I don't know the answer to this question in recent years. Some years new members would be as much as 200 and in other years the number would be as low as 30. Like most sporting organizations the numbers will fall when there isn't an issue or the sport isn't growing. The club used to have probably 50% turnover from year to year. But, that was back when there was a definitive push for members. In recent years the club probably has less than 10% new members each year. You even see national organizations like DU, Delta and the NWTF struggling with new members. I believe the single biggest loss to hunters and conservation in general was the disbanding of most conservation clubs. Those organizations suffered as most outdoorsmen became single issue sportsmen and general concern over conservation gave way to hunting being more about "what I killed".

The long term members of the IDHA have always focused on educational and supportive activities such as the handicapable camp for Riley or disabled children and adults, the handicap hunt at Crane Military Base, supporting the Hunter Ed program, the State Fair activities, pushing for youth hunts and at the time the State Park hunts and so on. Probably because of those broad based educational and supportive activities the organization was one that the IDNR sought out to work with or seek input.

What we have seen over the years are other organizations related to deer hunting the start up and stay together for a year or two and then disband. Their membership grows but there has been none that has sustained themselves for more than two or three years. Typically, those organizations come about because of a specific issue or "want" but seldom have they been involved in promotion or active support of youth activities, educational activities or other such hunting related support activities.

I'll seek to find out what the new member numbers are as we end 2011. I will say that I have found it unfortunate and a bit sad that over the years "sportsmen" have become less and less inclined to be involved or supportive of programs. But again, I always have to pause and remember that this is the case for most social organizations be it related to the hunting world or to non hunting issues.