Association Hunter Turnover
Always room for a picture of a couple of good looking dogs. Two setters on break during a late season Kansas pheasant hunt.
Membership turnover is a question often asked. It is believed to be an evaluative tool on hunting club quality.
We track turnover infrequently. It is not a primary concern of the Association partners. Meaning the turnover the Association does have is not a financial impact affecting hunt quality. During parts of the year a waiting list and select hunting interest closures for the season occur.
Some Quit
Hunters do quit. Some hunters will quit after the first year claiming bad hunting. It is we will never satisfy all. Any attempt to satisfy everyone would likely lead to greater dissatisfaction. The Association works for those that it has evolved to support since starting in 1965.
Not every one will do well in a self guided environment over strange ground. Not everyone has the ability to change techniques for different ground. Not all will have the right dog power for their desired success. Some will come with overblown expectations that could never be fulfilled.
For the most part the great majority of those that hunt with the Association one season do so again for years.
Mike had a good day chasing Kansas pheasants.
Profile Of Renewals
Archery deer hunters both local and non-resident have the highest renewal rate in the Association. The belief is the hard seasoning that bow hunting requires filters out less dedicated hunters. Those that do bow hunt find the land resource the Association provides the best available option.
Modern firearms deer hunters that are local usually have another hunting interest as their primary enjoyment. The rifle season is just additional. They have a high renewal rate based on their other interest. This is a case of those that hunt the most hunt the longest with the Association.
The contrast shows well with the traveling modern firearms deer hunter. This category has the lowest renewal rate. The traveling firearms deer hunters with the shortest career in this Association falls into one of two categories. The first are those that chase tags. They are hunting whatever state they draw a preferred tag. The second are those that seek a trophy room collection. Once tagging a trophy whitetail they seek other game.
Waterfowl hunters that are locals equal the bow hunter for renewals. The Association's private wetlands are of the noncompetitive hunting all want. The kind of hunting that on the very well developed and pressure controlled Missouri Department of Conservation wetlands cannot be had.
Traveling waterfowl hunters have a higher turnover rate than locals. The traveling hunter seems to hunt where the winter weather develops migratory trends. Missouri has been attracting these hunters for some time. That has been due to winter weather allowing for long migration layover.
Pheasant or Quail mirror that of the waterfowl hunters. Locals hunt for decades with this Association. Traveling hunters will have a floating 10 to 20% that will travel and hunt in whatever state has the best forecasts. There have been many upland bird hunters that have joined the Association more than once. Most of these hunters are primarily pheasant hunters. Quail hunters both local and non-resident tend to have a higher renewal rate.
Kim, with a nice one.
Steen, his good dog.