Just back from my first Reno convention and all I can say is "mission accomplished."

First of all, let me say to all of you that told me that I just had to see it to believe it, you were right. Man, what a show! I walked for two and one-half days up and down those aisles and still have not seen it all. My feet hurt, my back hurts and my butt hurts (from sitting on an airplane). But it was all worth it, because I BOUGHT MY DANGEROUS GAME SAFARI!!!

See, I went to Reno with the mission of finding a buffalo/leopard combination hunt for this summer at an affordable price. I figured that with so many outfitters in one place, the spirit of competition would take hold and some would start offering bargins.

I figured wrong! Not only were they not coming off their published prices, most every outfitter and agent I talked to was already completely filled up for 2005, and was offering 2006 only. I had a list of about 12 outfits that I wanted to talk to about hunts in Reno, and one-by-one, the list dwindled as each one told me they were filled up for 2005.

But one outfitter/PH that was on my list, I was having problems contacting. Every time I came by Jumbo Moore's booth, he was gone. Five times I went by and no Jumbo. So I moved on.

Finally, exhausted physically and emotionally and running out of time, I was resigned that I was going to have to put off my grand plans for at least a year. Then I decided to make one more trip back to Jumbo's booth.

Bingo! He was there -- and not only was he there, he had a buffalo left to sell in the Save Conservancy. Not only that, he had a leopard to sell on another concession close by that he could pre-bait while we were buff hunting. And to top it all off, his daily rate for the combination was the same as most other guys' buffalo only price. Best of all, he was a truly a likable, jolly old soul with whom I could tell I would enjoy hunting. (This was not the case with many of the other PHs I talked to. Seems like someone put bitter pills in the water out there, 'cause I sure met a bunch of sour Africans.)

I couldn't write the deposit check fast enough. A handshake (along with a contract and a deposit) sealed the deal, and I was off to Gracy's booth to book air. So now I'm all set. I leave April 27 and return May 13. That means I'll be in Africa in less than three months. I GOTTA GET READY!!!!!!!

Right after booking my hunt, I met with the AR group at the Barns bullet booth. About 30 board members showed up to put faces with the names we talk to so often. I kept overhearing people in the group point in my direction and ask "who's that big guy with the big smile on his face?"

The answer, of course, was "Oh that's GAHUNTER. Don't mind him. He's going to Africa!"

GaHunter:

Leon, way to go!

Make sure to carry a warm jacket. It'll be chilly in the mornings in the back of a safari car!

The bush will be thick, but I'd suppect that the game a little more calm than in August or September after months of getting chased.

Will you be hunting with your "modified" .404 Jeffery.

It was nice to meet you at the SCI convention on Friday, GaHunter. You and the thirty or so other folks. I also booked a hunt, this one in New Zealand.

The one thing that struck me when meeting all those nice people is that Carmelo doesn't have horns (LOL). Everyone was nice and the conversation was enjoyable. Wish I could have made dinner.

Judge G, we missed you.

Thank you Sir,
what you didn't realize is I shed my horns every january.

Shed away, Carmello. I enjoyed your company and sense of humor, if only for a short time.
George

Heck, with 30 of you there, you should have just passed around the hat, got up enough bucks for a charter in a GulfStream V and sent for me. I'd have come and, of course, expected a welcome like this one I received at the Dallas SC.

Judge,

Of Course I'll be using the 404 Leon-Jeffery-Improved on the Buffalo! The SOB shoots rings around any of my other rifles. And now I have confidence that it will shoot every time I pull the trigger. I'll soon be taking it to Roger Ferrell in Fayetteville to try and solve a slight feeding problem (feeds flawlessly 98 times out of 100. Of course the two failures will happen only when a pissed-off buffalo wants to give my kids back home something to talk about at school -- something like "My Dad was killed by a charging buffalo in Africa. Betcha can't beat that one!" Makes me wonder if maybe they aren't rooting for the buffalo).

For the leopard, I can't decide. I'll either take one of my .375s (could be used as a back-up buffalo gun), or a new .35 Whelen I'm having built on an old push-feed Model 70 action, or my .300 Win mag, or my .300 Win short mag. The new .35 Whelen has an Elite Firefly scope on it which might give it an edge, since it is the only illuminated scope I own. Trouble is the gunsmith building it has had it for 18 months and is not finished yet. Promises to have it by next week, but that promise has been made every week since October!

Which one would you take?