Thread: NZDA worth joining.

I proudly have a 50 years of membership badge. I've never liked the old guys much either ... and here I am.

What @KiwiGreg said. I joined NZDA partially to support hunting and game representation in NZ. The AKL branch has excellent monthly club meetings. The next one is on reloading for $20. Pretty cool. I also appreciate access to a range here. The discounts are pretty good also, helped with my Swazi addiction. If you are able, pop along and join a meeting.

Originally Posted by Tahr

You join NZDA as much for others' as for yourself. It has become an influential collective of individuals.

This is a good point. Thinking about it, NZDA has developed so much in the last couple of years that joining now is worth it for both hunting as a whole as well as yourself individually, I believe.

I don't agree with everything NZDA does or how it does it - nobody will, nothing is perfect. But don't let the perfect be the enemy of the great, as the saying goes. Overall, there is no other force for hunters' interests out there that comes even close to the influence of NZDA, and that will keep growing. Issues like Wapiti in Fiordland are best managed locally (ie FWF) but need national advocacy (ie NZDA).

Personally, I can now save at least the annual sub if I pay attention to the perks members get (and the app is great for that). 25% off GoNative meals for trips so far this year has been great. 20% off online at BushlifeNZ saved some money. Noel Leeming and Warehouse Stationery saved a bit of money on kids' stuff.

It's a very different organisation from your Dad's NZDA, or even the NZDA of my younger years. If a Branch isnt your thing, you dont need to be involved in one. Can still join anyway.

Originally Posted by Tahr

I've never liked the old guys much either ... and here I am.

Hey POST OF THE YEAR! (me too)

Originally Posted by Tahr

I've never liked the old guys much either ... and here I am.

I said to the secretary at an AGM a 4-5 years ago with only around 30-35 members present

"Do you realise I'm the second youngest here.......and I'm an old guy"

We have more younger members now thank goodness

I keep my membership up to be part of the collective. I have attended one meeting in the last 3 years and that was enough for me. United we stand divided we fall.

When I was a young fella - like 45 years ago - I went along to a Deerstalkers meeting and was totally ignored. Not one person spoke to me all night and I left very disillusioned....
Now I suspect , as a matter of political expedience , it may be worth trying again.

Originally Posted by Fee Knicks

When I was a young fella - like 45 years ago - I went along to a Deerstalkers meeting and was totally ignored. Not one person spoke to me all night and I left very disillusioned....
Now I suspect , as a matter of political expedience , it may be worth trying again.

That old boy attitude got the shunt years ago. It was a common comment even 20yrs ago, but thankfully not so much now.

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whats memberships worth these days???
I stopped being member when family was young and $$$ were tighter than tight and just have never rejoined...funny was committee member and all,fully involved but it was toss up between membership fee or duckshooting and fishing licences....made some great friends there. really regret not having spare funds when the lifetime membership option came up..one lump sum for life.

Originally Posted by Mathias

That old boy attitude got the shunt years ago. It was a common comment even 20yrs ago, but thankfully not so much now.

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This is good to hear @Mathias, I have an almost identical experience from about 25 years ago and have never been back.
They had a guest speaker there and once he was done I grabbed a beer at the bar and said hello to a couple of groups of guys who pretty much ignored my existence. I left thinking what a bunch of w@nkers.

Seems to be a common theme back then. I joined a club in the Nth Island in the 90s and apart from shooting holes in paper all they seemed interested in doing was talking about how good hunting was (and they were) in the "old days". Needless to say my membership only lasted one year.

Well I learned something last night at my first ever meeting since joining this year and got to talk to someone I had not seen for 20 years.

$140 is what I pay for the year

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Well - its $87 to join as a Superannuant . Didnt look to see what other levels of membership cost. Now that Im old I need all the help I can get financially :-)

NZDA auckland is worth joining just for the range. They have increased the casual range use fee enough that if you go a couple times a year it is worth signing up. When i used to go 4 years ago there were always younger demographics introducing themselves. usually 2 or more a month.

Their party hunts are not as "Party" as they used to be, not really a booze up but everyone hangs out and tries to shoot a deer