Aldeer.com Forums Alabama Deer Talk Serious Deer Talk Forum Hunting Club Rules

I’d like to hear what different clubs rules looks like. We have a club meeting coming up and we need to make some changes to help the success and I’m gonna voice my opinion. I have my own thoughts but I’d like to hear what other have to say.
Rules on bucks, guest, feeding/baiting, checking trail cams and filling feeders, atv/sxs, and anything else you have in your club rule book.

Look forward to hearing what other clubs are doing and hopefully it will help our club out.

Hav not been in a club since corn - guessing that could get complicated. But the visitors w no limits use to burn me. If u go 10-25 times - u owe a membership. I would say 4-5 visits per year all after the first week of gun season and before jan 15. And a fee would b included. If u want more - he has to sit w u on your sand w u
And guest use to hav to sign out adjoining stands or right by u so they could not sign out the best 2 spots and some clubs make them hunt same area if large enough

I ain't in a club but me, wife and paw n law have it lil deal we ain't exactly got rules but this is what we do.
They shoot 6 pt or better
1 doe a piece off each property
No doe after Jan 1

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.

I have my own lease now, but have been in several clubs over the years. Rules are fine, but I've witnessed too many can make some members become outlaws. One club it got ridiculous with the sneaking of deer out.

My lease is with myself and two friends that I've known for years. We just have fun and shoot what makes us happy.

We only allow two sign outs per day. We do not want people out scouting/checking cameras at will. We allow 6 guest days per membership. A half day hunt counts as a whole day toward your 6. We also have a trophy fee for bucks killed by a guest. We aren’t allowed to feed or bait so that’s not an issue. Buck rule is 3.5 or older. My club is unlike most you hear about tho. We are all on same page and we all get along and enjoy hunting with each other. I don’t care what kind of rules you make. If you don’t have good members who get along then it’s gonna be a shucks show. Clicks will ruin a club.

I own my own property and lease some around it that a couple people hunt with me on. We generally shoot mature deer 4 years old or older. I had a problem this year though with one. I had an extremely good ten point that was a three year old and I talked about it with everyone that hunts with us that we were gonna let this deer walk. He would be a deer that will in the high 130s next year as a four year old. Several of us did our part and let him walk. Well one guy hadn’t hunted all year and had seen pictures of the deer so he knew he was around. He came and hunted one afternoon and had what he says is a nine point come out chasing does in a food plot. He rushed the shot and hit the deer in the left rear leg. Now two weeks later the ten we have all been letting walk is wounded and looks to be struggling to get around.
This deal really burned me up. So I’m thinking about getting with everyone and putting a high dollar fine or something to where hopefully deer that agreed on as not shooters won’t get shot by one trigger happy member

^ or maybe just get rid of that guy

Rules are simple. Check cameras between 10 and 1:30. Bucks will be 3.5 or older for upcoming season. No doe's can be shot off a green field. Sign out. No guests until after 2nd week of gun season and they have to be approved by board member. Guest Killa come off members kill limits.
Pic of deer and turkey kills sent to board member.

We can't do corn or supplemental feeding.

Have to make 2 of 3 workdays or make arrangements with me or it's $50/ missed day. Collect jaw bone and weigh deer.

We’re part of a big club with 40 members and close to 7000 acres. We have rules that address everything from baiting, guests limits, ect. I’m good with all of them. In the interest of time and space, I will only address the size limit we use.

We have split the property into 2 sections. One side, which is about 4000 acres, a deer must have a 12 inch inside spread. On the other side, about 3000 acres we are a little more restrictive. A buck must have 14 inch inside spread or have 165lb live weight. A member made a T-square with a 12” and 14” bar. This must fit between the spread to confirm width. That way a tape measure is not needed. We are not a trophy club and will never be. However, we do attempt to minimize shooting small bucks and does. Oh, and all does must be 65lbs live weight.

We have fines that are collected immediately if the deer does not meet the minimum requirements. Fines must be paid before the hunter can hunt again.

No guest the first and last 10 days of season. At least $100.00 for a missed workday.

No after market mufflers on anything. Dang load Azz trucks. Baiting is fair game if you put it out anyone can hunt it. Bucks kill 3.5 year old.

No guests. Period.

I doubt that I'll ever be in another hunting club. I've been in 3. Too much dang drama and the reason for most of the drama is because I've never been in a club where the same rules applied to everyone. In all 3 clubs the "president" could do what he pleased. That's why I left them all.

When I see a rule sheet a mile long I expect trouble and lose interest. I suggest starting out with folks who don't need many rules. Try high dues and at least 100/acres per member. You cut out the tomfools and attract members who know better.

So in the case of OP I'd push hard for reducing members.

No guests the first two weeks of bow, during special muzzleloader and first two weeks of rifle, no guests after Jan 15(or whichever drop dead date you may want). No guests may hunt more than 6 days total and 3 days consecutively between deer and turkey season. Guest fees due before hunting. Guests get last pick of areas not claimed by 4:45am.
Have a sign in board. First come first serve. All spots are vacated at the end of day. Cannot hold claim to an area over night.
Have a general rule on antlered deer; points, age, weight(combination of all three) and enforce it
Limit deer harvest by the membership. 3 bucks, 4 does, for example. Guest and dependent kills count against membership. Mandatory work days. If members cannot make those scheduled days, have tasks for them to complete as their schedule allows.
Rules on decorum in camp are a good idea.

Guests: in early January, guests only on Tuesday-Thursday. Middle of January til season end, no guests.

No guests on the property other than paying members and their family. Only have two members and they always have at least one more family member accompany them each time they come and yet they don’t want to abide by the one rule. They are both good friends of mine but if they keep on they might not see it that way. I keep their dues just like I receive them just in case they don’t work out. I can and will refund their money and not invite them back. I didn’t need help before I let them in and I don’t need help now. It’s a bad position to be in especially with friends involved but at the end of the day I spend a lot of money to hunt mediocre land and it’s my way or the highway. I know that sounds bad but that’s just the way it is.

Got that right. Me and several others got the shaft yesterday evening, damn P$!$ies didn't even have the balls to call.

Our main and most important rules are bring plenty beer and plenty food. If you cook, you do not worry about dishes. The non cookers will clean everything. If you drink to much don’t fall in the path I take to my camper. If you’re the first one in the camp house in the morning, make the coffee and start a fire if it’s cold. If you’re the last one out the camp house, turn out the lights and close the door. Another important rule is always have fun but be safe and treat the property as yoi would treat your own. That’s about all we got.