I don't know the answer Dave to your question but I'll find out at the February show.

I am sorry you didn't get any information when you joined. I'll say something to Kevin when I see him in February. In regard to meetings though, the club meets the first Tuesday in the month at Gander Mountain in Greenwood at 7pm.

At the height of the state park controversy and when there was a constant push for new membership by someone going statewide to talk to folks almost every other weekend, membership grew to over a thousand members. It has been suggested before (from outside the IDHA) that the club should try to get something "special" for it's membership. For instance, it was alluded that the IBA got something special for its membership when Clifty Falls State Park became bow only, even though it wasn't specific to its members. The IDHA always refused to seek any special treatment or access for its members and some believe that was/is a mistake and others, those who have been involved over the years, believe it never was and never will be the intent of the IDHA to self serve it's membership.

The core membership is still today what it was years ago. That is the irony of the situation. With mostly older members, in age, it is fairly typical of most sporting organizations. The youth really don't want to join or become involved. It simply isn't their culture. (Yes Jerry, it is a cultural thing). Sure, the controversy over one buck and the seeming protection of early archery (crossbows) always cloud the real efforts of the club. The direction on those issues was driving by surveys of members, but as you likely know, survey responses are usually less than 10% of any organizational membership. As the older, core members "die out", either figuratively or in reality, the club will end up like most, going away. In today's world, most only join organizations that specifically serve them in some form or fashion and the IDHA isn't structured, intended or functionally driven to do that for an individual. I believe membership has dropped to around a couple of hundred in the last couple of years. Actually, in opposition to JB and some others thoughts, I am not in favor of pushing for new members, not because I don't want more members, but because I believe a large base of inactive membership is worse than a few people who will do something. The core membership still donates time and efforts to the State Fair cookout and fish pond, the Handicapable Camp, the handicap hunt, the youth hunt at Big Oaks, a few hunter ed youth safety programs, the schools archery program and so on. As you likely know, if you have 100 members or 1,000 members, the same 25 members do all the work, donate all the time and provide all the effort. And unfortunately, those efforts and such get diminished over issues related to the DNR and certain aspects of the hunting rules and regulations.

Long winded, just trying to explain and I will find out updated info when I see Kevin in February.