Question for those in clubs or run clubs

[transfixer]

I checked into possibly joining a club this past season, and was surprised that those I checked with were basically " first come , first serve" when it came to hunting areas ? you could put up a ladder stand, or box stand, but if someone else got to the club before you did and decided to hunt the stand you put up , they had the right to hunt it ? I see more than a few problems with that way of doing things, for one I wouldn't put much work into my stand or the area around it if I am going to not be able to hunt it if someone beats me to the lease on friday evening ? the other being the obvious arguments that would inevitably result .

I ran a club for over 20yrs, we didn't have "zones" , as I don't agree with them either, but we allowed each member to have one "primary" stand they could claim "off limits" to everyone else if they chose to , each member could put up a maximum of 3 stands, but claim only one as "primary", the other two were open if you weren't hunting them, but we asked that members ask before using one, we also had a somewhat guideline of keeping a 200yd buffer between stands in the woods, and approx twice that in the clearcut areas .

It worked for over 20yrs with no issues, other than occassionaly some didn't know what 200yds was in the woods, but it was easily worked out .

What are most people doing nowadays ? I just don't see guys paying $1000 or more for a membership and having to deal with first come first serve, and not being able to have a stand they know is theirs ?

 

[Josh B]

I've hunted clubs that had designated areas which was horrible and even if people have one area you can't go. The long term members know the good spots and have them all. Deer normally run the same areas every year. So I have joined clubs were the remaining open areas aren't any good. Then the members holding the good areas never hunt. I've also hunted were all areas are open but you can't use other people's stands. I like to share what I see but learned to keep my mouth shut was the best thing to do.

 

[Jim Boyd]

No good deeds go unpunished.

What is the difference - technically - between a zone and a personal area?

We are 8 people on 844 acres. We have zones (20-25 acres each) and no one ever complains. In most cases, we all extend open invitations to hunt. What it does do, though, is encourage members to manicure “their” area.

You are never gonna get a good opinion on this topic on GON (mine included) because people are people.

 

[Cool Hand Luke]

Always going to have drama in larger clubs. Last one I was in a couple years ago did the primary stand deal as well. Worked pretty well.
First come first serve be a hard pill to swallow. Be hard to get excited about driving 3 hours after work on Friday knowing the "hangover" stand might be the only one left

 

[Troy Butler]

It’s hard. I don’t like the each person has their own area thing as I am in a club like that now. But luckily we all have enough deer and we all get along. But each person pays the same so should be able to hunt all the land.

Have hunted in club where you could hunt where ever as long as no one had a stand. We all got along also. Found that most people will find one or two places they clam their hunny hole and everyone else just kind of stayed out. I think the thing that made it work was everyone meat at camp and just asked where each other was or want to hunt that morning or evening. We all just wanted to have fun and enjoy ourselves and was glad when the other guy killed something be it doe spike ora big buck.

 

[Gator89]

My "club" has 6 members on 900 acres and any member can hunt any stand. First to arrive is the first to hunt is my preference.

We hunt farm land, we don't feed or bait.

We don't advertise for members and only folks with a history among the members are allowed in.

If multiple members are at camp, we decide who is hunting where while drinking coffee and eating breakfast. Most of the time it takes 2-3 rounds to get someone claim a spot for the day.

A few years ago I never thought I would pay what I currently pay to hunt on a deer lease. But now I can't see myself settling for a 50 or less acre per member lease.

But my lease to hunt all year is no more than some folks pay to hunt a couple of weeks in the midwest.

 

[Gator89]

Follow up, my current lease is rarely crowded. This year we never had all 6 members present at the same time. The last weekend we had five members and one guest on Saturday morning. One member left mid-day on Saturday.

It is usually 2 to 3 members at a time. I have been there by completely myself or accompanied by my wife.

 

[bigchiefchoctaw]

You haven’t found the right club. If I’m paying to hunt 1000 acres or whatever it is why would I wana limit my self to 50 acres or less ? Might as well lease your own 50 acres… I don’t wana be in a club that’s competition hunting or a me me type mentality.. I like the club I am in because everyone works together splits the same cost on new stands boxes etc… encourages each other to go hunt there stands.. I’m just as happy if one the guys or gals kills the buck I am after.. we do things together on everything stands included.. we have 1200 acres 7 members and 1000 dues in a prime county

 

[Gator89]

When I lived in Louisiana I was in a club that had private spots. New guy gets the leftovers.

Fortunately that club ran dogs and even if I did not kill a deer at my spot, I always got some meat during dog season.

In 7 seasons I killed 2 bucks on my designated spots. The members with stands near the white oak acorn trees and such killed multiple bucks per season at their spots.

 

[catch22]

I love these threads every year. Bottom line......everyone does it different and because 1 way works with one group of guys doesnt mean its works everywhere. Find the right group with rules that fit your hunting style and have fun.

I ran a club for alot of years. 700 acres. 6 members. We had 2 designated spots that were yours and yours only. We had several community spots that were 1st come. We had no guest policy. The personal spot helps with the "work days" that no one shows up for. You can put as little or as much into "your spot" as you wanted.

It worked great for our group and the property we had. That may not work for everyone.

 

[transfixer]

We never had any issues with letting members have one "primary" stand, that way the member could make improvements such as shooting lanes, or making their stand comfortable or extra camo'd if they chose, there were never really any "dead" areas on our lease in Oglethorpe county, pretty much anywhere was a good spot, and sometimes the new guys would pick an area the older members hadn't hunted in years, and would find that was exactly where the deer were hiding out at ! lol We always had a relatively small club where at least half the members were longtime friends , it was new members that caused issues

I dropped out of my old club that I had run for years two years ago, I had let another member take over the running of it about 15yrs ago after my Dad passed, he didn't enforce our rules and as a result we had a couple members putting up as many as 6 stands a piece, and not marking them on the pin out board, that didn't leave many spots for a new member to hunt

I checked into a promising sounding club across the line in Alabama, 1100 or more acres, but it was strictly "first come first serve" and had mandatory work days, if you built a personal stand no matter how much effort or money you put into it, if someone got there before you on Friday and wanted to hunt it they could , I couldn't see paying $1000 and having no idea where I was going to hunt after driving to deer camp

I intend on finding property to lease on my own, along with another friend I've hunted with for years , but now I understand why so many people are against joining clubs, if they are all run like I have come to realize ?

 

[Kebo07]

I believe it is less about the
"rules" of where you can hunt and more about the people you hunt with that matters. The one @jimboyd speaks about is the last club I was in and it was far and away the best hunting I have ever experienced. Yes, land was great, deer were plentiful but it was the people that made it great and enjoyable.

 

[westcobbdog]

I hunt in different places around the state but the club I joined is kinda small, 500 acres, and may have too many members about 10 but it's the best club I have ever been in, no drama, no reserved spots, no bickering and overall all the guys are good solid fellas. Very affordable at $450-$500 and it's worked for them many years, club had been there more than 40 years. Been in some drama filled - jealousy filled clubs but not this one!

 

[sghoghunter]

The way we are is 6 members on 750 acres. Each person has their own personal area to do whatever they want except damage any trees. You can run feeders year round if you want,trim shooting lanes or you can do nothing at all it’s up to the paid member. This way each member knows a spot hasn’t been hunted every morning and afternoon for a week before they get there to hunt on a Saturday morning. IF everyone in the club had the same hunting mindset as me and everyone had the same working mindset as me I wouldn’t mind being in a club that is first come but no way I’d be in one that didn’t.

 

[WaltL1]

Club I was in you had your own primary stand that no-one could hunt without your permission and then we had club stands that were first come first serve utilizing a tagging system.

 

[transfixer]

I hunt in different places around the state but the club I joined is kinda small, 500 acres, and may have too many members about 10 but it's the best club I have ever been in, no drama, no reserved spots, no bickering and overall all the guys are good solid fellas. Very affordable at $450-$500 and it's worked for them many years, club had been there more than 40 years. Been in some drama filled - jealousy filled clubs but not this one!

The club I dropped out of was in existance since 78/79, I turned it over to another member in 04, too many deer were taken in 05 and 06, for lack of monitoring by the member in charge, another guy took it over in 07 , and it was okay until about 2015 when a new member decided to see what he could get away with, and kept pushing the limits, when you have a group of guys that aren't all friends of the same mind, you have to enforce some rules, when I ran it up til 04 at times it was like babysitting a bunch of grown men ! it was manageable, but sometimes rules had to be enforced, members had to be kicked out , etc

Its a shame what has happened to my old club, we were fairly well known and everyone knew we were easy to get along with in the area, and we managed to keep a good population of deer by not over killing the herd, they're not concerned with that now

 

[WaltL1]

The club I dropped out of was in existance since 78/79, I turned it over to another member in 04, too many deer were taken in 05 and 06, for lack of monitoring by the member in charge, another guy took it over in 07 , and it was okay until about 2015 when a new member decided to see what he could get away with, and kept pushing the limits, when you have a group of guys that aren't all friends of the same mind, you have to enforce some rules, when I ran it up til 04 at times it was like babysitting a bunch of grown men ! it was manageable, but sometimes rules had to be enforced, members had to be kicked out , etc

Its a shame what has happened to my old club, we were fairly well known and everyone knew we were easy to get along with in the area, and we managed to keep a good population of deer by not over killing the herd, they're not concerned with that now

it was like babysitting a bunch of grown men !

Thats why I turned to public land hunting and never looked back.
Far less unnecessary drama and I didnt have to tell myself " I paid big money for all this nonsense".
Its mindboggling how a deer can turn some grown men into children.
And yes I know there are some clubs not like that, count your blessings if you are in one.

 

[Jim Boyd]

I believe it is less about the
"rules" of where you can hunt and more about the people you hunt with that matters. The one @jimboyd speaks about is the last club I was in and it was far and away the best hunting I have ever experienced. Yes, land was great, deer were plentiful but it was the people that made it great and enjoyable.

Your words are too kind, Keith @Kebo07

We miss ya and hope you will come back and visit (and shoot some out the deer you left behind).

Your shadow stands long at CMHC.

 

[elfiii]

Thank God I own my own land. It's hardscrabble hunting but there is no drama. And I'm first come first served. Since everybody that hunts with me is a close personal friend It's all about "Where you want to hunt today? OK, I'll take the other spot."

We have box blinds and ladder stands that all of us helped build and erect. Food plots too. We all chip in and everybody shows up on work days. I can't imagine doing it any other way.

Since it's my land I carry the burden for the property taxes etc. but my friends chip in their share for everything else.

 

[WaltL1]

Thank God I own my own land. It's hardscrabble hunting but there is no drama. And I'm first come first served. Since everybody that hunts with me is a close personal friend It's all about "Where you want to hunt today? OK, I'll take the other spot."

We have box blinds and ladder stands that all of us helped build and erect. Food plots too. We all chip in and everybody shows up on work days. I can't imagine doing it any other way.

Since it's my land I carry the burden for the property taxes etc. but my friends chip in their share for everything else.

Since it's my land

Thats ^ the key to the whole thing. Your land, your rules, you pick the people (friends).
These days with lease and club fees going up so much it seems like whoever can lay out the money to join gets in.
Then you end up with a club full of folks who arent all on the same page.