Why is it so hard to find a new club member?

[transfixer]

we've had our club since 1979, same original piece of property, during that time we added more property and expanded the club, then back in 08 people couldn't afford to join, dropped additional property and retained original property, still have it, the problem we've had in the last 10yrs is finding members willing to curtail their trigger finger, we'd like for members not to take more than 3 deer maximum off the property, since the state got stupid with the either sex days and 10 either sex tags the overall population is down, its hard to get someone to pay 800 to $1000 a year and get him to agree to only 3 deer or less, when the state gives them a license for 12 deer, and over 70 either sex days in gun season.

 

[Mr Bya Lungshot]

I’ll pay to be in a club but no tags price please. Well maybe one tag.

 

[GSPEED]

Haven’t been in a club in over 10 years and probably will not for most of the reason’s above.

 

[GottaGetOutdoors]

I have shared this cost breakdown on GON before. There is no magic formula to balance between quantity of game, quality of the hunt experience, and cost. It is a personal decision because only you know is a good bang for your buck.

Club dues are an indicator of the club management goal. Trophy management is at one extreme. Whack-n-stack is at the other end. And you have several options in between. How you answer that question will help set your club operating budget.

There is a club to fit every budget but very few clubs can meet every expectation. Quality and price are on somewhat of a sliding scale. Generally, the more you expect out of the lease, the more it will cost you to have it.

Here is how I evaluate it from a financial, pressure, and sustainability viewpoint.

Let's say you are considering leasing/joining 1,000 acres with 10 acres in food plots.

• $12,000 rent (1,000 @ $12/ac)
• $ 3,000 food plots (10 ac @ $300/ac)
• $ 3,000 stands, feeders, etc.
• $ 2,000 camp utilities, miscellaneous
• Total = $20,000 to divide among members

Assumptions:

• Deer density = 30/square mile equates to 1 deer per 21 acres. Roughly 47 deer total on your 1,000 ac. A 3:1 doe-to-buck ratio equates to roughly 35 does and 12 bucks on your 1,000 acres. Most bucks are 2.5-year-old or younger, which leaves 3-4 mature bucks. How many members & guests will you allow to hunt those 35 does and 12 bucks?

Options for structuring member dues:

1. 5 members at $4,000. Equals 1 member per 200 ac. Recommended when the goal is low pressure and higher quality.
2. 10 members at $2,000. Equals 1 per 100 ac. In my opinion, this is max member density to balance price vs. quality experience.
3. 20 members at $1,000. Equals 1 per 50 ac. In my experience, this is unsustainable if most members expect to harvest deer. A club with this many members will have high turnover and poor quality.
4. 40 members at $500. Equals 1 per 25 ac. Unless it is mostly social gathering, this club will negatively impact the resource.

 

[spurrs and racks]

Why is it so hard to find club members these days? Are people looking for low member low ac club with a higher price or is everyone looking for a low ac high member to keep price down?

I cannot get past the jack legs............

And to answer your question, if I could lease all the property to one man I would.......

More members = more gripping and whining

 

[spurrs and racks]

charging for food plots is wrong, every member is responsible for planting their own if that is what they want to hunt over. You don't want somebody else hunting it, you better be tagged in on it......everyday. Or every day you don't want somebody hunting it.

 

[Mr Bya Lungshot]

I have shared this cost breakdown on GON before. There is no magic formula to balance between quantity of game, quality of the hunt experience, and cost. It is a personal decision because only you know is a good bang for your buck.

Club dues are an indicator of the club management goal. Trophy management is at one extreme. Whack-n-stack is at the other end. And you have several options in between. How you answer that question will help set your club operating budget.

There is a club to fit every budget but very few clubs can meet every expectation. Quality and price are on somewhat of a sliding scale. Generally, the more you expect out of the lease, the more it will cost you to have it.

Here is how I evaluate it from a financial, pressure, and sustainability viewpoint.

Let's say you are considering leasing/joining 1,000 acres with 10 acres in food plots.

• $12,000 rent (1,000 @ $12/ac)
• $ 3,000 food plots (10 ac @ $300/ac)
• $ 3,000 stands, feeders, etc.
• $ 2,000 camp utilities, miscellaneous
• Total = $20,000 to divide among members

Assumptions:

• Deer density = 30/square mile equates to 1 deer per 21 acres. Roughly 47 deer total on your 1,000 ac. A 3:1 doe-to-buck ratio equates to roughly 35 does and 12 bucks on your 1,000 acres. Most bucks are 2.5-year-old or younger, which leaves 3-4 mature bucks. How many members & guests will you allow to hunt those 35 does and 12 bucks?

Options for structuring member dues:

1. 5 members at $4,000. Equals 1 member per 200 ac. Recommended when the goal is low pressure and higher quality.
2. 10 members at $2,000. Equals 1 per 100 ac. In my opinion, this is max member density to balance price vs. quality experience.
3. 20 members at $1,000. Equals 1 per 50 ac. In my experience, this is unsustainable if most members expect to harvest deer. A club with this many members will have high turnover and poor quality.
4. 40 members at $500. Equals 1 per 25 ac. Unless it is mostly social gathering, this club will negatively impact the resource.

$20,000 a year for 3 wallhangers?

 

[transfixer]

I have shared this cost breakdown on GON before. There is no magic formula to balance between quantity of game, quality of the hunt experience, and cost. It is a personal decision because only you know is a good bang for your buck.

Club dues are an indicator of the club management goal. Trophy management is at one extreme. Whack-n-stack is at the other end. And you have several options in between. How you answer that question will help set your club operating budget.

There is a club to fit every budget but very few clubs can meet every expectation. Quality and price are on somewhat of a sliding scale. Generally, the more you expect out of the lease, the more it will cost you to have it.

Here is how I evaluate it from a financial, pressure, and sustainability viewpoint.

Let's say you are considering leasing/joining 1,000 acres with 10 acres in food plots.

• $12,000 rent (1,000 @ $12/ac)
• $ 3,000 food plots (10 ac @ $300/ac)
• $ 3,000 stands, feeders, etc.
• $ 2,000 camp utilities, miscellaneous
• Total = $20,000 to divide among members

Assumptions:

• Deer density = 30/square mile equates to 1 deer per 21 acres. Roughly 47 deer total on your 1,000 ac. A 3:1 doe-to-buck ratio equates to roughly 35 does and 12 bucks on your 1,000 acres. Most bucks are 2.5-year-old or younger, which leaves 3-4 mature bucks. How many members & guests will you allow to hunt those 35 does and 12 bucks?

Options for structuring member dues:

1. 5 members at $4,000. Equals 1 member per 200 ac. Recommended when the goal is low pressure and higher quality.
2. 10 members at $2,000. Equals 1 per 100 ac. In my opinion, this is max member density to balance price vs. quality experience.
3. 20 members at $1,000. Equals 1 per 50 ac. In my experience, this is unsustainable if most members expect to harvest deer. A club with this many members will have high turnover and poor quality.
4. 40 members at $500. Equals 1 per 25 ac. Unless it is mostly social gathering, this club will negatively impact the resource.

Those numbers are pretty accurate, other than most clubs I know don't include stands and food plots in the cost of dues, other than that the density and member numbers are spot on, when the price of leases went above $9 or $10 an acre it became very difficult for a family man to be able to afford it, it has gotten to the point to belong to a good club with conservation goals you will need to be a very well off family man, or a single man making a good living, its out of reach for a lot of people, our deer herd in the counties that are hunted the most won't sustain each member filling their freezer for the family.

 

[Long Cut]

I’m not paying $950 to hunt with 12 other guys on 650 acres.

Better yet, Clubs have begun designating “areas” for each individual to manage & hunt. So we’re all paying $950 to hunt maybe 15-30 acres.. That $15-17/Acre just bounced to $30+/Acre....

These prices were taken off of the GON Club section, these are real prices for real clubs.

To each their own, I’ll cut my teeth on WMA’s for that price/quality of hunting.

 

[sghoghunter]

I'm not spending that kind of money in any club. Period. It's not a matter of having to money. It's a matter of getting shafted.

A good bit MORE money could be spent on a guided trip to Alaska or maybe Canada. I'd be a LOT happier doing that than being in some stupid club. No way I'd even think about joining ANY club that didn't go by the state laws and bag limits. Those "rules" with fines for missing inside by a half inch are insane. Not to mention one buck this, 1/2 a buck that, etc... Anyhooo... You get my message, hopefully.

For that much money, you can buy a lot of meat, even venison, which I love to eat.

It’s amazing how people think so much different. You wouldn’t spend that kind of money for any club because your getting shafted but would spend twice but more like three times as much to go somewhere for a few days for someone to show you what you can and cannot shoot. Five yrs ago there’s no way I’d spend what I’m spending now for sure. Four yrs ago my girlfriend had a major stroke which left her disabled. This club has a camp with wheelchair ramp that we built,good road to get to camp and a shelter that we can all get under around a fire when we want. Everyone has different outlooks on everything and this just happens to work out just fine.

 

[sghoghunter]

I’m not paying $950 to hunt with 12 other guys on 650 acres.

Better yet, Clubs have begun designating “areas” for each individual to manage & hunt. So we’re all paying $950 to hunt maybe 15-30 acres.. That $15-17/Acre just bounced to $30+/Acre....

These prices were taken off of the GON Club section, these are real prices for real clubs.

To each their own, I’ll cut my teeth on WMA’s for that price/quality of hunting.

That’s the reason this post got started. I’ve noticed people out the ying yang are interested in a low priced club whether it’s no good land or three times the hunters it can stand. Ours is 750ac with 6 members for somewhere around $1800 which includes camp site with electricity. If I was to advertise as 750ac with 12 members or more they would be very interested

 

[Jim Boyd]

Lately I’ve noticed a pattern change in my member “recruitment” if you will. Just a few years ago it would all be totally separate individuals. Complete strangers. Over the last few years it’s teams/buddies. Whether it be family (cousins and such) or just life long friends. That being said, if you have 2 openings and they have 3+ people wanting to join, that could be a deal breaker.

I’ve also realize just how fragile the membership relationship is. I guess it’s like anything in life though. But when you’re in their pocket for $1k or more each year, the smallest thing can make them have a change of heart.

Also, for most hunting is extremely seasonal. There’s still a lot of guys that only think about hunting season- while it’s hunting season. It’d be a lot like trying to sell a boat in December. You’re hard pressed find members when everyone is in summer time vacation mode and whatnot. Some aren’t wired like the rest of us and think about it as a year long ordeal.

I think social media has hurt as well. Everyone wants a hero pic and people get selfish. If you’re on a place that’s trying to grow GOOD deer you have absolutely got to get comfortable with the idea there’s going to be some years you might not kill a buck. 1-2 years of not killing a buck and folks start getting a bad taste in their mouths. Mainly outta jealousy and envy I think, cause they want that hero pic, the other member was able to get... but it’s the world we’re living in.

The prices continue to go up and I don’t ever think that’s going to stop. I looked over the last few years of lease agreements I have on file, and they have went up $1k over 5 years. Without heads up or anything, I don’t know until I get it in the mail. But I still can’t wrap my head around these guys cramming folks on small tracts. I can’t afford a lot, but I don’t might coughing up the money where it’s due... I love the 10% rule. 1300 acres, 13 members, etc. I cringe when I see these ads wanting 15+ members on 800 acres and such.

Very well said and illustrates a good many aspects of club life.

I hear the backlash and negative comments from GON members and I agree that clubs are not for them.

Those that fall in that group - and know it - are doing themselves a favor and unknowingly.... also doing the clubs a favor.

Clubs (and other closely managed lands, whether it is called a club or not) - are going strong, in spite of the current economic conditions and will (at least in my opinion) continue to be at the forefront of a truly quality experience.

Of course public land can be a truly quality experience and for many is just the ticket. Is it generally as good as managed land? Probably not - but if you hunt it and you like it - all the rest of us love it.

Whether we (or you, specifically) like it or not, the current focus is on QDM and big bucks are part of the focus of this. Aside from that, management, low pressure, knowing exactly who is hunting with you, exactly where these folks are on the tracts and having exclusive use is truly just the ticket for other folks.

No right and no wrong - just good old American supply and demand.

 

[Big7]

It’s amazing how people think so much different. You wouldn’t spend that kind of money for any club because your getting shafted but would spend twice but more like three times as much to go somewhere for a few days for someone to show you what you can and cannot shoot. Five yrs ago there’s no way I’d spend what I’m spending now for sure. Four yrs ago my girlfriend had a major stroke which left her disabled. This club has a camp with wheelchair ramp that we built,good road to get to camp and a shelter that we can all get under around a fire when we want. Everyone has different outlooks on everything and this just happens to work out just fine.

To each his own. Right?

Simple fact is, in addition to being in a couple of very productive "clubs", I've had access to what was my Grandparents estate until it sold shortly after my Dad passed away 2017. Land sold in 2018.

At this point in my life, I've killed more than my share of deer. Deer is a deer is a deer sort of thing.

If I were to spend loads and loads of cash, I'd rather try something that I've never done, even if it's only for a few days. Big Elk or Moose probably.

Money is really not the issue. Heck, I've dropped that much and more at the- let's just call it the "shoe show". I stopped doing that a long time ago.

I'm certainly not knocking how you or anyone chooses to spend their own money.

If I were to have the notion to join a deer club, I would do it, no doubt. My mind is always subject to change.?

Happy hunting to you and your's. Pack the freezer and trophy wall to the max.?

 

[Jim Boyd]

I have shared this cost breakdown on GON before. There is no magic formula to balance between quantity of game, quality of the hunt experience, and cost. It is a personal decision because only you know is a good bang for your buck.

Club dues are an indicator of the club management goal. Trophy management is at one extreme. Whack-n-stack is at the other end. And you have several options in between. How you answer that question will help set your club operating budget.

There is a club to fit every budget but very few clubs can meet every expectation. Quality and price are on somewhat of a sliding scale. Generally, the more you expect out of the lease, the more it will cost you to have it.

Here is how I evaluate it from a financial, pressure, and sustainability viewpoint.

Let's say you are considering leasing/joining 1,000 acres with 10 acres in food plots.

• $12,000 rent (1,000 @ $12/ac)
• $ 3,000 food plots (10 ac @ $300/ac)
• $ 3,000 stands, feeders, etc.
• $ 2,000 camp utilities, miscellaneous
• Total = $20,000 to divide among members

Assumptions:

• Deer density = 30/square mile equates to 1 deer per 21 acres. Roughly 47 deer total on your 1,000 ac. A 3:1 doe-to-buck ratio equates to roughly 35 does and 12 bucks on your 1,000 acres. Most bucks are 2.5-year-old or younger, which leaves 3-4 mature bucks. How many members & guests will you allow to hunt those 35 does and 12 bucks?

Options for structuring member dues:

1. 5 members at $4,000. Equals 1 member per 200 ac. Recommended when the goal is low pressure and higher quality.
2. 10 members at $2,000. Equals 1 per 100 ac. In my opinion, this is max member density to balance price vs. quality experience.
3. 20 members at $1,000. Equals 1 per 50 ac. In my experience, this is unsustainable if most members expect to harvest deer. A club with this many members will have high turnover and poor quality.
4. 40 members at $500. Equals 1 per 25 ac. Unless it is mostly social gathering, this club will negatively impact the resource.

Realistic facts and presentation that is free from hyperbole and hysteria.

As Dragnet used to say “just the facts, ma’am“.

Spoken by someone that has been there, done that and continues to do so.

 

[Long Cut]

That’s the reason this post got started. I’ve noticed people out the ying yang are interested in a low priced club whether it’s no good land or three times the hunters it can stand. Ours is 750ac with 6 members for somewhere around $1800 which includes camp site with electricity. If I was to advertise as 750ac with 12 members or more they would be very interested

Those folks are chasing the price tag and not the experience. They just want a place to hunt for cheap.

You can either advertise as a “place to hunt” or a “high quality QDM tract”. Just like business, I can do 10 estimates and only 1 bites at a worthwhile price. The other 4 want me to work for pennies on the dollar.

Know your worth. Produce and Sell the Value. Don’t cater to tire-kickers.

 

[spurrs and racks]

I’m not paying $950 to hunt with 12 other guys on 650 acres.

Better yet, Clubs have begun designating “areas” for each individual to manage & hunt. So we’re all paying $950 to hunt maybe 15-30 acres.. That $15-17/Acre just bounced to $30+/Acre....

These prices were taken off of the GON Club section, these are real prices for real clubs.

To each their own, I’ll cut my teeth on WMA’s for that price/quality of hunting.

This is pretty accurate, 1 member per 50 ac of lease........

 

[Mako22]

We collect our dues right at the New Year and pay all leases in January.

We don’t collect the food plot money then - just the lease fees ( for us, $1575 ).

Been 10 years now and all is good.

Any hunter that can pay his dues a week after Christmas is not waiting on a tax return and has plenty of cash in the bank. That was my model when I was running a club; get the guys that always have the cash and you dont have to play games with people when you really have to pay the lease in June.

 

[Long Cut]

This is pretty accurate, 1 member per 50 ac of lease........

So when these leases advertise and allow for “Spouses & children under 18” that most hunt with their wife/kid as well. So figure 1.5 hunters/Member. That 12 hunters just became 18 in November-January. That 50 Acres/Member just dropped to 30 Acres/ Member.

 

[Mako22]

Im looking forward to this coming season. I resigned as club president of my old club back last October and joined a new club. I dont have to hear any complaints from other members and I dont have to deal with any drama. The new lease has a campsite with power, water and sewage; something my old camp lacked. Im paying my dues #1 to have a campsite with power where I can get away to and chill out by myself. #2 to have a lease with plenty of comfortable club stands that I can sleep in #3 to maybe kill 2-3 deer to make sausage out of. I ranked those in order of whats important to me and killing deer is last on the list. I would like to see deer but I dont have to kill them all. As far as big antlers go, it would be nice but that has never driven my motivation for hunting.

 

[spurrs and racks]

So when these leases advertise and allow for “Spouses & children under 18” that most hunt with their wife/kid as well. So figure 1.5 hunters/Member. That 12 hunters just became 18 in November-January. That 50 Acres/Member just dropped to 30 Acres/ Member.

Well, I guess everybody has their own way of looking at it. I can tell you this. I don't care how many wives or how many children under the age of 18 you want to hunt for your membership, you get 1 limit for your membership. 2 bucks and a doe limit per $700.