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Victor Creek Hunting Club
Rules & Regulations
(Inclusive of ALL existing By-Laws)
Last Modified March 2010
ARTICLE I –
PURPOSE
Section 1 –
Name
The name of
this Club shall be “Victor Creek Hunting Club” (VCHC). VCHC is a non-profit
corporation. Hereafter referred to
as “Club” in document.
Section 2 –
Location:
VCHC is located
in Hot Springs County, Arkansas, Township 6 South – Range 18 West with a
combined total of 3972 acres.
Section 3 –
Purpose:
To promote and
foster a general and continued movement for conservation of wildlife and natural
resources with respect to landowners and the property of others.
To present a
fair and balanced program that allows all VCHC Members to participate in a
quality hunting experience.
To promote good
sportsmanship.
ARTICLE II –
MEMBERSHIP
Section 1 –
Eligibility for Membership:
b.
Procedure
Applications
for Membership shall be submitted to the Corporate Officers for its review and
consideration. The Corporate
Officers shall have sole discretion to establish the Membership application form
to be used in the application process, to assign the appropriate Membership
classification for each Membership applicant, and to determine whether an
applicant qualifies and meets the purpose and objectives of the Club.
No person may
be an applicant for Membership who has not been sponsored by at least one Active
and/or Grandfather Member in good standing.
b.
Approval Process
The Corporate
Officers will have sole discretion to approve or disapprove a new applicant.
If approved an applicant will be known as a “Trial Member” and will be in
a probation period for his/her first year.
After the first year, if the Trial Member is interested in continuing
Membership, the Corporate Officers will reevaluate the Trial Member’s
application and first year history and vote on whether or not to upgrade the
Membership classification or terminate the Membership.
c.
Use of Fee
If an applicant
is accepted to Membership, $50 of the application fee shall be credited to the
required key deposit (refundable with return of key when Membership is
terminated) and $100 of the application fee will be credited to the “general
purpose” fund (non-refundable) to be used for camp improvements and family day
expenditures. If an applicant is
rejected prior to being a Trial Member, the $150 application fee shall be
refunded.
d.
Additional Consideration
The existence
of an applicant’s relationship to a Club Member, either by blood or by marriage,
may be considered by the Corporate Officers as justification partially meeting
the objectives and purposes of the Club.
e.
Waiting List
The Club will
maintain an applicant waiting list in accordance with the Membership Policy
currently in effect.
Section 2 –
Classes of Membership:
“Trial Member”
shall be those Member(s) who are in a probationary status for his/her first year
in the Club and have not been approved by the Corporate Officers as an Active
Member. Trial Members do not have
voting rights in items brought to Membership vote. Trial Members are on
probation for the 1st yr.
If Trial Member gets a strike during the 1st year, he/she will not be
allowed to become an Active Club Member.
“Active
Members” shall be those Members who have been in the Club for over one year and
have been approved to Active Member status by the Corporate Officers per the
“Eligibility for Membership” section above (Article 2 Section 1).
Active Members shall have all privileges of the Club.
“Grandfather
Members” shall be 70+ years of age and have been an Active Member for 2 years.
There is a limit of 5 ‘Grandfather Members’.
Immediate
Family is defined as spouse, biological children, adopted children and
step-children. Member’s children must be less than eighteen (18) years of age or
still enrolled in high school as a full time student.
Exceptions to this policy can be made on a case-by-case basis by a
majority vote of the Corporate Officers.
Member must accompany his/her immediate family when on Club property.
Member’s children less than 16 years of age must possess a valid AGFC
Hunter Education Card or remain within “arms” reach of the Member at all times
while hunting. Member’s children 14
years and under must always remain within arm’s reach of the Member at all times
while hunting. Members are advised
that violation of Club Rules of Conduct by their immediate family may jeopardize
the Membership privileges of the Member.
Section 3 –
Rights and Duties:
The rights,
duties, privileges and obligations of Membership in the Club, and the penalties
for the violation of such obligations shall be prescribed by these Bylaws, Rules
of Conduct and Club Policies as adopted from time to time.
Section 4 –
Leave of Absence; Reinstatement:
Any Member in
good standing may request a leave of absence from Club Membership for personal
reasons by submitting a letter to the Corporate Officers.
Upon re-application by letter, and subject to the approval of the
Corporate Officers, said person may re-enter Active Membership by the payment of
applicable dues for the year in which reinstatement is to occur.
Section 5 –
Military Service:
Any Member in
good standing who enters into military service and who is required to leave the
area shall be carried on the books of the Club as a Member without requirement
of payment of dues, and such Member shall retain all privileges of the Club.
Notice must be submitted to the Corporate Officers advising the Officers
of such Member’s entry into military service.
After two years of such military service/leave of absence, the Corporate
Officers shall examine the details of absence, for example, the tour of duty,
re-enlistment for career purposes, resettlement into another section of the
country, etc. The Corporate Officers
shall then determine the Members continued status as an active Member.
The spouse
and/or any child of a Member in good standing who enters the Military will
continue to enjoy the use of the Club privileges during their first enlistment
period of military service.
Section 6 –
Resignation; Involuntary Termination:
Any Member who
resigns or is removed from Club Membership shall lose all privileges of and
claims against the Club. No former
Member shall enjoy special status or consideration upon reapplication for
Membership. Corporate Officers may
consider the circumstances of a former Member’s voluntary termination in
considering the application for Membership.
ARTICLE III –
MEETINGS OF MEMBERS
Section 1 –
Regular Meetings:
At least two
(2) regular meetings shall be scheduled for each VCHC calendar year.
It shall be the duty of the Corporate Officers to establish this schedule
and communicate to all Members. Each
Member is required to attend at least one regular meeting per calendar year.
Section 2 –
Special Meetings:
Special
meetings may be called by the President at his/her discretion.
Section 3 –
Annual Meetings:
The annual
meeting shall be the last regularly scheduled meeting of the Membership year.
Membership year is from June 1st to May 31st.
Section 4 –
Notice of Meetings:
Notice of each
meeting shall be given to each voting Member, by mail, phone or email, not less
than two (2) weeks prior to the meeting.
Section 5 –
Voting:
All Rules are
voted on only during scheduled, regular meetings.
Any Member may
make a submission for a rule change; however, any changes submitted must first
be presented to the Primary Officers for consideration.
ARTICLE IV –
CORPORATE OFFICERS
Section 1 –
Role; Election; Composition:
a.
Role
It shall be the
duty of the Corporate Officers to act as the recommending and governing body of
the Club.
b.
Election
Any resigned or
open position shall be filled at the next regular meeting.
c.
Composition
The governing
body of the Club shall be the Corporate Officers consisting of five (5) Primary
Officers and five (5) Secondary Officers.
Section 2 –
Officers:
The Primary
Officers of the Club shall consist of a President, Vice President, Secretary,
Treasurer and Game Manager
The Secondary
Officers of the Club shall consist of five (5) Camp masters.
Section 3 –
Terms:
All Officers
shall serve two-year terms, but are eligible for re-election for unlimited
consecutive terms.
Section 4 –
Duties of Primary Officers:
a.
President
1.
Duties
The President
shall be the Chief Executive officer of the Club, and shall preside at all
meetings of the Corporate Officers and of the General Membership.
He/She shall attend meetings and conduct correspondence as a
representative of the Club, and He/She shall at all time and places act for and
on behalf of the Club. By their
signature properly attested, He/She shall be empowered to enter contracts for
and on behalf of the Club, and to sign promissory notes and other forms of
indebtedness on behalf of the Club.
All actions by the President for and on behalf of the Club shall be with prior
approval of the Corporate Officers except in the case of emergency, in which
case the actions shall be subject to ratification or disapproval by the
Corporate Officers as soon after such actions have been taken as may be
reasonably practicable. He/She shall enforce these bylaws and all Rules of the
Club.
2.
Committees
The President
shall appoint those persons that may be required to fill all committees of the
Club as are deemed necessary and reasonable by the Corporate Officers.
The President shall be ex-officio Member of all committees, and shall
terminate any committee that ceases to perform its duties or that ceases to
fulfill a genuine need. At the close
of the President’s term of office, all committees appointed by the President
shall be deemed to be terminated and all appointed committee Members shall be
deemed to have resigned.
3.
Nominating Powers
Any Member
can nominate, from among the Membership, candidates to fill vacancies among
Corporate Officers. Such
nomination(s) shall require ratification and approval by a majority of the
Corporate Officers. Vacancies
filled, as provided herein, shall terminate at the next general election.
b.
Vice President
1.
General
In the absence
of the President, all duties and responsibilities of the President shall be
performed by the Vice President. In
the event of the President’s death, the Vice President shall become President
for remainder of the President’s term in office.
In the event that the President becomes disabled, the Vice President
shall act temporarily as President.
2.
Stands
The Vice
President is responsible for all stand activity.
c.
Secretary
1.
Records
The Secretary
shall keep a record of all meetings and conduct the official correspondence of
the Club. The Secretary shall keep
records, books and correspondence relating to the Club in such a place as shall
be designated by the Corporate Officers.
2.
Notice
The Secretary
shall give notice, by regular mail or email, to all Members entitled to attend
meetings, of time, date and place of any meeting.
3.
Miscellaneous
The Secretary
shall keep accurate attendance records of each regular and special meeting of
the Corporate Officers. He/She shall
cause to be posted, in the game check-station, a current list of all duly
elected or appointed Officers and committees.
d.
Treasurer
1.
Financial Records
The Treasurer
shall be the chief financial officer of the Club, and shall keep a permanent
account of all moneys received and disbursed.
He/She shall deposit all revenues in the name of the Club in such a bank
as shall have been designated by the Corporate Officers.
He/She shall securely maintain and preserve the financial records of the
Club and shall have books available for inspection by the Corporate Officers or
by an independent auditor at any time.
He/She shall classify all revenues into appropriate categories, such as
dues, fines, deposits and lease payments, etc.
He/She shall maintain a current and accurate list of all Club Members and
their addresses.
2.
Dues
The Treasurer
shall maintain a current and accurate record of the date and payment of dues by
each Member who is required to pay dues.
When a Member has paid his dues, the Treasurer will sign and forward a
Membership card for the Club year for which such dues are applicable.
New Members shall have a copy of these bylaws at the time of receipt of
the first Membership card.
3.
Report of Financial Condition
The Treasurer
shall make a report of the financial condition of the Club at each meeting of
the Corporate Officers, and at each regular meeting of the full Club Membership.
4.
Payment of Club Obligations
The Treasurer
shall pay all obligations incurred as part of the adopted annual budget.
The Treasurer shall disburse other Club funds only in such a manner and
for such purpose as shall be approved at the Corporate Officer’s meetings.
The Treasurer shall have the power to validate Club checks or vouchers
with his/her signature alone.
e.
Game Manager
1.
AGFC Program Coordination
The Game
Manager shall conduct correspondence with AGFC as a representative of the Club.
The Game Manager is responsible for maintaining all VCHC documentation
required for Club participation in any of the AGFC programs.
This currently includes: Deer Management Assistance Program (DMAP), Acres
for Wildlife Program, Check Sheet Program, and the Additional Doe / Inferior
Buck Tag program.
2.
Annual Game Management Report
The Game
Manager is responsible for disseminating harvest information and DMAP harvest
guidelines to all Members via the Game Management Report.
This information will be obtained by working closely with the AGFC
Biologist to review post-season harvest information, incidental game sighting
results, and AGFC region information.
In addition, the Game Manager shall maintain detailed records for all
past season harvest results.
3.
Check Station
The Game
Manager is responsible for insuring the Club Check Station is adequately stocked
with appropriate materials and tools for deer and turkey biological data
collection. This currently includes:
weight scales, deer jawbone extraction tools, AGFC check sheets, and disposable
cameras.
Section 5 –
Duties of Secondary Officers:
The Secondary
Officers shall be known as “Camp Masters”. Five (5) positions are posted from
the general Membership. Their duties are to support the Club Rules & Membership
and to service as required by the Primary Officers.
Section 6 –
Meetings:
a.
Regular Meetings
The Corporate
Officers shall convene no less than twice per VCHC calendar year.
b.
Special Meetings
The President
may convene a special meeting of Officers for any purpose on two-hour notice.
c.
Telephonic Meeting
For special
reasons, or in an emergency, the President may contact each Officer by telephone
regarding a matter or special concern, and poll each officer who is available by
telephone. With an affirmative
support of majority of the Officers, action may then be taken as long as the
votes are recorded in writing when taken.
d.
Quorum
A quorum shall
consist of at least seven (7) Officers.
Section 7 –
Powers:
1.
To act for the Club in all matters,
which may arise between regularly scheduled Membership meetings.
2.
To establish rules for the conduct of
Club Members and guest, to establish policies and procedures for Club
operations, and to establish procedures for the use of Club property.
3.
To suspend or expel any Club Member for
violation of the bylaws, Rules of Conduct, or for such action deemed to be
improper or prejudicial to the best behavior or interests of the Club and its
Members.
4.
To establish and revise dues, fees,
assessments, penalties and Membership limitations from time to time.
5.
To take actions such as are necessary
and reasonable to carry out the purposes and objectives of the Club.
6.
To maintain the books and records of
the Club, to communicate with Members and others, and to maintain a policy
manual and such other records of the Rules and Procedures of the Club as may be
necessary and appropriate.
ARTICLE V –
DUES, FEES AND PENALTIES
Section 1 –
Dues & Fees:
The annual dues
and any fees chargeable to those Club Members required to make such payments
shall be paid when due. All dues and fees shall be fixed and determined from
time to time by the Corporate Officers, and shall be effective upon notice of
any dues and fees to all Members.
Payment
a.
Full Membership dues at this time are $450.00 per Member per year.
b.
Guest Membership dues are $100.00 per guest.
c.
Spring Turkey Membership dues are $200.00 per season.
d.
All annual dues and fees are currently payable on or before June 1st.
If for any
reason you are having trouble making your Membership dues payment and would like
to hunt during the hunting year, Contact VCHC President to discuss the reason
and make arrangements.
Section 2 –
Penalties:
Any fines
charged to those Club Members shall be paid when charged. All fines shall be
fixed and determined from time to time by the Corporate Officers, and shall be
effective upon notice of any fines to all Members.
Penalties:
a.
$25.00 fine for not showing up and participating in at least one meeting
per year (Remember, if you cannot show up, call any officer before the
meeting to find out what will be on the agenda. Don’t forget to send your proxy
vote with a Club Member if you want your vote to be counted).
b.
$25.00 fine for not signing up for 2 Club work-days per year.
ARTICLE VI –
AMENDMENTS
Section 1 -
General Amendments:
Amendments to
these Bylaws may be made at any meeting of the Corporate Officers. A majority
vote of all Corporate Officers present shall be necessary for the adoption of
any amendment.
Section 2 –
Emergency Amendments:
In the event of
an emergency, as declared by the Corporate Officers, these bylaws may be
temporarily modified, amended or suspended by a vote of the majority of those
Officers present without the necessity of satisfying the requirements of notice
of the proposed amendment or change.
However, it shall be a condition of the validity of such an emergency action
that the notice be given to the Membership, with reasonable promptness, reciting
the emergency suspension or modification of the bylaws, and accurately
describing the actions taken.
RULES OF
CONDUCT
The following
rules shall apply to the conduct of all Members, their families and their guest,
and to all Club real estate, grounds, property and equipment.
Section 1 –
Ground Rules:
a.
All Members and all guests shall conduct themselves in a courteous,
proper and sportsmanlike manner at all times.
Each Member shall be responsible for the actions of any guests of that
Member while on Club ground.
b.
It shall be the duty of each Member to monitor the use of the Club by
others, and to enforce the applicable rules of procedure of the Club.
c.
All Members are expected to know and follow all Arkansas Game & Fish
Commission (AGFC) Rules and Regulations.
Members are also expected to be knowledgeable of all Club rules that may,
at times, supersede the AGFC Rules (i.e.: game harvest information), as we may
be forced to change our harvest conditions to further future hunting.
d.
All Members need to review both VCHC and AGFC rules and regulations early
and often.
Section 2 –
Campsite Rules:
a.
No loaded guns in camp.
b.
Cleaning of game is permitted only after game has been properly weighed
and completed check-in at check station; however, waste remains (guts, skin,
carcass, bones, etc) should be disposed of at the Club “bone pile”.
c.
No joy riding of motorized vehicles in camp.
d.
No public drinking of alcoholic beverages. Consumption of alcohol is not
allowed or tolerated during hunting hours. NO Exceptions. Anyone
violating this rule will be asked to leave the lease immediately and will not be
allowed back until the next Club hunting year. No alcohol will be
allowed during any open hunting season.
There will be no drinking of alcohol at any Club meetings or Club
functions. Any Member that chooses
to violate this rule will be asked to leave the lease.
This rule also applies to guest(s) while visiting the lease. During
hunting season, you may drink alcohol at the campsite only and only when you are
finished hunting for the day. If you choose to drink
alcohol at your campsite following the above guidelines, you must keep yourself
composed at all times. No outside or
public drinking of alcohol will be allowed.
e.
ILLEGAL DRUGS WILL NOT BE TOLERATED! ANY MEMBER OR GUEST POSESSING OR
USING ANY TYPE OF ILLEGAL DRUG(S) ON CLUB PROPERTY WILL BE ASKED TO LEAVE CLUB
PROPERTY IMMEDIATELY. ALL ITEMS BELONGING TO THE CLUB WILL BE SURRENDERED BEFORE
LEAVING CLUB PROPERTY. IF SAID ITEMS ARE NOT WITH MEMBER/GUEST, THEY WILL HAVE
24 HOURS TO SURRENDER ITEMS TO A CORPORATE OFFICER.
MEMBER/GUEST WILL BE ALLOWED TO REMOVE PERSONAL ITEM(S) FROM THEIR
CAMPSITE. REMOVAL OF ANY STANDS OR
PERSONAL ITEMS LEFT ON STAND SITE CAN BE REMOVED AFTER ALL SEASONS ARE CLOSED.
MEMBER/GUEST WILL BE ESCORTED BY AT LEAST 2 MEMBERS TO RETRIEVE SAID ITEMS.
ANY MATERIAL, STAND(S), OR EQUIPMENT NOT REMOVED, SOLD, OR GIVEN TO
ANOTHER MEMBER BY JUNE 1ST OF THE FOLLOWING YEAR WILL BECOME PROPERTY
OF THE CLUB. ALL DUES AND DEPOSITS
WILL BE FORFEITED. PERSON WILL BE
BANNED FROM ALL CLUB FUNCTIONS OR REINSTATEMENT FOR LIFE.
f.
Campsites should remain clean and free of trash and garbage.
g.
Generators must be turned off by midnight (changed from 10pm) unless you
have a medical reason. If you have a medical reason, get with a Club Officer to
get this ok’d.
Section 3 –
Hunting Rules:
All Club
Members are expected to understand and abide by Arkansas Game and Fish
Regulations in addition to these Club Hunting Rules.
a.
Harvesting of “button bucks” is not allowed. See Arkansas Game and Fish
definition of button buck.
b.
First deer can be either sex. First buck must be state legal or larger.
If a buck is taken first, the second deer must be a doe 70 lbs. or better
(no exceptions). Second buck must be
8 points or better (no exceptions).
This rule is for all Members.
c.
Exception is a genetically deformed deer see example picture in game
shack. Any Member that kills what is considered to be a cull animal, under
Club rules, must be approved by Game Manager and the Member MUST tag the
animal. If the animal is determined not to be a cull animal, then the carcass
will be donated to a needy family or to Hunters Feeding The Hungry.
d.
Youth hunters (15 years of age and under) have to follow Club rules.
No exceptions. Youth may not
shoot spikes.
e.
Up to 5 deer (bonus tags not included), (no more than two (2) bucks) may
be harvested on any one family Membership.
Additional doe and/or inferior bucks may be taken if special Arkansas
Game and Fish permits are available.
f.
All deer and/or turkey harvested on VCHC must be checked at Club Check
Station and the appropriate biological data collected as posted on the check
station bulletin board.
g.
Arkansas Game and Fish Commission, Deer Management Assistance Program
(DMAP) recommendations are required to be followed and will be provided in print
prior to each season.
h.
Dogs may not be used on Club property to hunt or chase deer.
i.
Field dressing of game is prohibited. Game must be checked-in and weighed
before dressing.
j.
There will be a $50.00 fine for not turning in your jawbone when the deer
is checked-in and weighed. If you
are considering taking the deer to a taxidermist, you MUST get with the Game
Manager and make arrangements about the jawbone or you will be fined.
NO EXCEPTIONS!
Section 4 –
Stand Location Rules:
a.
All stand locations on roads, gas lines or in recent cutovers (less than
3 years old) are required to be 500+ yards apart.
b.
All other stand locations are required to maintain at least a 250+ yard
radius from other stands.
c.
Each Membership is entitled to one (1) permanent stand location. This
location can be on a road, gas line, cutover or woods.
d.
No Member may hunt another Member’s permanent stand location without
his/her permission or until after the second week of modern gun deer season.
This includes archery and early muzzle loading seasons.
e.
Member is entitled to restrict access to his/her permanent stand by
use of a lock at anytime. However, other Members may hunt the permanent stand location per
above rule (d above) but will not have stand access.
f.
Non-permanent stands, (any stand(s) not marked as permanent stand) are
considered camp property and may not be locked at anytime.
They are open to all Members to hunt on a first come basis.
g.
All permanent stands are required to be clearly marked with stand number
and Member name.
h.
All permanent stand locations are required to be registered and approved
by the Stand Officer (Vice President).
i.
All open, permanent stand sites will be placed in a draw at the 2nd meeting
of the year. Draw is open to all
Members.
j.
All permanent stand location changes must be approved of by Stand Officer
(Vice President) prior to change and completed by September 15th.
By the end of the 2nd full Members meeting, all Members should have
their stand registered and approved by the Stand Officer.
Members joining after the 2nd full membership meeting of the
year must get with the Vice President and take whichever stand is available
until the next year. (This means no
placing of new stands until the following year)
Section 5 –
Guest Rules
a.
All guest(s) are expected to follow the Club Bylaws, Rules of conduct and
Policies while on Club property.
b.
Hunting guests are not allowed on the lease until after the second
week of modern gun deer season.
c.
Members are responsible for their guest and must accompany guest on Club
property.
d.
Members are responsible for providing their guest with a stand & ride (to
& from) hunting area.
e.
Any violation of Club Bylaws and/or Rules of Conduct by the guest will
count towards the responsible Member and guest will be asked to leave
immediately.
f.
Only one (1) hunting guest is allowed per Member per day.
g.
All hunting guest must be registered daily at the Check Station prior to
hunting.
h.
All applicable hunting guest fees must be paid prior to hunting.
This can be accomplished either by mailing a check or money order to the
treasurer or by paying cash directly to a Club Officer.
i.
Hunting guest passes are sold as five (5) day packages at $100.00 each.
All five (5) days do not have to be used consecutively.
(For example, a hunting guest may hunt Friday thru Sunday and then return
and hunt Saturday and Sunday of the next weekend).
j.
Hunting guest passes must be used in “full day” increments. (For example,
a hunting guest hunting on Friday afternoon and Saturday morning would require
two (2) “full day” hunting passes).
k.
Only the hunting guest documented on the hunting guest permit will be
allowed to hunt. Guest hunting packages may not be used for multiple guests or
transferred between guests.
l.
Deer hunting guest is allowed only one (1) deer per season.
m.
Non-hunting guest(s) are allowed at anytime; however, they may not at any
time be in possession of a firearm of any caliber.
Section 6 – Strike Rules:
A strike is a violation of any Club Rule (or AGFC
Regulation when applicable).
1st Offense - Verbal
Warning
2nd
Offense - Automatic $50.00 fine
3rd
Offense - Expulsion from VCHC
At the game
managers’ discretion, a fine may be imposed instead of a warning for 1st strike.
There are no
exceptions to this rule. Strikes are
for the lifetime of your Membership. These strikes follow VCHC rules, and AGFC
Regulations when applicable! NO
EXCEPTIONS!
Section 7 –
Miscellaneous Rules:
a.
All gates are to be kept closed at all times. There are no exceptions.
b.
No riding around gates. This can open trails for others that do not
belong to the Club.
c.
All trespassers and poachers will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of
the law. It is each Member’s responsibility to help curtail unauthorized people
from accessing our property.
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