Unless you’re hunting with very few like minded people rules are an absolute necessity. More often than not it works far better if one authority says these are the rules. Abide or leave. No voting, Etc. If you start allowing each member to have a say it hardly ever works out.
The best managed clubs with the most satisfied hunters usually have a zero guest policy, outside the paying members immediate family. No other guests. All deer killed go under that paying members season limit. So if John has paid, and John is allowed two bucks, and John’s 10 year old kills one, then John gets one more on his membership. Start allowing people as guests to kill multiple bucks and folks get their feelings hurt.
Antler restrictions or age limits are usually needed. If you’re hunting with people you can’t share pictures with, then you’re hunting with the wrong crowd. Get comfortable sharing pics and discussing what to shoot and not to shoot. Point restrictions are about useless and baseless. Main beam and inside spread minimums are the way to go IF you aren’t shooting based on age. If shooting based on age then you have to be willing to share information.
No ATV usage unless it’s deer retrieval. No exceptions.
No checking cameras and running around checking for sign on Friday evening before the weekend hunters arrive. It impacts deer movement.
If you hang a stand in a common area (road or food plot) it’s fair game for anyone to sit.
If baiting is allowed then every member is required to buy a baiting license, whether they use bait or not. Reason being if they’re unknowingly hunting in proximity to another members bait, they gotta have it.
Hope that helps. I’ve seen and been a part of a lot of properties and it’s generally best when one is making decisions and others are following them. If people don’t like that it’s better they lease their own place and make their own rules and be the dictator there.
Last edited by Mbrock; 02/11/23 09:25 AM.
