Prior to 2 seasons ago, I had unlimited hunting access to several hundred acres of land as well as a few trips a year onto a club lease with a member. Both of those situations have completely dissolved. Living on the Alabama Gulf Coast, public land opportunity is very limited. My wife and I have been discussing purchasing some property, but that hasn't panned out as quickly as I had hoped.

As a result of the above, I am looking at joining a club whose lease is right at one hour from my house. I have plans with the lease holder and club organizer to meet and tour the lease next weekend. I have already gotten a copy of the club rules and have discussed them with the lease owner. We've discussed acreage, food plots, clear cut schedule, quantity of members and he even gave some history of the club and let me know about several facility upgrades he is planning to make to the clubhouse in the next year or two.

This will be the first club I have ever joined. So my question(s)...is there anything I should be on the look out for or need to ask? Anything that some club veterans will consider "warning" signs to stay away or look elsewhere? General pointers or advice?

ive done the hunting club route.

was in one with 25 members with about 4000 acres leased.

I wont do that again.


No problems, just a hassle.

1. The same 8 folks did all the work.
2. The ones that dont show for work days are the first to bitch about whats wrong come season time.
3. "trophy" hunters will ruin it.

We had "public" foodplot stands. First come, first picked. You could hang you own stands in the woods though.

That didnt have a whole lot of rules. State rules for bucks. Season bag limit.
Oops cost you some $$.

A couple of Michael Waddel wanna be trophy hunters can spoil it for others.

You know the type, "that 8 pt woulda been a monster next year if you woulda let it walk"
Or they wont shoot does. And complain when others do.

I've been a member of the same club for over 40 years. We have 50 (+-) members on 1000 acres and I love the place. Most of our members live within 1/2 hour away but others are scattered around the country.
I agree with BigDave on his points. The same 10-12 guys do all the work and bitches gonna bitch. I think that's the deal with every club, everywhere. We don't have any hard core trophy hunters but we don't have a lot of really big deer either.
We have young local guys who never help and others who travel 2-3 hours to help out at our work bees. That's just the way it is. People join a hunting club for many different reasons.
Ours is incorporated so almost everybody owns 1 share. New members are on a 2 year trial period before they are eligible to become a shareholder. We have by-laws and rules & regulations.
Most of the clubs in our area aren't nearly as organized as ours. We stress safety to the max. The one hard rule we have is that if you have a drink of alcohol you're done hunting/shooting for the day. Any violation of this rule terminates your membership. I like that rule.
It sounds like you have done your homework on your potential lease but there will still probably be a few surprises. Maybe you could attend a meeting or work bee or two to get a feel for the membership if you don't already know the other members. Maybe find out how family friendly the place is if you want to use it other than for hunting.
Good luck, I hope you find a place you can enjoy.

Been on a few, on a new one by Weirgate Texas. I like the people so far. I was on a good one in Polk county for about 20 years. It was good, timber cutter wanted it, so they kicked us off.

I have been in three different ones over the years. I suggest that you beware of the likelihood that some senior members may have pet areas or stands that they'd prefer you not hunt. Ditto on what BigDave said about the trophy hunters.

What is the cost involved in a club such as this. What are the time expectations to help with the club?

Weirdgate is fun!

It's really like a first date, you'll either like it and want to go on more dates, or you can't wait for it to be over. You just can't know till you go though.

Good luck

If I had the opportunity to do this, I'd seriously consider going this route.

Never again. been part owner in 4200 ac and member of clubs from 4k-17k acres. I trophy hunt and cannot control other people's scent and intrusion on shared acreage.

I now have about 14k acres between numerous tracts that I hunt for free... by far the best hunting I have had in my 60 years. all you have to do is ask politely. Some of my BEST spots are 10-30 acres.

My hunting club experience has been similar to what others have posted.

** Senior members who have their pet places to hunt and slough the poorer places off on the newest members.

** If there are multiple family members in the club, they can form a block that will treat the club like it is their private land and do as they like if the club leadership is too weak to rein them in before they get out of control.

** Be sure that there are rules on guests and that the club is willing to enforce the rules. A lot of people support the rules until they or their guests have broken a rule, then the situation is "different/special". If all situations are "different/special", then the rules are meaningless.

You have 40 million acres of national forest in your back yard.

I've belonged to a couple over the years in MS and AL..one was 7 of us on 3000 acres and it was a bit pricey, but by far the best experience.. The other was about 125 of us on 12000 acres.. Better than public, but a bit of a challenge.. Sure couldn't pattern a deer and stay on one, and you'd best keep your mouth shut if you see a good one from a stand.. Trust me on that..Killed decent deer on both and had a darn good time on both.. Just don't be the trophy douche.. Follow the rules and be a helper, not a whiner.

Seems like joining a frat to me. Maybe it's a regional thing like deer camps. But even many deer camps are just places to BS and sleep. Much of the hunting takes place on public land.

So you all only have 20 acres to hunt on?

Don't judge the club after being in it for 1 year. It often takes 2-3 years to get a feel for things. Keep a low profile, get to know members, make friends. Usually there are rules and then there are unwritten rules. You will know if it's for you by the end of the 2nd or 3rd season there.

I like clubs that does not have many members. It does not matter if everyone does not show up to hunt. Assume everyone will and then judge how crowded it is.

Never been to a northern deer camp. But from the pics y’all post and stories y’all tell, it can be a lot like it.

For me it was more about the fellowship. Last camp i was in was 8 of us friends that Grew up together. Life and jobs scattered us out, but for a few weekends at deer camp.

Too cold? Too wet? No big deal. Let’s watch college football.

I was happy just to shoot deer. I foodplot hunted. Others hunted in the woods for big bucks.

Cook, Drink, play cards, COOK. catch up. They started bringing their kids. Which made it even better. Seeing kids get their first deer.

For the work days, couple weekend. One big weekend to plant. The one or too that couldn’t make it for whatever reason payed more for seed / fertilizer / fuel.

I've seen that first scenario on leases where members are assigned a section to hunt. Some years back I looked at a few places with that set-up and it was clear they were pushing off the crap areas onto new members, not surprising the same places are always advertising openings.

On the second one, I was fortunate to hunt a really great place for years as a guest (family member was president and founder of the club). Just like you said, everybody got along great and you couldn't ask to share a lease with a better group of guys, except one guy was childhood buddies with the president and was allowed to frequently bend the rules. Without getting reigned in he eventually became a regular nuisance and a couple times pissed off the landowners to the point they almost lost their lease over his antics.

No, only about 15 guys hunt. Anybody can go anywhere they want but some guys have stands up. That's pretty much just the first few days of the season though. By the second week you might have the whole place to yourself. There's only one other club in our area that's as big as ours so it's not at all like hunting out West. It's pretty much thick hardwoods, and steep side hills with ledges. We don't have any real wide open spaces. (Western Catskills)

Ok, Boomer


Happy trails


Bob

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.