THO Game Calls Forums
The Art of Handcrafting Custom Game Calls => General Call Making Discussions => Topic started by: Al_at_THO Game Calls on February 05, 2008, 09:29:41 AM
-
Back a while ago I joined the infamous Call Makers and Collectors Guild.
Never got squat from them after I joined, got told there were no bylaws that they didn't need bylaws only to find out they DID have bylaws and they hadn't posted them.
Now I don't know why they never posted them, but the copy I was given said that members had no vote, officers were ellected for life, and basically, it was a good old boys club.
I then found out that if you were a duck call or predator call maker, you were pretty much left out of all competitions unless you wanted to participate as a Locator Call maker.
After all the BS, they siad they did have rules for Predator Calls because they had no one to write them. So I did. They never once added them to the rules in the top secret Guild Members Forum on CCO.
I tried to resign from the guild in accordance with the bylaws twice - and both times they refused to let me resign.
I signed onto CCO last night to find I no longer had access to the Guild area and the CCMCG title was not on my name. I guess my membership expired.
I feel like a HUGE weight has been lifted from my shoulders LOL. I am so glad that I am no longer associated with that group.
Free at last, thank God alive, I am free at last!
AL @ THO
-
I joined the ranks of those that are jumping ship. My dues expire shortly, so I guess I will soon lose the privilege of seeing the limited posts of the good old boys club. To have been touted as an all call organization it sure went "turkey" pretty quick.
Marvin
-
Interesting. Makes me glad I didn't join when I was thinking about it. And I won't now. Thanks for the post.
-
Is that the same organization as the Callmakers & Collectors Association of America? I just sent my dues in a couple of days ago.
-
The Callmakers and Collectors Association is okay. the one that turned into a turkey organization goes by the name of the callmakers and collectors guild. If you are a turkey callmaker the "guild" is sort of okay, but in my pennies worth of thoughts is a "good ole boys" organization.
Any organization that promotes competition that is not "blind" judged doesn't fit my definition of "fair" competition. The "guild" seems to think that that judges can be unbiased and fair even knowing that their "good ole buddy's" call is the one he is judging. I think they still believe in the Easter Bunny and Santa Claus too, or at least it appears they do.
Marvin
-
Well that was why the Guild was formed in the first place. A bunch of guys thought they got picked on and not judged fairly at the Nationals a few years ago. It was originally formed to counter the nationals.
What got my goat, is that they said it was for ALL call makers, and in fact, it was not. If you did not make turkey calls, you could join, but there was no representation for you, and even when they had "elections" none was made possable.
In short, they extorted 35 bucks from me that went towards their pig picking at - you wont believe this - the National Wild Turkey Federation Headquarters.
It's OK though, I'm now out, and I wanted to be out for 8 months.
It was worth the wait
Al @ THO
-
I have a personal rule......If the heads of an organization can't show me the benefits I get out of being a member, you're not going to see a cent of my money. Just as easy as that. I told them this when I was asked to join, and they could not produce any benefits besides their secret section on CCO.
I don't personally have any hard feeling against them, because they didn't get any of my money. I'm just going to go over and play in my sand, and they can play in theirs'. ;D
Parker
-
Just a quick update - this is pretty funny.
I posted above that my membership must have run out because they took my access away and the CCMCG title off my name.
Last night, I got an E mail from the Membership director telling me that my membership was about to run out.
Hmmm - they jumped the gun on me a bit or they finally decided to let me resign, either way, someone doesn't have a clue what the other one is doing over there LOL.
Al @ THO
-
It sure sounds that way Al. They need to get their act together. ;D
-
Right now all they are doing is trying to get volunteers for the convention in Atlanta. Al they have about 3 or 4 time slots still open. I still have access to that part of the forum you want me to sign you up for one of the 2 hour times slots. I think the openings are on Friday the 22nd and Sunday the 24th. If you take the last open slot on Sunday Preston will relieve you.
I would do it but I have a varmint hunt contest on the 23rd, then afterwards a party celebrating my 39th anniversary of my Purple Heart.
Marvin
-
Marvin,
I would rather pass a kidney stone.
-
Al, I take it you aren't too excited about doing it then? ;D
-
Al,
Just to let you know they still have the 3 time slots open Atlanta. ;D
Marvin
-
I'm really sorry, all three of those time slots are already scheduled for my weekly homosexual escapades down in Kenmore Square in Boston. I had to weigh which one was more important to me, and I figured if I was going to take it in the ass, at least the boys in Boston would give me a reach around :o :o
Al @ THO
-
I want to jump in here and say that for the majority of the call makers in the Guild, to a man (and woman) they are good people and great call makers.
But anyone who does not make turkey calls has got to admit that they are really on the outside looking in with this group. The idea is sound, and if they would have put some more thought into it, it could have be a tremendous organization for all call makers.
I found it funny that they really did not even want input from anyone who did not make turkey calls or was not in the "inner circle". Even after I wrote a set of rules for the Predator Calls for their competitions, they never acknowledged it until it all blew up in the boards a few months later, and even after that, they never incorporated it into thier rules or even posted it in the Guild Members Area. They did post it in the Predator forum on CCO, and I think the old Generals DIscussions section, but it never made it into the Guild Area.
To this day, Predator Calls are grouped in as Locator Calls on the rules that are posted for competitions. (it may have changed in the last few weeks as I no longer have access to the area).
Before Christmas they did ask me to see if I could find some Predator Call guys to be on a commitee or something, but the response from the predator call makers I spoke to was pretty negative towards the guild and I just let it slide.
One of the things they could have done, and SHOULD have done, is when they set up the Board of Directors, is to have had at least one slot reserved for a call maker from the Predator, Duck, and Deer side, instead of having all turkey call makers on the board. That makes it very hard for the non turkey call makers to have any representation. Of course the rebutal to that is, the MEMBERS VOTED, which is true, but when your membership is 99% turkey call makers and you are trying to attract, or say you are trying to attract other call makers, you need to give them some consideration and representation, even if it is forced representation.
I really do wish them the best, there are some fine call makers in the guild, and some even better people.
AL @ THO
-
When the guild was started they tooted their horns saying that it was for all callmakers. that was all that was preached. They went after all venues of the callmaking field. Then all at once it seemed that the turkey call venue was the most important and the others were to be second class. It did not take too long until they decided that the second class was too good for the non turkey callmakers.
All of the competition rules are derived from the NWTF rules. Not verbatim, but close enough that if you were read both of them you would think they were both written by the same people. And heaven forbid if you question how the rules were written. I received the reply when I questioned them "that is the way it has always been done" Excuse me, this was a new organization, how could it have always been done that way. Then I was informed that this is the way the NWTF does it so it has to be right. When I questioned that, I arrived at another stonewall, well most of the members are turkey callmakers so we have to do what the majority wants. At this time I was ready to leave and make sure the door did not hit me on the way out.
They suckered me out of my dues money once, that won't happen again. People have asked me about the guild, my reply is if you are a turkey callmaker first then go for it otherwise save your money. I have to agree with Al, they do have some great people in the guild, but they also have some snakes in the grass. The great people are the callmakers, the snakes, well you will have to figure that one out for yourself.
Enough preaching.
Marvin