I too joined as a life member. I did get a nice Boyt gun case. a belt buckle, a cheap folding knife, a patch and some other trinkets. I figured that price of the life membership would pay itself off in a lifetime of magazines. About a couple of years into it, I noticed the magazines became increasingly crap. They tried to get you to buy more stuff by promising chances at hunts, usually with the guy that ran the thing, some guy named Bill or something, and if you upgraded your membership you wouldd receive merchandise to test. I received some small cardboard strips that were supposed to be rust inhabitant and a small package of wipes that were bug repellent. I guess the cool stuff like guns and scopes were tested by Bill himself. pretty much seemed like a scam to generate money so Ol Bill could go on another 25K Moose hunt.
