Hunting Club Governments

With the start of deer-hunting season only a few weeks away in many sections of the country, outdoorsmen will band together to lease land and form hunting clubs. Initially most hunting clubs will think they want a democracy type of hunt club where each member votes on every issue. However, democracy probably has destroyed more hunting clubs than the loss of a lease, an increase in lease prices or dues, the property being clear cut or any other disaster that can befall a hunting club.

http://www.theoutdoorwire.com/image_archive/2026912.jpg> A hunting club can be a great experience with good governance. It can be a nightmare without it.

Avid outdoorsman, J. Wayne Fears, who has been responsible for more than 220-hunting clubs for a major timber company, has had vast experience with the governing bodies of hunting clubs. "The most-successful hunting clubs, where the members have the most freedom and the least amount of hassles and have been the most successful over long periods, are hunting clubs that use the benevolent dictator system of governing," Fears explains. "With every rule, there's an exception; however, if the rules aren't enforced, there's bickering and strife that may lead to the destruction of a hunting club. If your hunting club will choose a person to govern the hunting club who is wise, fair and honest and works for the benefit of others, the club will be extremely fortunate and successful."

A hunting club's benevolent dictator has the last word on any dispute, argument, rule change or membership. Often the dictator is the one who holds the lease. But, he must have the financial support of the other members of the club. The dictator generally also will function as the hunt master and be in charge of having the green fields planted. As long as everyone is aware of who is in charge and trusts the benevolent dictator, his fairness and his decision-making abilities and truly believes he will do what's best for the entire club as well as each individual, then a hunting club can function successfully.

A hunting-club democracy often leads to the forming of cliques, with the reigning party setting-up rules and regulations primarily for their own interests and not necessarily for the best interests of the other club members. Having a large number of committees will split votes, and controversies often may result in the disbanding of the club or the club's having unpredictable membership numbers.

Rules are important to a hunting club, and who makes the rules and has the authority to speak for the club also is critical to the smooth operation of a hunting club. Most hunting clubs have a president, a vice president, a secretary and a treasurer. The duties and responsibilities of these officers must be clear. Each member must have a list of the qualifications for membership and the members' responsibilities. The club also needs a set of written bylaws that define the name, the purpose and the governing body of the club for a club to function for the enjoyment of the out of doors by all its members.

Fears, the author of the book, "Deer Hunter's Pocket Reference" explains, "I've been asked a number of times for a copy of a sample of hunt club bylaws, so I've included this sample set of bylaws in my book which you can obtain at www.jwaynefears.com. Remember, these bylaws are just a sample. But a hunting club can use them as a guide to set-up their own bylaws, modifying and changing them to suit their club's interests and needs, based on the amount of land they have to hunt, the types of outdoor recreation the club plans to provide and the number of people who will be using the lease at any given time.

"One of the biggest concerns of many hunting clubs is guest privileges. When a member joins a hunting club, does that membership enable him/her to bring family members, business acquaintances or other individuals with him to hunt? This critical decision has no set answer that fits all hunting clubs. However, a benevolent dictator, as the head of the club, can, on special occasions for special reasons, modify or change this rule to make an exception. If you're looking for a leader for your hunting club, search for an individual with wisdom and a strong sense of fairness who cares more about the hunting club than about his own personal enjoyment of the club or any group of members within the club."