How are you involved??

[dnovo]

I personally find this issue frustrating to hear the lame excuses some come up with to justify not being a member of anything. With some it's money. Most memberships run in the $25 range. How much do you spend on archery and hunting in a year? Can you spare 50 cents a week?

I actuslly started a thread on this back on Feb. 19th, 2011 and while there was a lot of positive responses, it was disappointing to see how many are either misinformed or don't want to be involved in any way.

[Wyostikbo]

Hey Randy you have inspired me. I live over in Baggs, can you hook me up with info on joining our state organization? Tracy talked to me a little about it last year but I would like actual info.
Thanks,
Brent Wilson

[FerretWYO]

Sent to you Brent.

[Wapiti Chaser]

I'm a member and sit on the Board of Directors as well as being Banquet Chairman for New York Bowhunters. We have accomplished many things in NY including being able to use DMPs in archery season, lengthing the archery season keeping a early black powder season out of archery, lowing the age for archers, getting adaptive equipment for handicap archers, soup porting NASP in schools and I could go one. We are involved and act on any legislation that involves bowhunting. We have also certified over 1700 youths free of charge in our youths camps. We have around 4000 members out of 200,000 archers . Just think what we could accomplish if so many people weren't complacent .

[FerretWYO]

Originally posted by Wapiti Chaser:
 Just think what we could accomplish if so many people weren't complacent .

That is my whole thought on this. If people really got in place what could happen.

[Brianlocal3]

I'm not a member of any archery organizations. No excuses, just never think of it.  I should send in my money to IL to help with the numbers thing.
I am 33, have a 5 and 3 year old . Haven't actually hunted in over two years due to family and work obligations. I don't make it to any of the fun shoots or tourneys really except for the monthly one here, and that's if the wife is not on call ( she is on call 15 days a month). I am a very involved Union Elevator Constructor so the little free time that is available I usually taken up there.
Good post, gets ya thinking

[curlis]

IBO life time member

[Dendy Cromer]

Southern Zone Rep, Traditional Bowhunters of GA.

If you are in Ga., and hunt with traditional equipment, we would love to have you if you are not already a member...

Life Member here of both the Traditional Bowhunters of Texas and the Lone Star Bowhunters Assn.

Bisch

[BuckeyeGuy]

I'm not a member to any bow hunting organizations.   For my position, I do not see that I'm unfairly restricted with the regulations I've hunted under in Ohio and Iowa.  I'm sure there is more to it than what I'm envisioning but I've not taken much consideration of other influences it may bring until you commented on it.  I'm sure if I was hunting in another state with new regulations that were unreasonable I would be looking at things differently.  Good post!

[beendare]

I belong to a few bowhunting and archery orgs and also SCI. Many folks probably think of Safari Club as a bunch of rich hunters- partially true. I would call them more of a Rotary org made up of hunters- philanthropic and political. Most hunters want to stay away from politics....but they need to understand, these days everything is politics!

 Most are rifle guys but SCI has some heavy political power which is what we need when our hunting rights are attacked constantly. Our CBH [Ca Bowmen Hunters] of which I'm a member is good but small potatoes compared to SCI

[smoke1953]

There is so much responsibility for those that take on officer and committee roles to insure that you maintain an atmosphere of inclusion with the rest of the membership. When that fails you lose the involvement and eventually membership in the organization. Trying to keep the democrat and republican labels away from discussions and concentrate on the real issues is tough but also very important and allows friendship  to come to the forefront. When that happens the best work gets done.

[Trumpkin the Dwarf]

I am not a contributing member of any organization requiring money to join. In my case, 25 dollars IS a big monetary burden. If you don't believe me that's fine, but I can graduate college debt free if I keep it tight just a little longer. Soon enough I will be in a place to back those who I support. Till then, I am always willing to put my name behind anything I support, just can't do cash.

[4dogs]

If what they want to see is numbers, couldnt different organizations offer a non paying membership? This site is 40,000 strong. Could all the different groups  post  on here a mission statement..what their organization stands for, what they are working for and then offer a contact to let guys say yes...for no fee I will join this group, add my name to your supporters list? In this day and age we cant all find the time or money to be very active but would sure stand with good groups.

[huronhunter]

Board member of my home archery club 20 years running.
Long time  member of the Michigan Long Bow Assoc.
Long time member of the Michigan Bow Hunters Assoc. where am going into my third term as a dist governor .
NRA, Compton Traditional Bow Hunters and Long time member of the Michigan United  Conservation Club.
Also 20 years on my local fire department.

[Roadkill]

I tried to start a post here on drones and other technological stuff and it was shuffled off to legislation.  No one goes there.

I have been on my state senator to get in front of technical issues.  For those of you who pay for a lease, imagine sitting on your stand and having a drone buzz past driving game off your lease.  How about having a series of trail cams hooked up to cell phones that allow "hunters" to get in front of moving game?  There are those who will do these things.  Our DOW was investigating a case from last season already.
Do not believe the regs against flying the day of the hunt will give law enforcement the muscle it needs to prosecute cases.  We all need language spevifically drafted for electronic activity used to find, guide or drive game!

The military stuff that will be declassified in coming years will be even more accurate and timely, thus lethal.  State organizations are great, but individuals writing and calling-ask for a response- multiply the organization's leverage.

[reddogge]

My organizations are listed below. Besides that I'm involved as an instructor for our youth archery program at out club and an officer in our local chapter of our state organization. I feel I do my part.

[LoneWolf73]

I do not belong to a State or National level organization that fights for my hunting rights and opportunity’s?

I am not involved and aware of legislation taking place and I am not involved with these organizations to promote or deny legislation?

Why not?  No interest in politics. No TV, try not to watch much news. I try to follow the lead of the rules made by people put in charge to create, regulate and enforce the laws. I read the regulations as a guide to my hunting. I enjoy the woods and believe it is a shared resource. I put my money directly into hunting. I appreciate those above who participate in these organizations and keep things from getting to crazy in this changing world.  I try very hard not to complain. When rules change, I change. Example is Montana raising their out of state tag fees for Elk. I just do not go and spend my money in that state now. When I got a $147 parking ticket in Florida, I decided never to go back and spend my thousands of vacation dollars in that state. When in the woods I usually do not run into people but when I do, I treat nice people nice. Like I said before... a shared resource. When I see how divided the country is presently, I do not see much hope of coming together on many topics.  The "game" I hunt and I have our differences sure, but they are in the freezer now and I keep living happily and less aggravated in "my world". Best I could do on an "analogy". LOL

[tim roberts]

Great thread Randy, I have been watching this one!  
Not one to wave a flag, but I have been involved from a local level, all the way to involvement in a national organization.
An added response to the one you made to Ryan about SFW, that is one thread that I would like to started one day, even better would be a good campfire discussion!
Like my good friend Whip, I can't see a reason to join an organization that is no friend of bowhunting-the NRA.
Thanks,

[rockkiller]

Living on the Idaho,Wyoming border my wife and I belong to the Idaho State Bowhunters.We use to belong to Wyoming Bowhunters years ago,but never hear nothing about them.I don't think there are any shoots around here and I guess I just forgot about them.We don't get much Wyoming news around here,just Idaho and Utah.I guess I have see if I can find some information on them.