Celebrating 52 Years of SCI in Nashville
There was more than music rocking in Tennessee last week. The 2024 SCI convention took place from Jan. 31 to Feb 3 in Nashville, the country music capital of the world. Tens of thousands of visitors (estimated at 30,000 total) converged on Nashville, with visitors and the 800-odd exhibitors representing – get this – 114 countries.
The Music Center was jammed from wall to wall with gun manufacturers, ammo companies, fishing guides, hunting outfitters, taxidermists, artists, and nonprofit foundations all working toward the same goal of conservation and freedom.
Where else on the planet can one get quotes on a peacock bass trip in the Amazon next to hunt details for Argali in Mongolia, with a booth across the way touting Midwestern whitetail deer? Whether New Zealand or Canada, Scotland or the Middle East, every travelable locale was represented.
While hunts may be a major focus, the end goal of SCI’s gathering is fundraising for the mission. The mix of 2024’s live auctions, silent auctions, raffles, seminars, and dinners raised over $20 million for outdoor advocacy, sustainable use, and conservation.
Not ‘Just’ Safaris
Don’t get me wrong – I love African safaris. But while the name “Safari Club” might indicate a focus on African travel, SCI encompasses the entire hunting and outdoor industry. Its record book celebrates sustainable harvests with modern arms, archery, crossbow, handguns, and more, while also recognizing Methuselah awards for the harvest of aged animals no longer considered trophies by size but rather maturity.
That includes green hunting, or darted, experiences, with funding from those experiences helping aid population growth, healthy, and habitat. Walking the aisles admiring some of the world’s best taxidermy, including the rising replica market, can’t help but impress.
Not a hunter? Believe it or not, SCI holds ample opportunities for spectators as well. There are plenty of memorable fishing opportunities, networking prospects, informative lectures, women’s gatherings, high-end artwork, bronze sculptors, jewelers, taxidermists, stunning furriers, and of course, plenty of firearms eye candy.
Speaking of guns, the Music City Center was packed from wall to wall with everything a hunter, shooter, or collector could desire, from practical needs to wildest dream wants. We admired one-offs, customs, and rarities from Beretta’s Tutankhamon auction gun to classic Holland & Holland, Rigby, and Westley Richards to the most modern ultralight shooting systems from Best of the West, Gunwerks, and Christensen Arms.
Of course, amidst all the high-end, seeming unattainable are also plenty of workaday selections from manufacturers like Bergara, Benelli, Magnum Research, Freedom Arms, SIG Sauer, Montana Rifle Co, Beretta, Kreighoff, Blaser, Sauer, and Weatherby.
More to Explore
Ammunition and optics companies abound as well, alongside manufacturers of safes, outdoor apparel, and premium footwear. Is this a bad time to mention my new obsession with the Zimbabwean-made Courteney boots? Be forewarned that almost all the accessory companies are selling their products, and the show not only represents a good time to get hands-on before buying, but savvy attendees who stick around until the end of the show are often rewarded with rock-bottom sale prices.
It’s not all about products, but experiences as well. Several high-profile hunters and celebrities cruise the floor of SCI year, including Jim Shockey and daughter Eva, Craig & Donna Boddington, Kid Rock, NASCAR legend Richard Childress, and Johnny Morris of Bass Pro Shops.
There were performances at SCI by Big & Rich, Foreigner, 38 Special, and Jason Aldean. There’s a memorable Night of the Hunter black tie gala and awards banquet, with events every morning and evening.
Conservation & Activism
The fact remains, hunters, fishers, and outdoor enthusiasts continue to lead the way, not only on the ground, but in dollars spent to support conservation. SCI offers numerous programs, including the Blue Bag, which is taken to remote areas by hunters. The bags are filled with medical, educational, relief supplies along with clothing and toys, then delivered to local villages, clinics, orphanage, and schools in need.
Likewise, other opportunities support anti-poaching task forces working to protect endangered species. There are black tie galas, silent and live auctions, seminars, and more all geared toward raising funds for the organization’s mission.
“The entire SCI organization extends its sincere appreciation and gratitude to all who attended this year’s Convention and once again led to record-breaking success,” said SCI CEO W. Laird Hamberlin. “Your presence and support of SCI at our hallmark event contribute enormously to year-round advocacy efforts for hunting rights and wildlife conservation at every level of government.”
The SCI Foundation promotes ethical hunter stewardship of wildlife resources, having funded well over a hundred conservation projects in more than 30 countries. In addition, that also involves promoting rational, science-based wildlife management policy at the state, regional, national and international levels.
The Future of SCI
Having relocated from recent shows in both Las Vegas and Reno, Nevada, SCI seems to have found a new home, embraced by members, who have been heading for Nashville in the largest numbers the organization has yet seen.
Says Hamberlin, “We can’t wait to see everyone again next year for another top-notch SCI Convention, and for 10 more years here at Music City Center!”
The now nearly 50,000 members have embraced Nashville as a new home for their annual gathering. With that decade-long commitment, SCI looks forward to the next convention from Jan. 22-25, 2025 at the Music City Center.
