BDC

I want to know how many in the forum world belong to hunt clubs and
what everyone thinks of them.

I am thinking of joining one, since they overtook the property I have been
hunting for the previous ten years. Now for only two hundred dollars a year I can hunt the same land I once hunted for free.

Should I pay to play or move on?

Thanks,

BDC

GMMAT

Only you can answer that one.

Would I? For $200???? (hunt on the same land I hunt NOW, for free????)

In a heartbeat.....

Jeff

superstrutter

Two-hundred is dirt cheap for this day and time. I know it's tough to have to pay for a place you have hunted free, but if you really like the place then pay the 200. I own 100 acres of great hunting land and lease 120 acres right next to mine. That 120 acres is my cousins land. She is an older woman who until the last few years never charged me to lease her land. She let a lawyer convince her to lease the land. I was a little upset for a while, we are family you know. I could not let someone else come in and lease it. There is no telling what could have happened if someone else leased it. They could have been poachers and not only ruined the hunting on her land, but my land also. I love hunting her property too, so I didn't hesitate to pay the lease. She is charging me 500.00 for the 120 acres. Pretty steep, but I will not lose the priviledge to hunt this property. I do have a hunting partner who pays for half of the lease, so it's not too bad. Two hunters on 220 game rich acres. For 250.00 I can't complain a bit. If you love the property like I do my cousins, then pay the 200.00.

RiverOtter

I don't know where you live, but be very careful about joining a hunt club. This coming season will be my 4th, and for the last 3 years I've been a member of a hunt club. This year I will be hunting public land and honestly don't plan on joining a hunt club ever again. It's not that I couldn't afford the lease (which was $450 for ~4000+ acres). It's the hunt club politics and rules that ruined it for me. I grew up in the northeast and wasn't too keen on the idea of using dogs to run deer in the first place. Now I've been a part of it, I don't necessarily have a problem with the method, it's that you can't do your own thing at the same time. The dog hunts take up a lot of time and put the hunters in positions that are not always optimal for stand hunting in the likely event that the dogs take off in a different direction. However, as part of the hunt club, if you choose to hunt on a day that they are hunting in this manner, you have no choice but to be a part of that hunt.

This club's policy was that any deer shot was to be distributed among any members that participated in hunting the same day that chose to be included in the meat draw. I don't have a problem with that during firearms season where they are using dogs and directly or indirectly everyone is part of the hunt. A buddy of mine was at odds with the club and dropped it mid-season over a dispute of this during muzzleloader season when he harvested a nice buck. The policy hadn't been clearly advertised to us before the season started, and we were under the assumption that during archery season and muzzleloader season, where a single hunter is doing all of the work (scouting, hanging stands, etc.) that the hunter would keep all of the deer harvested. He might pass along some of it to someone who helped drag it out or dress it as a token of appreciation for the help, but the remainder would be kept to himself. It's really a matter of respect, as there's no reason whatsoever in a situation like this that someone who didn't lifta finger to help out would be rewarded with someone else's hard work. Some of the other members got upset that he planned on keeping the whole deer, and the fallout was that he quit the club as he didn't wish to feed those who were too lazy to put the effort into successfully harvesting their own.

Anyway, to make a long dramatic story short, only you can decide whether the land is worth the compromise that may (or may not) come from joining the hunt club. I just wanted you to be aware that there is more to think about than the issue of sharing the land that you've always hunted for a fee. Good luck this year with whatever you choose!

BDC

Thanks for your replies.

Honestly, I expected more, "Lets stick it to the man", responses.

I would pay $ 200.00 to hunt the same land for one year. If I don't like it I will move on.

Hunting leases and hunting clubs seem to be taking over here in WV. There are still plenty of places to hunt. Thanks to the leases and clubs, public lands are getting a break.

I was just wondering if anyone had any experiences with the politics of hunt clubs. I have heard stories that hunting clubs create infighting between members.
Overhunting and zoneing seem to be the biggest problems.

Thanks,

BDC