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