UGUIDE
Active member
I couldn't agree more Wayne but the biggest unseen benefits are there political efforts in Washington. Those are backed up by memebship headcount so I hope you can rejoin as your membership is important.
Pheasants Forever
- Thread starter bryantj
- Start date
I couldn't agree more Wayne but the biggest unseen benefits are there political efforts in Washington. Those are backed up by memebship headcount so I hope you can rejoin as your membership is important.
UGUIDE
Active member
And here is where the rubber meets the road. How timely. This is why your membership is so critical.
http://www.pheasantsforever.org/page/1/PressReleaseViewer.jsp?pressReleaseId=15410
IMO, I don't think anyone can consider themselves a true pheasant hunter if they are not a member of Pheasants Forever.
My hats off to Dave Nomsen and PF. :10sign:
quail hound
Moderator
Uguide, I noticed that a lot of the usuals around here haven't posted on this thread. I don't know that that means they aren't members of PF, but if they aren't I'm sure they still consider themselves true pheasant hunters. It's easy to be a pheasant hunter in SD. I however can walk all day with my dog, bag one bird, see a few hens, and a few more flush wild and have no doubt I'll be back the next day to hunt again. Is that not a true pheasant hunter?
kansasbrittany
Banned
Not everyone trusts groups like these when they don't see immediate local benefits. I'm waiting for my lifetime membership to PF instead of buying an annual. Wifey says she and ma are getting it for me for Christmas this year (I'm excited about their magazine). Until just a few years ago, I didn't want a membership b/c I don't see the local benefits. I know a person that is a leader in QU and some of their practices make them seem pretty shady. He doesn't need a new truck every couple of years....at least not on my membership dues!
I haven't found anything that would indicate that PF is just as shady. I understand the need to have someone lobbying for us, which is why I'm going to join, despite my lack of trust for any organization. I still think ducks unlimited is a joke. Buying shotguns for a raffle? Not with my membership dues. I think that's ridiculous and they should spend the money on more habitat or public access acres. I bet you couldn't get any sort of treasury statements from these guys b/c there'd be too much that just didn't look quite right.
Rather than possibly offending someone who is not a member, make a list of reasons they should join (i.e. a list of where their money is going for those of us who don't trust folks w/ our money). Post the treasury notes so everyone knows money isn't being swindled on the other end (is this available...I want to know who's getting paid and how much, then where the rest is going). I can't speak for everyone, but this is the reason I've been dragging my feet. After December I'll be able to come back and post that I'm a lifetime member...only b/c I have enough disposable income now to have it squandered if that's what happens....quail hound, you're right, I consider myself a true pheasant hunter despite the fact I don't have a membership yet.
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Gove County Britts
New member
KB you hit the nail on the head I'm not a member as our local chapter is a joke no habitat work no nothing the only thing they do is have a dinner on opening weekend and raffle off a bunch of guns thats it the rest of the year they are silent and hope no one finds them not something I want to put my money into
landman
New member
I agree with Uguide but will say it this way.
Any pheasant hunter who does not contribute in a significant way towards improving pheasant habitat is enjoying the fruits provided by others.
And supporting Pheasants Forever is a good way to collectively do something significant for better pheasant hunting. Your tools to help are money, time and effort.
Any pheasant hunter who does not contribute in a significant way towards improving pheasant habitat is enjoying the fruits provided by others.
And supporting Pheasants Forever is a good way to collectively do something significant for better pheasant hunting. Your tools to help are money, time and effort.
UGUIDE
Active member
I realize this position is controversial. But the way I see it is without habitat there will be no future for pheasants and thus no pheasant hunters. Without your PF membership the lobbyists cannot use you as a "vote" for habitat (aka CRP). No membership, no vote, no future. In fact, one could go so far as to say no vote for is automatically a vote against. It's not the $30 that is important it is the membership, the vote "for".
Gove County Britts
New member
your right uguide its not really about the money for me its about the local chapter not doing anything and the fact is I can go help any farmer in the county do a little work around their place for habitat or anything and have all the crp and private hunting I need without giving my measly 30 dollars to a group that locally drops the ball when it comes to habitat or anything involved I just don't see myselfe giving anything to anybody that doesn't deserve it and the local chapter definately does not deserve it I'm happy that your chapter is so good at doing things maybe they should come down here and teach these guys a thing or to but unless there is some majore changes here I wont be joining
kansasbrittany
Banned
I agree with your statements completely. I'm not financially sound enough to create my own habitat on my own land yet, but there is little question it will happen someday. I have a lifetime hunting license through my state which I feel is a small contribution, but a contribution. I introduce more people to this sport and many other outdoor activities than most folks dream of. Even if I didn't buy a membership to PF this winter, I've still contributed. Giving money to obscure organizations isn't the only measure of one's commitment to the future of the outdoors. W/o new people joining our tradition, there is no future. If nobody is interested in hunting, it doesn't matter how much of your money PF has. Again, now that I have the extra $ to throw around, I'm sending it their way though I strongly doubt that every penny of it is being used in a fashion that I would consider appropriate.
I can't stand the NRA, but as a gun owner, I'm not sure who else is going to bat for us, so I felt as though I had no choice but to join.
I will do the same with PF, they need support and I plan to give it to them.........I'd still like to have access to records of where every dollar goes though.
quail hound
Moderator
Right now my time and money is better spent working on our local nwrs helping buy seed and planting food plots, dnc, and new brood rearing cover. Also edge feathering, creating brush piles and planting thickets on private land I hunt quail on. After three years of raising birds for a farmers family hunts he is ready to implant conservation practices on his 1400 acres. This is part of the best historical pheasant range in my area. The area doesn't need a lot of help, its bordered by a dry creek bed and a river with lots of cover. However it needs nesting cover, travel lanes and brood cover. Our problem is that the nearest pheasants are 20 miles away. What I'm saying is I do my part in conservation, with out PF. If they promise to trap me about 30 birds me and the farmer will join today.
Gove County Britts
New member
exactly wjayt i'm trying to get at you dont need to be a member of a group in order to do good things its all about working together with the farmers and building that relationship that will last forever and you can make good things happen that way
waynemorgan
New member
here in oklahoma we have no pheasant chapter & only a few quail chapters so what money i can spair goes to the state wildlife dept.
if i can i will still be a member of both qf & pf but not the covey club or roster
if they had just a membership without the magazine that would be fine with me ,i get more out of gun dog magazine anyway
if i can i will still be a member of both qf & pf but not the covey club or roster
if they had just a membership without the magazine that would be fine with me ,i get more out of gun dog magazine anyway
landman
New member
Can you tell us exactly what your local chapter is doing with the money they raise? Did you know that the membership fee goes to the National Office, not the local chapter? The local chapter must raise funds through other means, such as their banquet or donations from local businesses or individuals. Perhaps they are limited by the amount of money they are working with or as you are suggesting, they are spending their money unwisely.
The best way to make the local chapter more successful is to attend their meetings and become more involved with the chapter.
Additionally, Pheasants Forever is an organization dedicated to establishing and/or improving habitat for pheasants and quail. They recognize that it costs a lot of money and time to improve habitat so they don't focus so much on helping hunters find a free place to hunt. With today's farming practices they fully recognize that more pheasants will only come with financial support from a lot of folks. Unfortunately there are still a lot of hunters who feel that their hunting opportunities should be free. All I can say is that if everyone felt that way there would be very few pheasants, even in SD.
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kansasbrittany
Banned
I agree with nearly everything being said on both sides. Landman, you make some great points and I appreciate your input a great deal.
Is there a way to see how our money is being spent?
Is there a way to see how our money is being spent?
landman
New member
The best way is to attend the local meeting or to contact one of the officers. The Treasurer would be a good person to ask.
The local PF chapter is required to get a membership from everyone attending their banquet so it might appear that the membership fee is going to the local chapter. However the local chapter must send the membership fees collected to the national office after the banquet.
Any other funds raised by the chapter through its raffles, banquet or donations may be spent anyway they choose. It is my experience that the chapter will receive financial requests from a number of sources. Some examples might be from a gun club trying to start out, or someone wanting to help a handicap youngster hunt pheasants, or a donation to pay for food for a youth hunt, or to help pay for a boat ramp on a local lake. When these requests come in the folks at the meeting vote on a motion to help or not help.
I personally wish that the local chapter would focus solely on habitat development but I realize that it is difficult to turn down requests like those above. In the end though, it is up to those who attend the meetings to decide how the money will be spent. It should be noted that the success of a local chapter to raise funds is dependent on the support from its community who are watching how their donations are being spent.
It's the National Office that does most of the heavy lifting for habitat development so if one isn't satisfied with how the local chapter is spending its money then it might be best to send your donations directly to them.
I will add that the majority of local chapters do a tremendous service to the community and to habitat development and they deserve our support. Keep in mind that many chapters don't have a lot of money to work with. I'm guessing that most annual budgets for habitat related support at the local level fall between $1,000 to $25,000 per year. It may not seem like much but collectively the local chapters do a great service for us pheasant hunters. We should also recognize the local members who do all the work to run a successful banquet, or to visit businesses for donations, or to organize a youth hunt or attend the monthly meetings. They are the members who do more than just pay the $30 bucks per year and they should be recognized for their service in making our pheasant hunting experience better.
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UGUIDE
Active member
Good point you bring up here Landman. In recent discussions with PF it has occurred to me that there is some delineation between National and Local. Both are tightly connected but when you join you are really joining National PF. You can join any chapter you want to or none at all. At least with PF the funds raised locally stay local unlike DU.
$30 a year? Hunters spend that on a box of shells!! C' Mon Man!! :thumbsup:
landman
New member
Pheasant hunters should do more than just the $30 buck membership by becoming an active member in their local PF.
Having spent about 3 years as a local PF treasurer I saw first hand what it takes to run a PF chapter. I also saw how decisions where made about how to spend the money that was raised. One key thing I learned is that anyone who attends a meeting and is a current PF member has the right to make motions and vote. Generally a chapter will have a budget which will include funds allocated to habitat projects, youth hunting, promotion and advertising, monthly newsletters, website and so forth. Sometimes a visitor will attend a meeting just to ask for financial help with some project. These requests can range from asking for help to pay for a new gun range to helping acquire land to be donated to GF&P's or the FWS for public hunting. It is a very good idea for local chapters to build a small booth for their banquets and local sports shows showing how their funds are being spent. Unless one attends all the meetings or is a treasurer the average person probably doesn't have a clue about how the money is being allocated.
Having served as a treasurer I know how the membership works. Typically a club will charge about $50.00 to attend their banquet. Of that $30 goes to National and $20 goes to pay for the meal and other incidentals. Sometimes a person will elect to pay more than the $30 for the membership and once in awhile a person will pay for a life membership at the banquet. All of this money goes to National. Futhermore, many of the items auctioned at the banquet might be purchased from National, which provides additional support to the National Office. The local clubs aren't required to purchase raffle and auction items for their banquets but most will purchase some items from National simply for convenience and to support the National Office and their programs.
Most local chapters have a very limited budget but they do what they can. The National Office provides a huge range of services such as funding Wildlife Biologists, assisting with the acquisition of public hunting land, Lobbying for conservation programs, and education among many other habitat related projects.
Pheasants Forever is a good organization and it deserves our support.
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kansasbrittany
Banned
No question I should join guys. You don't have to sell me on it.
$30/yr is nothing I agree....lifetime membership is all I'd ever planned to purchase. Santa should have enough $ saved up to buy me one this year. Thanks a bunch for your input gentlemen.
Paying for lobbyists that protect our tradition is the only thing I actually thought I would be buying into. In return, a hunting magazine that comes to me wherever I live for the rest of my life.:thumbsup:
BTW, there is no "local" pheasants forever activity in this part of KS.
No pheasant activity to speak of in the Flint Hills
"The treasurer would be a good person to ask"
That's funny LM. What a well-placed and politically correct insult. I accept it with honors:cheers:
$30/yr is nothing I agree....lifetime membership is all I'd ever planned to purchase. Santa should have enough $ saved up to buy me one this year. Thanks a bunch for your input gentlemen.
Paying for lobbyists that protect our tradition is the only thing I actually thought I would be buying into. In return, a hunting magazine that comes to me wherever I live for the rest of my life.:thumbsup:
BTW, there is no "local" pheasants forever activity in this part of KS.
No pheasant activity to speak of in the Flint Hills"The treasurer would be a good person to ask"
That's funny LM. What a well-placed and politically correct insult. I accept it with honors:cheers:
landman
New member
Most of the funds for the local chapters come from:
1. Donations from local businesses.
2. Net income from raffles
3. Net income from the annual banquet - raffles, auctions, games etc.
4. Item donations such as prints, guns and so forth, usually from businesses, to be raffled or auctioned at the banquet.
It takes a lot of effort from the active members to visit and ask for donations from local businesses. It also takes a lot of effort and time from a lot of folks to run a banquet and consider the countless hours trying to sell raffle tickets to friends, neighbors and strangers.
In my opinion, these folks have earned the right to spend the money as they see fit. The decisions about where to spend the money is made by the members who attend the meetings, do the work and then make the decisions in a democratic way by voting. Most of the money is spent on habitat or hunting related activities. Those who don't participate should not and do not have the right to complain.
1. Donations from local businesses.
2. Net income from raffles
3. Net income from the annual banquet - raffles, auctions, games etc.
4. Item donations such as prints, guns and so forth, usually from businesses, to be raffled or auctioned at the banquet.
It takes a lot of effort from the active members to visit and ask for donations from local businesses. It also takes a lot of effort and time from a lot of folks to run a banquet and consider the countless hours trying to sell raffle tickets to friends, neighbors and strangers.
In my opinion, these folks have earned the right to spend the money as they see fit. The decisions about where to spend the money is made by the members who attend the meetings, do the work and then make the decisions in a democratic way by voting. Most of the money is spent on habitat or hunting related activities. Those who don't participate should not and do not have the right to complain.
PF, DU, Delta, they all (the local chapters) are run by a handful of hard working people who solicit raffle items from businesses and pound on doors and organize habitat projects and so on and so on......they do it because they love the mission and their efforts rarely receive any recognition beyond tokenism........having said that, if you actually participate locally, you know what to expect and you know recognition is seldom forth coming.....gotta love it. please recognize those folks when you can....