my PHs there, which I knew would be in attendance, and to a man they all said that what a surprise it was to see me, as I had told no one I was attending. All said, they would have never guessed that I would have ever showed up there.

Having attended DSC now, I realize I was very very wrong! The hospitality of DSC, and of course all AR members there was INCREDIBLE. I have never attended any show that I enjoyed more than DSC. I am probably now your most enthusiastic supporter. So much so that I wanted that Life Memebership, and for my wife as well. She had a great time also, along with my 7 yr old Daughter. Next year if possible my two boys will also attend. I have returned from DSC invigorated and refreshed, and with an entirely new and positive attitude towards many things, even concerning posting upstairs on the African Forum, as the Big Bore forum is normally where I hang out!

Thanks to DSC and The AR boys "Upstairs" from me for the incredible greeting, welcome and hospitality that I can't begin to tell you how much it means to me! Ya'll will just have to expect me to be in attendance every single year from here out! End of Story!

Michael

What a great show it was! Just arrived home very late last night as the weather had me hotel bound in Dallas for two extra days. I-30 & I-40 East was a mess! Cars, trucks and tankers were stranded in Arkansas with many off the road and flipped over. We had a two hour delay on I-30E due to a tanker being flipped over in the ditch. Interstate travel was fine but once home our side roads still have some snow and ice in places. 21 degrees and flurries all day today and my buds are whacking and stacking the ducks and geese in AR. Can't wait to get back over there. That aside, it was great meeting many of you. Paul, my PH from Australia was with me during the show and was a pleasure to hang with. He has hunted extensively throughout the South Pacific and for sure, a Sambar stag hunt along with buffalo is in my forecast. He introduced me to Mike (Michael458) and his wife and daughter and they are a great family to get to know. We had a lot of fun with them and I look forward to seeing them next year (be sure to bring your Coon skin cap Mercedes). A big thanks to Ed (DOJ), Mike (retreever), Frank & Joyce and the Dallas Safari Club for all they did to provide so much to the members of AR. This was the best show to date and continued success for years to come. I'll be posting some hunts for this year soon. I think some of you Elephant hunters especially will be excited for what we have forthcoming.
Cheers,
David

quote:

Originally posted by Biebs:
Matt, I missed your booth....too busy tying up the details on my new falling block double at Bailey's booth. But I've planned to go to the Land Down Under in 2012, and will be in contact before then.

No worries mate - we arent going anywhere!!