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Did anyone spend any money so far at the Atlanta DSC convention?
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Safari Dave
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I hate that I wasn't able to go this year.
Even though I dress fairly well, I felt I was ignored by a few of the outfitters last year.
(The guy who treated me best last year, was a young British man in the Holland & Holland booth. He almost made me want to sell the farm to buy a rifle!)
Even though this year's convention may have been smaller, from the reports I have been hearing, there seems to have been a better rapport between patrons & exhibitors.
Maybe expectations by exhibitors were lowered, and this made a difference
Even though I dress fairly well, I felt I was ignored by a few of the outfitters last year.
(The guy who treated me best last year, was a young British man in the Holland & Holland booth. He almost made me want to sell the farm to buy a rifle!)
Even though this year's convention may have been smaller, from the reports I have been hearing, there seems to have been a better rapport between patrons & exhibitors.
Maybe expectations by exhibitors were lowered, and this made a difference
Mtn_Infantry
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I’d bet that was Luke. He wasn’t there this year
Know the feeling and what you mean.
DSC 2024 I was shopping for a hunt and several, including a couple AH sponsors blowed me off. TTHA in 2025 and 2026 same thing. Mainly the way I dress really casual and I am a big person. Well those that showed interest in what I was looking for are on the top lists and I am booked with them or will book future hunts with them.
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I was once on a donated safari in Namibia where the outfitter and PH didn't seem to care much about us but really enjoyed talking about their uppety lion and ele clients. He never treated me very well until a couple years later I hunted buff and ele with one of his friends who he had taken me to and who we had a great time with. Then I could not make it past his booth without him stopping me! Funny
Mtn_Infantry
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I did a pretty quick turn and burn trip to DSC with the intention of just bringing some money to an outfitter for an upcoming hunt and meeting up with my hunting partner for that trip.
As tempting as it was to book another trip, buy a gun, or bid on a hunt I resisted and escaped only purchasing “Shooting the British Double Rifle”. I already had a copy but figured it’d be cool to have a signed copy after talking to Graeme Wright and Julius for awhile. Needless to say I learned a bunch and had several questions answered.
As tempting as it was to book another trip, buy a gun, or bid on a hunt I resisted and escaped only purchasing “Shooting the British Double Rifle”. I already had a copy but figured it’d be cool to have a signed copy after talking to Graeme Wright and Julius for awhile. Needless to say I learned a bunch and had several questions answered.
double rifle newbie
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yeah i had the same experience with Graeme and Julius. Graeme was gracious enough to spend about 30 minutes with me regarding a Hugo Reichel double (austria) in an obscure caliber (360 nitro express) i picked up recently that nobody makes ammo for. he explained some of the rifle stamps and proof marks and was kind enough to explain how i should chamber and barrel cast to to confirm dimensions so as to know which brass to start with to form the cartridges. he even asked if i would email him with updates on progress which i happily explained that i would share. naturally i bought his book. what a gentleman! his conversation was my favorite part of the day.
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CJNJ
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Years ago, representing a dentist and hospital, our jury trial was about to start. My client was worried and told me our adversary counsel was a "multi-millionaire lawyer." I had never heard of him but pointed out he wore a wrinkled suit and scuffed shoes and said that is no millionaire lawyer. When the jury came back in our favor a week later, I took this bit about shoes, watches and suits to heart.
mdwest
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Lots of truth in this.. especially in business.. and even moreso in politics..
its hard to tell who is wearing a suit from JC Pennys vs Brooks Brothers vs a custom tailor if the owner has bothered to have it fitted properly.. but its easy to tell a rolex or a panarai or an omega from a citizen or a timex.. and its pretty easy to tell a fine set of Italian leather shoes or custom boots from an entry level pair of Clarks bought at shoe carnival…
Another old school “size up” used to be the pen a man carried… Mont Blanc = more success than waterman = more success thank Parker or Cross = more success than bic…
I’m sure the pen size up has gone the way of the dodo bird now though since everyone on earth, regardless of wealth or success now has an iPhone or Samsung… and no one carries a pen anymore…
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If you can't connect well with someone in a booth in person then why spend $ with them and 1-2 weeks of your life in close proximity? Here's another thing...if I can't make a connection with an operator on WhatsApp after sharing something about myself and what I'm looking for...then I don't need to spend $ with them...and we're talking about leopard level $. There are some big names shared around here that have read one or more WhatsApp messages from me without replying. It's their loss...and in private, I've shared that with some of you. It's a customer service business.
Russ16
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Even those aren’t 100%. You could give me Elon Musk level money and I’m still not wearing a watch. Bought a decent one once. Wore it about a year and couldn’t get used to having something on my wrist. It sits in a drawer now.
If I was an outfitter I’d ask about the guns a particular client shoots. Not everyone will spend a pile on their guns. But if someone has an expensive gun they probably have money to spend on a hunt.
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good point
AZDAVE
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I always find it interesting on how people get judged by their dress and jewlery/watches.
On the flip side when I was in high school, I worked at a gym and always had a old guy that was trying to get a hold of the wintergreen concentrate to put in the steam room. and If he did he was the only one going in there for hours because it burned the eyes of a normal person. I had to wrestle it out of his paws on more than one occasion. he dressed in old jean run down in the heels ropers, and a flannel shirt. Drove a beat up car. Well he was the biggest horse breeder in the state and was worth 50 million dollars (1974 dollars). taught me a good lesson on not to judge.
On the flip side when I was in high school, I worked at a gym and always had a old guy that was trying to get a hold of the wintergreen concentrate to put in the steam room. and If he did he was the only one going in there for hours because it burned the eyes of a normal person. I had to wrestle it out of his paws on more than one occasion. he dressed in old jean run down in the heels ropers, and a flannel shirt. Drove a beat up car. Well he was the biggest horse breeder in the state and was worth 50 million dollars (1974 dollars). taught me a good lesson on not to judge.
MAdcox
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Booked my hunt last year at DSC so this year was just visiting with Strang Middleton, getting pumped up for the May hunt. My first buffalo and first trip to the Luangwa Valley.
Did pick up a pair of Jim Green boots for the hunt on @Mtn_Infantry and Strang’s advice.
Did pick up a pair of Jim Green boots for the hunt on @Mtn_Infantry and Strang’s advice.
mdwest
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I think it’s largely a thing of the past and is only relevant to boomers and older Gen X…
Millennials tend to be much less material… and have a whole lot less knowledge of “finery”… Gen Z I find is about the same…
One of my daughters graduated recently from LSU with a degree in political journalism… I thought a cool graduation gift would be a mont blanc pen and a Mont Blanc journal…
She loved it… and has really enjoyed it… but had no clue what it was when I gave it to her… and about choked when she googled it and found out what the cost was lol… she had zero understanding that there are pens in this world that cost more than her monthly rent lol…
Russ16
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I think it is partly that people have more opportunities to express what’s important to them. Maybe I’m not saying that right. But it used to be watches and pens were fairly universal. Now it might be limited edition sneakers or a hand bag or designer phone case. Or any number of other things with high price tags that might escape notice.
There was collector conference at the same time as DSC. Last night I sat at the bar next to a young man holding three Pokémon cards worth over $2k a piece. We had a nice conversation about hunting and guns. And both agreed we actually have a lot in common, I just collect experiences and guns which give me joy. He gets joys from his collectibles.
I interact with a number of billionaires via my work. Many of them are very modest in their dress, including watches etc. but each has his “thing” that they spend on. Some are the obvious but some are quite surprising
As far as watches go it seems like the overwhelming majority of people below the age of 40 don’t wear anything or they wear a smart watch. I know one person in my circle who likes Casio/G-Shock. I don’t know anyone who wears a mechanical watch. I’d say the majority don’t wear anything and just rely on their phone. Pens are almost a dinosaur in terms of everyday life it seems. Let alone a nice one. Most use a cheap one when they’re forced to. Never ceases to amaze me how much tech has changed in the last century
375Fox
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I agree 100%. I don’t go to shows looking for deals or pricing. I go looking for who I think I’d enjoy hunting and being in camp with. One of biggest turn offs I’ve seen is trying to hide information thinking they are protecting their business. I probably already know the areas they hunt and who else hunts them, no reason to try and avoid disclosing them. If an outfitter makes a recommendation for a different PH or outfitter that makes me think a lot more highly of them. I’m looking for people I can trust not just organize a hunt. I’ve only had one bad experience at a show thankfully, but I’ve had a lot of outfitters maybe unknowingly put themselves at end of list by not being open with information.
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Yes and you and I agree on the importance of connecting well with the guide. In fact, you gave me excellent advice one time based on one of your experiences. That kind of advice is very important and I have certainly spent many hours on the phone with AH members to answer their questions about my own experiences. That's one of the most valuable things this forum offers; transparency on hunts of all types.
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I didn't buy anything in the double rifle class but did come home with Craig Boddington's latest book 50 Great Stalks as well as an associate membership in the American Custom Gunmakers Guild.
We had great conversations with Ansie and Jacques Strauss at Kowas Adventures about a 2027 hunt in Namibia.
We had great conversations with Ansie and Jacques Strauss at Kowas Adventures about a 2027 hunt in Namibia.
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idjeffp wrote on Fish2table's profile.
I will be looking for a set of these when my .505 is done... sadly not cashed up right now for these. 
Need anything in trade?
Cheers,
Jeff P
Need anything in trade?
Cheers,
Jeff P
cwpayton wrote on Halligan1975's profile.
what kind of velocity does the 140 grains list, curious how they would fit in with my current 130 gr, supply of 270s. maybe a pic of the box data listing vel. and drop. Oh and complements on that ammo belt, nice.