OK I'll throw in my two cents worth. I've been around since 1990 and was on the EC from 1996 through 2009 in one capacity or another. This comment of someone coming up and saying they'd never heard of the LSBA is not new and there have been a lot of things that have been tried. I agree with Walking Eagle that we are a hard core group. Here's a few thoughts.
1. I hope we can get the Regional/area reps idea to work. Something similar was tried in the mid-1990s and didn't pan out. I think there has to be a local focus. Ducks unlimited and even the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation does a lot better than us. We tried "local chapters" around 2000, again with little success, but we really need something at the local level. Two regional reps in areas that go from just north of Austin to Wichita Falls (note that includes Waco, Dallas, Ft. Worth, Arlington, Denton, etc.) is just an impossible job. Again how does DU do it?
2. Perhaps a focus could be LSBA dinner in each city of each region sponsored by the local archery club, etc. I think we could almost do a "free" dinner with a donations jar. Key would be getting local clubs/folks to do most of the work, but for a free dinner they might. Even if it cost us $200-$300 on each of these, it could be cheap advertising and would help get the word out.
3. If we hook in with archery in the schools, this would be a way to help spread the word over the state.
4. It might be worthwhile to look into an at least one public lands hunt in each region. This could be for hogs, like at Georgetown.
5. Obviously talking this up on every site is a good idea.
6. We need ads in at least the public service part of magazines such as Lone star Outdoor news". Course this means that someone has to do it.
7. I agree that looking at other states could be worthwhile. Louisiana, if I recall correctly has more local reps than we do and it's a much smaller state.
OK, that's a bit of a ramble, but bottom line is that until there is some mid-level structure to LSBA this will always be an issue. Texas is just too big a state. Even if every member of the EC works there tail off, you can't cover it all.
Final word too. We need some mechanism for keeping people involved after they get off of the EC. I know most are tired by then and feel that they've paid their dues, but come on, too many just go away. Today I ran into a past President in the Rockport HEB. Haven't seen of heard of him for over 10 years. When he was no longer on the EC, he vanished. Still think local is the key, but retention is important too.
PS -Treed, you go back a long time, the Bates hunts were in the mid 80s. We do have a big spring hunt for turkey and hogs and have done it for 10 years.
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