Log In
Home
Topic RSS
3:25 pm
Life Member
October 30, 2012
Offline
Okay folks,
I attended a Conservation Alliance meeting a couple of years ago for BHA. In that meeting the DCNR had some great info about the men and women that hunt in Alabama. I was really surprised when they said that around 80% of the hunters in Alabama had household incomes of less than $50,000. Now you take into account that a rigged out bow will cost from $500 to $2,000 and you are talking about a good percentage of that hunters income. Add lease fees, truck, licenses, treestands, and other hunting equipment and it gets real obvious that many hunters don’t have anymore money to invest in extra bells and whistles.
Yet, when we sit around and argue about 3D rules, we say they can purchase heavier arrows, slow their bow down, or shoot for fun. Really, is that the way we should be thinking? They are already going to have to spend money on gas to get there, food money, and pay an entry fee to shoot. We should be making it as easy and cheap as we can for them to attend. And having the rules set where they can shoot what they hunt with is the best thing we can do for them. And please understand that I understand the shooting for fun option, that is all I have been doing for years. But, face it, most people love to compete and they want to have a chance to win even if it is just a $3 hat pin.
I read somewhere years ago that the definition of insanity was doing the same thing over and over and expecting a different outcome. Well, we have been doing the same thing for years and years and we still only have around 1.5% of the bow hunters in this state join BHA. Could it be time to try something new?
What if we raised/took off the speed limit? Keeping safety in mind of course.
What if we reduced the membership fee?
What if we got our paperwork in for the BHA car tag?
What if we started having a few FREE BHA 3D shoots open to the public each year?
What if we created some known distance classses?
What if we created mentoring programs teaching newbies how to bowhunt?
What if we actually tried to share out passion and pass it on to others?
What if we simply tried to grow?
Or we can continue to stick our heads in the sand and continue to hope things change.
The decision is ours! We are BHA. The question is do we want to keep this great org to ourselves or do we want to share it with everyone?
5:15 pm
Life Member
October 24, 2012
Offline
I’ll put in my two cents, here.
Good post, Barry….and it’s way past time to shake the bushes!
Speed limit…follow the other organizations or have “No Speed Limit” for a hunter class (but at what distance limit?)
$15 bucks with an AON magazine is a GREAT deal.
Car Tag?…WHY have we not pursued this???
Love the FREE shoots…Gonna present it to our Chapter to see if we can get more people involved with archery. First time to shoot 3-D?…FREE ROUND!
Love known distance…brings back memories of NFAA.
Tuscaloosa County Bowhunters, in conjunction with PARA will offer archery classes this season and we are awaiting the bowhunting introduction program that Marisa showed at the board meeting.
Try to grow?…”To do or not do…there is no TRY!”………(Who used to post that?)
Movers and shakers need to step up!
7:23 pm
Barry, Believe it or not I have been preaching the SAME things that you just mentioned since I became Central Zone Director. Except for reducing membership fees. In my first meeting with the chapter presidents, I encouraged everyone to promote a known distance class at local shoots even though there was no class. To date, I do not know of a single chapter that did it. And I am chapter president as well so I guess I am pointing my finger at myself.
The car tag is coming. Be patient.
As for free 3D shoots. Not a bad idea and there are pros and cons. The biggest expense for any chapter is their targets. Having free shoots would make it tough on a chapter financially. It is going to take my chapter 2 years and 5 shoots to be able to afford at least some new targets. You have been around long enough to know how targets and finances work. Also, if you start trying to have shoots outside of our normal schedule, you will be scheduling on top of other chapters normally scheduled shoots and we have tried to avoid this. But maybe it’s time to change that way of thinking. It is a good topic for discussion.
Personally I can’t wait to get our archery park at Oak Mountain so that we can promote/mentor archery LOCALLY. That is what every chapter should be doing. I believe Tuscaloosa is going to be the model for how this should/can be done. Everyone pay attention to Tuscaloosa and see how they do it!
I know Larry is always looking for “movers and shakers” but the problem is that it is the same handful of people doing the moving and shaking. More BHA members need to step up.
I think there are some positive things happening such as the new website. If we are going to grow, we are going to have to get our name out there!!! We need our logo to be seen. It is not good enough to just get on this website and post something promoting archery. This website alone will not be the cure all for BHA. THe idea that Mark had a Alabama Grand Slam and Super Slam could be big for BHA. But we need to promote it like it is the coolest thing ever. We have to let people know it exists and is worthy of recognition.
I would like to see us do away with the idea of 6 trail shoots and go with 1 trail shoot in each zone with NO OTHER shoots scheduled for that date and promote each like the state championship.
First things first. Repeal the 3 year rule on our shoot rules and raise the speed limit.
8:41 pm
Member
January 28, 2013
Offline
The Alexander City Archery Club would like to see more trail shoots. 3 in each zone and you must shoot 1 shoot in each zone in order to qualify to shoot the BHA state shoot. The trail shoots are the largest shoots we have for the shooters that like to compete on a larger scale and for more than a hat pin. If we could some how get more shooters to compete at the local shoots so that you can give bigger awards to the winners we would be for that also. More people must like the idea of bigger prizes because we have more participation at the trail shoots and having 3 of the 9 shoots as qulifiers would cause the ones to shoot more BHA shoots instead of waiting on the biggest shoot we have for the year just because its our state shoot. The local shoots would have more participation if there was more on the line to compete for (completely my opinion). I shoot alot of local shoots for practice and to support the clubs but i think more would if they had more incentive to.
7:08 am
Life Member
October 30, 2012
Offline
The free shoot idea was more for BHA after they get the car tag going and have extra money. Even if BHA had to buy 20 targets each year for these shoots, they would have plenty of money from the car tags.
6:06 pm
Member
Life Member
September 23, 2012
Offline
I believe the $15 membership fee is an incredible value (with the magazine) much cheaper than other organizations. The Explore Bowhunting program is our ticket to promoting bow hunting. We must get this going. Chapters need to step up, have regular meetings and figure out how to start this program in there area. The tools are available, you all probably own them already. There will be instruction on how to teach it formally, but really you don’t need to wait for that YOU already have the knowledge. We tried last year to have free shoots. In AON on our BHA Messenger page we had a coupon that anyone could take to a shoot for a free round. I don’t know of it being used. I think we will try that again.
Mark Proctor
Past BHA President 2011-2015
Lifemember #63
7:48 pm
Member
October 24, 2012
Offline
msproctor said
I believe the $15 membership fee is an incredible value (with the magazine) much cheaper than other organizations. The Explore Bowhunting program is our ticket to promoting bow hunting. We must get this going. Chapters need to step up, have regular meetings and figure out how to start this program in there area. The tools are available, you all probably own them already. There will be instruction on how to teach it formally, but really you don’t need to wait for that YOU already have the knowledge. We tried last year to have free shoots. In AON on our BHA Messenger page we had a coupon that anyone could take to a shoot for a free round. I don’t know of it being used. I think we will try that again.
unless you dont get it like me i feel bha owes me for two years worth!
9:01 pm
Member
January 15, 2013
Offline
My father shoots in GA and the largest class at any shoot is FUN Class…pay 10 dallors and go shoot, no rules no worrys…just shoot!
7:35 pm
Member
March 21, 2013
Offline
i know when i first looked up bha i thought ouch this will be expensive. nope not yet, i bought a bow which i really wanted anyway wen to their first shoot, and almost busted my butt due to my balance being off i had a good time got my bow sighted in hit 4 bullseyes the my left arm said enough, so i quit and had a good nap. i really look forward to june shoot no that i have a 4 pin sight. once i get it sighted in i will be ready to get after it.btw is it june yet? ? ?
MIKE CRENSHAW RETIRED oif veteran Bear Attitude r t h MY CHAIN OF COMMAND1GOD/2 FAMILY/3 HUNTING IN THAT ORDER.my cell phone is 256-698-1606
7:37 pm
Member
March 21, 2013
Offline
greimer said
My father shoots in GA and the largest class at any shoot is FUN Class…pay 10 dallors and go shoot, no rules no worrys…just shoot!
here , here i second the motions i agree 100% a little friendly compition is fun.
MIKE CRENSHAW RETIRED oif veteran Bear Attitude r t h MY CHAIN OF COMMAND1GOD/2 FAMILY/3 HUNTING IN THAT ORDER.my cell phone is 256-698-1606
1 Guest(s)
