# Considering changing Hunt Club to Traditional Archery only



## dewclaw (Sep 4, 2012)

I am the President of a 1150 acre QDM hunting club located in Washington County, Ga. 

The club is filled with a majority of gun hunters and I am considering changing in the future to traditonal Archery only. 

The current members are great people and I do not have any problems with them, it is just that they do not share the same interest as I do with archery.

I am asking your opinion on how well you think the future of this club would do as a Traditional Archery Club only?


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## kmckinnie (Sep 4, 2012)

Change a part of it at 1st to trad and see how it goes.


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## jerry russell (Sep 4, 2012)

This has always been something I have wanted to do but I have never been able to get over 50%. Our group, Georgia Trophy Bowhunters Association, is QDM and that makes it nearly impossible but understandable.  

Good luck. I always thought that would be a really cool deal to have with all trad guys in camp. I may try it again next year on a large piece that is coming open.


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## Al33 (Sep 4, 2012)

Just my take on this but unless you do as kmckinnie suggests you will be doing a great disservice to the regular members. Perhaps you might lease another piece of property just for trad bow hunters based on the interests, or should I say "committed" interested parties. Although our numbers are growing at a pretty fast rate I suspect you will have a hard time finding the numbers you need to make it work. In any event I wish you the best with this endeavor.


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## RPM (Sep 4, 2012)

If you're not happy with the type of club you belong to shouldn't you look for another club?  If everyone else in the club is happy the way it is you well have a fire storm on your hands if one person can dictate to all the members a change they do not want.  I don't know how things are run in the club but you all pay the same dues and should have the same say in an issue that big.  As you said, they don't share the same interest as you.  

You can talk to the members and see how they feel about, as was said, setting a section aside for trad. archery.


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## Dennis (Sep 4, 2012)

I like the idea but most Trad guys dont care about QDM we like to shoot what ever comes close enough.


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## SELFBOW (Sep 4, 2012)

IMO not good. its been tried by several I know w not much luck. Traditional Archery has widespread interest and its really hard to get enough in one area to commit to the cost associated w a club that size. Its fun to get together a couple times a season on trad hunts but you will be hard pressed to find enough willing to travel that far every weekend for it. IMO like others set aside a small part or get on a smaller lease elsewhere. I tried it w 225 acres w not much luck.


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## Jake Allen (Sep 4, 2012)

Dennis said:


> I like the idea but most Trad guys dont care about QDM we like to shoot what ever comes close enough.



He speaketh the truth....
Plus, hunting with Traditional Only is selective; you ain't going to kill as much.

Nothing like being on a big nice tract of gamey land, with fellow Trad hunters. 
Thanks to the diplomacy, vision and desire of the president of our club,
 we are Archery only, with 6 Trad shooters to 3 wheelie guys. 
That is a simple majority. Good thing we are a Representive Republic and not a Democracy.


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## dewclaw (Sep 4, 2012)

I appreciate all of the replies and information. Our club is going to have a meeting on the 22nd. of this month and I am going to discuss making part of the club acreage traditional only with no QDM. 

I was thinking about a long term plan of trying to slowly transition the club over the years to Tradtional Archery. I have no problems dropping the QDM at all. Every animal taken with any type of bow is a true trophy.


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## Bucky T (Sep 4, 2012)

dewclaw said:


> I am the President of a 1150 acre QDM hunting club located in Washington County, Ga.
> 
> The club is filled with a majority of gun hunters and I am considering changing in the future to traditonal Archery only.
> 
> ...



I honestly believe you'll lose the lease or you and a very select group of guys will pay more money to keep it.

Don't get me wrong, I started hunting with a recurve last year, and I'm completely addicted to it now.

But.....  The simple fact is:

There aren't as many guys that hunt with trad equipment vs. guys that hunt with compounds, muzzleloaders, and rifles.

And today's economy isn't helping either.  Lot of clubs out there are struggling simply to find gun hunters to join!!


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## Jake Allen (Sep 5, 2012)

dewclaw said:


> I appreciate all of the replies and information. Our club is going to have a meeting on the 22nd. of this month and I am going to discuss making part of the club acreage traditional only with no QDM.
> 
> I was thinking about a long term plan of trying to slowly transition the club over the years to Tradtional Archery. I have no problems dropping the QDM at all. Every animal taken with any type of bow is a true trophy.



In all seriousness, I believe it is doable, and desired by more and more folks. I know of 2 good sized clubs currently which are Trad only, and the one I am in is real close.

Location, size and quality of the chunk of land is key. Variety of game, and good populations of deer, small game and maybe hogs as a bonus.
A good Turkey population is another bonus with the option to use a ML or shotgun in the spring. 

Give it time, and make sure the Traditional style sticks with you. If you have not been, come to some of our shoots and get to know some folks.
By in large, these folks are good hunters, people, stewards of the land and like to enjoy things.


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## Barry Duggan (Sep 5, 2012)

If you are willing to try to impose your values on the majority of the members, who by your own admission are great people and are willing to pay the majority of the dues, as a result...it might be doable.
How many stick bow hunters do you currently have within your membership?


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## robert carter (Sep 5, 2012)

I think going bow only would be the first step.


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## TIMBERGHOST (Sep 5, 2012)

That's what I was thinking.  Bow only for starters and drop the Club QDM rules for Trad folks. Washington County may have its own QDM requirements we all have to follow anyway.  

Maybe phase out 1 or 2 gun slots and replace with bow hunters each year as you move toward the bow only...


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## markland (Sep 5, 2012)

I tried it with my new lease in Twiggs Co this year but with payment coming up soon, I did let a couple of compound shooters on it to fill the membership, but being as there are only 6 of us total, I already have a couple of trad guys ready to jump on board next year so looking like we will be able to do trad only on a little over 400acres.


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## Dennis (Sep 5, 2012)




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## dewclaw (Sep 5, 2012)

We only have 6 bowhunters in the club now. Washington County does not enforce QDM.

I am considering the best way to move forward is to do the following: Keep the existing members as is, fill any new slots with traditional archery hunters only with no QDM, and slowly increase the portion of land being hunted to tradtional archery only. 

Several of our existing hunters are elders that will not be able to hunt many more years.


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## markland (Sep 5, 2012)

Dennis said:


>



You and Matt are on the list!!!


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## Jake Allen (Sep 5, 2012)

markland said:


> You and Matt are on the list!!!



Dennis wants it all! 
(So do I).

See dewclaw, it is doable. We have a list in the club I am in with a Trad shooter or two wanting a spot.
It has to be good property, good people and good hunting opportunities.


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## frankwright (Sep 5, 2012)

It can be made to work, I know of some that are doing well.

I was in one years ago and it worked fine the first two years and we turned away members. Then the Paper Co "select" cut the land and made it too wide open to really bowhunt. 
We started allowing Muzzle Loaders during the ML season and shotguns for turkeys and it made it two more years and then the Paper Co sold all the land and we were unable to work a fair deal with the new owners so it dissolved.


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## SELFBOW (Sep 5, 2012)

Dennis said:


>



x2.


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## Flaustin1 (Sep 5, 2012)

Id join. . . . .


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## Dennis (Sep 6, 2012)




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## Red Arrow (Sep 6, 2012)

Dewclaw

I would suggest you try to get to bow only first.  This is the route we have gone and we are working toward a traditional club.  As Jake said, we are at 6 trad and 3 compound guys now.  I think in the next year or two we will be all traditional.  It takes time unless you have a group lined up and ready to go.  If you have hogs that could be a plus too, especially with some trad folks....


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## markland (Sep 6, 2012)

Oh you mean like this!!!!!


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## Barry Duggan (Sep 6, 2012)

markland said:


> Oh you mean like this!!!!!



Unless you have bears, that seem to know they are protected. At our place, that feeder would be laying on it's side, with the feeder ripped off of it, mineral lick would no longer be in the picture...


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## markland (Sep 6, 2012)

You mean like this?  Yeah we have bears and have started wrapping all the feeders, trees, etc with barbed wire to keep them off.  That tripod is actually staked down with 2ft stakes and all secured for now, but I am sure we will have damage eventually, the bears are really bad down there so we are watching them.
Yeah it was really nice of the DNR to take all those "problem" bears they trap up north and dump them on our place down here, just basically took 1 problem and moved it to another area.  Notice the ear tags and collar, he was definitley a problem for somebody else for sure!


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## Barry Duggan (Sep 6, 2012)

Yep, they are nothing but a big ole pain. Bad part is, the last thing DNR want's you to do around here is kill a bear. And, if you should kill one, you better be prepared to take them back to where you shot it, and prove that it was a legal kill. 
I reckon they would rather see them run over in the road, as opposed to killed by a hunter.

I don't appreciate bears growling at me. I take it as a sign of disrespect. Also makes me a little uneasy...especially in the dark.


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## markland (Sep 6, 2012)

Yes they are a big problem down here and with only a 1 day season not too much we can do about it, but I am sure encouraging all members to hunt hard on bear day and bring guests as well, hopefully we can kill some of them, but will have to be careful staying legal with the feeders around the property but I have them spaced out far enough that there are plenty of legal spots to hunt and should not have a problem.  All our hog feeders are well marked and located on a map so anybody should know where they are.  LE will be in full force down here come bear season so we are going to do all we can to stay legal and not have a problem but kill some bears.


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## Red Arrow (Sep 6, 2012)

markland said:


> Oh you mean like this!!!!!



Yep,  Just like that!!!


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## Chris Horsman (Sep 9, 2012)

Don`t forget about me next year Mr Lee.......


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