quote:

Originally posted by cal pappas:
Good day, Gents.
In a word, it's all about MONEY. Years ago SCI members wore a sash with pins representing the animals they shot. A meeting was held to determine how to raise more funds and the result was the slams, circles, diamond awards, etc... with that was the SCI record book allowed very small animals to be included--for a price, of course. Their logo should read: "SCI first for SCI, hunter's second." Over the years I became so personally disgusted with the canned hunts, hunt reports that were unrealistically positive (to keep revenue from outfitters), and stories from the wealthy few that can kill all of the wild sheep in a month, I requested SCI to stop sending me both the newspaper and the magazine. I am still a member although I really don't know why--I go to Dallas and avoid SCI's Reno Las Vegas shows. I suggest talking to some vendors at the SCI show and ask them about SCI's attitude toward the vendors as to money is concerned. Check out the price of table and carpet rentals!! A friend bought his table an carpet and rents a storage locker for 30$ a month and saves thousands. While SCI may do some good as to publicity and telling the populace about hunting, I personally feel SCI is the reason for canned hunts and the price of hunting going as high as it has. Hunting has become a competitive sport with who gets the most and the biggest in the least amount of time gets the highest reward. I have spoken to countless hunters who are after the North American 29 or the little 7 or this slam or that circle. They never tell me of the challenge of the stalk, only how the critter measured. And, I have seen adults throw childish tantrums when their kudu as 1/2" smaller than the PH thought it was. The days of Teddy Roosevelt and Elgin Gates are gone forever. Instant gratification. Take a shooting rest with a rifle vise to the plains, shoot a pronghorn at 500 yards, and get in the "book" but don't learn how to track and hunt. Look at the number of high fence guaranteed hunting areas exist. Visit the Sanctuary at the next SCI show--one day at the ranch and you can shoot any size you wish--tame deer with big antlers command a big price, and get in the "book" a "circle" a "slam" a "diamond award" again, for a price.
To conclude my rant, many of my teacher friends are very opposed to hunting. Some are members of PETA. Low life, all of them, but one told me something that made some sense. They want to go to the SCI convention in 2013 and secretly video the guaranteed hunts and high fence hunts and to public with their findings. I predict if they do this it will make our passion viewed very poorly in the eye of the public--even more so than it already is.Cheers all,Cal

quote:

Originally posted by crbutler:
Bill,

Thanks for this piece of information. I had always assumed that the whole file was what was available in the magazine, and if you had a long enough collection, there was no point to it.

I would think that the editorial staff would do itself some good by posting this at the beginning of the hunt report section.

quote:

Originally posted by cal pappas:
Good day, Gents.
In a word, it's all about MONEY.

quote:

Originally posted by almostacowboy:
I am amazed at the level of reading comprehension (read "lack of") illustrated in the responsesto Fritz's post.His point was made succinctly and anyone with a grade 5 level of comprehension would have understood.