QDMA Booth At the Fair

[dbHunterNY]

Had a chatting session with a group of QDMA co-op guys at the fair. They seemed really interested in what I had to say and wanted me to start up a co-op myself, as theirs is in a neighboring county. Seems i'd need to get neighbors together and have 1000 acres under co-op management to qualify though. In a land of "it's brown it's down" eastern NY, we figure there's still some hope. With all the ag ground and more and more interest in this stuff I believe you don't have to be in the Midwest to have lots of potential. the thought of a 6.5 yr old seeing the light of day is very distant and dim for here but it could happen years down the road if progress takes place. See pics below for proof.

[PotashRLS]

Our group started there too but the National Organization took the majority of your earnings annually. No different than the other big name organizations. We formed our own non profit so we could keep our money local. QDMA does a wonderful job at promoting management, but just took much $ from our branch.

[hoosierhunter]

QDMA Booth At the Fair

I had the opportunity to start a chapter in my area. My biggest issue was the money I had to provide to national. In fact the major fundraiser they helped with was basically only for national only.

I elected to pass and go down the road of my own grassroots efforts in my neighborhood which is working.

[dbHunterNY]

good things to know.... I do believe it QDM works, but the business part of it I don't know about because I haven't gotten into the QDMA.

[hoosierhunter]

good things to know.... I do believe it QDM works, but the business part of it I don't know about because I haven't gotten into the QDMA.

Long story short the business end sucks unless you like making alot of money for other people.....

[wtnhunt]

Good luck with your efforts Dan, can be frustrating trying to get cooperation. No doubt qdm can work if you get enough cooperation, that obviously is key. It is not what the neighbors say they will do, but what they do actually do. Firm believer here in seeing is believing. Got one new neighbor here who talked a good game when I met him back in the spring, said he is all about management, hope the young man keeps true to his word but honestly have heard the same story before. Time will tell.

I would not want to do anything money related that did not directly improve my hunting, cannot see sending dues and such for someone else to manage, makes little sense to me. Too much good information available to the small farm land manager without paying someone else to give their input.

Still having issues with leased ground nearby allowing insane numbers of people and poachers around us too, sure would not want to dump money into a organization only for a poacher to benefit and also makes me a little reluctant to post up trail cam pics.

[dbHunterNY]

i'm thinking we might stick to the "grassroots" way then. seems the info would be less questionable coming from their literature opposed to what I say for some of our older stubborn neighbors. I had one of them tell me a broken buck that got shot one year couldn't have been bigger than a 6 pointer before because his antlers weren't thick enough. tried to tell him I checked the teeth and the thin antlers was because he was a 1.5 yr old but I had trail cam pictures to id and match the body not the antlers. he'd already mentally checked out of the convo then and wrote it off as another spike horn 1.5 yr old buck.:argue: ..... :bang:

[hoosierhunter]

QDMA Booth At the Fair

I bought Qdma memberships for a few neighbors and openly use their coaching but I just don't pay expensive dues to them. It's more about the guys reading and learning from Qdma and then continuing discussions with others.

[dbHunterNY]

....can be frustrating trying to get cooperation. No doubt qdm can work if you get enough cooperation, that obviously is key. It is not what the neighbors say they will do, but what they do actually do. Firm believer here in seeing is believing....

....It's more about the guys reading and learning from Qdma and then continuing discussions with others.

big reasons I left and then walked back to take a couple snap shots of the wall before I met up with some others so I had it on my phone to show around. people sit and listen to you but when they see your results it's a whole different reaction.

[FireStation46]

Good luck with your plans

[PotashRLS]

Keep in mind that there are plenty of "QDMA" groups out there that don't follow sound management practices and are not educated in judging/aging deer. Sometimes you have to wade through the bs to figure things out for yourself.

[dbHunterNY]

Keep in mind that there are plenty of "QDMA" groups out there that don't follow sound management practices and are not educated in judging/aging deer. Sometimes you have to wade through the bs to figure things out for yourself.

yea i'm pretty good in that sense.... I'm always reading up on this stuff. Grew up on a farm, took vet science stuff during my early days, which has led me to know a decent amount regarding animals and nutrition... especially those of the ruminant variety. Also my current profession in an engineering consultant so I'm into science and sifting through what's fact or fiction when it comes to life in general. you just tossed out a very good piece of advice though.