Virginia Hunting Forum

Alex- Thanks for the replies. I'll take you up on the bowhunting !

Thank you for the opportunity to tell you about myself and the expectations I have for the ideal club / hunting opportunity, etc. it was not my intent to come across as "throwing money" at the situation. I am however letting everyone know I'm serious and where my ceiling is as far as cost.

I'm 37 years old and a resident of Eastern NC (Bear Country). I'm married with a 9 year old son and a 5 year old daughter. I am an honest / trustworthy person who will admit when I make a mistake not hide it, etc.

I can get along with most anybody and I am a low key type person. I'm not a loud mouthed, arrogant, rich kid, know it all and I prefer to associate myself with like minded individuals. I don't drink, smoke or do drugs. I like deer, turkey and duck hunting.

Before my kids impacted my hunting (because of school, sports, etc) I traveled to Iowa, Illinois, and Kentucky to hunt. I love to bow hunt Midwest whitetails but haven't been able to due to other commitments in the last 5 years or so. I am somewhat new to turkey hunting. This past season was my second year. My son killed his first turkey. I run DSD decoys so that makes hunting a little easier for us. We do love turkey hunting though. My son likes to duck hunt so if the land had a duck hole that's great but I'm somewhat green to duck hunting as well.

Here are a few bullets for what I'm looking for in a club.

- low membership (prefer 6 or less but NMT 12), more folks equal more pressure, problems, etc.
- all club members are transparent and abide by the same set of rules
- I prefer a no guest policy (kids and wife can hunt under membership though) as I feel when the members support the club from a cost/effort standpoint I don't prefer guest (friends, etc) being able to take advantage of the opportunity for a small price.
- trail camera photos to be shared by all as I'm looking for an opportunity where everyone works as one.
- I always make every effort to hunt the wind, bathe in scent free wash before each hunt and clothes are scent free as much as possible.
- I don't like to be in a club with killers. I like December or early season for killing does if somebody wants to do so.  Pressure is a big concern of mine and killing does in November doesn't bod well for killing mature bucks IMO.
- I think a successful club needs sanctuaries. You can't ramble and dive off into every 5 acres of the property and the deer still feel safe.
- I do like food plots, mineral licks and corning.
- Obviously antler / age restrictions are needed based on the capability of the land.
- I'm not someone who will be hunting every weekend as my location will prohibit that.
- Rules are great and I'm all for them, but I don't want a club where I have to be on pins and needles every time I go and I can't enjoy the situation.
- I'm not a killer. I don't have to go to the club and bang away to feel like I got my money's worth.

I want a club where I can take my son and he can have a good chance at killing big low pressure whitetails.

I'm sure I have left some things out. I would be more than glad to chat on the phone if needed. I am actively trying to line something up for 2016.

Thanks again!

(01-28-2016, 07:06 PM)ncbowhunter Wrote: [ -> ]Alex- Thanks for the replies. I'll take you up on the bowhunting !

Thank you for the opportunity to tell you about myself and the expectations I have for the ideal club / hunting opportunity, etc. it was not my intent to come across as "throwing money" at the situation. I am however letting everyone know I'm serious and where my ceiling is as far as cost.

I'm 37 years old and a resident of Eastern NC (Bear Country). I'm married with a 9 year old son and a 5 year old daughter. I am an honest / trustworthy person who will admit when I make a mistake not hide it, etc.

I can get along with most anybody and I am a low key type person. I'm not a loud mouthed, arrogant, rich kid, know it all and I prefer to associate myself with like minded individuals. I don't drink, smoke or do drugs. I like deer, turkey and duck hunting.

Before my kids impacted my hunting (because of school, sports, etc) I traveled to Iowa, Illinois, and Kentucky to hunt. I love to bow hunt Midwest whitetails but haven't been able to due to other commitments in the last 5 years or so. I am somewhat new to turkey hunting. This past season was my second year. My son killed his first turkey. I run DSD decoys so that makes hunting a little easier for us. We do love turkey hunting though. My son likes to duck hunt so if the land had a duck hole that's great but I'm somewhat green to duck hunting as well.

Here are a few bullets for what I'm looking for in a club.

- low membership (prefer 6 or less but NMT 12), more folks equal more pressure, problems, etc.
- all club members are transparent and abide by the same set of rules
- I prefer a no guest policy (kids and wife can hunt under membership though) as I feel when the members support the club from a cost/effort standpoint I don't prefer guest (friends, etc) being able to take advantage of the opportunity for a small price.
- trail camera photos to be shared by all as I'm looking for an opportunity where everyone works as one.
- I always make every effort to hunt the wind, bathe in scent free wash before each hunt and clothes are scent free as much as possible.
- I don't like to be in a club with killers. I like December or early season for killing does if somebody wants to do so.  Pressure is a big concern of mine and killing does in November doesn't bod well for killing mature bucks IMO.
- I think a successful club needs sanctuaries. You can't ramble and dive off into every 5 acres of the property and the deer still feel safe.
- I do like food plots, mineral licks and corning.
- Obviously antler / age restrictions are needed based on the capability of the land.
- I'm not someone who will be hunting every weekend as my location will prohibit that.
- Rules are great and I'm all for them, but I don't want a club where I have to be on pins and needles every time I go and I can't enjoy the situation.
- I'm not a killer. I don't have to go to the club and bang away to feel like I got my money's worth.

I want a club where I can take my son and he can have a good chance at killing big low pressure whitetails.

I'm sure I have left some things out. I would be more than glad to chat on the phone if needed. I am actively trying to line something up for 2016.

Thanks again!

well my place is out... as will be MANY as Brandon said earlier... good luck,,,  NMT 12,, transparent... shared info.. no guests... ifn you find that. please let me know...

Yeah I would say you have a better chance of finding Bigfoot riding a Unicorn then finding everything you are looking for in a club. Good luck and welcome to the forum

With your list of requirements I think you're going about this backwards. I would not be looking for an established club, I'd start my own.
If I were you I would start by deciding what general area you want to hunt in, find land to lease, then hand pick a couple of like-minded friends to go in on it with you.
With your budget you should be able to find a nice small farm to lease without needing other people at all unless you want hundreds of acres.

I'm gonna chime in here.... Mostly because I have no experience with leases and have nothing worthwhile to add... Lol...

Seriously though, I think his list of wants are just that... Wants. I didn't get the feeling that he was saying that without them all, he would pass on a club. I think he was just saying that, in a perfect world, this is what he wants. Nothing wrong with that at all IMO, because, when it all come down to it, we all want that perfect scenario and the planets to align so we have the picture perfect Field and Stream worthy hunt experience every time we hit the woods.

As for how to get it, I agree with 1trkyhntr, you might be better served to start your own club and set it up how you want it to be. Sounds like you've given it alot of thought and you have some good resources ($$$) available to you to help make it happen. I don't think it's an impossible dream, but finding something already put together that fits your style and wants may prove harder than making it a reality yourself.

Either way, good luck, I hope you find it. Your reasoning for wanting what you want is pretty cool... Wanting to ensure that your kids get to enjoy hunting at its best is reason enough to pursue it. I hope it happens for you!

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Starting a club is a good idea if you can find the property to lease.

Me personally I wouldn't join a club where I couldn't bring guests. Especially for small game and waterfowl hunting. Being around freezing cold water alone isn't a smart idea. Do we d that sometimes, yep. Still hunting to me is about being out with friends and enjoying the outdoors. Don't get me wrong I really enjoy the peace and quiet of sitting in a stand or slipping through the woods on my own or sitting out some place waiting for some doves to fly. I also really enjoy hanging out on a field edge or hedge row with a buddy or two watching for doves, BS in the duck/goose blind or walking through field hunting pheasants or through the woods hunting tree rats.

(01-29-2016, 06:53 AM)archerychic Wrote: [ -> ]I'm gonna chime in here.... Mostly because I have no experience with leases and have nothing worthwhile to add... Lol...

Seriously though, I think his list of wants are just that... Wants. I didn't get the feeling that he was saying that without them all, he would pass on a club. I think he was just saying that, in a perfect world, this is what he wants. Nothing wrong with that at all IMO, because, when it all come down to it, we all want  that perfect scenario and the planets to align so we have the picture perfect Field and Stream worthy hunt experience every time we hit the woods.

As for how to get it, I agree with 1trkyhntr, you might be better served to start your own club and set it up how you want it to be. Sounds like you've given it alot of thought and you have some good resources ($$$) available to you to help make it happen. I don't think it's an impossible dream, but finding something already put together that fits your style and wants may prove harder than making it a reality yourself.

Either way, good luck, I hope you find it. Your reasoning for wanting what you want is pretty cool... Wanting to ensure that your kids get to enjoy hunting at its best is reason enough to pursue it. I hope it happens for you!

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Exactly! Thanks for understanding!

(01-29-2016, 07:20 AM)Thummy Wrote: [ -> ]Starting a club is a good idea if you can find the property to lease.

Me personally I wouldn't join a club where I couldn't bring guests.  Especially for small game and waterfowl hunting.  Being around freezing cold water alone isn't a smart idea.  Do we d that sometimes, yep.  Still hunting to me is about being out with friends and enjoying the outdoors.  Don't get me wrong I really enjoy the peace and quiet of sitting in a stand or slipping through the woods on my own or sitting out some place waiting for some doves to fly.  I also really enjoy hanging out on a field edge or hedge row with a buddy or two watching for doves, BS in the duck/goose blind or walking through field hunting pheasants or through the woods hunting tree rats.

Small game- dove, rabbit, squirrel no problem. I was mainly speaking to deer, turkey and duck. Thanks though!

I was just saying that getting out in the woods with other folks is always a good time. I wouldn't be in a club where I couldn't bring friends to duck hunt with me. Unless that club is made up of just friends. Then we could just meet and hunt together.

I understand what you are saying but that's why you have members. They pay to play and have a good time together. As a paying member I don't want to compete with real-estate with a guest nor do I want them killing our resources. If they want to play bad enough they need to pay.