SCI Record Book- The World Hunting Awards, Continental, & Milestones.

Justbryan

Justbryan

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I am curious about the AH community's thoughts about SCI Awards. I have never had an animal scored or cared about awards, but my adult children are interested in them as a legacy. I qualify or will soon qualify for the world hunting awards: Animals of South Pacific, Spiral Horned Antelope of Africa, Animals of Africa, Pigs & Peccaries of the World, Predators of the World, Ringed Horned Antelope of Africa. I could do the Continental or Milestone Awards: Predators of the World, South Pacific 8, African 15.

The World Hunting Awards Bronze are $2500 to $2850 each x6 is over $15,000 (probably not going to do, rather hunt with the money). The inter circle levels are $125 listing and $250 for entry. I might do the South Pacific 8 and African 15 at $125 listing fee or $150 entry fee each. Are there plaques for Milestones and Continental Awards?

Has anyone done these? Would you do it again? I know this is going to be a mixed response. Help me understand how it works. I have read through all SCI information but still not fully grasping the awards.
 
I have two views on this. And an opinion.

1. Overall, the measuring and recording of what, when and where on animals is a good thing. I like to know what is considered "good" or "great" in comparison to others. Case in point - I shot a forest sitatunga a few years ago. PH said "best I have seen". I was thrilled... Until I checked Rowland and Ward and SCI and found mine was a bit on the small side. It did not detract from the hunt and the sitatunga is mounted in my home. The point is I would not have known good-great-not so great if not for the record books. I use the record books for reference.
I have had one mule deer measured that made the Boone and Crockett book.

2. I am not much on trophies or self bought recognitions. Seems too much like participation trophies to me. That said, this practice funds a lot of SCI, Wild Sheep, Ovis Grand Slam, Boone & Crockett, DSC programs. The hunter pays for the recognition. I struggle with this but leave it to say - not for me but I see where it is "useful" in the big picture.

3. You did not ask but the Weatherby Award is an interesting process and award. Originally it was set up by Bill Weatherby as a way to showcase his rifles. It turned into quite an elite and expensive quest. I talk regularly with an agent that books a lot of hunts for Weatherby Award candidates or those that want to pursue this award. His comments are that it costs $1 million and more to chase this award. The process to be considered is extensive and expensive. Each trophy has to be documented and measured to SCI standards and then submitted. This is expensive as well. Then a committee considers the applications. Apparently there are a lot of applicants. It takes, as a rule of thumb, 300 submissions including 40 or so sheep and ibex, most of the African animals and a lot of one offs.

This is not for me, but I see that it attracts people to our sport.

I suspect there will always be competition in the hunting and fishing world - see Big Buck contests in Texas, Bass Fishing tournaments, Sailfish Tournaments, the Grand National Quail Hunt, the One Shot Antelope hunt and on and on and on.

At the end of all of this, we need to remember that the sport we love needs to be treated with respect and strict adherance to fair chase.
 
I qualify for several of the awards but have never felt the need to apply for them.
I don’t have a problem with anyone that chooses to do so.

HH
 
I’ve never measured an animal, I do look on occasion to see what I would qualify for. I think I might be eligible for 4 or 5 of the categories but it’s just not that important to me.
 
I think it is great if someone wants to do that, and can afford it. On my first safari, I formally had my kudu and springbok measured, and the cape buffalo and eland from my second. I purchased the plaques. One is mounted on the pedestal of the buffalo. I lost interest afterwards, but it would be a lie to say that I don't know at least the measurement class of virtually everything else that I have taken since. For instance, I am quite proud that my largest sable was 45" and had 10.5 inch bases.
 
dogcat1 said:
I have two views on this. And an opinion.

1. Overall, the measuring and recording of what, when and where on animals is a good thing. I like to know what is considered "good" or "great" in comparison to others. Case in point - I shot a forest sitatunga a few years ago. PH said "best I have seen". I was thrilled... Until I checked Rowland and Ward and SCI and found mine was a bit on the small side. It did not detract from the hunt and the sitatunga is mounted in my home. The point is I would not have known good-great-not so great if not for the record books. I use the record books for reference.
I have had one mule deer measured that made the Boone and Crockett book.

2. I am not much on trophies or self bought recognitions. Seems too much like participation trophies to me. That said, this practice funds a lot of SCI, Wild Sheep, Ovis Grand Slam, Boone & Crockett, DSC programs. The hunter pays for the recognition. I struggle with this but leave it to say - not for me but I see where it is "useful" in the big picture.

3. You did not ask but the Weatherby Award is an interesting process and award. Originally it was set up by Bill Weatherby as a way to showcase his rifles. It turned into quite an elite and expensive quest. I talk regularly with an agent that books a lot of hunts for Weatherby Award candidates or those that want to pursue this award. His comments are that it costs $1 million and more to chase this award. The process to be considered is extensive and expensive. Each trophy has to be documented and measured to SCI standards and then submitted. This is expensive as well. Then a committee considers the applications. Apparently there are a lot of applicants. It takes, as a rule of thumb, 300 submissions including 40 or so sheep and ibex, most of the African animals and a lot of one offs.

This is not for me, but I see that it attracts people to our sport.

I suspect there will always be competition in the hunting and fishing world - see Big Buck contests in Texas, Bass Fishing tournaments, Sailfish Tournaments, the Grand National Quail Hunt, the One Shot Antelope hunt and on and on and on.

At the end of all of this, we need to remember that the sport we love needs to be treated with respect and strict adherance to fair chase.
Click to expand...
Very well said.
 
Red Leg said:
I think it is great if someone wants to do that, and can afford it. On my first safari, I formally had my kudu and springbok measured, and the cape buffalo and eland from my second. I purchased the plaques. One is mounted on the pedestal of the buffalo. I lost interest afterwards, but it would be a lie to say that I don't know at least the measurement class of virtually everything else that I have taken since. For instance, I am quite proud that my largest sable was 45" and had 10.5 inch bases.
Click to expand...
Massive sable - that’s the one you got with @spike.t correct?
 
dchum said:
Massive sable - that’s the one you got with @spike.t correct?
Click to expand...
I don't want to hijack this discussion, but yes. Just a wonderful heavy old bull.

sable2.jpg
 
The circles and other awards, I am not interested in. However, I understand that’s a revenue driver for SCI, just not my revenue. The scoring plaques are ok. Personally on the SCI book I wish they would take all the scores not just Bronze, Silver and Gold, so you can see what actually comes out of the area besides medal class.
 
Good for reference
But the animals i hunt i couldnt care less
They are mine and about the experience and memory not the tape !!
And i am a PH
 
I participated in the awards program early on (back in the 1990's) but haven't updated any of them in over 30 years. The benefit I have found with the programs is they have been a catalyst for my pursuit of different species around the globe.

As for the record book, I have a handful of entries, usually at the request of an outfitter or PH. I see the record book as a way to honor the quarry itself and your outfitter/PH more than myself.
 
Age rather than inches. That’s my main reason for not participating in the measurement-based awards. A 36 inch, hard bossed dugga boy is a trophy. A 42 inch youngster who’s still running with the herd is not. At least in my book. Like @Red Leg, I have a good idea of what all of my trophies score. I just haven’t been interested in registering them. This is NOT what I think everyone should do. If the awards and circles are important to you, then go for them!
 
I registered my wildebeest with RW because it made the book by 1/2". Why? Because I had the opportunity to my name written in the annals of Africa Hunting next to some of the greats and it was worth the little bit of money to me. I am not a great African hunter or adventurer but it's neat to have my name, somehow, next to the names that I've read about since my childhood.
 
I have entered some animals in Boone & Crockett and have a few others I have not. I have registered my sheep Grand Slam with GSCO and WSF. I have never entered any of my African species in the SCI Awards program but am not against it. I do like the scoring systems to use as a reference when talking with other hunters about mature animals but the score of an animal is secondary to the experience for me. Age is more important than score to me and I enjoy watching the maturation process of the animals on our ranches and concessions in the USA.
 
I agree that it's important to document what's coming from where as far as genetics etc. Everywhere I've hunted it seems that the pH's or outfitters do keep track. I measure things just so I know what I just took from this world. My personal choice is pins, plaques, badges, levels blah blah, etc, all seems a little college greek to me, maybe boy scoutish would be a better term. Even if I had a 200 million dollars, a jet and the time to do nothing but fly all over the world constantly hunting I wouldn't partake in any of it. NOT meant to ruffle any feathers, NOT AT ALL against it, just not for me.
 
I think the record books are a great way to honor the animals. I also think the record books serve as a good historical record. I find the awards to be an interesting pursuit if one is inclined to engage in these pursuits whether they enter these or not.
 
Here’s a Cape bushbuck I saw in a lodge in SA. The owner took it years ago and has no interest in having it scored. I wonder what it would score.

IMG_9050.jpeg
 
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