MDHA

[matthothand]

Everybody I talk to about the Minnesota Deer Hunters Association seems very gung ho about the organization but when I start asking them questions they sort of clam up and don't answer. It sounds like a great cause but who truly benifits most? The local buzz is that most to all funding in the local chapter indeed goes to improve whitetail habitat but those improvements are done on the presidents vast property. The landowner tends to shoot plenty of deer and always a large buck while the neighbors who are selective of the animals they harvest struggle to see many deer at all. Many of us can relate to hunting properties that are better suited to hold and grow deer but in this case it's funded by number of outsiders. Some of whom likely assume through their donations that they might one day see a piece of the pie but it doesn't seem to work that way. I've asked many members where to find MDHA improved land or properties and although they've been donating for years they themselves don't even really know where the money goes. Hides for habitat seems like a great idea but where is the subsidized habitat? Please don't get me wrong. I just want to understand how the Minnesota Deer Hunters Association functions and where exactly the money goes because everyone seems to answer very vague and say, "Habitat."

[cupper]

Good luck on your quest for info. MDHA does some good things and they also do some shady things with their money... some of which you've already found out about. I will add that the MDHA threw a bunch of money at MN congressman from Fridley so that he would get some writing in the omnibus bill this past year blocking the DNR from doing their job and changing the season length and rule structure for the 3A season. If you're wondering why there are wierd rule changes for the 3A season, look no further than this gentleman and the money trail from MDHA.

[helpme]

Hey Cupper, do you really want to know what happened with MDHA going directly to the politicians? The DNR would not listen to a petition that was signed by more than 1,000 deerhunters of SE MN. We asked they reinstate the 2 days back on to the 3A season. There really was no good reason for them to remove these days. When you reduce the number of days to hunt you reduce the opportunity for hunters to reduce the population in an area that is overpopulated with deer. Oh and by the way, there was no money thrown at any politician, it was a grass roots effort by a large number of land owners/farmers/deerhunters that took it upon themselves to discuss the issue with our local politicians. One thing specific committes at the capitol love to do is critique everything the DNR does. I believe that had alot to do with why these regulations were implemented. A message had to be sent to the DNR the politicians are the ones that makes laws in MN.

Matthothand, you questioned what MDHA does. You certainly can look at mndeerhunters.com to see what the organization is involved in. As a local chapter, it is difficult to fund one large project. Most chapters look at combining efforts in certain areas. They send kids to forkhorn camp where they learn many different aspects of hunting, safety and of course habitat. Most chapters are youth oriented to maintain interest in the sport.

[96trigger]

Quote:

Hey Cupper, do you really want to know what happened with MDHA going directly to the politicians? The DNR would not listen to a petition that was signed by more than 1,000 deerhunters of SE MN. We asked they reinstate the 2 days back on to the 3A season. There really was no good reason for them to remove these days. When you reduce the number of days to hunt you reduce the opportunity for hunters to reduce the population in an area that is overpopulated with deer.

I don't understand this logic. We have a second season that is supposed to be deer management. I wonder how many small bucks got shot the last two days of the season, even with the restrictions. Also, 1,000 hunters is a drop in the bucket to how many hunt in zone 3. Maybe they should have gotten a petition from all the 3B hunters to leave it the way it was.

I'm not saying that I disagree with MDHA, I disagree with the way it all went about. The DNR took a lot of [PoorWordUsage] for something they were forced to do.

[96trigger]

Quote:

There really was no good reason for them to remove these days.

Just to add, I would think the reason was to protect some of the bucks. 3A already hunts the prime of the rut, how much more do you need? Isn't MDHA all about trying to balance the buck to do ratio? How is giving them two more days to hunt bucks during the rut going to help that? Please answer that one.

[BLACKJACK]

Quote:

Hey Cupper, do you really want to know what happened with MDHA going directly to the politicians? The DNR would not listen to a petition that was signed by more than 1,000 deerhunters of SE MN. We asked they reinstate the 2 days back on to the 3A season. There really was no good reason for them to remove these days. When you reduce the number of days to hunt you reduce the opportunity for hunters to reduce the population in an area that is overpopulated with deer.

Also, 1,000 hunters is a drop in the bucket to how many hunt in zone 3. Maybe they should have gotten a petition from all the 3B hunters to leave it the way it was.

What bothers me about this is that a petition of 1000 hunters, out of 450,000 deer hunters in Minnesota, has the ability to get rules changed in their favor. Whatever happened to listening to the majority??

[96trigger]

I do not disagree that MDHA does some great things. The fork horn camps are top notch. And I am sure that they put money to all kinds of things to help the deer. I am sure that there are members on here, and I don't want to offend them, I would just like more light shed on the subject of the zone 3 changes. I have yet to talk to a DNR person, or and ESL agent that thinks the changes that were made were good. Maybe special interest groupls and politictions should leave managing the natural resources to the Department of Natural Resources.

[MWJ]

"helpme" is correct regarding MDHA's use of funds. No dollars went to legislators. MDHA is a 501C(3) and so funding legislators is not a legal use of our funds. Regarding "Matthothand"s claim that MDHA fund are reportedly being used on the President's property, that is absolutely false. MDHA's President is a volunteer, as are all of our board members. They receive no compensation other than reimbursement of some of their expenses when attending MDHA business like board meetings. The President's hunting camp receives no MDHA funding, in fact he purchases his foodplot seed (Frigid Forage) from MDHA. Same with the past president. If you find anyone who disputes this, I would be glad to talk to them in person or let them talk to MDHA's auditor or bookkeeper.

MDHA's mission is "working for tomorrow's wildlife and hunters today through education, habitat, hunting and legislation." We don't clam to be perfect, but we do try to make an impact. Last summer MDHA & its Chapters spent over $100,000 in scholarships so kids could attend MDHA sponsored Forkhorn Youth Summer Camps. Check them out at mndeerhunters.com, then click on education and on Forkhorn Camps. MDHA Chapters are always involved in many Habitat projects, almost always on public lands. MDHA helped purchase the new Gunn Lake WMA near Palisade, and is funding oak regeration and release in NE MN along the Long Green Trail near Orr, and has been financially supporting the Oak Savanna restoration at the Winger WPA in NW MN, and funded the purchase a bout 14 acres along the zumbro river that now links over 80 acres of State Forest land for public access, and the list for this past year goes on and on.

I hope this info is helpful.

Oh, by the way, MDHA has 120 acres at Grand Rapids that is open for archery hunting only, but due to insurance purposes it is also only open to members. If you want to hunt it, come on up, we have lots of deer. besides that the local college and high school are now utilizing the property as an outdoor classroom and laboratory for projects, all oriented toward wildlife and forestry.

One final thought, support your sport. Consider joining MDHA.

[96trigger]

MWJ, thank you for your input,we can agree that MDHA is good for Minnesota's whitetail poplation, but can you please shed some light on what went down in Zone3 for me?

Here is how I take it. A group of 3A hunters wanted the second weekend back. They hid behind the shield of "taking away opportunity" and the MDHA, to get legislators to enforce things the DNR didn't want. If I am wrong, please explain it to me. I do not want to, and am not going to bash the organization or anything. I just want clarification as I don't understand the logic behind it as stated earlier.

[picksbigwagon]

I believe that push came from the bluff country deer hunters association or something like that, I am not aware if they are connected to MDHA. I could be wrong, but I agree with why did they add 2 days to that first season and institute those goofy regulations for those last two days.....

I am not aware of nor do I have any idea of any state in the upper midwest that institutes QDM, what ever that means since each person has a different interpretation of QDM. Wisconsin did earn a buck and they are considering getting rid of it.

[bigtgravez]

I'm right there with Trigger. I also believe that MDHA does a number of good things and is a good organization. What I find interesting (not WRONG, but INTERESTING) is that there was a lot of political involvement seemingly driven by the MDHA (Based out of Grand Rapids)on what should happen with the 3A season (Southeaster MN no where near Grand Rapids) but yet, our politicians appeared to only hear part (if any) of the concerns raised by the Bluffland Whitetails Association based out of Preston MN (which is smack dab in the middle of Zone 3). I was never contacted nor did I hear anything about a petition with 1000 names on it which really is a drop in the bucket compared to the number of hunters within zone 3.

[merkman]

I will add that the MDHA threw a bunch of money at MN congressman from Fridley so that he would get some writing in the omnibus bill this past year

I wish I could vote in Fridley.

That seems to be a reoccurring complaint about a MN congressman from Fridley.

[96trigger]

Picks, I don't think it was Bluffland Whitetails. There may have been support and discussion, but I am pretty sure the main push was MDHA, at least thats who was always responding in the paper.

Again, I only want clarification to why and how this all happened in zone 3. I strongly believe that they do alot of good, we just disagree on this one issue and how it all went down.

[MWJ]

Trigger, MDHA was the organization behind the return of the 2 days to 3A, or rather MDHA's Corporate Board (which is made up of elected representative from each of our 67 chapters across the state) supported the wishes of our SE MN Chapters. Those chapters were the ones responsible for the petition that you have heard of that amassed signatures of MDHA and non-MDHA members. The petition started right after the 2 days were removed from 3A about 5 years ago. i believe the original intent of DNR to remove the 2 days was to reduce pressure on young bucks, but the locals saw it as a reduction of hunting opportunity for those who hunted 3A and especially for school age kids and laborers who could not take time off during the week to hunt. In essence, the removal of the 2 days (and subsequent shortening of the 9 day season to 7 days) was seen as effectively restricting those kids/workers to only 2 days of hunting in 3A (the first Sat & Sun.). Hence the petition. The disenchantment in the SE over the reduction was enough so that last winter the local MDHA chapters went to their legislators and asked for remedy to return the 2 days. MDHA supported their action in line with our Corporate Board's show of support at our February 2009 Corporate Board Meeting.

The legislation morphed a bit as the legislative session progressed, as often happens with bills. Senator Chaudary introduced his version which was finally passed. It contained the temporary earn-a-buck type language that we see in effect in this year's regulations. One could look at it as "splitting the baby in half so everyone gets a piece." Interestingly, I haven't heard a lot of disagreement, just confusion over the language of the regs.

The way MDHA works is from the ground up. MDHA is a grass roots organization with each chapter having one elected delegate to our Corporate Board. The Executive Board is made up of the elected State President, VP, Secretary and Treasurer, as well as one elected volunteer Regional Director (12 total) from our 12 designated regions across the state. That makes about 83 elected volunteers who make up the Corporate Board. General business is mostly conducted by the Executive Board, and Corporate positions, bylaw changes, etc. come before the Corporate Board. Because we cant always wait until the February meeting to take positions, those special situations are put before the Executive Board who are connected with the chapters and return with feedback from across the state. All in all, it is a pretty active and good system (not perfect, but nothing is).

MDHA's state hq is in Grand Rapids, but that is just because it is where the building is. MDHA's heart and soul is disbursed across the state and resides in our 67 chapters that spread from Hallock to Winona and from Grand Marais to Windom.

I hope this info is useful to you.

Have a good hunt. I still haven't had a chance for a shot, But at least I have been out a bit.

[96trigger]

Thank you, I appreciate your candor.

[picksbigwagon]

Thank you MWJ..........

[KeystoneLight]

I have been a MDHA member since the early 80's and am an active member in our local Chapter. From being on the Board of Directors, Secratary, 4 years as President and currently VP, I can give some insight on what our Chapter does for habitat. We donated funding to help with the land purchase on Zumbro River and more locally we donated (I beleive it was $30,000 over several years)to purchase a WMA that is open to Capable Partners for hunting. Each year we (along with DNR and CP's approval)plant several food plots on this WMA around CP's blinds to help them harvest their intended quarry, be it turkeys, geese or deer. Currently, DNR,our chapter and several other organizations are working on purchasing 235 acres for another WMA which will be open to public hunting. Our Hides for Habitat program helps send our local youth to Forkhorn camp, normally 20-25 youth per year. We have purchsed several pieces of equipment for putting in and mantaining food plots for our members to use. We also distribute seed corn & soybeans each spring for planting. We have a program that you can apply for where we pay the farmer to leave in standing corn over the winter for the deer. Each spring we buy a variety of food plot seed and sell it to our members for half price, the H4H program covers the other half. A response to "matthothand" about the president getting all the improvements on his property, it must be a local chapter president that he is talking about, because I personnally know both the current and past State Presidents and know that they have not had any special treatment from our chapter. As far as getting info on any projects, we have monthly meetings along with a qrtly. newsletter to keep our members informed. Join MDHA and get involved with your chapter. I think MWJ explained the zone 3 issue very well. Thanks MWJ.

[Doodlebug]

Check out the 30 year's membership incentive on the HSOforum. You get Binoculars! www.mndeerhunters.com

[cupper]

I'm right there with Trigger. I also believe that MDHA does a number of good things and is a good organization. What I find interesting (not WRONG, but INTERESTING) is that there was a lot of political involvement seemingly driven by the MDHA (Based out of Grand Rapids)on what should happen with the 3A season (Southeaster MN no where near Grand Rapids) but yet, our politicians appeared to only hear part (if any) of the concerns raised by the Bluffland Whitetails Association based out of Preston MN (which is smack dab in the middle of Zone 3). I was never contacted nor did I hear anything about a petition with 1000 names on it which really is a drop in the bucket compared to the number of hunters within zone 3.

Exactly where my frustration comes in. I grew up in zone 3 and have been hunting it for 15 years. I don't like that people, and lawmakers from OTHER districts get to influence the hunting regs in that area. It's not right. I realize that my comments were very controversial and I did not make my point as elloquently as BigT did. I fully agree that many of MDHA's projects are very admirable. I appologize for not giving them their due credit in my previous post. However, I know for a fact that alot of what went down with the rule changes was not as "by the book" as some will tell us. I trust what I hear from people in the know and I trust what's been explained to me, firsthand, from Sen. Chaudary.

Bottom line is that Zone 3 is what it is in 2009. I am just hopeful that in future years the DNR will be allowed to do their job and manage the resources like we pay them too. I also hope the hunters and members of hunting clubs (MDHA included) in zone 3 will have the say in what happens with hunting regs in that zone instead of people and lawmakers from other areas.