Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Deer Hunting Joining a Hunting Club

If you can find one of those places like have
been posted ^ ^ ^ about that has a no drinking
rule and they really enforce it, I'd consider those
before some of the others.
I've been on some leases that you'd think some
of these people had been locked in a closet for
20 years and just got let out.
My God, the way some people act when they get
out of town is crazy. Slamming beers, doing
magazine dumps, stereo blaring, ATV'S flying
down every path. Commotion of some kind
until the wee hours. etc. etc.
Many just go to get away from their grumpy
old lady.
I guess they all have their down side

Good luck

Thanks for all the responses and comments guys. Soaking it all in.

Just a few details,

This is a 2500ac lease with 20 members. Club rules are oriented to establish a family friendly atmosphere...no drinking and even states "no profanity." My wife or daughter can accompany me as many days as they want on my membership.

This isn't exactly in a "trophy buck" region of the state. The club rules outline "6pt or better w/ 12" minimum spread for bucks," besides that, state laws apply for buck and doe harvest.

Of course, as a few have alluded, the atmosphere is all dependent on the members and enforcement of the rules.

I have low expectations going into this...I recognize I'll be low man on the totem pole so I plan to help where needed, stay quiet and observe. If I can put a doe or two in the freezer early and maybe get lucky with a buck, I'll be happy.

Shoot, I have yet to set foot in the woods with a weapon in two years...I'll just be happy to be in the game again. If a club is my only option right now, I figure I can suffer through a season to see how it works...gotta be better than sitting at home.

Make sure the clubs rules or goals jam up with yours. Its important that all the members have the same mindset when it comes to deer hunting.
You dont want to be in a club where half the guys are meat hunters and the other half want to manage for Trophy bucks. You dont want to be a part of constant controvercy. Make sure all the members get along.

I could live with those rules. Out of curiosity, what's a membership for something like that cost?

[bleep], they'd kick my [bleep] ass out in first day........grin


You got the right attitude going into it, so I'm sure you'll get more out of it. Maybe your daughter can flame a deer.

From the research I have done (I'm still a freshman at this), there are several factors that apply.

Size of the lease, cost of the lease, and how many members are sharing that cost...you also have to factor in agricultural cost as well (food plot seed, fertilizer, etc). Clubs in regions known for big bucks and / or clubs that are managing to quality deer or trophy guidelines command a premium.

Seems about 100 acres per member is pretty a standard ratio in this area. And $1K to $2K is the norm for membership dues. The club I am referencing above is $1500 per year for membership dues. Some of the Alabama Black Belt region known for trophy grade heads are several more thousands of dollars per year.

Like anything else, depends on what you are looking for. Not sure if this is for me...I was hoping to find something close. This is right at one hour from home...I can manage that pretty easily without having to plan over-nighters at the club house or whatever. Joining a club mid-state, 3 or 4 hours away would really hamper my enthusiasm and limit my trips.

I hear ya. The "no drinking" part is definitely easy for me, not much of a drinker at all anyway. I'll have to work on minimizing a few four letter words.

Daughter just turned 10. Would bring me no greater joy than to have her harvest her first deer this year. She's still rocking that pair of pink camo Leupold Yosemite binoculars that a member here traded for a pair of socks a couple years ago!

Any bear, turkeys or ducks? That is always a bonus. I raised both of my kids hunting in a club. Had some of the best hunts of my life doing that.

I hear the wife still wears them too!

Hope it all works out for ya

i'm going to check out a club friday that appears to be pretty strict on what you can shoot, i.e. any shooting of bucks less than 3.5yrs old or does less than 100lbs incurs a $200 fine per screw up. that'll kinda make you think twice about squeezing the trigger. this club is 45 min from my house and 1,500 acres with nice camphouse and 3 acre bass/bream lake. i believe there is 14 members. cost is $1,500 per year. guess we will see after friday what i think.
good luck,
Big Ed

you will be able to pick up how the members act pretty quick . get the rules in writing . we just had to get rid of a member .his dad got in when he was 6 he grew up in the camp .turned 18 payed for his spot that we saved for him know at 19 he started to bring 6 or 8 buddys for a night of drinking shooting guns and tearing up the roads .got a warning the first time next time he got kicked out . his dad got his feelings hurt .we have a very go land owner that knows we take good care of her land for the last 31 years

Granddaughter was nine when she killed her first buck in Polk county by the Indian reservation. Best hunt of my life.

I’ve seen that one listed in FB for awhile.

From the posts and questions, i get the feel that guy posting each time is the president / ring leader and makes the rules.

How he answers the 100# doe questions hes a bonafide trophy hunter.

yeah bigdave i liked the property and its fairly close to my house and i think imma give it a shot for a year. this camp is deff different from any other camp i've been a part of with the penalties for shooting young bucks and small does but i'm really ok with that as you won't ever have any quality unless you stop shooting younguns.
Big Ed

Hope you have good luck this fall!

Be nice if we had a cold winter for once.