How would y'all handle this club situation?

Back in March we put our deposit down for the upcoming season. All in all, everything was on the up and up and was looking like we were going to have a good year. Over the Spring I received rumors about us losing around a third of our property but its was not clarified until this past Friday night. The property that we had lost was one of my personal favorite pieces as well. Added to that note they have planned cutting for the other two pieces as well when we were told they would only be cutting a small bit at the end of season. Being since our full dues are expected by mid May, I am not particularly interested in hunting there near as I was when we had the other parcel. Especially since the President still wants the original full amount even though now that we are less 1500 acres. I do not want to chance my funds on not knowing what we will end up with on opening day. I feel as if what I signed in March was to hunt all the original properties and that obviously is not what will be the case now. Would y'all ask for a refund of the deposit or simply opt out of the club and not expect the half already paid to be refunded?

I'd expect, and demand, a refund. You are not getting what you paid for.

X2

Get a refund. The club changed and so should the membership fee. I bet the guy is going to be a douche bag about the whole thing. You may have to walk away.

If the guy is a dirt bag, let everyone know so we can stay away from him and the club.

X3

Same amount of members and same amount of money, he's probably looking to pick up some more property. Call him and talk to him about it. If not, then tell him you want your money back.

The president hasn't told anyone on the club with exception of the board members, which in turn relayed me the information. I am not supposed to know and wouldn't want to put someone in a bad spot. He has yet to call and tell any of the members.

X4 and that is something he should have told the entire club, but instead he is keepin it on the DL so he won't lose everyone...def demand a refund

Do you have something in writing from the club president that indicates total acreage included in member dues? If so, then it is reasonable to ask for a refund. If not, then you may be out of luck. At the very least, ask for a reduction in dues that is proportionate to the lost acreage.

Yes we signed the 2015 terms in March

So it's secondhand information which we all know is sometimes fouled up. Asking for the same payment of dues with a 1/3 loss of acreage doesn't sound right. Ask him yourself and get it squared away. I never get bent out of shape over secondhand info. Some of the important details are often lost in translation.

Club president needs to call a meeting ASAP and explain the situation and answer all questions. What happened seems to be something he had no control over, he may be trying to lease other properties. It wasn't his fault it seems.

I would riot and loot and light fires in my own neighborhood.

This^^^^^

X5

I would just casually call him up and ask him what the new arrangements are cuz you heard you lost some land. No need to turn it into a "situation" unless he tries to treat you unfairly. My approach is always to (at least try to) attempt a normal face to face, man to man conversation before jumping to conclusions and make it worse.

This. I wouldn't get to bent out of shape over 2nd hand info yet. I would bring it up to him and just strait up ask him in a nice way if ya'll are losing property and are ya'll going to have to keep paying the same dues if so. Surely the guy won't be a dick to you if you approach him in a decent manner.

If he says it is all true, I would then demand for a refund for the lost acreage or etc.

I called him this afternoon and we spoke for about 30 mins. Other than blatantly asking him about the land matter I wanted to see if he'd come out and just tell me. He has told about 5 members so far and I was hoping he'd have enough sack to let me know as well. Only thing he was worried about was when I was going to give him my remaining dues as well as if my buddies wanted to get in the club. I just laughed a little and politely got off the phone. He has mentioned it to a couple members and for them not to say anything that he just needed to find a way to break the news without anyone jumping ship. I'd be fine with it more than likely if he'd just come out with it as well as what his plans are.

If it were not the current "board members" relaying the information to me I would not dig much into it. They were letting me know so I could get my stands off that part before the locks were changed.

Why didn't you outright ask him while on the phone?

When I was approached about it by good friends, that asked me to not bring it up because they were the only ones that knew and were instructed to not tell any of the other members. I don't want to sell them out and go against my word and possibly put them in an awkward situation. Knowing from previous blowups by our prez they would more than likely be kicked out of the club on the spot.

That's something the president should be letting people know, IMO. The fact that he doesn't seem to be worried about other members property possibly being lost is a little disheartening. I'd make damn sure to ask him about it too when he does decide to let the cat out of the bag.

Ahh, I see. Maybe ya'll get everything squared away soon.

This sounds like a dictator ya are having to deal with and I would face up with him and ask him what is going on with the property. A hunting club takes all the paying members to afford the lease so it is your right to know and the rest of the members as we'll.

I would have outright asked him, how many acres we were going to have? You have a right to know. I can't see calling him and then not asking him about it.

I would keep my word to my friends and not stab them in the back. I would probably pay the other half and deal with the problems later. If you weren't half in already it would be different. friendship and trust are worth more than deer.

Your friends betrayed a confidence by telling you. When people tell me that they are not supposed to tell me something but ask me to keep it to myself I tell them not to tell me.

How can he charge the same amount for dues if the club lost 1/3 of the land? I'd ask for my money back and find another place. Lord knows there are no shortages of openings around the state.

Dr. B

#1 I would be curious why the land was lost in the first place. If it was bought by another timber co., common practice is to lease it to the current lessee. Did the president let the property go for some reason or was the property lost due to his actions? These are all things the board members need to answer, especially if the dues didn't change. It sounds like someone has some explaining to do before they get more money. This right here is how folks make real money off of hunting clubs. Not saying this guy is but this is how it happens, seen it too many times.

So, let's see:

You signed an agreement in March 2015 for X-amount of land for X-dollars with the knowledge that a small specified portion would be timbered.

Since then you have encountered:

-- a president who isn't forthcoming about the rumored changes but wants the rest of your money and seems to only be interested in that
-- a president who has informed some other members about these changes but told/asked them not to tell anyone else, thus creating an atmosphere of Us vs. Them
-- a member who betrayed that president's request but was attempting to help you so you don't get screwed over (possibly more than you are/will be)
-- potential loss of a tract along with more timber than previously believed would be cut
-- rumors and speculation, since the club president isn't forthcoming to all members equally

IMO you're in for a long season if you stay and probably won't get a refund unless you raise 18 kinds of krazy.

Best of luck.

Also, why haven't the Board members called BS on this? Everyone in the club deserves to know exactly what is going on presently, regardless of the eventual outcome. Sounds like they are in on the deceptive practice of not letting the entire club know the facts as they stand now, which makes them as guilty as the president, IMO.

That's why I like my club. To my knowledge, all matters that affect the club as a whole are made known to the club. For example, we have an access issue right now with adjoining landowner. It's a fluid situation and the club is being kept in the loop via email on how the situation is progressing. No backroom deals. No "only board members" know what's going on.

Transparency is the best option here and it sounds like the prez needs to inform all members of the situation and let them make their own decision on whether to stay of look elsewhere.

Dr. B

I think i would ask the board members that shared the info to ask the prez to hold a meeting and inform all the members

This situation should've already been resolved..You've already gotten some sound advice here..Now as for your "buddies" there okay with this? I mean r they paying full dues? This shucks don't sound right. U better get your money back asap..Oh & bye the way ain't no friend of mine(we wouldn't be friends) gonna swear me too secrecy while I'm being screwed out of my hard earned dayum money! U might wanna have a litte pow wow with these fellers..I hope everything works out for you..

regardless what happens this year, my faith in the club and board members would be lost. I would be start looking for another club. But thats just me.