EAST TEXAS HOG DOGGERS FORUM

On Friday evening, I took a couple of DPS Academy cadets (green to dog hunting) out on a hog hunt. The Academy is in Austin and these guys come from all over the state. As a result, many of them are unable to travel home during their time of leave. It just so happens that one of the cadets is my roommates brother so we provided them with a well deserved break. We had a good quick hunt and caught 4 pigs (actually caught two and killed two squealers).

Anyway, speaking with Doug and another TDHA member on Saturday (sorry dude, I suck with names), the other guy suggested that he would require all of the friends who tag along with him become TDHA members in order to continue tagging along.

On Sunday when I got home, I was told that the guys really enjoyed the hunt and asked if I would take them out again.

Needless to say, I employed this persons idea and told the cadets that they would be welcome to continue tagging along IF they joined the TDHA and brought their membership cards on the next hunt.

The response was positive as you would expect and the TDHA should get three new members as a result.

The NLDA is kicking around some ideas that may require our members or breeders become TDHA members in order to gain breeder recognition within our organization, and/or requiring that our puppy buyers are TDHA members before we will sell them a pup...... Or maybe just building TDHA membership into the cost structure.......

Does anyone else have a creative method of driving membership? If so, I would like to hear them.

Steve

That is a great idea. Thanks Steve... I think I will put that one into action also. :)

The NLDA started doing lifetime memberships. Our annual individual membership is $15, but for $100 you can get a lifetime membership and never worry about renewing it. We'll see how that works financially for us, we may be kicking ourselves in 8 years, but I know as a member I like it ;)

Along those lines, what about doing a 5-year membership for the TDHA? If a yearly membership is $25, a 5-year membership could be $100. That means the member gets a nice discount and doesn't have to remember to renew their dues. The TDHA gets someone on the roster for 5 years and doesn't have to worry about renewal and retention during that period. Since numbers are the biggest goal, it seems like a win-win.

i Like the puppy idea.  That would be a great way to get members as many puppys get sold every day. Or not just puppys just hunting dogs in general. if your doing to sale a dog the person you sale a dog to should be a member.  I know thats what im going to do from now on.  Thanks for the idea

We are working on some more membership options as we speak. Should see some thing in the next few days.

ok thats a good ideal for everone that buys a pup,dog, ect thats priced over 200  ill pay thier dues and make them a member of TDHA
  is that what yall are talking about  if so  we will  start it on the litter  of  cat pups that we are donateing one out of.....
 
 refer to  our reply in STEP IT UP,,,,,,

great idea Monteria ! i will have to do that also. seems like everyone i take out huntin cant get enough. so if they wanna go lets see that card....

It was not my idea guys, I wish that I knew who to credit it to though. He was a tall skinny dude, built like me, with brown hair, who was speaking to Mr. Mason........ Who ever it was, please speak up and take credit because it is my favorite idea so far!

Steve

well you shared it with me so ill give you credit for postin it.... who ever it is great idea...

Just ask Longshot, about 5 years ago he wanted to come and hunt with me, told him he would have to join TDHA to hunt with me and he's been a great member ever since.
I have signed up people from out of state, just tell them to join and support dog hunting.

Was he a BOD? Lance?

That desciption sounds kinda familiar. 

Maybe get with companies and events and have discounts for people showing their active TDHA cards....(might have to get laminate cards because I wash my bilfold bout 3 times a year ;D )

Maybe get TDHA to have a spot on the on-line and mail-in registration form where people put the name of the TDHA member who talked them into joining.  Each time a registration form is turned in that person's name who signed them up is dropped in a bucket.  Have monthly or weekly drawings for prizes, hunts, donated gear, shirts, ect, ect..........never empty the bucket but draw enough to keep prizes going out to members who are signing people up......

just some ideas.....

   I have never liked the idea of membership drives. We all should get more members with out the goal of getting something. Not coming down on any one but the money of TDHA should go towards protecting our rights,booths at shows,sponsership of XXXXXX and not giving out t-shirts. JMO.  We should all as dog hunters get new members, not for ourselves but for the sport.

If we already have donated items for a drive, maybe instead of giving those to current members for recruiting newbies, we could enter all the new members in a drawing. Like everyone who joins between now and Nov. 1 is eligible or something like that. It could add an extra incentive for joining. Seems a little simpler than trying to track who recruits who. But it also depends on the goals of the drive.

But sometimes a drive gives the boost needed to start folks off.

It's what the guys I run with do... and they get quite a few to the woods. How about you have to be a member to hunt in the hog contests like the Hog Expo??? Or if it's feasible sign them up with they're entry fees

Well i wasnt asking  TDHA  to donate anything
  but for members to donate  to help  sweetin the pot to get people interested in the first place  and to get our member a little nudge to get out and sign up folks  i beleive once you see the work that the TDHA does for all of us dog hunters  and dog owners in generel as well as all hunters  that they will suppourt  the TDHA for all they are worth
       like i have posted on the TDHA ,,,,,We will donate i NALC regestered puppy  and Bobby has committed  with a donation of a collar and name plate  along with a leash so i ask you members  dig down and lets make this a  great  campaign to get more folks aware  of the TDHA and its goals and acoplishments(sp)

and i am going to  get my two sons signed up myself  and as well as my daddy so i will make this challange to others to do the same
 sign up your kidos  your older parents  with a larger  membership we will carry more wieght in austin
   these are my opions and views and in no way is the ETHD  responsible for my statements
          Dexter

one more thing and everyone that buys a regestered pup thats over  200  we will pay thier TDHA fees
say whay you mean and mean what you say

No reason you couldnt. We used to run all of our Traditional Bowhunters of Texas 3-D tournaments that way.

i like the idea i am a member of tdha and my partner mex as well  i say get the folks to join all it can do is help our sport

 Not from mouth but it makes sense-
     Some people dont like to be forced into anything. I am kind of like that myself. Instead of paying a membership for people buying a pup why not take money off if they are a member? Say you sell a pup for 200. Tell epople that if they are a TDHA member you will knock off 40 bucks or 30 bucks. That a way they make the chocie to join, then they will be more likly to help the Assoc. rather then just be a member who was payed for. Just an idea, again the credit goes to someone else, just made sense to me.

 Membership drives are good, but as a small Assoc. we ALL need to get new members. Make it enticing for OTHERS to join and be active. Give the NEW (potential)members a reason to get off their butts.

You're right.....a member who just joins because they are forced to wont (in most cases) renew......we need a membership that will renew year after year and that strives to sign-up members who will do the same......Does no good to have 1,000 members this year and then back to 200 next because of members who dont have a vested interest in the organization.....

A bird in hand is better than two in the bush!

We need birds in our hands and in the bushes. :) Get them to join... then we will have to brain storm how to keep them.

maybe we could set up a booth at cabelas academy etc. i saw the junior anglers out at cabelas and there was a line 20 ft. back of people interested in information. just have someone bring out some dogs and cut vests etc. i think this might help to remove some of the percieved stigma around dog hunters. and true blue could bring her pink cut collars to corner the female market. ;)

 Kids is the way to get adults.


    A bird in hand is better then 2 in the bush , true ,but my lab likes triples.........

Something that I think would help recruitment would be to have sort of page or maybe something that is mailed out that shows and tells what the TDHA has been doing to benefit dog hunters. For instance, I know Mr. Mason and other members have made trips to Austin and had some success. I guess what I'm trying to say is something that can be passed out, posted, and emailed that says outright what what the TDHA has been doin behind the scenes and upfront? It will show in plain black and white that our support is needed and hopefully will convince people that they are joining a good organization.

You are right. Some sort of publication quarterly or so would benefit Tdha tremendously. It could be mailed, e-mailed and posted for every one to see.

Problem is we are short handed as it is. The organization is growing fast but the number of people working for Tdha is not. We have BOD, Advisors, and a few general members all working hard and still we can not keep our own website updated, get minutes out, ect.

WE need members to step up and say... I would like to be in charge of the newsletter,,,, I would like to work on the website,,, I would like to take on a secretary type role.

I would like to Thank Julie, Steve, Mike, Gilbert and the others who work day to day with the BOD and Advisors for Tdha. They do alot for Tdha with little or no recodnition.

i just joined the tdha and would be happy to put together some sort of mailer. have office 2007 ultimate edition and have many templates and options available. if any more seasoned member would be willing to collaborate....

here he is. jump on him before he realizes what he has volunteered for!!  ;D

Is there anything like the TDHA in Oklahoma or does the TDHA cover oklahoma?

lookin forward to all your help   ;D

I believe we have members several out of state members.

Little Timmy:

got2catchem is also interested in working on a newsletter. Get together with maybe another person or two and see what yall can do. Make a plan of what yall are thinking and when yall are ready, present it to the board. We will be happy to work with yall to get some thing like this going. If yall need any thing or want to bounce some ideas off just holler.

Thanks for the interest. :)

Thanks Eric, I am now a TDHA member!

As always, my copyediting services are available. I don't have time to add any more regular content commitments right now, but I can get editing and rewriting done pretty quickly. Thanks for stepping up guys!

was wondering if anyone can send me any clip art/logos for tdha just about ready to get this newsletter started.