Rules and regulations are needed to keep everyone accountable for their actions and safe, as well as making clear the expectations for a universal standard of operation for everyone involved. Below you will find the current list of rules/regulations that have come from over a decade of tried and true standards that will ensure everyone has a great experience when they visit the property. Some rules are requested by landowners, others born from like experiences that have brought awareness, and a need for the rule. If we have missed something, or you would like to add to, or object to any of these rules, please feel free to ask for a review and possible revision by the committee. This is YOUR hunt club, and as an active member in good standing, your opinions matter.

1. SAFETY!! Be safe at all times, know your surroundings, your personal physical limits, and ALWAYS let someone know where you are when visiting the property.

2. ALL members/guests/visitors MUST have a cell phone number on file with club manager and landowner before entry can be made on the property. Keep your cell phone in a front pocket of your pants, NOT in your pack! If you fall from a stand and dangle from a harness, you will not be able to reach your pack. Front pocket is a better location.

3. ANYONE hunting from/installing an elevated blind/stand MUST wear a full body fall restraint harness at all times.

4. Every member/guest/visitor MUST carry a pocket knife in a front pocket of their pants, not in pack. This knife can save your life. IF you fall and are dangling from a harness, you may need to cut the tether in the event you cannot regain entry to a stand. Suspension illness can start in under 20 minutes! Lack of circulation to legs due to a harness can cause blood clots to form in lower extremities. Once released from the pressure, a blood clot can travel to the heart and lungs, almost certainly causing death.

5. Children, (at or below the age of 16) are allowed, but come with responsibility to the member they accompany. Any child MUST remain under the direct control of the member, within arms reach in the course of any hunt or special “youth season hunt”. When visiting children are NOT allowed to operate any motor vehicle. If a child harvests an animal it will count as that members harvest for that particular season, be it turkey or deer. For example, If a child harvests a club standard deer, that harvest will count towards members annual quota of 2, leaving the member 1 harvest left on his/her remaining quota of Illinois state imposed individual limits. Safety, full body fall restraint harness MUST be worn/used at all times when hunting/installing an elevated stand or blind.

1. For purpose of great ongoing communication/relationships with club manager/landowners, members will be required to have “no direct communication” with any landowners currently holding club leases, or any landowners for a 10 mile radius, for a period of 3 years of acceptance of these rules.

2. For the purpose of a non-competing clause, any members found to have directly contacted any landowners within a 10 mile radius for the purpose of obtaining a hunting property/lease will be ejected from the club immediately and have their deposit surrendered. All rights will be revoked.

3. Use of all terrain vehicles is allowed within reason. If a member wishes to hunt a location over 1/2 mile of the closest parking area, all terrain vehicle can be used to get within 1/2 mile of chosen location. There will be predesignated locations to park all terrain vehicles interior of property not in direct conflict with known funnels, choke points or stand areas. All terrain vehicles can be used to get closer to a chosen location to aid in the transport of stands/blinds for purpose of install or removal. Rainy/windy days are ideal for installing stands! All terrain vehicles may be used to retrieve and transport a harvested deer, transport an injured person to safety. Use common sense!

4. A minimum harvest standard for a Whitetail deer will be 4 1/2 years old or a minimum score of 140” of antler using the Pope & Young method for scoring. There will be 5” allowed for error in judgement, and guessing the age of a deer on the hoof is NOT an exact science. If a deer is mature, it will definitely look like it. No excuse for harvesting a deer at 2 1/2 years of age!! Doe harvests annually should be done in October or after the first gun season. Quotas will be set prior to season start and gauged through the use of trail cameras. Once a quota is reached, doe harvesting will be suspended for that season. No member is entitled to harvest a female deer, and must follow quota system imposed directly to club property by QDMA. For example: If the club has a season quota of 10 female deer harvests, any member may take a female deer until we reach 10 for that season. Once the quota has been reached, all members will be notified via “text” and posting on our information board at the clubhouse.

5. Clubhouse. Landowner has agreed to provide a small building for 2019 Fall season for our joint use where a large map of the property will remain. This map will show access points, parking areas, property

ownership boundary lines. It will also act as a reference to members to review and transfer information to their own maps. There should be no reason for confusion or lack of information on any members part. The clubhouse will also house all the clubs records, contracts, insurance paperwork viewable by any member upon request. A check in station will be located here as well. Each member will have a designated “marker” hanging on a check in/out board. When visiting the property for any reason, each member must move their marker from the “out” position to the “in” position, showing they are active on the property. Each member MUST also sign into the log book as well as write where they intend to be during their visit and nature of visit. At the end of visit, each member MUST move their “marker” to the “out” position, showing they are no longer on the property and must sign out in log book. Also recording any harvest info as directed by log book. This is a KEY safety system, and will ensure all members return safely to their families. In the event a member doesn't show himself “out” after a visit, measures to find that member will begin. For purpose of standard, 40 minutes after legal shooting hours will be an acceptable time frame for anyone to return to clubhouse. For morning hunts/visits, a member should communicate their intent for a quitting time/arrival to clubhouse. If member doesn’t return and check “out” we will assume we will have to come looking for you. Communication is key! Please follow this system! Nobody wants to make a call to your family/loved ones!

11. Each member must have on deposit with landowner, a refundable deposit in the amount of $500. This deposit will cover your actions as a member while you are in good standing with the club. Revocation of deposit can and will happen if a member is found to be in violation of these rules. If a member violates or fails to abide by standards set forth in this list of rules they will be given a verbal warning of violation for the initial violation. In cases where the same violation occurs once again in the same season, he/she will be given a written warning, The 3rd violation will constitute a complete revocation of all rights to enter any property, loss of deposit, and forfeiture of any money paid to date. Member will be notified by a process server of clubs choosing and will have no grace period. Harvesting a male deer below club standards listed above will result in immediate termination of membership, loss of any remaining season, loss of $500 deposit!

1. Terms of Membership – Members must comply with all Illinois state game laws, the club land lease agreement(s), and the rules as defined by the club.

2. The club requires all members to participate in scheduled work days for the betterment of the club. Up to (12) work days may be scheduled, members are required to make at least two (2) of them. Activity examples are the posting of property signs, food plot maintenance, and all other activities designated at club meetings or through social media.

3. Members may NOT scout an area that is currently signed out. Some members hunt all day long, and this would create a problem. Members may only scout areas that are not currently signed out between the hours of 11:00am and 1:00pm, and must note that they are scouting a particular area.

4. General Negligence – All State deer hunting regulations and laws, along with the stricter club rules will be enforced.

5. Poaching – Members caught poaching will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.

6. Driving over (or other destructive means) planted crops, littering, or participation in illegal activities while on club property will not be tolerated.

7. It is against the law to hunt while intoxicated or otherwise physically impaired by drugs. The club will NOT tolerate hunters in the field under the influence of alcohol or drugs. Social light consumption of an alcoholic beverage is allowed at “end of day” social gatherings, but will be monitored for signs of abuse.

8. NO COON HUNTING ON ANY CLUB PROPERTY AT ANY TIME.

9. All new members are on probation the first year. All current members

10. are subject to receive an official invitation letter annually to re-join.

11. There will be no refund of dues. Hardship situations will be decided and

12. prorated on a case by case basis by a majority vote of current members

13. in good standing. Dues paid may be prorated if a refund is made.

14. All members are allowed to bring their own personal hunting stands/

15. blinds. Once located on club property it becomes a community stand and available to all members after owner has had a minimum of 2 “sits” defined as check in totals for that stand. Each stand placed must be logged and declared, noting type and location on a map for all to see.

16. Any member is allowed to hang and use trail cameras as long as their location is declared after placement. Any and all images become

property of the hunt club, and must be shared with club manager for all

members to view.

1. Transparency in matters of personal property/gear is essential!

2. Vehicles MUST be parked in predesignated areas. Reference map in

3. clubhouse.

4. All hunting locations are on a first come first served basis. In the event

5. 2 members wish to hunt same location, they will roll a pair of dice once. Highest roll wins. No member is allowed to select a hunt area prior to hunt date.

6. For safety reasons, once a member checks into a chosen hunting location, we will maintain an 80 acre buffer from center (1/4 mile radius) to protect their hunt area. DO NOT walk through their chosen hunt location!

7. Hanging stands, moving stands around the property will NOT be allowed after October 15th in a full season. It will be responsibility of member to update stand location map at time of event.

8. 24 hours prior to start of any firearm season we will do a "cooling off" period defined as "no entry to property" 24 hours prior to start of any firearm season for Whitetail deer. This rule does not apply to the youth season firearm weekend.