Anyone a member of QDM?

[JPH]

Thanks for the 411 QDMAMAN.
 
Follow up question. I live and hunt in South-Central Iowa, but I own property in No. Missouri (a little over an hour away). Would you suggest joining a branch near home or near my property?

[Everyday Hunter]

I am a member of QDMA, and have been for three years. I joined at their national conference three years ago when it was held in Philadelphia. I think QDMA is a great conservation organization, and several posters here have made some very good comments.

My observation is that before the advent of QDMA, QDM principles already existed -- and the hunters already practicing were trying to harvest adult bucks. People assume that QDM is all about food plots and antler restrictions, and those are important components. But there is more. One comes immediately to mind. I wrote an article for NAW about a guy just across the border from me in NY who killed a 180"+ buck. The property is about 300 acres and the fields are leased out to farmers, so he doesn't plant food plots. He follows just two QDM principles (and was following them before he ever heard of QDM.) First, he and his son shoot only adult bucks of 3½ years old or more. And second, they have created a sanctuary area that they do not go into, which allows the deer security cover. The results of following just those two principles have been amazing. They consistently harvest mature bucks that all of us would admire.

One misconception that people have about QDM (and thus the QDMA) is that it's all about inches of antler. (Yes, I've already mentioned a 180"+ buck, but that's just a shorthand way of describing it. The alternative is to say it was a 24" wide 6 x 6 that had lots of mass, 4 sticker points and a main beam that had about 4" broken off. Most of the bucks they shoot are not taped.) QDM is not an attempt to produce trophy bucks. Any kind of antler restrictions (apart from "trophy" deer management) is just one way of assessing the approximate maturity of a buck, and it is maturity that is the goal. You don't find many mature bucks with spindly 4-point or 5-point racks. I'd bet that almost every buck would reach 120 inches if he has adequate food and he reaches 4½ or 5½ years of age.

By advocating QDM, we're first and foremost advocating letting bucks grow up. The reason a 1½ year old buck has small antlers is because he is a young deer. They can't mature if they die at 1½.

QDM principles allow an area to produce healthy deer and healthy habitat, which benefits all species. And it allows bucks to exhibit the potential that bucks of that area have. But with all the misconceptions people have about deer, the QDMA has lots of work to do.

Steve

[Everyday Hunter]

ORIGINAL: JPH

Thanks for the 411 QDMAMAN.

Follow up question. I live and hunt in South-Central Iowa, but I own property in No. Missouri (a little over an hour away). Would you suggest joining a branch near home or near my property?

My opinion (I know that you didn't ask me, and my opinion may be worth about 2¢) is that the location of the chapter is only one thing to consider. What you should also consider are things like which chapter you can participate in the most, which chapter is stronger and has more to offer, which chapter has the people you agree with in principle, and which chapter is more active.

Being a member of the national QDMA doesn't mean you must be in a chapter, but involvement in a chapter would be the way to offer the most and get the most from the QDMA.

Just MHO. I'm interested in seeing what QDMAMAN has to say.

Steve

[JPH]

ORIGINAL: Everyday Hunter
I know that you didn't ask me, and my opinion may be worth about 2¢

 
Not at all! I'm glad you chimed in.
 
As I said, I fully support the agenda of the QDMA. I just lost the motivation to keep paying my membership dues. Anything that can help me feel like I am getting a return on my investment (in time and money) is worthwhile.
 
Thanks!

[QDMAMAN]

ORIGINAL: JPH

Thanks for the 411 QDMAMAN.

Follow up question. I live and hunt in South-Central Iowa, but I own property in No. Missouri (a little over an hour away). Would you suggest joining a branch near home or near my property?

 
You're welcome JPH.
It's my personal opinion that you, and the QDMA, are best served if you're affiliated where you live.  I know some folks, here in Michigan, that live in the metro areas of the state and own property in the northern reaches of the state, even the Upper Penninsula.  When they have the opportunity to go north to their property they seldom have time to complete their habitat work and other chores associated with being an adsentee land owner, so throwing in the added time associated with serving in a branch is difficult at best.
One thing everybody must remember is that organizations like the QDMA are only as strong as their members that volunteer their time. I've found that the more I give to the organization the more I'm blessed.  Whenever I have the opportunity to associate with people that share my passion I'm a happy camper and I can't tell you how much I've learned from others mistakes.
I've yet to meet a single member of the QDMA that wasn't a deer hunter so you don't have to worry about branch functions interfering with hunting or foodplotting seasons, everybody's in the same boat.
JPH, from reading your posts and knowing the discipline that you have in all aspects of your life, I'm confident that you would find being affiliated with a QDMA branch a worthwhile expenditure of your time.  We're all stretched in several directions so it's nice when we can give to an organization that so closely mirrors our core values.
 
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[QDMAMAN]

ORIGINAL: JPH,
I live and hunt in South-Central Iowa,

 
Off topic.  I know a guy that lives and outfits in Decatur County, his name is Steve Scutter.  Anywhere near you?
 
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[JPH]

Thanks again! I looked at the Iowa QDMA branches and nothing is going on right now. I'll keep my eye on them.

I agree that joining close to home and work is the best idea. When I can get the time to be down on my place, I only want to work, hunt or relax. If I do join a branch, I doubt my schedule will allow a lot of time for volunteer work. If I join one an hour away, there is no chance.

Again, I totally buy into QDM and I have the blisters to prove it. If all goes well, I will have the chance to share my thoughts on the subject in a more complete and public way soon.

Oh yeah! Yes QDMA man, I know Decatur Co. quite well. I do some turkey hunting there and my Mo. property is just a few miles from the Decatur line. I do not know your friend, but I am sure we know some of the same people. 

[fasteddie]

I don't belong to QDMA but do participate in QDM in the area where my son has property . We have a Spring Meeting coming up April 18 . The group head has been collecting data for two years now . Many hunters in that area are participating in QDM ..........

[timberdoodle]

I have been a member of QDMA for many years and the only other magazine subscription I get is Deer & Deer Hunting. The $30 dollars for the QDMA membership does include the magazine but it also helps fund research, a junior hunter program, educational programs and so on. QDMA also gets involved with state and local deer and deer hunting issues.

I just joined this site today, looking to check out the quiz and thought I would throw a couple of my cents in on this discussion.

[JPH]

Welcome timberdoodle! You'll love this forum.