Oregon Bow Hunters Inc.
Oregon
Contributors to this thread:
I had the opportunity to attend the annual Oregon Bow Hunters conference at Lincoln City for a short while this weekend. Again there is great concern that the bow hunters in this State are not in OBH. They are not yet supporting the best organization, (my opinion) to speak up for bow hunters and affect positive change for the most good of bow hunting. Some old timers are dedicating hundreds of dollars each to help OBH keep on going, while the vast majority sit on the side line. This year we had to cut the magazine down from six issues to four issues per year to try to just hold on. Rifle hunters, muzzle loader hunters and anti-hunters all are speaking out and claiming a place at the table, meeting with ODF&W. I can assure every bow hunter if the trend for OBH does not turn around, that important voice will loose its effectiveness and could go silent. For less than the price of two carbon arrows with cheap broadheads you can have an annual membership in OBH. If it hurts too much to take $25 out of your hunting budget, go ahead and keep it. Just understand what you are getting in the bargain.
I am a lifetime member and have just been elected to the executive Board as northwestern committeeman.
I am a lifetime member and have just been elected to the executive Board as northwestern committeeman.I am glad to see swede's entry.
I am a lifetime member and have just been elected to the executive Board as northwestern committeman am glad to see swede's entry.
Send $25 for an individual membership or $35 for a family membership to: Oregon Bow Hunters 61535 So. Highway 97, Suite 9-307 Bend, Oregon 97702
Include Name,address,Date, club affiliation and phone number.
Elksnout, Go to oregonbowhunters.com and click on membership to get an application form. Thanks for you interest and caring.
Jim, congratulations. You will be my contact person for OBH. Best wishes
Oh, how quickly we forget! If it weren't for OBH fighting for us when bowhunting seasons first came to be in Oregon, we'd probably now have a short season (2 weeks or less) in a few units scattered around the state instead of the month-plus we now have nearly statewide with additional late seasons in many areas of the state. We have our bowhunting opportunities in Oregon today largely because OBH was there to fight for us when we needed them to! Back in the day, more bowhunters seemed to think that joining a strong organization that would look out for bowhunters' interests was important. Now, we've grown complacent, apparently thinking that the fight for our hunting opportunity is in the past instead of realizing that it's still facing us every single day!! Anyone who thinks that bowhunting isn't first on the anti-hunters' agenda should think again! On top of that, we are often under attack from some of our hunting brethren who favor a different way of hunting and who covet our opportunities. And, of course, there's ODFW regularly proposing to limit or restrict bowhunters' opportunities by bits and chunks -- and they've already closed about three-fifths of central and eastern Oregon's best elk country to archery elk hunting! Together, Oregon's bowhunters could really make a positive difference, but as 30,000 individuals we don't count for squat! I just hope the day doesn't come when those 29,000 or so Oregon bowhunters who just sit on their hands and do nothing to support our sport -- not even something as easy and inexpensive as belonging to an archery organization that fights for bowhunters' rights -- don't cost us all even more of our bowhunting opportunities. Don't just sit by and let it happen! Join OBH! Or, if OBH doesn't do it for you, join TAO instead! Or, if neither of those organizations do it for you, find another one that effectively fights for bowhunters' rights and join it! Get involved in an organization that best works for you, but get involved before we lose something that's very important to us all!
I meant to say that ODFW has already closed about three-fifths of Oregon's best elk country to archery ANTLERLESS elk hunting!! The 23 units they've closed to archery antlerless elk hunting are still open for archery hunting for bulls only.
Sorry for my mistake, but the rationale for joining an archery organization to defend your bowhunting opportunities is still there!
I meant to say that ODFW has already closed about three-fifths of Oregon's best elk country to archery ANTLERLESS elk hunting!! The 23 units they've closed to archery antlerless elk hunting are still open for archery hunting for bulls only.
Sorry for my mistake, but the rationale for joining an archery organization to defend your bowhunting opportunities is still there!
We need to spread the word to all archers and get them to sign up for at the least a annual subscription. I'm a member of OBH,OHA and RMEF
Darmah SS's Link
Thanks for the TAO plug Craig.
Application available on TAO website for those that have an interest.
http://www.taoregon.com/join.html
Rich
I believe it was last year when Swede had proposed or floated the idea of a 2 week bow season under the guise of improving bowhunting in Oregon. The rationale if I recall was to stay ahead of ODFW and the inevitable - whatever that meant. There was a thread on here at the time, and maybe he can refresh our memory?
Shortly thereafter, I let my membership in OBH expire.
I continue to write my legislators, and support another organization.
Best of luck fellas.
Elkhuntr,
You're right -- there was a proposal last year before OBH for a split archery elk season. That propsal was intended to address crowding concerns in some of the units still open to archery either-sex hunting because of hunters in large numbers moving into those units when antlerless hunting in the areas they previously hunted was closed by ODFW. That proposal was tabled by OBH last year and was withdrawn this year!
I, too, write my legislators and/or ODFW's Commission, but my personal experience is that we, as individuals, can make little impact on legislative and regulatory issues! A robust bowhunters' organization, on the other hand, could make a positive difference for us.
I, too, belong to other organizations and support their activities on behalf of game management, hunters and other sportsmen. However, except maybe for TAO for bowhunters who favor hunting with traditional equipment, I don't think there is any organization as uniquely qualified as OBH to represent the interests of Oregon's bowhunters.
Both wbshooter and I have heard officials form ODF&W talk about putting all of Eastern Oregon archery elk hunting into a drawing only hunt area. My original proposal was to split the season and shorten the opener to 23 days. The measure was a proposal by one individual. Nothing was set firm and the proposal had every opportunity to be reformed and amended. I made the proposal very public so everyone possible, including no OBH members could weigh in and express their opinion. I believe OBH responded to the feedback they received. If that single proposal causes someone to quit, I have to wonder where will they stand? It is easy to remain nameless and throw stones at the individuals and organizations we disagree with on a single proposal. It takes backbone and commitment to step forward and become involved. OBH is not run by one individual. Everyone's voice and vote counts. If anyone on this site can name an organization that is more open and fair than that, please feel free to share who they are and how they are more open and responsive.