Just got back from another great Pope & Young Convention - this time - in Madsion, Wisconsin! Four days of great seminars, great speakers, a great game display with a bunch of new world records and just a great bunch of bowhunters to visit with! As I did in 2001 in Salt Lake City I presented a motion to the Regular and Senior membership to have the 65% letoff rule changed to 80%. At the time many club members really argued that it was important to " maintain a line in the sand" to stop the perceived uncontrolled development of compounds bows. My motion in 2001 was defeated by a margin of 2 to 1. In January of this year myself and a very hard working group of fellow members once again initiated a move to eliminate the 65% rule. Our belief, simply stated, was that a compound is a compound, and whatever the letoff; all fairchase, ethical, legally hunting bowhunters should be eligible to enter animals into the record book. This year I presented 2 motions. First, to eliminate letoff restrictions totally. If that failed, a 2nd motion to change the letoff restriction from 65% to 80%. With the help of a great group of fellow hard working Pope & Young members including, Dave Coupland, Archie Nesbitt, Tom Nelson, Mike Sturm, M R James, Bill Krenz, Dick Sage, Chuck Adams, Jim Dougherty, etc . etc. etc. We came extremely close this time! For the motion to eliminate letoff restrictions totally the vote was 142 for to 156 against. For a change to 80% it was 141 for to 149 against. It was a very positive, and well debated meeting by both sides. I, however, believe a " change in the wind" is occurring within the Pope & Young Club and intend to continue pushing this initiative until all fairchase North American bowhunters are eligible for :Bowhunting Records of North America" . Ryk