How many of you guys are part of a QDMA branch? I am doing some volunteer work for my undergrad and the senior biologist ask me today about starting a branch/ chapter here in Fort Bragg. I know what QDMA is and does but I’ve never been in one much less possibly running one. Any advice would be appreciated y’all can PM me as well.

Thanks,
Dewayne

After they shut down their forum I quit buying their magazine and looking at the website.

X2

X3 Shutting down the forum was a dumb move.

Another dumb move was when they started having the convention in February.

I was a branch president and active in the Lake Martin branch for 4-5 years. We had a tough time getting people involved. Our yearly banquets weren't generating enough revenue to make any money.
I still like reading their magazine and enjoy the information they provide. It's just hard to find enough people who share the QDMA principles who are willing to participate in events.
I think managing deer the "right" way is too technical and too much work for the average weekend hunter.

x4. I agree with 2dogs, dumb move.

We sponsored a 3 seminars about 14 years ago, but they got old to me in a hurry. They were basically a shoot does, shoot does, and shoot more does type speeches and then it was time for selling merchandise. The last seminar they forgot the schedule or something. I had been in touch with them several times, had advertised a lot and about two days before they were to show up they had to scramble to find a couple of guys to fill in. They were almost as bad as the turkey bunch with their merchandise selling.

Thanks for the all info, Ive been doing some more reading on QDMA and Iam also thinking about maybe a conservation group. We could do a lot of the same projects and have a lot of the same type of fundraisers. I think this might actually be the way to go now that I think about it.

Blasphemy!

When i was stationed there about seven years ago there was a fort bragg branch. They had certain foodplots that they planted. I was a member and had eqiupment and tried to volunteer and help them but didnt want anything to do with me. They tried to keep “there” plots to themselves even though it was on post.

This is exactly what I've heard from others that were members. Ive also been told there was a wealthy family that donated a lot time and resources and kind of drove a to of people out, along with some members of the branch that thought they should get 'special privileges' when it came time to hunt.

My thoughts is, if I've got a guy that wants to volunteer I'm not going to turn him away just because. The goal of the branch and the members in it should want to improve the quality of hunting for everyone, not just he guys who participate in the QDMA.

Where were you at when you were here at Bragg?

The thing was that i was a QDMA member at the time. I even went to one of the meetings over by the fish hatchery and introduced myself. I was in 2-504 at the time.

I still miss the QDMA forum. All of the habitat stuff on there was great. Tons of knowledge about the best ways to grow chestnuts. I never understood why they took it down. What other sites besides here has anyone else frequented that had lots of good info re: habitat improvement and such?

I hear there's one called Habitat Talk , or something like that , but I haven't checked it out.

There's habitat talk and deer hunter forum. Most all the old QDMA guys are over there. I got on both for a while, but really haven't been on either for quite some time.

I am on our committee here in central Alabama. PM if you have questions. I don't get involved in many things, but have enjoyed this and will stay involved.

We had a meeting Friday night with the regional representative from South Carolina. A few members from the previous branch including one of the past presidents. It was good to have them there and they had a lot insight. Before the meeting I spoke with the wildlife branch director to see what his intentions were. He really wants to get more people with an emphasis on youth hunters in the woods. The QDMA rep gave us some ideas on how we could go about this and start back with habitat improvements too. If you’re not familiar with Fort Bragg the habitat is less than desirable for anything except a red cockaded woodpecker. I will meet with the fish and wildlife director next week and go from there.

Lmao about the dreaded red cockaded woodpecker! The Army may "own the night" but the red cockaded woodpecker owns the woods there!