Which organization?

[Bigfeet]

Fish and Game Association, SCI, Alberta Bowhunters, ... maybe others?

Interested in joining a group and wanted to get opinions on which might be the best. I'm hoping for an organization that makes a difference to our wildlife management by interacting with government, maybe some work projects, etc. Maybe I should join all but, as a business owner, my time can be limited and wanted to join one group that I can devote some time to, rather than many and not have enough time for them all. I am hoping to have a voice and help our wildlife managers make good decisions.

Which would you suggest?

[Big Grey Wolf]

The AFGA is oldest and has most representation of over 25,000 hunters. However province only allows 0ne representative to sit at table, APOS with a very limited membership has one member and only represents interests of guide /outfitters. Go figure

[Roughneck Country]

I know a lot of guys have an issue with SCI due to the high fence stuff in the record books but they really do put a lot of effort into conservation, hunting rights, etc.. You will also find local SCI chapter people are not overly supportive of the high fence business, than it is more driven from clubs like Dallas Safari club from what I have seen. This is a must to join if your into the international hunting scene. will meet lots of god contacts who can help you out and give you info on hunting overseas

A must to join if your a seep hunter is the Wild Sheep Foundation of Alberta
AFGA another good one
GSCO is a great organization if you are specifically focused on sheep and plan to hunt them internationally as well as domestically

Several others as well, you will find regardless of the club they all have some aspect of conservation and hunters rights. Go to a couple shows or events ad support the one who has membership with similar values and focus as your own.

Likely will want to be a member of a couple of them for sure.

[Salavee]

Originally Posted by Roughneck Country

I know a lot of guys have an issue with SCI due to the high fence stuff in the record books but they really do put a lot of effort into conservation, hunting rights, etc.. You will also find local SCI chapter people are not overly supportive of the high fence business, than it is more driven from clubs like Dallas Safari club from what I have seen. This is a must to join if your into the international hunting scene. will meet lots of god contacts who can help you out and give you info on hunting overseas

A must to join if your a seep hunter is the Wild Sheep Foundation of Alberta
AFGA another good one
GSCO is a great organization if you are specifically focused on sheep and plan to hunt them internationally as well as domestically

Several others as well, you will find regardless of the club they all have some aspect of conservation and hunters rights. Go to a couple shows or events ad support the one who has membership with similar values and focus as your own.

Likely will want to be a member of a couple of them for sure.

X2

..and don't forget Ducks Unlimited. Their projects are beneficial to all Wildlife.

[3blade]

Have the same problem myself. This is what I've learned: you probably want to join at least one member of AGMAG so your voice is heard in Alberta.

SCI - high fence hunting - no go. I get it, due to their presence in other areas, but...no.

AFGA - old boys club with serious hierarchical issues. They do good work, and have some world class programs, but getting those at the top to look at a different position on an issue is like trying to lead a bull moose by the tail. Just ain't gonna happen. And crossbows are not archery, regardless of what sheephumper thinks. Nope.

WSF, WEF - good but very species focused. Can let other issues slip away. Sort of an add-on if their focus concerns you.

Ducks unlimited (not agmag??), delta - not a waterfowl hunter yet. So I haven't researched them much, but yet to hear anything bad, and know they have done a lot of good

ABA - excellent at lobbying, but current leadership is prone to bozo eruptions. Obviously focused on archery. Might join to help straighten things out. As you can probably guess by my screen name, I'm a little biased in this direction anyway.

[elkhunter11]

AFGA - old boys club with serious hierarchical issues. They do good work, and have some world class programs, but getting those at the top to look at a different position on an issue is like trying to lead a bull moose by the tail. Just ain't gonna happen. And crossbows are not archery, regardless of what sheephumper thinks. Nope.

For many years, I supported the AFGA and thought that it was a great organization, but after dealing with the AFGA executive as an executive member on an affiliated club, I am now much less impressed with how the organization does business. We tried to work with them, but as you say, they are an old boys club, that is quite set in their ways. In the end, our club decided that we were better off without them , so we broke the affiliation and became an independent organization. I still believe that they do some good for hunters and fishermen , but we decided that it just wasn't worth dealing with the executive.

[Matt L.]

AFGA is the best one to join overall IMO. Yes there are issues that need to be fixed, but most if not all orgs have or will have similar issues. Avoiding and running away from them won't fix anything.

[Barry D]

I vote for AFGA with my money.I belong to two diffents affiliate clubs. You got to remember that you want peole that have some conection to the bureacrats as well as the politicians. I think they have that, at least more than other clubs. They may be an old boys club, but they still care, and i will take that over a special interest group that is way too focused on a few issues and not so much on many others.

Ducks unlimited have a track record that speaks for it's self.

[Lefty-Canuck]

I am a member of a couple F&G associations affiliated with the AFGA for many years...and the ABA, to which I have been a member for two years.

LC

[kujoseto]

The ACA also accepts volunteers on some projects if that's of interest. My guess would be the work bee type projects would be similar to what DU would do. That's just a best guess though

[Kaz Dog]

I became involved with A.H.E.I.A. because it was a fit for me, single and wanting pass along hunting as a passion to the next generation. I liked the teaching aspect as well.

IMO, the organization has been very well politically connected.

[Dean2]

I have been an Fish and Game Association member at every place I have lived for the past 50 years as was my father going back many years. They have been fighting the good fight since long before it was fashionable and popular.

I also support Ducks Unlimited but DUs land management, or non-management of the huge body of land they have been gifted or bought with donated funds, issue the last 8 years is starting to cause me to loose faith in this organisation.

[SBE2]

I also support Ducks Unlimited but DUs land management, or non-management of the huge body of land they have been gifted or bought with donated funds, issue the last 8 years is starting to cause me to loose faith in this organisation.[/QUOTE]

Can you expand on this please? Not questioning, just curious. Thanks.

[Dean2]

Originally Posted by SBE2

I also support Ducks Unlimited but DUs land management, or non-management of the huge body of land they have been gifted or bought with donated funds, issue the last 8 years is starting to cause me to loose faith in this organisation.

Can you expand on this please? Not questioning, just curious. Thanks.[/QUOTE]


DU lands used to be for wildlife preservation only. You could always, and still hunt and enjoy it but it is there primarily to grow more habitat. Of late, DU has started renting quite a bit of this land as pasture to ranchers and farmers, and are even talking about opening some to cultivation. The idea is to generate revenue to offset taxes, fencing, maintenance and administration costs of looking after all this land.

I am strongly against both initiatives, and I believe all those who support DU should be voicing the same concerns.

http://www.ducks.ca/what-we-do/your-land/

[huntwat]

I have lost faith. If I want to raise an issue, or question any decisions, I go straight to ESRD. May not help, but at least I get to vent.

[Matt L.]

Originally Posted by Dean2

Can you expand on this please? Not questioning, just curious. Thanks.

DU lands used to be for wildlife preservation only. You could always, and still hunt and enjoy it but it is there primarily to grow more habitat. Of late, DU has started renting quite a bit of this land as pasture to ranchers and farmers, and are even talking about opening some to cultivation. The idea is to generate revenue to offset taxes, fencing, maintenance and administration costs of looking after all this land.

I am strongly against both initiatives, and I believe all those who support DU should be voicing the same concerns.

http://www.ducks.ca/what-we-do/your-land/[/QUOTE]

I hope you donate then...

Also, some prairie grasslands require grazing to remain healthy. Just something to keep in mind.

That quoted really weirdly

[Dean2]

Originally Posted by Matt L.

DU lands used to be for wildlife preservation only. You could always, and still hunt and enjoy it but it is there primarily to grow more habitat. Of late, DU has started renting quite a bit of this land as pasture to ranchers and farmers, and are even talking about opening some to cultivation. The idea is to generate revenue to offset taxes, fencing, maintenance and administration costs of looking after all this land.

I am strongly against both initiatives, and I believe all those who support DU should be voicing the same concerns.

http://www.ducks.ca/what-we-do/your-land/

I hope you donate then...

Also, some prairie grasslands require grazing to remain healthy. Just something to keep in mind.

That quoted really weirdly [/QUOTE]

I have donAted a ton of money and some land to DU over the years. I do understand some native grasses need grazing. The land they are renting for pasture in northern Alberta are tame alfalfa and don't need to be grazed. The land they are proposing to rent for cultivation does not need to be planted to wheat, Canola or any other crop. These are strictly designed to generate cash. DU is becoming far more a land management company and far less a conservation group If they continue on this path i wont be donating money or land in the future.

[Bigfeet]

Not getting many warm and fuzzy feelings about any particular group. I'm sure each has their shortcomings.

There are some posters on this forum that seem to have quite a bit of knowledge about proposed regulations, etc. before anything becomes public. I'm hoping some of you will chime in and recommend how to become part of that circle, and which group is best to make that connection. So far, sounds the AFGA is the best, but there may be another way?

PS AGMAG? Not sure what that stands for, but sounds like the groups that are allowed at the table. Is there a list?

[Litch73]

Originally Posted by Bigfeet

Not getting many warm and fuzzy feelings about any particular group. I'm sure each has their shortcomings.

There are some posters on this forum that seem to have quite a bit of knowledge about proposed regulations, etc. before anything becomes public. I'm hoping some of you will chime in and recommend how to become part of that circle, and which group is best to make that connection. So far, sounds the AFGA is the best, but there may be another way?

PS AGMAG? Not sure what that stands for, but sounds like the groups that are allowed at the table. Is there a list?

Respectfully;

I have been a long time member of multiple clubs and organizations, RMEF, FNWS, AFGA, ABA, CALGARY Fish and Game. A few years ago I became involved in one in particular. Until then I wasn't willing to devote my precious time, but when I had an inside look at one in particular it certainly changed my previously held bias.

Now I am proud member of Multiple Canadian SCI chapters. Why? Some may ask, I originally had a huge problem with high fence hunting as well, but when I saw the a organization that allows 70% of the funds to stay in the chapter for the executive and board of directors to manage I was sold. Each chapter has their own specific interests and manage the activities to both raise and dispurse funds.

The benevolence work done in our local communities, getting children involved in shooting sports and Archery, valuable habitat and wildlife research all at the centre of the organizations requirements.

What also soon became apparent is that SCI is all about preserving our rights to hunt! In days and times where this receives the continual challenges from the uninformed. Well it was soon apparent where my funds and personal efforts needed to be! SCI has spent more that 140 million dollars preserving your rights to hunt since 2000.

They do not care if your are 12 years old hunting gophers in a pasture, or a 75 hunting with a PH in Africa or a fortunate hunter who final pull a 438 Ram Tag. They are not discriminating against any legal means of harvest and allow each sportman to set there own priorities, values all without prescribing judgment upon it.

In a day and time when the passion that we all share is under attack. My money goes to where I know it is doing the best to preserve or rights to hunt, impact both our local wildlife resources and communities positively.

Lastly, I certainly agree with Bigfeet that there are good and bad in all organizations. From one who still supports many; my time only goes to the one that is contributing to the greater good in my opinion.

Ken