What Can Be Done To Get More Members Active In Gun Clubs?

Alchemist2

I have split this out into its own thread. I feel it could be an interesting topic and we might get ideas from other clubs to bring back to our own to get people involved.


Don't mean to be thread jacking but if needs be mods move this if you think so, should clubs make it mandatory for members to attend fox beats, feed birds mend pens etc... just putting it out there:D

kildarejoe

Dont know about making it strictly enforced but maybe another approach would be to encourage people to take part by higher fees for non active members.
Money talks etc.

.james1984

hi there. in our club we insist that each member provide MIN OF TEN VERMIN. that can be wings or tails. an extra ten euro goes on there membership fee if they dont produce them to pay the fine from region. works for us

Alchemist2

Cheers dev;)

dev110

We are a big club with a good few members but it is the same as all the others in that only a handful of members are active.
These active members only really go after the game birds and don't do enough, if any, vermin control.

No one seems to go lamping foxes which seem to have exploded around me in the last year. I have 4 cubs shot so far in the last month or two. I need to get out more myself as I know no one else will do it.

Something needs to be done with most clubs.

X1R

Without a doubt: Yes.
I am part of a club and there are over 50 members, yet at any meeting that I have attended there have been............................................6 of us at most.
When I had money (all those years ago) and was rallying, we had a club registar and the club guidelines were helping out at a minumum of 3 club events and 4 other club events.
It worked very well untill the chequebook boys decided to go against the grain.
There was a huge split in the club after lads that didn't bother to help out all year sent in their membership forms for the AGM to be stamped and get a reduced fee for "working" members. But the idea was spot on and did work for a number of years.

dodderangler

What to do to get more members in a gun club?
Free guns lol

dev110

dodderangler wrote: »

What to do to get more members in a gun club?
Free guns lol

I would rather get the members already in the club active before bringing more in tbh.

richiedel123

I don't think there is any way of winning here. it's the same in our club 3 or 4 of us Return vermin out of about 50 members. At most meetings we would be lucky to get about 9 or 10 lads at it. But when it comes to getting pheasants they all appear. Most lads just join for insurance and birds. I like the idea of putting charges on not returning vermin. Does this work? We tried putting a prize on the 3 highest amounts received but made no difference

JustAThought

What do you classify as vermin; rats, foxes?
Specify & we might come up with ideas!!

What's the typical cost/membership for working Vs non working members?

dev110

There is a few ideas already:

• Increase fees to inactive members
• Minimum numbers of vermin must be returned
• Also there was a post about a points system from another thread that I can't find. You needed so many points before you could shoot game or something like that

I feel that the returning a minimum amount of vermin every year otherwise membership will increase is a good idea.

Hunter21

Club I'm in won't leave younger members help with predator control near pheasant pens, won't leave us help raise the birds or release them.

Few years ago when I joined first I wished older lads would take me out with them to get to know them and learn more but none of that in this club.

No one really gets on with anyone in the club, as they don't want to know you.

I'm only in it for the land and do my own predator control on that land.

Some clubs don't want members active so it seems

Ideas to help activate members-

-Talk more, communication is a great thing "Hi John do you want to go for a shot next weekend?" can work wonders if people use it.
-Those that are in the club gather every so often at a local pub for the chat and bit of craic, community spirit would get people up and about too. Not many but a few.
-Organise a clay shoot in the off season for some sport. Use the clubs coppers to fund a small trophy for bragging rights.. lol
-Most people have never done a good days pigeon decoying that's an idea, but needs lots of planning for safety and numbers need to be spread out over different fields or different days.
-Could also get a few lazy lads up to a grain stores to protect the grain from crows. Give something back to the farmer.
-Points system is a great idea, make people get up and do something.

-Could always go shooting in the field next to their house, they won't be long coming out then

Invincible

dev110 wrote: »

There is a few ideas already:

• Increase fees to inactive members
• Minimum numbers of vermin must be returned
• Also there was a post about a points system from another thread that I can't find. You needed so many points before you could shoot game or something like that

I feel that the returning a minimum amount of vermin every year otherwise membership will increase is a good idea.

That post about a points system is on page 8 of this forum under "How active are your Gun Clubs".
I can't link it now as on the phone.

rabbit assassin

I left my local club a few years ago for the simple reason that theres an inner circle that consists of the Chairman, Treasurer, Secretary and Vetting Committee. No one in the club has a say except these few lads and it has destroyed the club as its basically their own which is exactly the way they want it. They get to choose how many birds to buy and where to put them and no one is allowed help release them. The thing is that when the AGM comes around and they ask about a new committee, lads say nothing because no one wants the jobs

moby30

We spent years trying to change our club giving out about members doing nothing. Most of the problem was that it was the same old people on the committee and people weren't speaking up either. A couple of us managed to take over the committee and we did make a big difference but Im starting to be of the opinion now that you are in fact better off with a handful of active members rather than making everybody do something as it can actually make things worse. I know now that all these know it alls that have been telling us for years just how good they are and how much vermin they used to get are and always have been bull****ters and the reason they won't do anything is because they don't know how to and pride and embarrassment won't allow them to ask. We did take on a few new members to increase active members and also made it compulsary to be involved in the pheasant rearing and vermin control which in all fairness they did but with even a handful of new members who also actively shoot pheasants it's noticeably more difficult to find land when you do go out for a shot yourself. It looks like being new and not knowing theland properly when they do find a patch with pheasants on it they just haunt it. This year with vermin a couple of the newer members took it upon themselves to do a little fox control which IS great but they did not know what they were doing and did not ask or check with anyone which we always did and with the result when I was out last week myself to do some every single one of them seem to be lamp shy. I checked with the lads and they didn't get a single tail. I know everyone has to start somewhere like I had too and I'm sure over the years they will no doubt become very good at fox control but I can see it leading to smaller vermin counts which is understandable but my concern is that if you are going out night after night and getting nothing you quickly become bored so they will probably give it up before long. Overall looking back on our situation it was hugely beneficial getting the younger guys on the committee but our decision to take on new members to increase active members- I'm not too sure it was the right one.

EPointer=Birdss

When there is an inner circle of snakes running the show then without a few manning up to usurp their throne you are goosed as you hold no decision making power.

For those that do sit in positions of power I think it's very simple.
Straight for the jugler you should go!

So, Bar farmers who contribute to the club via land & few others that may have strategic benefit I'd throw every member out of the club. I'd draft up new rules & guidelines that any member who wants to join has to bring a minimum of xx vermin to the board on a given date to be allowed shoot game that season. Id make it clear that this process cycles annually so it's in their interest to maintain their tally all year for fear of missing out. I think the number of 10 above is extremely generous & personally id go lot more.

Mutiny to the board will be a problem come next election so you'll have to get clever in how you pitch the advantage of what you do. I'd be graphing game released vrs game shot, putting pics of the vermin tallys with the top 5 members highligted. Adding spot prized for them is positive reinforcement also to generate some competition. Free entry, gear etc I'd put this into a presentation for club meetings or into a handout newsletter whatever. Try at least to run the club with some professionalism.
The deadwood should fall away leaving a core of more interested active members.

We have a tiny club but each of us do our bit. As you can see from previous posts we are not short of game come the season. Probably also because we all obey our bag limits also but passengers we don't have!

Remember it's a club but onlt needs 7(I think) minimum members. Extra members are only leeches if they do nothing & putting a flame under their arse can only be a good thing!!

dev110

widgeon78 wrote: »

In our club every member has to earn 40 points before he can shoot the point system works like this A is for 3 fox Beats total 15 points B is for a working day at the pen total 10 points C is to feed the pheasants for one week total 10 points and then we have to make up 5 points yourself by doing vermin control be it fox magpie or greycrow mink whichever and I have to say this system works a treat it got a lot of the lazy lads up off there arse its simple if you don't make the 40 points you don't shoot

Invincible wrote: »

That post about a points system is on page 8 of this forum under "How active are your Gun Clubs".
I can't link it now as on the phone.

Thanks for that Invincible.

Invincible

dev110 wrote: »

widgeon78 wrote: »

In our club every member has to earn 40 points before he can shoot the point system works like this A is for 3 fox Beats total 15 points B is for a working day at the pen total 10 points C is to feed the pheasants for one week total 10 points and then we have to make up 5 points yourself by doing vermin control be it fox magpie or greycrow mink whichever and I have to say this system works a treat it got a lot of the lazy lads up off there arse its simple if you don't make the 40 points you don't shoot

Invincible wrote: »

That post about a points system is on page 8 of this forum under "How active are your Gun Clubs".
I can't link it now as on the phone.

Thanks for that Invincible.

You're welcome dev110

dev110

I think the inner circle is present in a lot of clubs. This destroys things for everyone else and it isn't a club. It is just 4 or 5 lads doing what they like.
When a club is being run like that change is needed but it is the same with everything as in people complain about everything to other members but no one will step up to the plate when push comes to shove.

My club has changed our secretary this year to a 20 year old lad. I think it is a good step but it will be interesting to see if any changes come out of it.

The club has to run from the ground up and what Hunter was saying actually got me kinda angry. What is the point in not letting new young members get involved when in 10-15 years they could be the back bone of the club. You need to be getting the young lads involved in everything and let them see how enjoyable it can be knowing that fox control will lead to an increase in bird numbers.

Shooting is a minority sport and needs to be kept alive by teaching us young lads about rearing birds and the tips of vermin control. If this doesn't happen then shooting will just fall by the waste side. I know this isn't the case with all clubs but I bet there are areas where vermin control means you go out and fire at a magpie and that's it.

Hunter21

Is there rules given out by the NARGC affiliated clubs as to how the board/committee should be nominated and voted in at an AGM?
Also is there only so many terms a member on the board/committee can sit?

My club has the same chairman for years.
They are taking money from membership €115 but openly say "we have not purchased any pheasants this year"
Some of that is insurance.

I'd like to find a way to get myself and a couple of younger lads onto the board so we can get into the running of the club and push some of the deadwood over and let them know they are not going to have it all their own way.

cavan shooter

There is a NARGC booklet on running clubs that is readily available

http://www.nargc.ie/organisation-and-membership/a-guide-to-forming-a-gun-club.aspx


The in breeding "no" attitude of some clubs is something that NARGC at National level are trying hard to change, however the problem is that clubs are parish based therefore can only be fixed or ran properly at parish level.

I see alot of "inner Cabals" and anecdotal evidence suggests they are alive an well, however what I also see is the 5 or 6 lads in clubs that do everything for no thanks but plenty of bitching and grief.

I know one club thats gone to the dogs when the secretary after 6 years said he had enough. Plenty of ringing hands, but nobody has even thought of calling a meeting to try fix it, the secretary is still getting phone calls from members that dont turn up to meetings asking when is the pheasants coming, when is there a game night or clay shoot, and the best one he told me he got a call from a fella that started "you don't know me, Im in the club but don't like meetings and need a hand with the license form"........ My advise is simple organise your club around the People who want to do something, FKUC the rest of them, but be mindful, some clubs are 50 years old, some of the lads that arent active anymore may have been very active 20 years ago and are taking it easy...they may have done their time

moby30

The only way to change the committee is to make some noise and make sure you have the backing of other members and this means contacting them before the AGM. If you dont have enough numbers your wasting your time. Be prepared though it is a thankless job and you will be in the firing line especially if somebody has been ousted. It will also take a few years to make any significant changes. Clubs need to realise though that there will always be lads that dont want to contribute anything and that will always show up to meetings giving out about all the work everyone else did but F**k them as they will eventually shut up or be told to shut up when the rest of the members see the benefits a new and regular committee change can bring. Maybe also consider it might be better having 8-10 people being in charge of everything from the Vermin to Pheasants per year instead of the whole club trying to get involved and making a mess of things. These could be changed every year if wanted and I guarantee better work would be done.The Number one thing though is that the committee should be known to all the land owners wether its just their names and numbers on a christmas card or going to meet them in person as one lesson our club has learned is it works both ways i.e. they have no problem letting you on their land once you dont abuse it and be there when they need you.

richiedel123

My club has changed our secretary this year to a 20 year old lad. I think it is a good step but it will be interesting to see if any changes come out of it.

I recently became secretary of my club thats why I'm looking for ideas. To be honest the only reason I took the job was because I was sick of the way it was goin. I was either gonna leave it or try change it from the inside out. We made rules and have been sticking to them well so far which is a great start. We lost a few of the lads that do nothing because they didn't like the new rules but thats no loss. I suppose it will just take time get it goin right. Hopefully we will get there in time

djflawless

Every club has the same.to be honest if i was told about a club that had all members attending all meetings, events, activities id be shocked.its just the way it is.next time your club is doing something heartbreaking.peck bites.pen builds.beating cover for other lads with guns.that will be the way to see the dedicated ones of your club.everyone else is just there to shoot on the 1st.whinge when seeing no birds.and mostly to keep their licence

Sparks

djflawless wrote: »

everyone else is just there to shoot on the 1st.whinge when seeing no birds.and mostly to keep their licence

And I used to think the 2% rule only applied to target shooting :rolleyes:

cavan shooter

Sparks wrote: »

And I used to think the 2% rule only applied to target shooting :rolleyes:

The best hurlers are always on the ditch....then when you ask them to put their money where there mouth is (figure of speach) they all run for cover.

djflawless

Well i didnt take target shooters into consideration because, 1) we have no target shooters in our club 2) dont target shooters have target shooting clubs?

Sparks

djflawless wrote: »

Well i didnt take target shooters into consideration because, 1) we have no target shooters in our club 2) dont target shooters have target shooting clubs?

Yup; I was commenting on how it's a common problem to both hunting and target shooting.

Alchemist2

I would imagine that in order to implement any new rules the clubs constitution would have to be amended thus a vote would have to take place mind you this would probably not pose a problem as those that attend the meetings are proactive already so it strengthens the case for a committee to expel non active members obviously giving them a choice, your input is required by the rules of the club if it doesn't suit you will have to leave.... as has been said here there are lots of clubs out there where the are a few dedicated individuals who want to make a difference are saddled, without these ppl there would be no club, just imagine if every member of every club was obliged to give up some of their spare time to the cause throughout the year what a difference that would make

deeksofdoom

Hunter21 wrote: »

Is there rules given out by the NARGC affiliated clubs as to how the board/committee should be nominated and voted in at an AGM?
Also is there only so many terms a member on the board/committee can sit?

My club has the same chairman for years.
They are taking money from membership €115 but openly say "we have not purchased any pheasants this year"
Some of that is insurance.

I'd like to find a way to get myself and a couple of younger lads onto the board so we can get into the running of the club and push some of the deadwood over and let them know they are not going to have it all their own way.

Were you not at your club AGM? How was the chairman elected? Do you have a copy of the club rules?

I find that a lot off people are too shy to speak up at meetings and challenge the top table on how the club is run.

cavan shooter

deeksofdoom wrote: »

Were you not at your club AGM? How was the chairman elected? Do you have a copy of the club rules?

I find that a lot off people are too shy to speak up at meetings and challenge the top table on how the club is run.

Id also say that a lot of people don't give a crap, I know in our club if a fella showed an interest he would have a job.:) but I do know clubs that are a nightmare for lads, in that the top table will be taken out feet first.