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

rugerfan

Senior Member
From my point of view: There are mutiples, so buckle up, this may be a long post! Many of the points I will make is why I stick to public land.

I personally only get about a dozen days in the woods for deer season each year. I work Monday thru Friday and sometimes Monday through Saturday. I will not pay a 1000 dollars plus for a dozen days a year. If I am going to do that I will go out west and hunt elk for a week. Also, the trophy thing for me has gotten way way out of hand, if I am going to pay 700 to 1000 dollars a year, I got to to bring something home more than just an outing in the woods. The trophy to me is in the hunt and in the harvest, not how many inches of antler the deer has. Yes of course I want to get a nice deer, but it is not going to kill me if it isn't the biggest that has ever walked. The freezer being full and the empty shell are the bigger trophy's in my mind. I will not pay 100's to 1000's of dollars every year to finance total disappointment. Makes no sense to me.

I have been in several clubs over the years from time to time. There are the bad apples, and it gets really bad when the bad apple is the club president. When rules are set in place and fines being levied, but the club president does what he or she wants. Not going to do it. Having hunts for business clients for free, or church members for free while members are paying, that is just bad. Bringing their relatives for free to kill whatever walks, while paying members are made to follow the rules is just crap.

I have hunted with drunks and I have hunted with people that are really religious people, both have their strengths and weaknesses. I have decided that it in my best interest to steer clear of both. No offense meant to either, but I am there to hunt not have a beer or liquor party or a sermon. I will talk to god when I get in the tree thank you very much.

For the most part, on public land, the people I have met are just like me and we respect each other's space. Even if I have spent months scouting an area, but I show up and somebody else's truck is parked at spot A, then I will not proceed into spot A. I will go into spot B or C or D.

On Public land I have the ability to move around if things aren't paying off. In the hunting clubs I have been in, usually I was limited to 1 to 3 spots. People do not realize that over hunting 1 to 3 spots will decrease your chances of killing deer.

Baiting or as others call it "feeding" . I am old school, brought up in the time that all that was illegal. Yes I am aware that it increases the odds, but I am still against it for the most part. So if I am not going to partake in the activity I should not be made to pay for it.

Just my points of view, some will agree and some will not. I am ok with both.
 

Jim Boyd

Senior Member
Not to sidetrack the thread but a question also arises from this same line of thought. Why is it so hard to find a good club?

A lot has been said in this thread, some of it by me.

I hear a lot of sideways comments directed at club leadership and at club presidents.

I am sure some is legit and some is simply crying because that person did not get their way at that club.



Here it is, simply put:

It is not hard to find members. Offer a high quality experience and a respectful operation and you can generally select the member you want. Ever notice that many clubs have a waiting list, even though in many cases, that club would not be considered a low cost club? There is a reason for this.



Finding a good club:

This one is easy also. Ask question after question after question. KNOW the answers to the questions before you join. Tour the club closely. Look at club records if they are available. Talk with members (current and former) and not just the club leadership. Even former members may offer good opinions of the club - or they may not - depending on why they left. Know ALL costs up front. Understand the rules 100%. Do all this and if you join, use the first year as a litmus test. If it is not good, move on.

The point is that the right club is out there, you just gotta find it.



Best of luck to all.
 

Tight Lines

Senior Member
Not to sidetrack the thread but a question also arises from this same line of thought. Why is it so hard to find a good club?

Like Jim said, there has been a lot covered in this thread...and I believe that there are a lot of good clubs out there, with good people...they just don't come around that often...

I think the basic structure of a club causes a lot of issues...and starts a vicious cycle...if a club is expensive, relatively speaking, then the expectation is higher out of the gate...but not all land is created equal, nor is it as simple as the calculations...

How much of the land is actually hunt able?
When was it last clear cut?
When will it be clear cut again?
How bad are the hogs?
How bad are the neighbors?
And so on...

All the things people have highlighted here have probably happened at least once, to them...

When someone spends a lot on a club (or anything in life that is costly), then they expect to harvest at a certain level, and have the things done that were promised, and when they don't, you start to have discontent, and turnover.

Same goes for less expensive clubs...when you visit and no one is there, it appears nice and quiet...when you return for the rut and it looks like a refugee camp from Haiti, well it isn't quiet what you wanted...and if you don't harvest what you wanted, well you might feel like you didn't get your money's worth.

Whatever the issue, when the turnover starts, the person responsible for the financial component has to then sell the club to fill the spots or eat the difference...so they over promise and underdeliver, and hence, the cycle starts...

I've found several good clubs, but it takes a lot of time and effort...and at the end of the day, you have to remember that a club is people, managing money, hunting deer...that's the trifecta right there!

I grew up in Kansas and could walk to a river bottom outside my little town that was some of the best deer ground on earth...but I didn't pay for it...paying for leases now in Georgia kills me, but at the same time I want a place to take my kids and enjoy the great outdoors which is why I do it...just have to take the good with the bad and find something that works for you...like Jim said, they are out there...good members and good clubs, but it takes time and effort...

Like any business, and a club is a business, it all boils down to communication, honesty, managing expectations, alignment, and cooperation...throw in deer, money, and humans and a lack of those factors...and it is going to be a bumpy ride! For me, that is precisely why I get outside and hunt and fish...to leave the drama and stress behind and enjoy the outdoors!

Sorry for the long post...
 
Last edited:

delacroix

BANNED
Should be obvious. The real question is why is it so hard to find a good dove club. Anyhow...

Good clubs are hard to find and get into. Junk clubs are easy but don't hold membership.

Also, the cost of leases isn't a good buy anymore when you consider you could just go on a pay hunt OOS and put the same quality of animals on the ground without all the hassle of running a club.

If I only hunted bucks I wouldn't be in a club. Its the having the whole place almost to myself for other game that makes it worth it.
 

Joe Brandon

Senior Member
I know my experience and mindset may be the exception but a lot changed when I found out my wife was pregnant in 2018. Extra money quickly shifted. I went to all public by mere necessity. Since doing so I have killed 2 bear and a 5 point buck off public land. If its legal to me its a good deer which may also separate me from the pack a bit. I found it hard to follow club rules and even broke one or two; that was my wrong and I am happy to follow state rules so it works out better for all. I'm glad I had to hunt public two years ago it has made me a better hunter with a little more cash and freedom to hunt how I want.
 

transfixer

Senior Member
In this day and time, if you hunt with the intention of filling your freezer , you might as well trying hunting various wma's or other public land, that way you can take one or two from each place, and not harvest all you want from one piece of land, because doing that will likely render that tract of land devoid of a healthy population in a short time, given that others will likely do the same thing.

I'm old school, this coming season will be my 44th year of deer hunting, always with at least a couple other guys or more, I came up when deer camp was a tradition, a ritual if you will, looking forward to socializing with like minded people, mostly guys, sitting around the campfire at the end of the day was as important as sitting in a tree during the day, we all strived to take a nice buck, or sometimes a doe for the freezer, but we enjoyed being in the woods regardless, that is still my reason for hunting to this day. I don't hunt to prove anything, or to post my kill on social media, I don't hunt for horns, and I don't shoot 99% of the deer I see, I seldom take a deer every year anymore, and I don't shoot does anymore,

Finding members that think or hunt as I do is almost impossible anymore, every potential member we have found in recent years either wants to fill their freezer, or is after a trophy buck they can brag to their buddies on FB about. Most don't camp for the weekend or longer , most drive to the property, hunt, come out and go home, I can understand if family obligations or work obligations make that the only way they can hunt, but they are missing out on an enjoyable experience, many times I will wake up on Sunday morning and sit by the fire at camp drinking my coffee and listening to the woods wake up and come alive, I enjoy that as much as sitting in a stand waiting on something to walk by.

All of that makes whatever it costs me worth it, up to a point , but at some point the money starts to put a burden on other things in your life, at least for most average folks.
 

sghoghunter

Senior Member
From my point of view: There are mutiples, so buckle up, this may be a long post! Many of the points I will make is why I stick to public land.

I personally only get about a dozen days in the woods for deer season each year. I work Monday thru Friday and sometimes Monday through Saturday. I will not pay a 1000 dollars plus for a dozen days a year. If I am going to do that I will go out west and hunt elk for a week. Also, the trophy thing for me has gotten way way out of hand, if I am going to pay 700 to 1000 dollars a year, I got to to bring something home more than just an outing in the woods. The trophy to me is in the hunt and in the harvest, not how many inches of antler the deer has. Yes of course I want to get a nice deer, but it is not going to kill me if it isn't the biggest that has ever walked. The freezer being full and the empty shell are the bigger trophy's in my mind. I will not pay 100's to 1000's of dollars every year to finance total disappointment. Makes no sense to me.

I have been in several clubs over the years from time to time. There are the bad apples, and it gets really bad when the bad apple is the club president. When rules are set in place and fines being levied, but the club president does what he or she wants. Not going to do it. Having hunts for business clients for free, or church members for free while members are paying, that is just bad. Bringing their relatives for free to kill whatever walks, while paying members are made to follow the rules is just crap.

I have hunted with drunks and I have hunted with people that are really religious people, both have their strengths and weaknesses. I have decided that it in my best interest to steer clear of both. No offense meant to either, but I am there to hunt not have a beer or liquor party or a sermon. I will talk to god when I get in the tree thank you very much.

For the most part, on public land, the people I have met are just like me and we respect each other's space. Even if I have spent months scouting an area, but I show up and somebody else's truck is parked at spot A, then I will not proceed into spot A. I will go into spot B or C or D.

On Public land I have the ability to move around if things aren't paying off. In the hunting clubs I have been in, usually I was limited to 1 to 3 spots. People do not realize that over hunting 1 to 3 spots will decrease your chances of killing deer.

Baiting or as others call it "feeding" . I am old school, brought up in the time that all that was illegal. Yes I am aware that it increases the odds, but I am still against it for the most part. So if I am not going to partake in the activity I should not be made to pay for it.

Just my points of view, some will agree and some will not. I am ok with both.


Good points but I also work Monday thru Friday and also on call every three weeks so I can talk about limiting time also. If you was to pay a membership to be in our club you are not only limited to the dozen days you have off during deer season you are a member for 365 days to do pretty much anything you want as long as it’s legal. You can camp,hunt hogs,hunt squirrels,turkey hunt or just walk the woods if you want. Also with us having two private spots YOU determine how much pressure is but on certain areas. In my areas I see just as many deer the last day of the season as I would opening morning. Where a club is different than a WMA is you can decide what’s planted in a food plot and whether you want a box stand over looking it or hunt a trail leading to it. Also at a club with private areas you know that when you role into camp Friday night after work your spot hasn’t been hunted all week and turned into a gar hole. You also don’t have to worry about anyone beating you to a certain trail before daylight. You can’t tell me about WMA hunting because I hunted them 20 yrs and still do on occasions.
 

glynr329

Senior Member
If you notice good clubs have no problem getting people but some clubs can't keep people. Finding good people can sometimes be an issue. I have been president of a club most of my life and have never advertised one time. Matter of fact all are family or close friends. Seriously I see the same clubs every year looking for members. Obviously those clubs has serious issues.
 

Tight Lines

Senior Member
If you notice good clubs have no problem getting people but some clubs can't keep people. Finding good people can sometimes be an issue. I have been president of a club most of my life and have never advertised one time. Matter of fact all are family or close friends. Seriously I see the same clubs every year looking for members. Obviously those clubs has serious issues.

That's a great point...when you see the same club advertised on GON, Hunting Locator, and other websites with "...one maybe two openings" every year, that should be a serious alarm bell going off...
 

Bucaramus

Senior Member
If you notice good clubs have no problem getting people but some clubs can't keep people. Finding good people can sometimes be an issue. I have been president of a club most of my life and have never advertised one time. Matter of fact all are family or close friends. Seriously I see the same clubs every year looking for members. Obviously those clubs has serious issues.
I've been running my club now for 4 years and have had to find a couple each year. That isn't because "we" have a problem. It's just a matter of cleaning out the weeds. I hope to have a stable set of like minded hunters. That just doesn't happen over night.
 

sghoghunter

Senior Member
I've been running my club now for 4 years and have had to find a couple each year. That isn't because "we" have a problem. It's just a matter of cleaning out the weeds. I hope to have a stable set of like minded hunters. That just doesn't happen over night.

Ours is similar to yours. A good buddy of mine had this land for 10 yrs and he started having health problems so he turned it over to one of the members which happened to be my brother. This will be our third yr with 3 of the same members.
 

Bucaramus

Senior Member
Ours is similar to yours. A good buddy of mine had this land for 10 yrs and he started having health problems so he turned it over to one of the members which happened to be my brother. This will be our third yr with 3 of the same members.
This will be our 5th year and 4 are original. Would be 5 but he dropped out due to his job. He only got to come twice last year. Also, our first year there were only 7 but that's because I ate the other memberships. I'm just not willing to do that anymore.
 

kmckinnie

BOT KILLER MODERATOR
Staff member
I’ve had great folks. They killed deer. Said we love this place.
One had to have knee surgery. Another younger guy. Replace motor and transmission. Another started health issues and Daughter too. Hurricane didn’t help one year and now this corona. We will be OK ?
Been short 1 for several years now. That membership paid for the seed and items to plant. Other little things.
 

sghoghunter

Senior Member
This will be our 5th year and 4 are original. Would be 5 but he dropped out due to his job. He only got to come twice last year. Also, our first year there were only 7 but that's because I ate the other memberships. I'm just not willing to do that anymore.


How many acres do y’all have? We have 750 ac and hoping on 6 members but would do 7 if two buddies wanted in. We don’t add anything to the membership amount so there’s no money in an account to cover and $2000 is hard to cough up twice
 

Bucaramus

Senior Member
How many acres do y’all have? We have 750 ac and hoping on 6 members but would do 7 if two buddies wanted in. We don’t add anything to the membership amount so there’s no money in an account to cover and $2000 is hard to cough up twice
Almost 1000 acres and at full we have 10 members. 1st year was 6, 2nd year was 7 and after that I decided I didn't want to have to pay 3-4 times what the other members were paying. If the consensus was to go back to 6 members it would be split evenly.
 

notnksnemor

The Great and Powerful Oz
Dang 6 pages to come to this:

Figure out what you want out of your hunting experience, then figure out what you're willing to pay for it.

Easy Peasy!
 

Jim Boyd

Senior Member
If you notice good clubs have no problem getting people but some clubs can't keep people. Seriously I see the same clubs every year looking for members. Obviously those clubs has serious issues.

I will say, even with only 8 of us - it seems every year I am looking for at least a member.

I have worked a little harder this year to make sure the one member we added is a good fit.

Some guys left for good reason and I was sad to see them go.

Have had several that left and came back.

Had some that left for various reasons and all parties were glad - they were glad they left and I was glad too!

I’m worried that some folks will not be able - money wise and vacation wise - to take full advantage of the farms this year and will not see a way clear to renew for 2021.

Hope I am wrong but we will see.

Best of luck to all clubs.
 

glynr329

Senior Member
I will say, even with only 8 of us - it seems every year I am looking for at least a member.

I have worked a little harder this year to make sure the one member we added is a good fit.

Some guys left for good reason and I was sad to see them go.

Have had several that left and came back.

Had some that left for various reasons and all parties were glad - they were glad they left and I was glad too!

I’m worried that some folks will not be able - money wise and vacation wise - to take full advantage of the farms this year and will not see a way clear to renew for 2021.

Hope I am wrong but we will see.

Best of luck to all clubs.
Jim if your club was closer you would not have problem finding good people. Your club is top notch. The only problem I see is finding people willing to put all the time and effort you put into. Your club seem very serious. Every time I see any of your post I think how lucky you are. I am one person doing it all myself but I love it.
 
Top