HILLCREST HUNTING CLUB INC., LLC
2015-2016 CLUB RULES
Welcome to Hillcrest Hunting Club Inc., LLC. We wish you a safe and successful hunt. Members must always be mindful of others applying God’s Golden Rule and being respectful and helpful to each other.
A. General Club Rules
1 - We must remember the club house and other areas are property belonging to the Giles family, RMS, Miller, Bearden, Mixon and the Christian's. We must not forget we are their guests. Also, remember the rules of our leases must be followed at all times. 2 - During the rainy/wet season, please buddy up with other members to keep the number of vehicles on the roads of our property to a minimum. Please use four wheelers whenever possible. 3 - At no time will anyone go to or through an area/plot already selected by a member. 4 - No discharging of guns in club house area. No loaded guns are allowed in vehicles, club house or campgrounds. Weapons can be loaded only when you arrive at hunt area and must be unloaded before you depart hunt area. 5 - No member or guest can use another member’s climbing tree stand without permission. Tripods and ladder stands are open for general use. However, if a person uses a tree climber, they must use a full-body safety harness! If you use a climber, you cannot return to retrieve the climber until you draw that area again! You should bring it out with you as you leave that particular area! 6 - No deer can be left in cooler for more than 7 days. All deer left in the cooler must be tagged with the member’s name and date deer was placed in cooler. 7 - There will be no females in the clubhouse overnight. 8 - All new members are on probation the first year. 9 - No illegal drugs are allowed on any club property. No alcohol is allowed on property. Foul language will not be tolerated on club properties. 10 - Supplemental feeding of deer during the off season (February & May - September) will be allowed per state law. All feeders must have the owner’s name on them. Feeders found without a name will be confiscated and become club property. All supplemental feed and feeders must be removed no later than October 1st. Failure to remove feed/feeders will result in dismissal from Hillcrest Hunting Club, Inc., LLC. 11 - Keep all gates to the property closed and locked at all times. Do not leave gates open for any reason. 12 - During turkey season, a member may sign out for up to 3 contiguous areas. 13 - Hillcrest Hunting Club, Inc., LLC observes the state-wide youth hunt. The youth hunt is the Saturday before the opening weekend of gun season. All members are encouraged to participate and teach our youth about the outdoors because if you teach your child to hunt, you won’t have to hunt your child. 14 - Members are responsible for any children that are brought with them. Must have Liability Release & Medical Release forms signed by legal guardian(s).
15. The use of Hillcrest Hunting Club Inc., LLC website and group email is limited to official club business. In the case of official club business, all correspondence has to be approved through the Web Masters and/or Bob Stone.
B. Work Days
1 - Members are required to put in a total of five (5) workdays. Three (3) of your days must be on scheduled days with the remaining two (2) worked at your discretion.
2 - Members must sign up for or be assigned to a work team and complete tasks as scheduled by the Work Masters. The work team leader will verify completed tasks by members and the Disciplinary Board will determine the fine for missed scheduled tasks.
3- $50.00 per day per tractor or piece of equipment will be paid to members who use their tractor/equipment for club activities.
4- Planting days are every day in September and October as needed.
C. Membership Dues/Fees 1- Annual dues for 2015-2016 are $1,400.00 per member, subject to change as lands are added/expenses are increased. Annual dues cover the period from March 1st thru February 15th and include use of the camp, deer, turkey, squirrel, rabbit and quail hunting. Alabama law allows for the overlapping of some seasons, however, we are a deer hunting club, therefore, there will be no hunting of any other game during deer season. NO COON HUNTING ON ANY CLUB PROPERTY AT ANY TIME. Campers using the campground will be subject to a pro-rated electrical bill for their part of the additional electricity.
2- To ensure your space in Hillcrest Hunting Club, Inc., LLC for the upcoming season, please advise Hunt Master Bob Stone of your intentions by February 15th. One half of your dues, $700.00, will be due March 15, 2015 and the balance of $700.00 will be due on May 31, 2015. (If you need, or prefer, to pay your dues on a monthly basis this will be o.k., just let our treasurer know and be sure the full membership is paid on or before May 31, 2015 or you will not be allowed to hunt!) Our leases with RMS, Miller and Mr. Giles are due on June 15, 2015.
3- There will be no refund of dues. Hardship situations will be decided and prorated on a case by case basis by the board of directors.
4-Campers are to pay the estimated electric bill, (January-December), in advance with the understanding that an additional amount may be due or refunded. There will be no holding of camper spots without paying.
D. Family Members and Guests 1- Spouses, children and grandchildren under 19 years of age or 19 and over that is a full-time college student, hunt free. (Immediate Family Members.) All guest will fall under the following rules: (CONSIDER-NO CHILD UNDER THE AGE OF 13 MAY SIT ON ANY STAND WITHOUT A LICENSED HUNTER 25 YEARS OLD OR OLDER AT ARM’S REACH. ANY CHILD 13-16 THAT PRODUCES AN ALABAMA HUNTER'S EDUCATION CERTIFICATE MAY SIT ON A STAND ALONE PROVIDED A LICENSED HUNTER 25 YEARS OLD OR OLDER IS AT THE NEXT CLOSEST STAND. NO EXCEPTIONS! NO CERTIFICATE - NO HUNTING ALONE! THIS IS FOR THE SAFETY OF EVERYONE IN THE CLUB.) Guests occupying a stand alone and not qualifying as an immediate family member must pay the guest fee. 2- Paying guests are only allowed on Hillcrest, Bearden, Miller plots 8 thru 12, Miller plots 19-20 & Mixon plots 1-2.
3- Members may not have more than one (1) guest per hunt. 4- Each paid membership allows 3 guest passes for each hunting season. Deer (3), Turkey (3) and Small Game (3). No paid guest may hunt more than three (3) days in any one season except for immediate family members.
5- A fee of $50.00 per calendar day for all game will be charged for guests. (No split days.) When you bring a guest, you, the member are totally responsible for that guest and his/her actions, fines, fees and forms. There will be no fee for guest fishing. (All guests, both paid and Immediate Family members, share in your total membership inclusion of 3 bucks and 5 does.) a. Each paid guest must sign in Guest Book. b. Each paid guest must wear an arm band while on property. c. Each paid guest is allowed one (1) deer harvest per season annually. (Buck or doe.) d. Each paid guest must pay the hunting fee before their hunt. e. Deer harvest must have harvest fee paid on the day of harvest. 1. Buck harvest fee = $200.00 2. Doe harvest fee = $100.00 f. Immediate Family that is active military has the guest fee waived. All other rules, fees and fines apply. g. Guests age 75 and older have the guest fee waived. All other rules, fees and fines apply. h. Only Members and Immediate Family Members are allowed on Round Rock, Miller (management part), and Christian properties. (Management Properties) No paid guests. i. No paid guests on non-management properties after December 31st. (Hillcrest, Bearden, Miller plots 8 thru 12, Miller plots 19-20 & Mixon plots 1-2.)
6- Each guest that you bring must complete a guest application form and pay fees in full at the time of their hunt.
7- The guest will remain with the member at all times. Members MUST drop off/pick up guest at each hunt. At no time should a guest be allowed to "wander about" club property alone.
8- Members bringing a guest turkey hunting (hunting or not) must hunt within the 3 contiguous zones the member signs out.
a. Guests must accompany the member in the area signed out by the member. b. Gobbler harvest must have harvest fee paid on the day of harvest. 1. Gobbler harvest fee = $50.00
9- Hillcrest Hunting Club, Inc., LLC is not responsible for any spouse or children a member brings to the club property.
10- Members who bring spouse and/or children hereby waives Hillcrest Hunting Club, Inc., LLC's liability.
E. Signing Out For An Area
1- Upon arrival at the camp, each member is required to record his/her name into a hunter's log book. If you have a guest hunter, you should log that name in the Guest Book. (This is to serve as a checks and balances system with our guest application forms). Once you have signed in, place your name chip in the box to be included in the draw for the current hunt.
2- A member with dues paid in full will draw for an area/food plot at the appointed time. As each name is drawn, the member will select an area/food plot until all members have drawn. The member will place his/her name on the corresponding line for the area selected. This is an effort to remain safe and know where our members/guests are in case of an emergency.
3- If there are any food plots remaining, then a member may select again for his guest following the above procedure. If all areas/plots are taken then the member and guest will hunt together. At no time shall a guest or anyone other than a member be allowed to draw.
4- AM food plot/areas will be drawn at the club house at 4:30am. All food plots will be vacated by 11:00am No one shall be out of the shooting house walking around the area of the food plot because this will affect the afternoon hunt.
5- PM food plots will be drawn at the club house at 1:00pm. The afternoon hunt will last from the time of the drawing until dark.
6- You may choose to hunt an area ALL DAY! You must mark your name IN RED on the board. You cannot change your mind later in the day and draw at the 1:00pm drawing. Members who miss the 4:30am drawing may still sign out an area for all day if they sign out the area by 9:00am.
7-Those who are not present at the designated draw time will choose from areas that remain on a first come, first served basis. When signing out late, members should make every effort not to disturb hunters already on the stand.
8- For safety reasons all members must return to the club house and remove their names from the board. If you are not going to hunt the afternoon hunt, you will need to log out and place your chip back on the board No one should erase another member's name from the sign-out board.
9- Use of the shooting range will be restricted to the hours of 11:00am until 1:00pm during deer season.
a. The shooting range will be closed if a hunter has signed out all day for stands #1, #2, #3, #4, or #5.
F. Harvest Rules/Records
1- To comply with Alabama law, when an animal is taken, the harvest form must be completed before the animal can be moved. 2- Each paid membership allows only three (3) bucks and five (5) does per hunting season; Per Alabama State Law, if one member harvests all three (3) bucks, one must be at least 4 points on one side. (All member’s immediate family & paid guests, share in your total of a 3 buck and 5 doe limit.) Each additional buck taken by an immediate family member will result in a $200.00 harvest fee.
a. On Round Rock, Miller (management), and Christian properties, bucks must have antlers with a minimum of 12" inside spread or (1) 15" main beam and no deer 60lbs. or less. b. No doe harvest on Round Rock, Miller (management) and Christian properties after December 15th. c. No doe harvest on Hillcrest, Bearden, Miller plots 8 thru 12, Miller plots 19-20 & Mixon plots 1-2 after December 31st. d. On Hillcrest, Bearden, Miller plots 8 thru 12, Miller plots 19-20 & Mixon plots 1-2, no spikes and no deer 60lbs. or less. e. Only immediate family members are allowed on Round Rock, Miller (management) and Christian properties. No paid guests. f. Each additional buck over the member’s limit of three (3) taken by an immediate family member will result in a $200.00 harvest fee. g. No paid guests on non-management properties after December 31st. (Hillcrest, Bearden, Miller plots 8 thru 12, Miller plots 19-20 & Mixon plots 1-2.)
3- All game killed will be brought to the camp house.
4- A record of all deer and turkey harvested will be kept. Each person taking a deer or turkey must report the kill that day. Each person taking a deer must remove a jawbone, completely fill out a jawbone tag including the plot name & number, attach the tag to the jawbone and deposit it in the jawbone basket within 14 days of harvest. Record of all deer killed must be recorded in the harvest book inside the camp house also. Each person taking a turkey must fill out a turkey harvest card (recording weight, beard length and spur length) and deposit the card in the gray box located in the camp house. If you are found not to be following this harvest procedure, you will go before the Disciplinary Board. 5- A photograph of all harvest will be taken and emailed to Hillcrest Hunting Club, Inc. LLC at hillcresthuntingclubincllc@live.com when the harvest is brought to the camp. The photo should contain the hunter with the harvest and a dry erase board with the hunter’s name and harvest number matching the harvest log book.
6- All persons killing a deer will be responsible for disposing of remains.
7- Each member is to be given the opportunity to take a doe based on Alabama law. We must remember to be good stewards of the property and the deer. We strongly suggest that you take only does that you plan to eat. We are not a meat-hunting club. It is recommended that you take a large one and that you do it early in the season. There is a 5 doe limit, including bow, youth, muzzle loader and gun season. (All member’s guest hunters, immediate family & paid guests, share in your total of a 5 doe limit.) 8- Immediate family members, (spouse, child or grandchild under the age of 19 or, a full time student in college), of a Hillcrest member will be allowed a hunter's choice one time only. This is to allow that family member who has never taken a deer to do so. (This will not be included in the total of 5 does and must use the harvest tag with a red sticker). Limited to Hillcrest, Bearden, Miller plots 8 thru 12, Miller plots 19-20 & Mixon plots 1-2 properties only. Management areas not included. 9- No dogs allowed on property for hunting except between February 1st and February 28th.
G. Camp House, Campground & Hunting Areas
1- Please remember that each member is responsible for his/her own mess. Always clean up behind yourself.
2- Each member will leave the stand in good order. All cans, litter and other objects taken to the stand by the member must be removed when leaving.
3- The member is responsible for maintaining and keeping clean his/her camp or bunk area. This includes the grass cut and garbage picked up and disposed of.
4- The camp house is for all to use and for all to keep clean. We must all do our part in maintaining the entire camp area. 5- See campground rules for additional information deemed by the Campground Committee.
H. Disciplinary Board
1- In an effort to maintain the level of quality time spent while on Hillcrest Hunting Club Inc., LLC properties, a new Disciplinary Board has been established. This board consists of a minimum of five (5) members that have three (3) or more years vested in the club and selected to serve per the member vote. Those currently serving on this board are; Dare Lowery, Rickey Self, Hugh Turner, Claude Huff and Jeff Craddock.
2- Any member or guest that has broken a rule will be taken before this board.
3- All fines imposed by this board must be paid before said member is allowed to hunt on any property.
4- All decisions made by the board are final.
I. Fines and Penalties
1- The severity of the fine will be equal to the severity of the offense. All fines are set by the Disciplinary Board. Fines for breaking the Hillcrest Hunting Club, Inc., LLC rules are as follows:
1st offense $150.00 - $250.00; 2nd offense $250.00 - $350.00
3rd offense member will be banned from the club and all property with no refund of dues.


As I stated before. They had to be spelled out clearly for folks like you.