Aldeer.com Forums Alabama Deer Talk Serious Deer Talk Forum Club rules??

I personally don't agree with it but I don't have much say in the matter. I think there should be 4-6 different criterias and you must meet 3 of them or the fine comes into play. I understand that the focus is trying to be shifted to the older age class deer, but there are deer killed every year that are 4.5+ deer that didn't and won't ever make 15 inches. Some deer will never see 15 inches wide in their lifetime.

14 inches wide
5 inch bases
8 points or better
4+ years old (aged by teeth)
20 inch main beam

Gotta meet 3. (I think this is pretty ideal).

I'm the new guy though and I just abide by what's in place when I joined. I knew the rule when I paid my money so I keep my mouth shut. I think the other is a much more effective management tool than the straight 15 inch rule.

The biggest rule is if you have the right adults in place, it won't be bad. If you have the wrong adults, no amount of rules will fix it. These clubs with 4,001 rules are because they had the wrong people to start with.

Let everyone know you are the boss. The members will make your life miserable if you let them. As stated above give them a copy of rules and make them sign a copy.
If you want antler restrictions then have a two buck limit. If a member invites a guest and they kill a buck it comes from their two buck limit. You will be surprised how much trigger control people have if they kill one more buck their season is over.
No guest after Dec 31st. This will cut down on people bringing guest during the rut and will stop a lot of complaining.

If they don't like the rules tell them to join another club!

You can write all the crazy dang rule you want to, but remember it is suppose to be a place of enjoyment. Keep the rules simple, the average hunter usually doesn't have a clue how big a 120" buck is when they are running across a food plot or fire lane. I've seen a lot of friends lost in clubs due to jealousy and greed. Have a good time and encourage everybody else to also.

I agree with that!!!

Make up your rules that you know will work and don't deviate. Enforce them to your best ability. If people leave, so be it. Eventually you will find a group of like minded guys.

Go ahead and clean out about half your membership. If it’s been a long standing club, I’m sure you know who’s always moaning and complaining about something. You don’t need them. That mess in contagious and will spread. After that, look for like minded folks to fill the vacancies. Get the right people, and you won’t need as many rules. Good luck.

No issues at our club.

Only one thing is certain, it will be a pain in the butt. I've been doing it for about 40 years. It boils down to a firm leader and who the members are. In my opinion, democracy doesn't work, a benevolent dictatorship does. If you have the members running the club, you have the inmates running the asylum.
We have a small club, 6 members on 800 acres, we have very little turnover and don't consider new members unless current members know them and can vouch for them. You really get to know someone when you hunt with them over a period of time. When in doubt keep them out, one bad member can make it miserable for everyone and you will have to deal with any and all problems they create. If members dont like your rules they can find another place to hunt and all rules need to apply to all members

You have to decide what type of club you want and determine if the land you have will sustain it; e.g. heavy doe harvests may be fine in some areas and detrimental in others, plenty of huntable acreage may allow for more a liberal guest policy, etc. The rules on size and amount of deer allowed need to be tailored to your area while accounting for your current membership (unless you don't mind losing them.)

Some of my favorite rules:
A set number of deer per membership
2 areas per member per hunt (if someone has a large family, it may be necessary to buy another membership or hunt closer together)
Members choose area first through a draw situation if feasible
Progressive fines
Missed work days should cost enough to motivate most to come (relative to membership makeup)
Certain plots are buck only
If a feeding program is necessary, have designated areas
Keep in season scouting to a minimum
No in season rule changes
Enforce all rules equally

There are more but these are some of the big ones for me.

I would agree with that. Like minded people who agree with all the rules and want to work to make it better will make it 100 times easier on you from the start.
I have learned you will never make everyone happy no matter what. You as president should be looking out for what is best for the club and its future. Not just what makes one or two happy.
Tractor memberships. Ive seen them offered from $50 a day usage to totally free memberships. Most of the times the tractor guy comes out on the bottom of the deal in the places I have been around.
Make sure the rules are printed off and posted at the club house or sign in board and everyone signs a copy. That way there is no "well i didnt know that" If you are going to allow guests they should sign a copy also. Set your dues due date well ahead of when the lease is due. This gives you time to find new members if old ones havent paid by whatever date you set.

Your first year will be your toughest. And dont forget. If you are signing the lease yourself and the club is not incorporated or LLC you are responsible for everything. Make sure you have land insurance. American hunting lease association was the cheapest I found. A personal liability umbrella policy wouldnt hurt to have either.
I know some people will disagree because ive heard it firsthand but unless its just a small handful of friends type club, club presidents should have to pay no dues at all with all the extra work thats involved in running one.

all good advice. The # of deer per membership works great. It cuts down on Billy bob who brings his brother in law or co worker along a lot. Its nothing to them when it doesnt effect them, but if ole bro in law kills a deer and it comes off Billy Bobs membership allowance it always seems that it isnt as important any more to Billy bob to be bringing a buddy all the time.

Agreed 100%. You can have goals to shoot for. If a member screws up and shoots a young deer,encourage he/she to do better next time. Dont allow guests. If a member wants to bring someone, then have them purchase another membership. 1 membership allows 1 gun in the woods. Some people go overboard with guest if you have an open guest policy. Really penalizes the people that dont abuse it. And its alot of added pressure when everyone can bring a +1.

I agree with ya. How does your club handle kids? Not an issue at ours, but I always wondered how other do it.

100% agree with this even before I realized who wrote it. You know where I'm coming from...

More rules mean more headaches. Regarding guests keep it simple. In an old club I was in, guests were not allowed on Fri-Mon starting January 15th. Also, guest fees went up from $25 to $50/day during that time. Bucks had meet one of the criteria: 165lbs, 14in wide, 3 inch bases, or 20 inch main beam (I think it was 20.), I killed a 213lb 7pt with a 15 inch spread on opening day at this club a few years ago on opening day. By teeth, he was a 4 1/2 year old deer. According to one poster here, in his club that would be a buck that would hit my checkbook and my season would be done. That's nuts.

This was a family oriented club that strived to kill mature deer. That's different from a trophy club where the buck and guest restrictions would (and should) be much tighter. Aslo, I believe it's almost impossible to have a large member "trophy" club. Keep it to 10 members and under for your trophy club. Anything bigger is gonna mean a ton of problems if you are trying to manage for trophy (4.5 age class and older) deer.

I have come to the conclusion that being a hunting club president (of a large club) is a thankless job and not worth the headaches.

Dr. B

Run. Run, run, run, run, RUN! Been there done that and have gone down the road with just about everything listed above and it’s just not worth it. You’ll do, at a minimum, twice the work of everyone else and hunt half as much as you’re used too.

And probably pour some of you own personal funds over and above your dues.

Dr. B

Yep.

We had members trying to sneak bucks not meeting minimum rules out without paying, and saying they mounted bucks to get out of paying fine and actually didn't. Clean out half your members, raise the cost and start over. They more you charge in dues, you will get rid of some of the rif raf. I like the idea of two bucks a year per member including ones their guest take. We had a guy who had three sons who hunted and what a fiasco that ended up being.

kids either have to sit with you, and their deer would come out of your member quota: 3 bucks/4does; most members purchase multiple memberships if their kids are 15+ yrs old. keeping it at 1 gun per membership is pretty cut and dried. I hunt with my wife on my membership , so we are either sitting together,or i'm staying at camp with the kids while she hunts. both our deer count towards our quota. a good question to ask potential members is this: "do you feel the need to shoot a buck to get your moneys worth out of the club?" our club is just under 3 grand, and I didn't shoot a buck last year, yet still consider it a successful year. passed numerous 3 year olds, probably a few 4 yr olds, but still was able to fill the freezer and enjoy time in the woods. the ones that feel the need to shoot bucks, even if they're young'uns , just to get their moneys worth, is never good if you're trying to shoot mature deer. if its a persons first deer,or a kids 1st bucks, there would also be no criticisms thrown their way in those circumstances.