Start by talking with potential members. Make sure you all have similar ideas about management of the property. Do hunters want to pass up yearling bucks, which almost everyone can pick out, or would they prefer letting bucks get into the three-year-and-up class where they have much bigger racks? What will be the rules? Will there be a point restriction, such as a minimum of four points on one side for a buck to be legal, or a maybe a minimum spread between the antlers?

     

Written rules are necessary to properly govern a club. Each member should sign and receive a copy, and the rules should be posted at the clubhouse. Everything should be firmed up so there's no arguing or second guessing about how the organization runs.

Agree on the rules up front. Things to consider include whether you can bring guests to hunt, how many and what they can harvest. Decide whether there will be a penalty if bucks not meeting requirements are accidentally shot, and what the penalty will be. Most clubs limit the number of bucks a person can take, and a few make hunters harvest a certain number of does to keep the population well-balanced. All rules need to be spelled out, then enforced by fines or other means.

 

Finding the right property is the next important step in the process, and that means first finding a landowner who is willing to sell or lease the right land. But you'll need to decide first which option best suits your club: leasing or purchasing.

 

 

 

 

If you decide to lease, you might want to start your search for property by contacting a local wild

 

life officer or wildlife biologist. These people often know people with good deer-hunting properties they want to lease in order to control deer problems or trespassing problems, and a phone call introducing yourself and explaining your reason for calling might produce good leads.

     

County agricultural extension agents also are good sources of information. These people are in constant contact with local farmers and often know of landowners willing to lease hunting rights on their property, or eager to sell outright.