DSC Convention

Hi everyone just a quick note to let you know that Deb and I made it to the DSC Convention and it was Great met up with a lot of AH members there Roy and his wife of Otjandaue Safaris, Louis of Spiral Horn Safaris, Johnny of Johnny Vivier Wintershoek Safaris, Hartzview Safaris, Kowas Safaris, Greg & Bruce of Huntershill Safaris, Ed of EAI Outdoors just to list a few. This was our first time to ever go to a Convention like this and we had a great time we were also told that this was the biggest show that DSC had ever had, hope a lot of you got to make it to the show.

How long did you spend wandering the show?
Any notables? New stuff?
Auction prices?

Deb and I spent 2 days walking around and checking everything out and I still don't think we saw it all it was a pretty big show but we had a really good time and seen lots of sights.

How was the "temperature" of the attendees? Do you think there were many hunts being booked?

Very good question Tom.
Forecast--- below average temperatures?

Originally Posted by TOM

How was the "temperature" of the attendees? Do you think there were many hunts being booked?

I can't speak for all of the outfitters but it looked good to me a lot of people doing a lot of looking I know yesterday morning was hot one outfitter booked 7 hunts in 2 hrs they open the doors a 10:00 am by noon with us setting there visiting I watched 7 people book a hunt, on friday I saw 1 guy come up and book a hunt for himself and a group of 9, so it looked good to me. all of the booths were getting a lot of visitors and as I looked at their info I watched as they sat at the table booking hunts for several people in fact I even upgraded mine I added a Red hartebeest for the wife and a Bushpig for myself.

Originally Posted by BRICKBURN

How long did you spend wandering the show?
Any notables? New stuff?
Auction prices?

Now that I'm back home I'll try and add a little more answer to your Questions.
as for new stuff to much to even mention and a lot of it i.e. Hummer w/drivers seat and hunters seats on top of rig Texas Style way out of my blue collar range.
Auction prices ran about half to 2/3 of listed price some really good deals where had.
and as for notables well the pics speak for their self.

I'm glad you and your wife had a good time Bob!

Originally Posted by TOM

How was the "temperature" of the attendees? Do you think there were many hunts being booked?

Tom,

Overall I felt it was a good show in terms of booking. Speaking with a couple of the travel agents it seems as though it was their best show in the last few years. One suprising comment from a travel agent is they saw quite a few bookings for Botswana. Not suprising was their comment that Tanzania bookings were still slow.

Also, I had the pleasure to meet Shakey and Phoenix Phil at the show.

It was pleasure meeting you Mike, as well as finally getting to meet Martin in person. I had hoped Martin was shorter and fatter ... guess I better start working out if I'm going to keep up!

Great show. Last year was my first time to attend, and it was definitely bigger and better this year. Picked up one of Boddington's new books "Elephant!", which he signed for me. Attended Ivan Carter's "Beasts of Legend" seminar - what a class act. Butch Searcy attended this year, so it was good to be able to talk face-to-face with him.

It was especially nice to see the buses arrive Friday with a large number of young folks who participated in events and attended the show. Ivan was about 15 minutes late to his seminar because he spent time with these kids on Friday afternoon. If we're going to continue to enjoy this great sport and play a key role in conservation around the globe, we better devote some significant time and effort towards engaging the next generation.

The only depressing part of the convention was outfitter after outfitter commented on the ever increasing difficulty experienced in conducting hunting operations. One of Johan Calitz's concessions in Botswana is going away. Taking a rhino will likely remain only a dream of mine, but it continues to get even further away with the restrictions and prices. One outfitter commented that the South African Veterinarian Society (I probably don't have the right name for the organization) is no longer endorsing the darting of rhinos, so permits to even dart one are getting difficult to obtain?

Find an organization that actively advocates hunting, properly educates the general public, is regarded as a credible group and become a contributing member.

Originally Posted by Mike70560

Tom,

Overall I felt it was a good show in terms of booking. Speaking with a couple of the travel agents it seems as though it was their best show in the last few years. One suprising comment from a travel agent is they saw quite a few bookings for Botswana. Not suprising was their comment that Tanzania bookings were still slow.

Also, I had the pleasure to meet Shakey and Phoenix Phil at the show.

Man am I beat. I was up at 3:30am this morning to make it to DFW for my 6am flight back to Phoenix and a full day back at work. Note to those going to the shows, if you are not checking in bags, don't buy bullets for reloading. TSA made me check my suitcase after giving me a big ration of you know what. So in effect I paid $25 for shipping bullets this morning.

Anyway, other than that snafu it was a great show and it was great to meet you Mike and your lovely wife. Sorry I missed you Bob. I think you came by Hartzview's booth when I was wandering the floor a little bit. I believe you only met Gerhard who is not an AH member. Jacques I believe had taken a client over to see Lori for travel help.

Originally Posted by Shakey

It was pleasure meeting you Mike, as well as finally getting to meet Martin in person. I had hoped Martin was shorter and fatter ... guess I better start working out if I'm going to keep up!

Great show. Last year was my first time to attend, and it was definitely bigger and better this year. Picked up one of Boddington's new books "Elephant!", which he signed for me. Attended Ivan Carter's "Beasts of Legend" seminar - what a class act. Butch Searcy attended this year, so it was good to be able to talk face-to-face with him.

It was especially nice to see the buses arrive Friday with a large number of young folks who participated in events and attended the show. Ivan was about 15 minutes late to his seminar because he spent time with these kids on Friday afternoon. If we're going to continue to enjoy this great sport and play a key role in conservation around the globe, we better devote some significant time and effort towards engaging the next generation.

The only depressing part of the convention was outfitter after outfitter commented on the ever increasing difficulty experienced in conducting hunting operations. One of Johan Calitz's concessions in Botswana is going away. Taking a rhino will likely remain only a dream of mine, but it continues to get even further away with the restrictions and prices. One outfitter commented that the South African Veterinarian Society (I probably don't have the right name for the organization) is no longer endorsing the darting of rhinos, so permits to even dart one are getting difficult to obtain?

Find an organization that actively advocates hunting, properly educates the general public, is regarded as a credible group and become a contributing member.

Sorry I missed you to I think Shakey. I'm to start into my copy of Elephant! I had initially only bought Craig's "Buffalo" book. I then came to my senses and realized that having the opportunity to buy a signed limited edition and not doing so would be something I'd regret.

I simply must do that show someday. I have done SHOT a few times and a lot of the same people frequent that as well, but its not about hunting primarily but shooting trades. Still its fun. Met many of the big names there.

Yeah I'm sorry I missed you guys to deb and I had a great time meeting the members that we did meet but to no surprise that the members are just as nice in person as they are on this forum they'll be other conventions and we can try to meet up then. sestoppelman you really should try to make one of the conventions deb and I never thought about going before either I guess I alway thought it to be a waist of time but we really had a good time meeting other members and yeah as you can tell by the pics acting like tourist but it was fun.