“Chasing the Adventure” means many things in Las Vegas, but if you’re here for the 46th annual SCI Hunters’ Convention, Jan. 31-Feb. 3, then it means thousands of all-American hunters all under one roof. Imagine the fun of having the Las Vegas Convention Center all to yourself and thousands of your closest friends to mingle with worldwide guides and outfitters, makers of guns and gear, jewelers, wildlife artists and designers of hunting-themed collectibles. But this year’s show is set to be even better, thanks to a few new-for-2018 surprises.
• Daily Floor Credits: Attendees will receive a free floor-credit ticket for each day they register. If your name is drawn, you can use the credit the same as cash at any booth(s)—or, likely in many hunters’ cases, as a deposit on a hunt. Daily floor credits include: Wed., Jan 31—four winners of $500 each; Thurs., Feb. 1—three winners of $1,000 each; Fri., Feb. 2—two winners of $1,500 each; and Sat., Feb. 3—one winner of $5,000.
• 2018 Convention Super Sweepstakes: SCI is launching the SCI Super Sweepstakes at this year’s convention, offering drawings for 10 enticing packages, including:
• “Best of the West” Rifle Package and Multi Species Hunt for Alaska moose, grizzly bear, black bear and caribou
• Colorado Big Game Hunts: Multi species hunt for elk, mule deer, antelope and black bear
• New Zealand Mixed Bag Hunt
• Leica Sporting Optics Package: Spotting scope, binoculars, rifle scope and rangefinder
Other prizes include single-species hunts for whitetail deer at The Sanctuary, sable with Johnny Vivier Safaris and hunts for ibex and mountain goat. Of course, no hunting sweepstakes would be complete without the chance to win a rifle so two lucky winners will receive one just in time for their next hunting adventure.
Ticket Tip: Save Time—Register Online!
Sidestep the lines by registering and buying your sweepstakes tickets in advance by clicking here. Ticket prices are one for $20; 15 for $200 tickets; 50 for $500 + five bonus tickets; 100 for $1,000 + 15 bonus tickets; or 225 for $2,000 + 30 bonus tickets.
• “Wall of Guns” Drawings
If you’ve ever been to an NRA show, then you know how much fun the popular “Wall of Guns” drawings are, featuring, literally, a wall of guns. If you don’t want to wait until this year’s NRA Annual Meetings and Exhibits in Dallas, May 4-6, to participate, SCI is launching a “Wall of Guns” program of its own this year. Thirty guns will be given away during the four-day show: Wednesday and Thursday—five winners each day; and Friday and Saturday—10 winners each day.
So in getting back to “Chasing the Adventure,” there is no place I’d rather be this week than on the SCI show floor, visiting exhibitor booths as far as the eye can see. Every one of them houses an opportunity for hunters to chase their personal hunting dreams whether in their own home state or in the farthest destination imaginable. SCI is all about plotting and planning, starting with figuring out how to best navigate the gigantic show floor! My first stop: Trophy Hunting Spain—Booth No. 3075—to chat with friend and outfitter Bruno Rosich so my husband and I can finalize some dates for a hunt for Spanish ibex and mouflon sheep. That $5,000 floor credit I’m winning on Saturday will come in handy. Hey … If you’re going to dream, dream big, right?
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Editor's Note: If you are generating buzz on the SCI show, SCI asks us to use #sciconvention in your social media posts.