I didn't miss it.

I don't know anything about GA's lottery. It may suck or be great, I wouldn't know.

What are their stats?
Have their results been better than ours?
What are their rules?


I will say this, this dicussion has been great for BHA. And I am not talking about the OM hunt memberships. Seems, there are lots of folks that check out this site/thread and are impressed with what is going on.

Okay, but perhaps you should look into a mirror and repeat those same words, except substitute the word "me" with "BHA".

Actually, I think you are the one missing the point.

If this was simply a program to offer more hunting oppotunities, the lottery would be obviously the fair way to go. But, that is not the case. The DCNR has worked hard to get public support of the OM hunts to try and reduce the deer population. And they also want to do this without eating into funds they don't have.

Outback, I have read everything I can find on the BHA website, and that is the reason I have the opinion that I do.
I formed my opinion based on research, and there is one statement that turns me against them on this. I have already addressed it with a member of BHA, and we agree to differ. That's all folks.

Hey its plain and simple. If you don't want to pay for BHA membership, you won't hunt OM. Nobody cares if you don't hunt OM. There are plenty of people willing to pay the membership and hunt. There is no use in arguing all day about it. I'm not joining BHA because I don't want to hunt OM. If I did want to hunt it, I would join. We all pay enough taxes to be able to cover alot of things, like hunting license, but if you don't buy hunting license, you don't hunt. It's the way it is and the way it has always been.

I was able to hunt OM several times when the state was holding the hunt, and took several does off the property. I paid the fees, passed the test, scouted, and tried to help the cause. I will tell you this is not shooting fish in a barrel. OM is a difficult place to hunt. Some of the hunts in the past required you to kill a doe before you killed a buck, I guess this rule was to satisfy the people saying we were all "trophy" hunting. That was a stupid rule. I know of several hunters that had to let little bucks pass never to see a doe. With a 3 buck limit now, I will not sacrifice one of my limit to tag out a malnourished spike that I am going to donate to hunters feeding the hungry. I would rather hunt my own lease, kill the does we need killed, and if I decide to tag a spike it will be a healthy one I take to my processor to feed my family. I am not going out there for selfish reasons. I think they need to not count these deer against your limit and let you kill as many as you can arrow, then maybe the job will get done, hunters will have more incentive to apply, and hunters for the hungry will benefit from the meat. I wish the BHA all of the luck in the world. I hope you can make these hunts sucessful, and that the park will benefit from your efforts. If anyone gets chosen, but has little time to scout I would be more than happy to tell you the places I saw and killed deer, and give you directions in an effort to help out...Huntr

That's a great offer from Huntr and a good attitute.

I also think they should waive the the 3 buck limit for the park hunt.

HOLD ON,

I posted this thread account ONE REASON.................................

The fact that I MUST JOIN BHA to have a chance to hunt Oak Mountain.

I have NOTHING AGAINST BHA I think they do a GREAT job helping US bow hunters out.

I don't even have a problem with BHA running the hunt.

I WOULD RATHER PAY THE EXTRA MONEY TO TAKE THE TEST, THAN RATHER BE FORCED TO BECOME A MEMBER TO A ORG, THAT I WOULD HAVE ALREADY JOINED IF I WANTED TO.

Drop the requirement to Join BHA, and just charge people to apply and TEST.

Okay,

If we charge the same amount to apply and take the test and then give you a free membership, has anything changed?

I guess you could refuse the membership.

Yes, THATS HOW IT SHOULD HAVE BEEN SET UP, but let hunters the hunters who pass the test have the OPTION to join BHA "for free".

1. It would do away with "forced" joining of a organization, it would HELP BHA in the long run, account it wouldn't look like BHA is getting something off of this from the DNRC.

2. This has been a good Thread, but if what I wrote above was how it was handled there wouldn't be 4 or 5 pages of comments, account most people wouldn't have a probelm with it.


I'm happy with what I've seen BHA has done, I think it's a great organization and wish it had a chapter here in Clay County.

I am always looking to add chapters in counties we don't have them. If you know some good folks that are willing to work toward that goal, please let me know.

I understand the membership objection. But, I guess we did it this way so folks wouldn't say we were misleading folks by charging them for the test and giving them the membership.

Have tried to keep everything open and honest.

The first hunt is just a few days away. I am hoping for good weather and lots of deer movement!

Sounds easy Barry, if they don't won't to join, take their money, put it in the general fund and don't issue a membership....