Sheep Show

[HornPorn]

Thinking of going to the Sheep Show in 2023. Has anyone been and have an opinion on whether or not its "worth it?" I'm not a rich guy....I wouldn't win any auctions so would be going more to catch up with outfitters in person, and maybe get involved in a raffle only available to people who are there. Just curious really to see what its all about and check the box

Thoughts?

 

[TNsavageman]

I haven’t been either but it sounds like a fun time. I have been thinking of going this year but I’m in the same exact boat you are in. Wondering if I would be better to put that money back to help fund my next adventure… will be following this.

 

[Muleyczy]

Thinking of going to the Sheep Show in 2023. Has anyone been and have an opinion on whether or not its "worth it?" I'm not a rich guy....I wouldn't win any auctions so would be going more to catch up with outfitters in person, and maybe get involved in a raffle only available to people who are there. Just curious really to see what its all about and check the box

Thoughts?

I go to the sheep show every year, but it’s local. The Western Hunt expo in SLC is much bigger, however it’s not sheep heavy. The SCI show I’ve always liked and there’s quality outfitters. Both are bigger in size, more outfitters etc. but the sheep show is great if really looking to book a sheep hunt. Gives you the opportunity to meet face to face.

 

[Steve O]

I’ve been going off and on since 2000. Mostly on since 2016 as I hold the slimmest hope of winning a desert sheep hunt at the life member breakfast. It is great to meet up with old friends. It is great to see the focus on just wild sheep. Excellent seminars and also the presentations before and during the dinners. Make sure you go in to the raffles with the mindset of it is a donation to a good cause because you will never see more ticket stubs in a barrel than at the sheep show. If you are interested in sheep hunting it is definitely worth one trip, after that you can be the judge.

 

[slick]

I have a different opinion of it than the previous posters.

Not my jam. Probably won’t ever go again, mostly due to distance but primarily because it’s just not my scene.
Big money guys who like to flaunt it, outfitters that love those folks and the rest of the people are wearing kuiu and Kifaru packs inside trying to shake hands and tell hunt stories to the “big names” guys.
I just found it incredibly annoying even though all the money is good for sheeps.

Edit: to add, being inside a casino is not my idea of a good time.

 

[dreamingWest]

Sheep show is so much fun. It's the highest quality hunting show I know of. I usually stay in Lake Tahoe and make it a nice weekend with the wife. A weekend where I also plan to win a sheep hunt.

I'll likely have to miss the show in '23, but can't wait to go back.

 

[ReddingArcher]

I think it’s a ton of fun and worth going, but it’s also fairly local to me, about a 3 hour drive and I’m in Reno. I’m excited to get back there again this year.

 

[kickemall]

It's a good show. I would suggest going on Thursday and get there when it opens then if you go other days get there early. After Thursday it starts getting a little crowded after noon and if your serious about looking at stuff in booths or talking to outfitters it's a little annoying to try to get through the people that are just BS'ing at the booths with the people running them. The Peppermill is the sponsor but the Atlantis has an indoor walkway to the convention center and also easy to get to the Peppermill so either place is good to stay at.

 

[idig4au]

I have a different opinion of it than the previous posters.

Not my jam. Probably won’t ever go again, mostly due to distance but primarily because it’s just not my scene.
Big money guys who like to flaunt it, outfitters that love those folks and the rest of the people are wearing kuiu and Kifaru packs inside trying to shake hands and tell hunt stories to the “big names” guys.
I just found it incredibly annoying even though all the money is good for sheeps.

Edit: to add, being inside a casino is not my idea of a good time.

Share the same sentiments but if one can get past that, then it’s good to experience at least once. its great if you are looking to book a hunt and have a short list of outfitters you want to vet or catch up with the ones I have hunted with in the past. I don’t go to the events as not my scene either.

I think SCI is better overall if you want to see a large cross section of the hunting industry from high to low.

 

[WCB]

I have a different opinion of it than the previous posters.

Not my jam. Probably won’t ever go again, mostly due to distance but primarily because it’s just not my scene.
Big money guys who like to flaunt it, outfitters that love those folks and the rest of the people are wearing kuiu and Kifaru packs inside trying to shake hands and tell hunt stories to the “big names” guys.
I just found it incredibly annoying even though all the money is good for sheeps.

Edit: to add, being inside a casino is not my idea of a good time.

Share the same sentiments but if one can get past that, then it’s good to experience at least once. its great if you are looking to book a hunt and have a short list of outfitters you want to vet or catch up with the ones I have hunted with in the past. I don’t go to the events as not my scene either.

I think SCI is better overall if you want to see a large cross section of the hunting industry from high to low.

Weird I had a completely different view of it. Last year was my first year and I was there for work and will be again this year hopefully. Yes there are guys with money and I talked to A LOT of them. Not one of them flaunted it. Hell had conversations with some guys having no clue who they were when a couple people I knew there came up and asked if I knew them. "have no idea" I said. Then was told how much money they had and how many Sheep Slams they had etc. Dudes were in blue jeans and boots. SCI is obnoxious IMO. Way more D-bags.

To the OP...It is not a very big show but is a good time. Cool people to talk to and the dinners/breakfasts are fun. The after diner auctions are open to the public...fun to watch people spend stupid money on hunts and meet random people. Would I plan on attending everyday if I didn't need to be there? No. but IMO worth going once.

 

[Mojave]

I went a long time ago. 2001 or so.

As of today, I have been to Sheep once, Jagd Hund Dortmond 3 times, Texas Trophy Hunters show and a big hunting show in Spain. I have also been to a few local sportsman's shows in Seattle, California and Casper, WY and some smaller shows in Germany. Jagd and Hund is the biggest hunting show I have ever been to it is probably similar in size to Dallas or Houston's safari shows.

Been to trade firearms shows, but they are not consumer based they were industry based.

Sheep is cool. There are a lot of hob nob big time hunters there. Never been to SCI, but friends say the douche baggery is very real. I have heard the same thing about Dallas, Houston, Salt Lake and the show in Harrisburg, PA.

Jagd Hund has quite a bit of the same Douchebaggery on the Safari outfitters. But mostly Germans don't get star struck as bad.

Sheep hunting is retarded expensive, and there is some non-sheep mountain outfitters there. Mostly NZ and Canada guys.

Is it worth it?

If you have never been to a big hunting trade show it is a nice sized show to break into.

Sucks that it is in a Casino. But it makes staying there easier.

Because I was not a high roller I got treated like shit during the ordering of a custom rifle by Christensen's Arms. Tainted my experience with them and fierce as a company. But the issue was with the guy that now owns fierce not Christensens. Needless to say I went there to order a rifle, and when someone wearing full quill ostrich boots stepped in the booth I got sidelined. I started writing a check and then just walked off, told that kid to **** off. Still hate that company today. When I hate people I hate them for life. Crap like that happens.

There is not as much gun industry stuff there. 4-5 optics companies, 6 or 7 guns, and so on. Might have changed though.

Way more Scottsdale Blonds than any other show I have ever been to. Every wife or daughter looks like she came off of a glamour shoot. So that's pretty cool. My wife who is really into fashion, thought that was cool. If you see how Kristy Titus dresses on her youtube channel, that is pretty much the standard. Big hair full make up and tight clothes.

Couple more thoughts.

Shows suck for little kids, teenagers are probably fine. Kids that like hunting maybe more so than those that don't.

There is generally something for everyone.

Wear comfortable shoes, like running shoes.

Food used to suck at shows, but there seems to be more food truck type stuff going on now. So that's cool.

I have been to a lot of shows, and have never gone without buying something. There is generally something that you will find interesting.

Try not to go on a weekend or the first day. If there is a way to go on a Thursday and the show runs over a weekend that is probably the best day.

Don't expect an industry schlub in a booth to know anything about a product. The outfitters will have good people, but mostly the companies do not.

 

[gearguywb]

Went with the spouse for the first time last year. Been to SCI and SHOT numerous times.

Sheep was more laid back, not as crowded, and frankly, more fun. We will go again.

 

[Mojave]

A word on Auction hunts.

Most Auction hunts go for less than the actual hunt would go for. Not at the sheep show. There are rarely deals on hunts in the auctions at the sheep show.

 

[JREG19]

I keep seeing you guys say "it's in a casino" which is not entirely correct. Most of the show is at the Reno-Sparks Convention center. That is attached to the Atlantis Casino only by a bridge crossing the road (there's a hundred other ways to get in there). However there are some extra events like the tag auction at the Peppermill casino.

 

[slick]

Ok
Being inside a casino for half of it isn’t fun.
Being inside a convention center is slightly better.

 

[Steve O]

I don’t get the “casino” issue…

At the Peppermill, you can go from the front door to the check in desk to the elevators and not even SEE that it is a casino or has gaming. You can go from the elevator to the ballrooms without even seeing there is a casino/gaming. It’s a non issue.

I sometimes walk thru the casino to get to the breakfast cafe, but the casino part of the Peppermill is very easy to avoid. I’m not much of a gambler and I don’t believe I’ve spent one dollar in the casino during any of the sheep shows I’ve been to.

I don’t understand either where else but the convention center you are going to have a show like that in the mountains out west in January. It’s not like it is ripe to be set up in a big circus tent.

It is a well done event in every way and I’ve found all the “rich guys” that I’ve run into to be very cool with much the same rabid passion I have to be in the mountains and never have any of them flaunted their wealth at me. This includes some that have been called out in the past on this very board. But I find I learn a little something from everyone and go into things with an open mind.

 

[dreamingWest]

I found the crowd at sheep show to be some of the best groups of people I've ever been around. The first year I went, my wife and I (both shy) got into the <1 beer banquet early enough to get a table. We were seated with folks representing the BC and Yukon Wild Sheep chapters. They were teachers, engineers, etc just like us. We had a blast.

Each year I've met and had interesting conversations with the very wealthy (super slammers, auction tag winners, etc). It's awesome getting their story. Usually they're small business owners (like myself) that worked very hard to get in their position.

The Dallas Safari Club is local to me. It's a fun show to attend with friends. It's huge and in general has quality outfitters and companies. But the WSF Sheep Show is a better experience. Much smaller with top notch outfitters, great raffles, and premium gear companies.

 

[slick]

Steve O - it’s ok that you don’t understand that some people don’t enjoy the sheep show as much as you did.

I’m glad you had a good time.

But I’m not going to pretend like it was something I enjoyed.
Big money, big measuring contest.
Names, “industry”, fan boys, etc.
kind of all the shit Matt Rinella is against.

Are there good people there- absolutely. But imo it brings out the clowns too.

 

[Steve O]

Steve O - it’s ok that you don’t understand that some people don’t enjoy the sheep show as much as you did.

I’m glad you had a good time.

But I’m not going to pretend like it was something I enjoyed.
Big money, big measuring contest.
Names, “industry”, fan boys, etc.
kind of all the shit Matt Rinella is against.

Are there good people there- absolutely. But imo it brings out the clowns too.

slick - but see, I want to understand…I’ve been to many, many shows/conventions over the last 30 years in just about every capacity from attendee to organizer. I’ve seen all you have seen at the sheep show much, much worse in other locations.

Specifically, I don’t understand what the issue of the casino is, as I find it easily navigated. Just because I ask a question doesn’t mean I’m saying you are wrong.

 

[slick]

That’s the venue they’ve chosen, it’s gotta be hard to find a location that can accommodate the space and rooms etc.

I think the person that views going to a casino as a vacation and looks forward to it, not just the gambling aspect- being inside, smoke, drugs, gangs, ladies of the night and I, have very different views on what one would find enjoyable. That doesn’t represent the show itself, just the territory of the location.

I definitely saw/know of the after hours stuff- shit happens. I’m sure it happens elsewhere too.

Compared to other shows? No idea.
I just know I won’t go back and that’s not a knock on WSF, or anyone who enjoys it, it’s just not where I would spend my time or money again.