Quality Deer Management Association

[Noseyarentcha]

Anyone a member of this?
http://www.qdma.ca/en/

[Gregoire1960]

Been a member since 1999. Good organization, excellent knowledge base,they had a great community forum until they shut it down last July.

[Gilroy]

Been a member since 1999. Good organization, excellent knowledge base,they had a great community forum until they shut it down last July.

OK I will ask the obvious question, why did they shut down such a great community forum?

[Noseyarentcha]

Been a member since 1999. Good organization, excellent knowledge base,they had a great community forum until they shut it down last July.

There doesn't seem to be any local Steward stuff.
Going to Quebec is such a long way.

[blasted_saber]

I think they're a glorified food plot seed sales platform which is more concerned with profits and trophy bucks then they are with deer management for the health of the herd. They're more concerned with those two things then they are with "meat hunting", which is something I fundamentally disagree with.

[terrym]

I think they're a glorified food plot seed sales platform which is more concerned with profits and trophy bucks then they are with deer management for the health of the herd. They're more concerned with those two things then they are with "meat hunting", which is something I fundamentally disagree with.

I agree 100%.

[bellerivercrossbowhunter]

Quality deer meat association. Shooting future trophy bucks today.. lol

[trimmer21]

Anyone a member of this?
http://www.qdma.ca/en/

I think they're a glorified food plot seed sales platform which is more concerned with profits and trophy bucks then they are with deer management for the health of the herd. They're more concerned with those two things then they are with "meat hunting", which is something I fundamentally disagree with.

I agree 100%.

QDMA started out in the northern US about 20 years ago,espousing the philosophy of quality Deer herd management through construction and cultivation of food plots. On the surface,it looked well presented and was quite convincing as an altruistic organization interested only in improvement to the overall Deer herds. Soon after,though,it was found that all this was AFTER they obtained patents and sole manufacture and distribution of genetically modified (GM) commercial Deer feed seed. All of a sudden,it didn't "shine" quite like it used to at the outset. They devised and adopted Association "rules and by-laws" which dictated the size of which antlered Deer could be harvested,citing that only large racks which met their criteria could be harvested,then,started to lobby politicians to amend state hunting regulations to that end. Many hunters and their local associations weren't impressed. They saw it as an attempt to further restrict already heavily regulated Deer harvest laws,the general concensus being strictly for their own commercial purposes. To them,the whole thing didn't pass the smell test. Whether true or not,the resulting uproar and adverse publicity didn't do QDMA any favors and the organization has greatly withered away. Much like the National Wild Turkey Federation,they tried to get chapters going here in Canada,but,adverse publicity seemed to follow. Not many hunters are members nor do they agree with QDMA philosophy as accurately stated by blasted_saber and terrym with whom I whole-heartedly agree.

[trimmer21]

Anyone a member of this?
http://www.qdma.ca/en/

I just noticed that Staubin72 has posted an invite to Ottawa area hunters to attend a QDMA meet and greet. You may want to attend to see for yourself,first hand.

[benjhind]

I'm a member and involved with my local chapter.

It is primarily an education organization and the magazine is a great resource for articles based on peer-reviewed research.

There is a good deal of misinformation out there about QDMA. I usually describe the organization as helping hunters and land managers accomplish herd management goals. If your goal is to shoot a deer every year to fill the freezer, and the property you hunt provides that without a problem, you likely don't need much information to help with that. My goals are to see more deer on my property, and see mature bucks. To do that I do habitat work that helps improve forage and fawning habitat, and shoot fewer small bucks on my property. I'm not into food plots and prefer native vegetation management.

My local chapter does educational events and fundraises to support outdoor youth education and events. We give most of the money to Camp Trilium (a camp that kids with cancer can attend for free, which also has an archery program), and I think we've given them over $15000 to date but I'd have to check the numbers. We have also helped at many youth events including the Delta Waterfowl youth courses and holding many of our own educational events with guest speakers from MNR and other organizations. I see a few people like to paint the organization with a bad brush, but I think we are doing a fair bit of good in the community.

I was lucky enough to attend the first Deer Steward course held in Canada, which as Nosey indicated was in Quebec. The organization is relatively new in Canada, but hopefully more courses in more locations will be offered in the future.

If you are interested, membership is cheap. The magazine is fantastic and well worth the price. Like I said, there is lots of information on primary research about response to hunting pressure, effects of scents, predator managment, etc. etc. etc. and is a refreshing break from many other magazines that have "I shot this buck" articles.

Just my two cents!