If you would, please go up to the Questions Forum, and read my post in the Field Tester thread. I believe I posted it on the 26th or 27th. I believe that the answer you are looking for will be found in that post.

Still feeling a lil' uneasy about it. You did make some good points. I just hate that feeling of geting screwed and not getting a 2cd date. Oh well it will give me something to ponder over this weekend.

I would say if you are having second thoughts you should probably get out while the getting is good.......... Why remain if you are uneasy about it.

Longshot:  I want in on that $50K check deal,  Hells Bells, I started this whole danged thing in the first place

T8, I would not waste your hard earned $$, even the mag is going to pot.  All the wigs care about is $$ to go on their fancy hunts so they can brag about them in the mag, I dont even read it any more I just pitch it in the trash.  I became  a lifer in 97 and the bomber jacket is cheap leather that peels if you dont baby it severly and 90% of what you recieve for field testing or gifts is junk from china that you can buy at wally world. Sorry but it is not what it is talked up to be.

I think if I was making the decision now, knowing what I know and what the guys are saying and is true, that I would opt to pay the yearly $12. What if the magazine or BB are dropped or the whole Club folds? That leaves anyone who has paid their money up front like a lot of us up a creek without a paddle!!! If the LM fee stays at $369 like I believe it is now, that is 30 years before you break even. Add another $129 onto that if you want to go Trophy Life Member! I think us old timers that have been LMs in the Club for 20 or more years are probably on the plus side, but the more I think about it, I don't think I would go that route nowadays.

Thank y'all, it is alot to digest. You are right, the crap is crap from China, but it is something. The magazine is not as good as Buckmasters. But, magazines can change. I don't know, it is still kinda neat saying I am a life member to people; I feel that it represents my dedication (& hopefully some of yours) to our hunting heritage. In Texas there is Texas Trophey Hunters, and in my opinion it is for the well off. You hardly hear strories from their magazine were a hunter used any skills to get the big daddy other then shooting straight. It seems to me that the members of NAHC are more dedicated to the pursuit of the game they after. Once again thank all of y'all for your responses and good luck this year.

Typically8;  I understand what you are saying; that's why I started this thread in the first plase.  But TG 06 is right with what is happening today with the entire program.  The quality is lacking somewhat.  As far as the Buckmasters Mag, I spent half my thim turning pages cause every other page is a danged advertisement.  That maks the look real neat with Lots of pages;Ah, not so Grasshopper, what you see is not necessarily what you expect when you open mag Bummer.

Same with the TTHA mag and pretty much all of them. I do like the B.M. cause the stories are short and they give you the meaurements. You should take a look at my wife's People magizine; she gets crazy about all the ads. Thank you Master.

LOL, I have a site myself typically8, and members of my site (free by the way) can order ball caps, "T" shirts, jackets, patches etc.... You could join it and have an American Outdoors logo, lol.... Oh, I put no mark ups on any of the site gear, you pay what they sell it for plus shipping, unlike some places...........

From another charter member,
I ahve had billing problums, and between the club accounting and my (girlfriend's account) payment option I'm still not sure what happened. However the club's came to the best possable resolution possable, a refund of my dues. The cub will recive their check back if only the two year dues were withdrawn. If I were you keep calling member services for help with the isue because they have cone out of there way to help me.

I joined around 1980, lifer in 1982, all I ever got was a cap and an arm patch, plus once in awhile decals (for pupose of advertising the club)? All the sweet deals, great offers, exclusive opportunities,etc... that were advertised and promised, never culminated to the level that they were portrayed. Am I the only one that feels this way? Today is my first visit to this forum, and think that I am not alone. The seemingly endless string of hunting tips by the same contributing editors/writers/cohorts, makes me pause to wonder, who is paying their costs? I think that is where our dues and inflated costs on "members only" merchandise is going. Great club if you're in the click, mostly sucks if you're not.
Bill Olsen, American one hundred percent and always!

This is quite a thread, thanks for starting it.
I was a charter member too, until they started sending the re-up bills at about the 5th month. I got so confused as to when the renewal date actually
was that I dropped out after *****ing about it. Rejoined about '83 for 7-8yrs and upped to LM, got the bomber jacket with logo tucked under the lapel
where anyone wanting to know has to lift it up to see what it says. I only wear it for special times so it's still like new so far.

I barked several times about the junk s--t from china and not to send me anything not American made. They of course dropped me like a hot rock from
the test program. I really havent' missed it a whole lot. My life doesn't revolved around this club.

One thing I've asked them w/o response: Just who is Bill Miller?? He writes like we should know his name and history like he was some kind of expert or
something. Until he took over the operations I'd never heard of him. Has anyone else? Must be nice to run something like this that pays for all the bragging
rights and hunting trips he make's.

Good luck to every one this season.
George L. Dwight/Pueblo, CO

Bill Miller is one of the original starters of this so-called club. He gets to take a lot of great htg. trips at our expense, and is a self server. He along with many others that run this organization are here for one thing, and that in my opinion is to have all members pay for his and their expensive vacations. Bullrun

I have been a life member since 1991. Like most, I received some small items when I became a life member. Nothing that the club, I use that term very loosely, gives today. I have ask several times why us old timers are not given additional stuff, but they refuse to even answer my question. As has been said, this organization is out to make money so that the owners can go on hunting trips that I can not even afford. I guess though there is not much that I (we) can do about it, just live and learn.

Larry
Life member NRA, NAHC, Vietnam Vet (100% Disabled), saved by the Grace of God.

Bill Miller WAS NOT an original founder of the NAHC. Paul and Steve Burke were the founders, publishers and editors of the magazine, and the daily operation of the NAHC. It wasn't until well after the NAHC was sold, that Bill Miller came along.

Back when i joined bill millers name was not on anything .. And when i got the paper work to become a life member the signiture on the paper work was a burke

Interesting post,

In this capitalistic society, what part of business don't some of you understand? 

The "Club" is a business, like any other business the main goal is to make money (for them, not you).  After taking care of over head expense (to include inexpensive member gifts) they are entitled to take the money they make and spend it how ever they please, like great hunting trips.

 If this was your business would you really do it any other way?

You are the customer, you have to right to decide if you want to give the "Club" your money.  As with any business you get involved with, you must think of what you are buying, and the worth of it to you. 

If you became a life member, the club did not twist your arm, I'm sure you must (like with any business deal) have looked into the benefits, talked to other life members to see if they were happy with their decision and with what they got/get out of it. With this knowledge "You" made your decision to take the step of handing over the hefty sum for lifetime membership.  You have to do your research, never lock yourself into anything you may regret in the future.  That's why I keep my membership by a yearly bases, that keeps me flexible.

I also am a staunch believer in the freedom of speech, so I guess you can crab all you want about  how dissatisfied  you are with the club your input may or may not be a source of advice to others.

Back to the hunt

Very well stated DA !

DA, what many of the newer members don't know, is that when the NAHC was originally formed, there was going to be hunting areas set aside in different regions for the members to utilize, as well as various giveaway hunts, and the Field Test Program. Then again, with Life Membership, there was going to be special opportunities of Life members to take advantage of NAHC OWNED hunting lands. All of this changed when the "club" was sold, 1st to a British Publishing company, and then to the North American Membership Group, which is the current Corporation that owns the name NAHC. When the Burkes formed the club, those of us who were it's Charter Members felt that we actually belonged to something that was greater than the individual. We actually had somewhat of a say in how the organization was run, and what articles and info was published in the mags. This was way back before there was such a thing as the internet, and before the club became a minor part of a larger corporation. Usually, it's us old timers who have a lot of gripes about the ways things have changed ( and not for the better ). I've only had a computer for about a year and a half, so I am still fairly new to the site, but I did become involved here on the boards from the day I got my computer up and running. Even in that short period of time, I've seen a lot of change, discontent, and malfeasance on the part of the company and the manner in which we the customers have been treated. For the most part, we the Life Members have been on the receiving end of the mistreatment. Like I've pointed out, it appears that newer members get field test items, and win the contests, while the older members continue to lose out! Don't get me wrong, I never joined for any freebies, since I consider my subscription to the mag well worth the price of admisssion. It just seems somewhat unfair that as a Charter Member, as well as, a Life Member, that I've never gotten a single test item, much less won a prize of any type. I don't mention this out of anger, just perplexion!! I enjoy the mags, and I enjoy this site, but I can't sit back and not let folks know that after all of these years without ever getting anything free from the company, that I can't help but mention it when I read of other's complaining about not getting any "freebies", or the "cheap items" that they did receive.

As you stated, I paid my money over 10 years ago for my Life Membership, so they have me by the short hairs. I will tell anyone who is interested: If they are joining for the freebies, they are joining for the wrong reason. The only reason to contribute to the companies profits is for the mags and this site. Otherwise, don't waste your time and money!!!!! If they don't follow that advise, then shut their beitching, and take what they get!!!!!!!!!!!!!