There are several large QDM leases near Petrey. One NE of Petrey near Ainsley. Last I knew, Bob Wells was club prez. He's a banker in Troy. Nice guy.

Another club is about 2,000-ac on Bee Branch between Petrey and Luverne. I don't know their club prez but am told they are also on strict QDM program.

Our lease in Petrey is roughly 5,000 ac. This is our 20th year on strict high end QDM. Shooter buck must be 4.5 or older. Limited to 15 total members. We screen for members who live 2 hrs or more away. Very restrictive rules about guests, stand choice based on wind direction, closing areas of the lease each week to rest it, etc.

We turnover a few guys every year. Reasons range from job transfer, family problems, health issues, or different expectations. Most common reason is differing expectation. For example, a man of integrity joins who is tired of brown-it's-down clubs. Thinks he is ready to step up to an intensively managed lease. After a couple seasons of passing up underage bucks, he comes to the conclusion it's not for him. He doesn't break the rules, but realizes the right thing to do is leave on good terms and find a club where he can shoot younger bucks.

Then we occasionally get a member who turns out to be an armchair biologist. He is a good guy with good intentions. Not a troublemaker. Just wants to do his part and improve the lease. But he has unrealistic expectations for the kind of deer that Alabama can produce. He is convinced that Crenshaw County can produce bucks like Illinois or Iowa if we just have a few acres of soybeans and run a few protein feeders. After all, that's what Lee & Tiffany said.