are you a member of the OFAH?

[bramptonjerry]

1/I never trust personal interest lobby groups...even if they represent my own

they only tell us their side of the story and never explain the other sides (MNR) reasons

2/ I don't really know where the money goes ...how much is spent on advertising and their own salaries and how much of it goes to the cause (see the recent demise of MADD when it was reported that onlt 10% of the money raised went to the cause)...I can't find this information on their website does anyone out there know?

3/I can't seem to go to any site (except this one) without being recruited)

4/I can't join any fishing club without automatically becoming a part of their organization

 

am I paranoid or does this make sense to you

[danbouck]

Paranoid!

[Gerritt]

makes perfect sense... alot of these non-profits... are only non-profit after salaries have been paid....

 

G

[richyb]

Im just too poor to join anything that costs money lol .. but a buddy of mine was a member and he got a call from them asking if he would like to make a donation.... Just joking around he said he would be glad to if they could guarantee him a moose tag because he hasnt got one in 10 years and other guy just " happen" to get them every other year ... and the person on the phone just said to him .... "im sory sir what is a moose tag?" He said if they wont even hire people that have a clue about the outdoors than hes not joining anymore.

Im going to go to the site tho and check it out and see what its all about ..

[bramptonjerry]

Im just too poor to join anything that costs money lol .. but a buddy of mine was a member and he got a call from them asking if he would like to make a donation.... Just joking around he said he would be glad to if they could guarantee him a moose tag because he hasnt got one in 10 years and other guy just " happen" to get them every other year ... and the person on the phone just said to him .... "im sory sir what is a moose tag?" He said if they wont even hire people that have a clue about the outdoors than hes not joining anymore.

Im going to go to the site tho and check it out and see what its all about ..

now that's interesting

[irishfield]

Common complaint elsewhere... telemarketing to members that has been outsourced and members wanting to know what's happening to an estimated 4.5 million a year in membership fees.

[danc]

I've had a few issues with some of their decisions in the past as well.

[bramptonjerry]

Common complaint elsewhere... telemarketing to members that has been outsourced and members wanting to know what's happening to an estimated 4.5 million a year in membership fees.

plus fundraising!

[bramptonjerry]

I've had a few issues with some of their decisions in the past as well.

please share

[Ramble]

I'm a member, and some of the stuff i read makes me wanna pull my hair out from time to time. With all groups it's very important to remember what their bottom line is. For the OFAH everything revolves around angling and hunting opportunities. They often put an environmental spin on things....or should i say they EMPHASIZE the environmental side of what they do. But the environmental benefit is only a by-product of improving habitat for fishing and hunting. If you pay attention to what they are arguing for you'll understand what i mean.

 

Most of the stuff i read that makes me grumble to myself occur in the Members Section which comes in each issue. I could spare myself the stress and simply not be a member, but they do quite a bit of positive work which i do agree with and i like keep an eye on them lol.

 

Richyb it definatly sounds like that you were talking to a telemarketer they hired.

 

 

BramptonJerry community groups are all linked together in some way. Most fishing/hunting clubs are directly benifited by the OFAH, but the OFAH itself is linked to many other organisations....something like a cob-web effect. If it makes you feel better the OFAH isn't in the middle of the cob-web, they are a spot or 2 away from it. Funds are shifted throughout the web and trickle down into these clubs. Im just learning about this community group relation stuff this year....you'd be amazed at who is affilated with who.

 

-R-

Edited March 26, 2008 by Ramble On

[bramptonjerry]

I'm a member, and some of the stuff i read makes me wanna pull my hair out from time to time. With all groups it's very important to remember what their bottom line is. For the OFAH everything revolves around angling and hunting opportunities. They often put an environmental spin on things....or should i say they EMPHASIZE the environmental side of what they do. But the environmental benefit is only a by-product of improving habitat for fishing and hunting. If you pay attention to what they are arguing for you'll understand what i mean.

 

Most of the stuff i read that makes me grumble to myself occur in the Members Section which comes in each issue. I could spare myself the stress and simply not be a member, but they do quite a bit of positive work which i do agree with and i like keep an eye on them lol.

 

Richyb it definatly sounds like that you were talking to a telemarketer they hired.

BramptonJerry community groups are all linked together in some way. Most fishing/hunting clubs are directly benifited by the OFAH, but the OFAH itself is linked to many other organisations....something like a cob-web effect. If it makes you feel better the OFAH isn't in the middle of the cob-web, they are a spot or 2 away from it. Funds are shifted throughout the web and trickle down into these clubs. Im just learning about this community group relation stuff this year....you'd be amazed at who is affilated with who.

dude what a teaser! What can you tell us?

 

-R-

[Deano]

Was a member for over 5 years about 8 years ago, didn't like the way they went about things, sending you things and then asking for more donations. They were another "hand in my pocket".

[outllaw]

ofah as other groups are whats needed. in todays world if you need a voice for outdoor enjoyments its hard not to see this. with lobby groups trying to end hunting and fishing your dollars are well spent. sure every decision will not be in my favour,,BUT if , as sportsmen we need a vocal voice to hear our concerns. ive seen for years many complaining on roghts lost for outdoor enjoyment. join a group m.c.i. ,,ofah anything to make sure your outdoor sport survives.

[aniceguy]

OFAH does do some decent work no question but no doubt the vast majority of monies raised go to cover internal expenses. Here is what I find odd. I also am quite involved with a conservation group, behind OFAH in size of course. Yet we still retain thousands of members, and to date have completed millions worth of conservation based remediation and another million on the books hopefully to start shortly.

 

We are a not for profit group all directors are unpaid all executives remain unpaid, and to top all of this off we add our audited financial statements on our front page of the website so that transparency is there.

 

IMO once a group gets to a certain point it needs hired managers to run it and then the ball starts to tumble.....with more money required to feul the administratative side of things.

 

One of these days someone should ask OFAH if they will provide audited statements that disclose all salary compensation, expenses benefits and beyond of the paid staff. 10% of the monies going to conservation driven iniatives might be right or might be high or low no one knows as I dont know a sole from OFAH that has in fact seen the statements.

 

Brampton Jerry there are a lot of groups that you can be part of that will adress your needs and concerns I just dont think OFAH is one of them at this point in time

 

Another aspect, Insurance I wanted to join a local bass club ( of which I still might join) while I have no issues with the fee 65 bucks I found that part of it goes to OFAH as membership and that I must be a member of OFAH to join this club in order to get the mandatory insurance coverage from them.

 

Now I have personal insurance that after looking at OFAH's and discussing it with my broker, the inusrance I carry is about twice as good as thiers and therefore really means that on the insurance front I dont need to join OFAH, but Im told I still do, go figure.

 

Another is the Simcoe forest, and any one who has ever wanted to hunt this public property must be an OFAH member or you are not allowed to hunt it again from what I see an insurance based issue again....talk about shoestringing someone and forcing them to be a member of one group potentially agaist thier will to be a member of a group they really want.

 

I know OFAH staff read here because the site has come up in some convo's

 

Not a bash at all just some clear facts

[Terry]

I am not a member any more

I didn't like the money they spent on their building

I don't like a lot of what they are fighting for

 

 

but on the other hand we do need some kind of unified body fighting for our rights, so I guess anything is better then nothing

[Tootsie II]

Like many of you I may disagree with some of their stands on issues but if you don't have a good strong organization representing hunting and fishing views, just watch how quick the ante's and P3TA's of the world will get their way with the politicians. It's the large urban areas that provide votes for them. Just ask any farmer how well their views are taken at Queens Park.

 

Running an organization such as that simply takes money in today's world and you try finding good people for little money. The salaries of may corporate CEO's make OFAH's look like peanuts and I'm sure there are no stock options at OFAH.

 

The future of our favourite pastime is in our hands and if we're not careful there are more than a few people out there who can be swayed by pictures of animals in traps or fish on hooks to donate their momey to anti causes.

 

I am a regular member of OFAH and do not sit on any of their boards or committees. It's like insurance, it's not perfect but at some point you may need it, another necessary "evil" of life.

[bramptonjerry]

I'm really not liking what I'm hearing here...I guess I'm not paranoid....it's really starting to bother me now that a couple of groups I'm considering joining automatically tie me in with them...I certainly realize that good people need good pay to be retained but their efforts in advertising and fundraising seem to be their top priority

[fishinggeek]

No way will I be a member. Why spend my hard-earned money on an organization that, by and large, does not represent my own personal interests? I'd rather donate my money to a charity instead.

[Gerritt]

I WAS a member until all the mailings began piling up.. then the phone calls... always the same thing MONEY MONEY MONEY.... I got fed up with them begging for donations and canceled...

 

Now if I could only get the Police Circus People to stop calling daily

 

G

[Mike01]

Personally, I would never join.

I find them to be a little over the top. Sure its great to have an organization out there that is passionate about what they do, but when all they want is more money and they make you feel bad for being an angler if you don't give it to them. I don't think thats right.

But thats just my opinion.

[TJQ]

Well... i have a thought... as far as I know, they are the only larger lobby group that represents the interests of Ontario hunters and anglers. I don't agree with alot of the stuff they do, I do agree with alot of the stuff they do, I do find their emphasis on S. Ontario alot of the time.

 

HOWEVER - they are the only Ontario Based lobby group of any size so I support them. If it weren't for them, i do believe the goivt would do whatever they want on the natural resource front, most likely not to my liking at all.

 

Alot like this board, its easy to criticize when your not on the other side and have to cater to your members, who always have differing opinions.

 

You cant please everyone all of the time, its near impossible to please anyone even a little of the time.... we all have differing opinions as to how the resource should be managed.

[CLofchik]

If it wasn't for the OFAH cobwebbing with Metro East Anglers there wouldn't be a single chinook salmon stocked in Lake Ontario west of Port Hope.

 

But the OFAH has also drunk the Atlantic salmon KoolAid.

 

 

 

 

I'm torn and confused whether I like them or not.

[Dano]

I was a faithful member for many years too, but I do have a problem in that they cant seem to police the membership. Every single convicted local poacher that I know, which at this point stands at 6 individuals was a member of this organization. Somehow, I doubt that is a regional thing and I know it is nothing I want to be associated with.

[Fishnfiend]

I am a member. I am mostly because I get a 'free' subscription to Ontario Out of Doors and some insurance while I am hunting and fishing (or travelling to/from).

I figure that any money that actually makes it into preserving fishing/hunting rights and or stocking, etc is worthwhile. Even if it is a fraction of a dollar every year, I figure it is better than nothing and that as a large group we may actually stand a chance against those idiots at P3ta, etc.

[bramptonjerry]

I was a faithful member for many years too, but I do have a problem in that they cant seem to police the membership. Every single convicted local poacher that I know, which at this point stands at 6 individuals was a member of this organization. Somehow, I doubt that is a regional thing and I know it is nothing I want to be associated with.

 

I don't think that's got anything to do with the ofah