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Leases and rules

Bgoodman30

Bgoodman30

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Joined
Nov 21, 2016
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I am , curious about some of your guys leases/clubs and rules. We have kind of verbal agreements or unwritten rules and we all get along with it pretty well and have for many years. Same core group but have had a one spot open up and change through the years. Kicked one off for breaking game laws..

Anyways I brought a new member 3 years ago as a new deer hunter. Started off as a meat hunter for does, then got into it more and started buck hunting. This past weekend he shot a doe and button buck, its his 2nd or 3rd button buck he's taken when we desperately need to take does only. He has an "oh well" attitude. How would you guys handle this or how do your clubs handle this? Should we lay down some rules? Fines?
 
Really depends on the culture and vibe you want in your club. Do you want hardcore trophy hunters? Do you want a family atmosphere? Do you want a fun silly happy vibe? Do you want serious hunters only?
Probably take a different approach for each.
IMO good communication is key and often reduces the need for heavy handed rules. Not saying you wont ever have to drop the hammer, BUT if everyone agrees on some well thought well communicated goals, then problems will be greatly reduced.
 
Killing the occasional button buck isn't the end of the world, but we should try not to do it. It sounds like he doesn't care. I don't know where you hunt, but if there's a healthy population you shouldn't need to take long shots on does to fill the freezer. The closer they are, the less chance of shooting a button. I would have a serious talk with him about how to differentiate between does and buttons and if it continues he would be out.
 
Spurhunter said:
Killing the occasional button buck isn't the end of the world, but we should try not to do it. It sounds like he doesn't care. I don't know where you hunt, but if there's a healthy population you shouldn't need to take long shots on does to fill the freezer. The closer they are, the less chance of shooting a button. I would have a serious talk with him about how to differentiate between does and buttons and if it continues he would be out.
Click to expand...

Yeah my thoughts. Kind of like come on man should know by now...
 
hammer33 said:
Really depends on the culture and vibe you want in your club. Do you want hardcore trophy hunters? Do you want a family atmosphere? Do you want a fun silly happy vibe? Do you want serious hunters only?
Probably take a different approach for each.
IMO good communication is key and often reduces the need for heavy handed rules. Not saying you wont ever have to drop the hammer, BUT if everyone agrees on some well thought well communicated goals, then problems will be greatly reduced.
Click to expand...

Clubs are tough with other members. I have the same issues with the partners on my farm.. I try to be careful and manage pressure. My farm partner asked if it was alright if his coworker and son could camp down by the river on the second week of muzzy.. Was like come on man can we wait till after gun season..
 
I wouldn't try and change anything mid year but maybe next year set some ground rules. If he doesn't want to follow them then he can go somewhere else. I judge a deer when it walks out by its head/nose. I can tell real quick just by its head if it's a yearling or older/bigger doe.

I could see a couple 2 or 3 since you said he's a newbie but he needs to learn as he goes to differ between a button and a doe.
 
We really don't have any written rules on our current lease, but do have some unwritten rules. However, a provious lease I was on had a fine for shooting button bucks. I think it was $50. We had a 2 doe minimum at the time.
 
The club I've been on for the last 5-6 years is a group of 5 guys who are all friends. We shared what we saw and shared in the work. Everybody wanted to kill mature bucks so we let small bucks walk. If you wanted meat kill a doe. I don't recall but maybe one button buck killed but it's not the end of the world if your population is fine. I wish TWRA would classify them as 1 of your 2 bucks killed and I also realize if they did that some may not get checked in. After all all if it's got nuts it's a buck. In the end if you're going to enforce rules they have to be written down and acknowledged (signed) by the members.
 
I'm on a lease with 22 other members. We have an antler size rule on bucks but no rules on button bucks. The majority of the hunters know the difference between a doe and button buck, but an occasional mistake does happen.
At the beginning of each year, we pay our dues and sign all the needed paperwork. Therefore, everybody is in agreement.
 

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