!!!!!* Updated 07/06*!!!!!Va Group/Club
 

I have been trying to get this thing up and running for awhile and it seems I finally have it moving along nicely. So now is the time for me to take the next step in the process which is establishing an list of interested sportsmen/women who would be interested in joining.

I am asking that if you are interested in getting in on the ground floor of this group then please send me an email with the following: contact info (name, phone, email, mailing address), a little history on you and your hunting experience (we will be taking all members from newbies to the sport to seasoned vets), types of game normally hunted. once you send me an email I will reply letting you know I got your information within 72 hours, if you do not hear from me then please send me another email letting me know, so that I can make sure you are in place on the list where you should be. Please feel free to ask any questions as well and I will do my best to answer them.

The club MAINLY be a primitive weapons club, this is not saying that there will be no shotguns/rifles allowed however this might be only on certain tracts or only certain periods of time. The reasoning behind this is largely due to landowner wishes. The final outcome will depend upon final talks with the landowners.

We will be practicing various QDM practices on leases. This will include food plots, forest and habitat improvements as well as restrictions on age/size of buck harvest. This too will be worked out and tailored to the properties.

Dues are a huge question everyone has I am sure. At this moment I do not have a amount for dues. The amount will be based on the amount needed to pay for leases/insurance and anything else such as food plot materials that we decide as a group we need/want. I am doing everything I can to keep the dues as affordable as possible. howeverkeep in mind that land leases are not cheap and leases with good genetics are even more. Another factor and question is going to be the total number of members, this will also depend on the total acreage we end up with. I want enough members so that is helps offset the dues, however I will not take so many members at any given time that makes it feel crowded or like a rush to get a place to hunt.

One other big thing is the bashing of other hunters and bickering like school kids and you stole my toy. There has been so much bashing of a person chosen style/method of hunting by other hunters that it is causing us to become divided. The last thing hunting as a whole needs is to be divided. I am easy going enough that I will support any hunter in their chosen methods so long as they are legal for their area. I do not condone or support poaching or illegal activities by any sportsmen. So there will be NO BASHING or badmouthing of any method of hunting. I welcome open discussions in regards to these and I respect everyones opinions but will not tolerate the drama as seen on this and many other boards.

The Main location of the club leases will be the Northern Neck area (King George, Richmond and Westmoreland counties). This is where we have been working with the leads we had. There are also some leads in the Caroline and Essex Areas as well that we will follow up on as soon as we tie the current ones down. We will also be looking toward the Stafford and Spotsy areas as well. We will obtain and lease that becomes available to us if it is worth doing so no matter the location (which means that there is the possibility of obtaining some Southern Md. land as well, but that will be further down the list, but not put off by any means.

I would like to say that we are trying to establish a group where fellowship and family values are key roles along with good stewardship of the land. We want this to be a place where members and their families look forward to heading out to and people they look forward to spending time with.

Having held various offices including President and Chair of the Board of Directors of a large club for a number of years I have seen what works and what doesn't. With this in mind we are forming this club based on the things that worked and forgoing the things that didn't or where not worth it. This way it helps to keep the bickering and drama that can rear it's ugly head in any group down so that more time can be spent enjoying the club and to keep out the trashy kind of members that can end up becoming a black eye for the club and causing problems.

Thanks for looking and I look forward to hearing from you all.

Justin

[email protected]

RE: New Va Group/Club
 

Thanks for getting back to us on this idea. Sent you an email. ;)

RE: New Va Group/Club
 

sent you a PM a few days back.

RE: New Va Group/Club
 

e-mail sent

RE: New Va Group/Club
 

working on replying to all emails and pm's this weekend. I will be looking at another lease on sunday so I will be tied up part of the day. I want to thank everyone for responding and like I said I will be working on them.

RE: New Va Group/Club
 

UPDATE*****

I spent Sunday looking at various tracts of land totaling around 4000 acres. After walking and riding all day I was came home and started pounding out final offer letters. All in all I sent out final offer letters on over 4000 acres of different tracts of land around the region. While awaiting response on those I have more land to go look at and decide if it is worth sending out letters for. I will be working that this week along with working on the club by-laws so that I can get copies out to all those interested. Also in all of this the club logo is being drawn up and as soon as it is complete I will post it for you all to see.

I am also working on returning all the emails in the next few days. I have tried to atleast acknowledge any emails I have gotten however I was buiser than expected.

If anyone else is interested let me know and of course any questions please feel fre to email me and ask away.

Thanks
Justin

RE: New Va Group/Club
 

You need any help?

RE: New Va Group/Club
 

Well guys it looks like we are another step closer to good hunting this year. I have spoke with the landowner and I believe the tract of over 1000 acres is going to be a done deal in the next few weeks! This tract also has a large amount of tidal creek frontage. It has a tract of over 400 acres that borders one side that is government controlled and does not get hunted as far as I know. The other side is bordered by a gentleman who owns sveral hundred acres that does not allow any hunting at all, so QDM will be excellent in this area! The property consistently produces trophy deer every year with no qdm program in place, so that genitcs are there.

I also have recieved some positive and promising responses from several other landowners that combined total an addidtional 900 or so acres. I am now working on finalizing the leases on these places..

Any questions drop me an email.

Thanks
Justin

I will probably be asking for some help in things coming up in the next few weeks so if anyone is interested in helping let me know.

Thanks

RE: New Va Group/Club
 

Sounds like your getting all the pieces in place Justin.

RE: New Va Group/Club
 

Seems like it is finally working out... I think a big part of what is helping me is all the contacts with landowners I have made over the years for this reason or that.

You will have to atleast come as a guest this year... and save your money for next year lol


I also want to let everyone know that it would be great if you all could start using [email protected] instead of the other email.. I am trying to consolidate everything relating to the club into one spot.

Thanks

RE: New Va Group/Club
 

Sounds like it really has potential andyou have excellent ideas for the club. Wish I lived closer as I would probably jump on it in a heartbeat. Good hunting clubs are hard to find.

RE: New Va Group/Club
 

Just a quick check in... I sent out an update last weekend to all those who have contacted me with interest thus far. I have since found that I missed one or two emails along the way, so if you did not get an update via email then please shoot me an email so I can get it out to you. I will have naother email update going out within the week. I might need one or two people to look at some property with me depending upon what the landowner tells me. If your are interested in that let me know.

Anyone else who is interested in information on the club feel free to email as well.

[email protected]

Justin

RE: New Va Group/Club
 

Update...

I sent out a email update last night if you did not get it then email me and let me know I will forward it to you.

We have been offered a lease in Nelson County, I know this is not the Northern Neck area I was looking in, but I was approached by some landowners who contacted me after being given information about the club. We have been given theoption to lease a large amount of land between 3700 and 5000 acres. This land is basically one large continuous area with several different tracts composing the acrage. so it makes it an even sweeter deal and much easier for qdm instead of broken up tracts. I was offered a 8 year lease with a locked in rate and first refusal at another long term lease at the end of this lease term. It already has some food plots established on it. We will be allowed to camp there and I believe they told me they would let use leave campers for the duration of season. ATV and UTV usage for hunting/traping and fishing will be ok but no recreational riding at all. The one tract is suppose to hold a good bear population and the other tracts have their own populations as well. The deer numbers are suupose to be high and there is water features on the property.

I have never personally hunted this area but have heard that there are some bruiser bucks and nice bears in there. They also mentioned a good turkey population in addition to rabbits. I love the idea of a 8 year lease, that would allow us to do so much in the way of QDM espcially on a area that large.

They also offered to introduce me to neighboring landowners if we worked something out. They said the basis of our club and what we are trying to accomplish would more than likely win some more landowners over. SO there is the possibility to obtain more land in the area.

I ended up getting played by a money hungry landowner on a tract of 600 acres who was trying to ring every penny he could out even after a niddign deadline so I walked away from that, not the place we want to invest in. I am still waiting to hear back on a few of the Northern Neck properties as well.

Anyone who might be interested now that we will be leasing some land over toward that area of the sate please shoot me a email and let me know you are responding from this forum.

Thanks
Justin

[email protected]

RE: New Va Group/Club
 

Creeps in, looking around Justin good you know how to reach me, while your making a logo I can possible digitize something for a shirt hmm....

RE: New Va Group/Club
 

Did I hear the word rabbit? What's the habitat like on the property? Could you send me the info on the lease also?

RE: New Va Group/Club
 

Wow Eng, 4000 acres sounds fantastic. The lease I was putting together fell through via a dishonest middle man. If you are still looking for people to enter into a lease let me know as I live in Manassas and want to branch out from Quantico.

Brett

RE: New Va Group/Club
 

Steve and Brett.. I will be sending out a email today or tomorrow, I am finishing up a presentation for tomorrow nightto try to help a group for children with disabilities, they are going to the county to try to obtain more programs for these children, since in our area the only program from them is a baseball team that it seems is kept hush hush, havign lived around here all my life I did not know the team exsisted. So I am attending to try to show that we, the club fully support more programs and that we will be putting on some events to help these kids who deserve their chance to be happy as well.

The founder of this group was telling me he was at a county board meeting a few weeks ago speaking on diet needs for children in the school system with disabilities, when a woman spoke up telling them how there have been studies showing gluten free diets helps to slow or reverse to some extent autism in certain cases. The founders son (who is a fully funtioning autistic) turns to her and says " I happen to like my autism and I think I will be keeping it".. if sometihng like that dosent show you the heart that these kids have and move you, then nothing will..

ANyway as soon as I finish the prep work the email for the club will be going out to everyone, I will finally be able to announce dues either 7/5 or 7/6 as I will know what leases we have for the year by then.

RE: New Va Group/Club
 

it sounds like that nelson county property may join national forest if is has good bear population. i'm just across the mountain in augusta county . i'd be interested in joining a club in that area if dog hunting wasn't allowed.

RE: New Va Group/Club
 

Sounds very interesting Primative Weapons only with QDM in place. I read through your post and it was not clear regarding the type of hunting you were looking at. Yes there are several of us in SE Va that would be interested in a few more details. Are you at a point where you can give an answer onwould running deer hounds be allowed, and wouldXBows be allowed? My group is most interested in your basic primative gear, recurves, side locks etc... so hounds and X Bows may not work for us depending on just how you lay out the regs.

Sounds like you are well on your way, best of luck and I look forward to the hearing more about this..

RE: New Va Group/Club
 

I was a special education teacher in Prince William and Fairfax for 6 years. Worked with severe emotionally disturbed kids. Loved em to death, and still do.

I work with the same kids in a different capacity these days.

RE: New Va Group/Club
 

Why would xbows be prohibited in the club? If they are, then wouldn't any bows that are not long bows be included in that? That is if we are talking about primitive hunting. I don't remember this coming up before. Did I miss something?

RE: New Va Group/Club
 

Justin will have to clarify this, but I think Buck may have misinterpreted some ofhis post. I can understand concerns with the use of hounds, but if another hunter uses a crossbow or a inline ML in the correct season it's not going to affect my hunting.

I'm in a club that has a large tract (2300 acres) that's archery only for the whole season. We allow crossbows,I have seenno negativeeffect from themat all and can't understand why anyone would think there would be any.

RE: New Va Group/Club
 

Maybe it is not my fault for nto spelling it out.. there will be no hunting of deer with dogs by this club. Rabbits and various other game is another thing, but deer hunting will be "still" hunting only, only variance might be on some properties, toward the end of general firearms season, we may do some man drives if the deer movement has dwindled to nothing, just to get them moving, but that will be the decision of the organization as a whole as the time comes, and it may be something like the last day we do this, but the use of dogs for the purpose of deer hunting will not be allowed.

As far as crossbows I have to agree with rafsob and rick, what difference would the choice of archery or black powderequipment impact the hunt of someone else? I know there are some diehards that are dead set against crossbows being legal, personally I am not a fan of them, however if it is a legal weapon to hunt with, and that person is proficient with their choosen weapon then I will support their right to use that weapon, however the people that think they can shoot a crossbow ethically out to 100 yards are another story.

With the initial lease in Nelson we will be also looking into an additional 100 adjoining acres to this property that would give us complete control of all the land inside of a triangle of roads, so no worrying about what the neighbors will be doing as they will be on the other side of the road.

RE: New Va Group/Club
 

Justin, Cant wait to see the update.


virginiashadow sorry to hear that lease fell apart. Hope you came out of that alright.

RE: New Va Group/Club
 

Easy guys, never said any method was bad only asked a few unanswered or un clear questions. As for me personally the deer hound issue would be a deciding factor, the X Bows no big deal but some may think differently? Like someone said above XBows, compounds, In Lines, nothing primative about them, it is the still hunting only part that is most appealing for me.

If I am still welcome after me first question please forward the information as it becomes available..

RE: New Va Group/Club
 

Buck, you are more than welcome, shoot me a email at [email protected] , let me know that you are contacting me from here and your screen name. We will be looking at the nelson tract on friday morning finally, as well as cruising the neighboring tracts to see if they are worth making offers on. The By-laws will be sent out for everyone's review and the General Rules and Regualtion draft is being worked on currently. Dues will be announced the first of next week after our trip to Nelson, one of the main reasons being is this landowner says they may also have some other tracts in the same region that they would like to offer us, so depending unpon the outcome of friday, we may end up with more than the original amount though out in the Nelson County area, but I am not going to get too wound up about it, as I have had the air let out of me too many times this year with land dealings. At thispoint a bird in the hand is worth two in the bush so I am going to lock up what ever I can and whatever falls into our lap after the fact we will decide as a group what to do with them.

I also will be scheduling our first meeting after Friday as well.

We attended the meeting last night in regards to the special needs kids and it was a wonderful experience, the club will be involved in a few different aspects with this cause, from hosting some fishing and camping events to other things. We are working on trying to provide hunting outings for those kids that have had the door to the outdoors closed to them due to their needs, we are going to be the ones to open the door for these kids.

RE: New Va Group/Club
 

Thanks will send a pm....

RE: New Va Group/Club
 

Alright... went and looked at the Nelson County tract and all I can say is wow, I took some pics I will try to post later today. I will be sending out the big email everyone has been waiting for today or tomorrow. It will have dues etc in it.

I was hoping to have it sent out yesterday, however we spent all night on the 4th in the ER with Brody (our 8 month old) so one long long long night in the ER, a 1/2" incision, two antibiotics and one very upset little man later we were heading home watching the sun rise. I have to say that is the most helpless feeling in the world, watching my son screaming in fear and pain, reaching for me or his mom to pick him up looking at us like why won't you help me while they worked on him. It was truly heartbreaking and gutwrenching.

Anyway I am working on getting information typed up and sent out while taking care of little man.

RE: New Va Group/Club
 

Emails with information on dues etc. went out this morning. If you did not recieve one, send me a email at [email protected] and let me know you are from this board and did not get the email. I will get it right out to you!

Justin

I have found some pictures of some of the animals that came off this tract last season, if you are interested in the club and are wanting to see them then email me and let me know.

to rich for my blood,but thanks for the info........

I can understand how the cost might seem high, especially with the current economy being what it is; but IMO it's an excellent price for the amount of acreage and a QDM property.

I've paid more for much less and know of people who pay MUCH more for MUCH less. Only time will tell but at this point I really feel it's an excellent value.

there are plenty of hunt clubs in that area begging for members at 250-300.00 a yr and some have way more land.

Yes there are plenty of those clubs, however all of them allow dog hunting be it Saturdays only or all year. Some allow no still hunting on a day when they are running dogs or until the end of their deer drives, others say you can hunt on other property they are not using on that day.

Knowing of these clubs I also will say that none of them have one continuous tract that is as large as this tract with the options to add more land to it in the coming years. In fact I spoke with the land manager today and there is the chance to almost double our acreage in short order if we choose to do so.

Of the still hunting only clubs in the area that are truly QDM minded one is 3000 acres and is $1600.00 your first year and $1100.00 after that and has a long waiting list. Another one is around 4900 acres and change (so they have 400 more acres than us) and I do not know if it is all one large tract or broken into smaller tracts, their dues are $1250 a year. Another club that was QDM (they dropped their QDM rules)up until this coming season has 2100 acres and has 50 members and dues are $400.

The property we leased has produced a number of P&Y and B&C bucks and huge bears, having talked with the local C.P.O and landowners they have taken a 474lb. and a 527lb ( I believe that was the number) bears in the last few years in addition to a number over 300lbs from this property. All of this was done with no kind of QDM program in place.

C.S.A is still hunting only NO DEER DOGS which is hard to come by anywhere on this side of the mountains. We have a great group of guys that I have already met and I am looking forward to meeting more of you.

I can only wish you the best with your hunting endeavors with those other clubs and hopefully you take some nice bucks there and make lifelong memories.

i just got out of a club in the same area that has alittle over 10,000 acres ,i paid 300.00 a yr. that club ran some dogs ,but had plenty of still hunting area's ,lots of food plots and a club house. plus we are killing 150-175 b&c bucks and huge bear up to 600lbs on small tracts of land along the shenandoah natioal park with out paying anything. i don't know anyone that belongs to a club in that area that pays dues that high .

Like I said I wish you all the best in your endeavors and may you start making more memories that will last a lifetime with whom you choose to hunt.

The clubs I was refering to were Bundoran, Oak Ridge and Metro Sportsmans. With Oak Ridge being a neighbor on one side they are 5,000 acres of QDM. PLus there is a 800 acre tract that is for sale on the other side that had been QDM for awhile, so that means there are almost 11,000 acres of QDM in one area. I feel this sets us apart from most clubs when we can offer an area this large that is QDM. As well as in the probable addition of another couple of thousand acres to our lease in the next few years.

I hope your broadheads find their mark and your memories overfill your mind and soul. You should come join us as a guest at some point this year.

On another note - It was great meeting those of you that were able to make it this weekend. I look forward to a great season with you all and your families, as well as meeting those who couldnt make it out.

Justin

What club and why did you get out?

There are several clubs in that area that charge more than $ 1000/year and you'll be on a list waiting to become a member.

and there's a reason they're begging for members

i find most of the guys joining the high priced hunt clubs are coming from the cities ,northern va. ,richmond and can't find places to hunt. they are used to paying high prices for everything. out in the rural area's of va,. you won't find many willing to pay that price to hunt.

Dude what's your problem, if your not interested fine, why do you need to hijack the thread?. Like I said, I don't know of a establish QDM (still hunt) Club that doesn't have a waiting list. The due could be lower if they added more members, but that would detract from the hunting, to each there own. If that's not your thing, there's plenty of public land or other clubs.

And you obviously don't know much about NOVA, we have some good clubs, plenty of deer and there's a few folks that will let you hunt for free, if you ask.