Hunt clubs...are they really worth it ?

James White · 11-10-2003, 01:09 PM

Just wondering if any of yall were members of any real organized hunt clubs,how many members,and what do you see a the benifit of joining one.And what are prices floating around for one.

I recently was going to join one in Charles county,but looked at the money,I really dont need any more hunting properties (Except) if they allowed fur trapping.
And was like 600.00 bucks ,first year and 100.00 a year after that.

So tell me some pro' s and cons' about any hunt clubs you know of or may be a member of.

PABowhntr · 11-11-2003, 05:27 AM

I belong to several hunting clubs...but I do not hunt that much on the their property except for pheasants and geese. I have yet to sign onto a lease property but I can see that coming in the near future...

the Buffalo Hunter · 11-11-2003, 08:56 AM

smaller the club the better the club we have 10 members last year not a good year we taken 86 deer one year hunting not bad we had better years .

Grizzlybear · 11-11-2003, 09:19 AM

Are you talking about a small " family" club that has a fee associated with it, simply to keep up the cost of the maintenance, food, etc? I would just consider that a group of hunting buddies. Now, I' m not a member of anything - I hunt mostly by myself (not by choice but by necessity). Unfortunately, with population growing and any good public land receeding, hunting is going to become a rich man' s sport - only the landowners and those who can afford to pay to play will be able to go,.

Steve F.in MD · 11-12-2003, 03:09 AM

James,
You are in a unique situation because of your type of work. Most of us fret from year to year if we will have a place (quality place, that is) to hunt. I do not belong to a hunt club or have to lease my hunting land. If the opportunity was available I would look into it.

One of the landowners I hunt on is elderly and his daughter has made it clear that she will curtail the hunting when she takes over management of the ground. The other landowners buy and sell property like they are playing Monopoly so I can' t be sure that it will be available from season to season.

With the cost of land in Frederick County (100-175k for building lot) buying my own hunting property is out of the question. What' s a boy to do?
Steve

Broadhead88 · 11-12-2003, 06:29 AM

In NJ, good hunting land is so scarce that I do not know anyone that does not pay to hunt. Public land can be good if you put the time in to scout and get deep but for year over year comfort, joining a club is the way to go.

We lease 270 acres in NW Jersey and have 11 full members and 2 juniors. We stock pheasant and chukars and also have excellent small game/turkey. The deer hunting is very good and is basically the reason for about 1/2 our members.

We have a small clubhouse and have a once a year work party. Dues doubled last year as the landowner demanded an increase so we pay $750 each--ouch.

Anyway, I' m paying as I do not have a ton of time anymore to hunt and I can not put in the hours needed to scout Public land.

Rickmur · 11-12-2003, 02:53 PM

Used to do it back in my goose hunting days on the eastern Shore of Md. Only way to have a place to hunt. To keep prices per member down you had to recurite more members than wanted. To keep the number of members down the cost per member went up. Catch 22. Since I quit leasing it has been hard to find anyplace worth the time to invest in it. I was down your way this week hunting state land in Benidict. Took a 12' jon boat down the river to access the back side of it where the other hunters don' t venture to. 27 degrees, two people and treestands and bows and fog was not fun on the 25 minute boat ride. Saw a few deer, nothing fantastic. Want to let me in on some of your secreate hot spots

. The leases were always done with friends and there were still some problems, ie guest and when they could hunt etc. etc. I' m still looking for that unknown family tie I don' t know about.