What should BANS focus on in 2011.

[acadianarcher]

What do you think BANS should focus on in 2011 or what should be the priorities?

I believe we should focus on increased visibility to attract more members and let non member know what we are doing. I say this as we have several guest visitors but not a lot of members signing in.

[BANS]

I agree - last year we were involved with the Woodlot owner of the year Field day so far this year we are involved with the DNR Sponsored Youth Hunting Camp.

My priority is to have booth space again at a show or two, but not the RV show unless the price comes way down.

[gsheehan]

This is just my thought but some of the associations are looking at landowner and hunter partnerships to harvest deer from private land (farms, etc), I think Archery would actually the most success with this type of arrangement because most recognize archery as a much safer shooting sport, and lets face it lot still have a dislike for crossbows.

Many archers would love to have access to private landowers that have deer issues

This would be a big item to pull in membership, because you could make membership mandatory to participate. There are lots of new hunters getting into archery and this would be a great tool.

[gsheehan]

As far at booth space at the sport and rv show, BANS and NSACH should team up, or even team up with NSFAH, we are all in this together, and it both organizations would save.

[acadianarcher]

good idea but I'm not sure the xbow association would go for it. They seem to have the interest in the product and they seem to have done a very good job of communicating their goals, through email newsletters to keep their members and potential members informed, website promotion special events to put their profile out there, with the public.

I suspect it might conflict with their goals of growing their membership base and from the traffic and comments you see on NShunting website and their site I suspect getting the funds to market themselves won't be a problem

[acadianarcher]

perhaps email notices to inform the members as to what"s going on. Email is the cheapest way to inform most people. Also a good way to get people to renew their memberships. my cheque was sent today.

perhap some kits so members could get some promos at some of the more rural shows or areas.

[bobleblanc]

I've been doing a lot of study lately around the condition of our deer herd.
Using the DNR figures, I have been able to trend our deer herd's density as well as the impact (or influences) that the hunting community is placing on it.
Unquestionnably, since 2001, our deer herd has been declining...it averages at around 1000 animals per year as lost from the basis number.
The number of deer that hunters harvest is staying relatively constant, but with the declining herd, that means we are taking more and more of our stock (spring) herd...and that's not good.

I would like to see the BANS message for this year be 'sustainibility'.

Let's face it...most bowhunters participate to hunt deer, and if our herd continues to decline, we're all going to, eventually, lose out.
As bowhunters, I suspect most of us do not want to lose opportunity to hunt, but we have to be aware / conscious of the deer herds long term viability, too.
Efforts, by others, to increase the number of animals hunters take will be detrimental.
We should take the lead...and be the 'voice of conservation'.

Just my thoughts...

Bob

[acadianarcher]

good points Bob. Glad someone else posted on here. I was beginning to think everyone had left. Perhaps we could use the deer hers sustainability to try an get increased participation on this site.

[bobleblanc]

I think, as deer hunters, we need to keep ourselves informed to the condition of the herd, and to ensure we don't overstep our boundaries. People talk a lot about declining hunter numbers, and that we have to get the youth involved...but if we leave them nothing to hunt, it's very much a moot point.

I showed Huntwisely my graphs at the NSFAH AGM, and he agrees that things don't look good. He was the first to suggest the notion to me that our message should be one of sustainibility.

I've put together an interpretive of the graphs and have been considering a get together of our membership to show ya's what I've found in them. I think it's worthwhile info...and I'd like to see it officially addressed by the DNR.
Maybe my interpretations are wrong, and in all honesty, that would make me breath a lot easier...I'd rather be wrong than right, in this circumstance.

We'll see where it goes...

Bob

[acadianarcher]

good job, Bob. Information is grat but unless it's distributed to members and those who can make decisions it virtually useless.

keep up the good work.

[westernam57]

Where do we begin?

[bobleblanc]

My trends have been sent to the Federation for their consideration. If they don't want to officially ask the DNR for a response, then I will send them directly.
I have also sent them to an independent wildlife biologist, who specializes in whitetail deer, for his analysis. Hopefully, I'll hear back on that this week.

Understand, boys and girls, if what I see in these trends holds true, there could very well be just as many bowhunters and many more rifle hunters ticked off at me as there are crossbow proponents. But it's a risk I'm prepared to take...I have a 19 year old son who I would like to leave a sustainable herd so HE can hunt.

Some highlights?
Since 2001, our herd has declined by an RMS average of 1091 deer (density units) per year. That may not seem like a lot, but then you have to remember that our herd only numbers in the low 40,000's.
In 2008, we had an opportunity for growth...we had a spike in that year to 55,000 (or thereabouts...I'm going on memory). Hunters were given additional opportunity that year with additional tags, and in 2010, our herd is estimated at 43,000...a decline of 12,000 deer in just 2 years.

If the trends hold true, we can expect to see a herd of right around 40,000 this spring...could be more, could be less.
This newly proposed Primitive Weapons season could result similar to the 'additional opportunity' that hurt us in 2008.

It's really sad...

[BANS]

My thoughts -

We need a Newsletter editor. Our current editor did a great job until "burnout" occurred due to the low number and no number of submissions for the newsletter.

We are going to do some booths this year - We will be at some agricultural shows this year as well - making inroads for bow hunters and landowners. and will need volunteers when the dates are set toward the end of May.

Yes, we need more members and volunteers - This thread is a great first step - Let's go one further

Let's post specific ideas - What can we do to better promote ourselves - find some venues for consideration. Remember our budget is about 1000 dollars.

Who is willing to help promote - BANS will be working with the Archery Association of NS and an Archery Club and working with 200 or so guides again this summer. We have been successful in educating some girls into the need for controlled hunting and making them aware that the woods aren't like Disney portrays them. Will also be working with a 4H group again this summer.

Still surprising the number of applications received with no e-mail addresses and therefore the number of members that cannot be contactde via e-mail..

[acadianarcher]

I am willing to do anything in Digby, yarmouth or shelburne counties to promote us. I see there is a show and dinner in Barrington , Shelburne County in Junebarrington , I believe. I would be willing to do some promo work there . we should also sell some tickets on something, a bow?, we should be able to collect some funds and it would allow us to meet more perspective members. I would be willing ot sell tickets at the barringotn event and throught the tri county area.

[acadianarcher]

there's an outfit in Digby county where we could get a three day bear hunt for something like 600 dollars. Nice camp, great service and lots of bears. I got one in 2009 there that was 18 12/16ths. That could make a decent prize for a draw?