OT: North American Hunting Club

[bunyan]

I've known about the North American Hunting Club for years. In fact, I think someone gave me a membership back when I was a youngster. I know the basics of how they work with sending gear to members to try out and review. Has anybody else ever been a member? Any good or bad experiences? I just got a thing in the mail from them asking me to join, and I'm considering it. Should I or shouldn't I? What are you're thoughts?

[Dave James]

Am a life time member myself, never had any bad dealings with them, but they get a bum rap on several boards, not sure why, was able to use their mag, to set up a couple of swap hunts, worked out well, haven't made a members hunt yet

[O.S.O.K.]

I'm also a Life Member - they are a hunting advocacy group and put out a good mag every month too. If you want to use them for such - as said, swap hunts, etc. can be arranged. I joined some 20 years ago.

[Mossyoak1957]

I had a bad experience with them,they sent me a notice that I signed up for a life membership and I never did, so I called them and sent them letters and explained to them I never signed up for anything,about a year went by and come to find out they reported me to a collection agency then a collection agency started calling me every day from 8 in the morning till 8 at night then they threaten me that they were going to take me to court...I said go ahead and take me to court... that was the last I heard from them.
Trying to explain something to a collection agency is like talking to a brick wall,so thanks to the North American Hunting Club I have that on my credit report.

[big bear]

My 2cents. I love hunting and hunting books. North American Hunting Club is alot like those record clubs from my childhood. 6 Albumns for only $1.00, BUT you have to buy 6 more in next year from theur selection. You get notices to refuse album, got to notify them real quick or it gets sent to you automatically and the albumn would cost twice retail once shipping etc was calculated, the "deals" just wouldn't stop. Hunt club would send me books, "collector" big game tokens to collect, and so forth,that I never ordered, along with a BILL. Then I had the hassle of telling them I didn't want the stuff and expense of sending it back. Beware is all I can say.

[86er]

The club does some good hunter advocacy work and the magazine is professional and informative. They do send a lot of "stuff" to buy. However, if you don't want it they now send self-addressed return stickers. Also, you can call members services (as I did) and tell them not to send anything. If I see something in their magazine that is being offered, and I want to look at it I call them to send it to me. This has worked for years, I never get the unsolicited stuff mailed to me anymore. Their partnership with vendors is strong and a life membership will get you nearly the cost in Boyt Harness equipment, a Outdoor Edge (or similar brand) knife, a Bob Whatshisname vest, a TopoMap membership, etc. I don't endorse them or discourage them, it is what it is. However, for a person with no vested memberships I'd encourage NRA or SCI before NAHC.

[stinson]

This is a private, for-profit operation, so don't be fooled by the "club" moniker. I subscribed many years ago, but never arranged for a hunt swap, which seemed to be the primary reason for their existence, and a good concept. I don't know how well it was executed. I always found the "member tests" less than believable. Everything always tested out super good. Surprise. Funny how they only got the best stuff to test, according to the results. I always wondered how many members, percentage-wise, ever got to test anything. Anyway, I subscribed for awhile, until they sent me an unsolicited trade book on whitetail hunting. I didn't want it, didn't ask for it, and wasn't about to either pay for it or waste my time shipping it back. So then they started dunning me for payment, and eventually resorted to more and more vitriolic nastygrams. I ignored them all, and they eventually left me alone. I don't care how good a product someone is promoting - and the magazine did have some merit - when they start to pull the underhanded stuff, I'm done with them. Forever. My advice: do yourself and the rest of us gun owners a favor; take your subscription dollars and support the NRA or some other genuine non-profit group fighting for our second amendment rights.

[bunyan]

Thanks for the advice! While it doesn't sound like a bad organization, I like the post saying it is what it is. And the comparison to one of those old record companies that sends you stuff and then you have to send it back if you don't like it. Based on that I think I'll pass. And I definitely agree in supporting the NRA! My father actually used to be the advertising manager for the American hunter magazine when it first came out back in the early '70s. I actually have the first four or five years bound and sitting on the bookshelf as I type. I don't believe the NRA is without flaws, but I do believe it is important to support what they do for us as gun owners.

[Sixgun]

I'm guilty of the "the Only Club"---the N.R.A. I put all of my eggs in that basket. The rest of 'em are doing what Americans do best---making themselves a livin'-------------Sixgun

[Hobie]

Out to make money the "club" moniker is a misnomer. I don't think that they do anything they say they will do but bug you for more money and yes I know from personal experience. Was a "charter" member and I would no more recommend the North American Hunting Club than I would club your children. Nothing but aggravation and a waste of time and money. I wish I could tell you how I REALLY feel about it.

[allhands]

I got suckered into the "life membership". Never was sent anything to do a field trial of, never got any of the insider benefits of a life member, but I have recieved alot of offers, especially to upgrade my life member status to some type of "higher level" of membership, and an offer to become a life member of the N.A. Fishing club. I get a decent magazine around every three months, but it is hardly worth the membership. Steer clear, and stick with the NRA...just my 2 cents

[ollogger]

ditto to hobie & the rest of ya with the same experinces
they did send me a bottle of doe pee to try one time

[piller]

Life Member of NAHC. I got a pretty nice leather jacket when I paid my dues, but not much else. I signed up for testing products for about 10 years and got only one item. A little plastic thing which is supposed to hold your deer tag so you can cut out the triangle for which date you took the animal and it has a big enough area to use as a backing to write your name on the tag. Didn't work, and I reviewed it as honestly as I could. Never got another thing to test. They were a big wast of my money. I don't recommend them to anyone.

[harry]

I looked at their home web site and found at the bottom of the page that there are 12 "Club" sites.
Harry