OT: North American Hunting Club...Scam?

[Iron_Marshal]

I have been solicited to join the North American Hunting Club. Does anyone belong to this "club?"

I have read good and bad reviews. Some people consider it a scam and others are delighted.

$12.00 a year, which includes a subscription to their hunting magazine, supposedly enrolls me in their club. Supposedly, they will send test samples which you get to keep if you review them for the magazine. Most of the complaints seem to be that they never actually send anyone anything worth having.

First, you get what you pay for. Second, there is no such thing as a free lunch. So, I think $12.00 a year for a magazine subscription is fair and if I happen to get some free stuff that is just a nice bonus. One thing I did not like hearing is that they send stuff that is NOT FREE which YOU have to RETURN...and pay for the shipping too!

Does anyone have any experience with this company/club?

[TedH]

I get their invitation every so often. Never took them up on it. Sounds too much like the other mail order clubs for CD's, DVD's etc. They keep sending them and if you don't want it, it's up to you to return it. No thanks.

[revolverjunkie]

i have some personal experince with the supossed NAHC in my opinon its a scam my dad joined for 1 year the only thing we were sent was a $60 set of books that they wanted us to pay for! all there magazine is, is a 30 page ad for all the compainies they represent and how wonderfull all there stuff is

its a load they ought to call it the kickback club cuz thats obviously how there making there money by suckering people into buyin stuff.

[Old Savage]

I did a long time ago - got a couple of good books from them.

[Iron_Marshal]

Well, so far the responses have been on par with other reviews I have read. Seems like you either love 'em or hate 'em.

[reo]

I did 12 years ago and got a few books, I enjoy them, they are well done. The problem was with the ones you didn't want. Pain in the butt with returns. A year was enough for me.

[Ysabel Kid]

I probably have twenty or thirty of their stickers lying around, they have sent me so many offers, but I have never joined. Sounds like a good call!

[Duff L Bagg]

I have been solicited to join the North American Hunting Club. Does anyone belong to this "club?"

I have read good and bad reviews. Some people consider it a scam and others are delighted.

$12.00 a year, which includes a subscription to their hunting magazine, supposedly enrolls me in their club. Supposedly, they will send test samples which you get to keep if you review them for the magazine. Most of the complaints seem to be that they never actually send anyone anything worth having.

First, you get what you pay for. Second, there is no such thing as a free lunch. So, I think $12.00 a year for a magazine subscription is fair and if I happen to get some free stuff that is just a nice bonus. One thing I did not like hearing is that they send stuff that is NOT FREE which YOU have to RETURN...and pay for the shipping too!

Does anyone have any experience with this company/club?

I joined for a year several years ago. they started sending books that I promptly returned. After sending books back I called and ask that they not send me any more books. the next month a new book arrived, I called and raised H311 with them. this went on for two more months, I canceled my subscription to NAHC. I then received a bill for three books that they claimed I had not returned. I provided them copies of the signature required receipts from the post office. I thought the matter would be dropped at that point. But nooooo they turned it over to a collection company. Once again I made copies of the signature required receipts and wrote a letter to the collection company explaining the circumstances and ended that if I heard from them again I would sue them and NAHC for violating the Fair Credit Reporting Act. I never heard from either of them again. I my opinion Bill Miller is a rip off artist and a thief.

[El Chivo]

shortly after joining the NRA I started getting junk mail by the pound. Some was as you describe - something valuable you have to send back. I sent back a DVD and a medallion of some sort (I don't think they were from this outfit though).

I called the NRA and asked them to stop sending me stuff. Now I'm on a "no marketing" list.

[Hobie]

I got sucked into being a charter member. It took me two years to get out of it completely or at least enough that I only occasionally get a mailing. I never got anything but the magazine and sales "offers" and I didn't think the magazine was all that good.

FWIW, mark undesired and UNOPENED USPS delivered packages "Refused, <the date>, <your initials>, and Return to Sender". Then line through your address, circle their return address and take it to the post office. Because of the nutters we now have to take all the packages to the counter. It doesn't cost you a thing to send the stuff back.

[RIHMFIRE]

I have been solicited to join the North American Hunting Club. Does anyone belong to this "club?"

I have read good and bad reviews. Some people consider it a scam and others are delighted.

$12.00 a year, which includes a subscription to their hunting magazine, supposedly enrolls me in their club. Supposedly, they will send test samples which you get to keep if you review them for the magazine. Most of the complaints seem to be that they never actually send anyone anything worth having.

First, you get what you pay for. Second, there is no such thing as a free lunch. So, I think $12.00 a year for a magazine subscription is fair and if I happen to get some free stuff that is just a nice bonus. One thing I did not like hearing is that they send stuff that is NOT FREE which YOU have to RETURN...and pay for the shipping too!

Does anyone have any experience with this company/club?

I joined for a year several years ago. they started sending books that I promptly returned. After sending books back I called and ask that they not send me any more books. the next month a new book arrived, I called and raised H311 with them. this went on for two more months, I canceled my subscription to NAHC. I then received a bill for three books that they claimed I had not returned. I provided them copies of the signature required receipts from the post office. I thought the matter would be dropped at that point. But nooooo they turned it over to a collection company. Once again I made copies of the signature required receipts and wrote a letter to the collection company explaining the circumstances and ended that if I heard from them again I would sue them and NAHC for violating the Fair Credit Reporting Act. I never heard from either of them again. I my opinion Bill Miller is a rip off artist and a thief.

Dittos on that....
They pulled the same stuff on me....
with books and vhs tapes
but i was not as polite as Duff....
All the NAHC members do is finance
Bill Millers hunting trips!
If you want a real good hunting mag
get DEER AND DEER HUNTING....

But i have not renewed any of my mag subscriptions...
same articles over and over...

[papabear]

I joined about the time they first came out i got a cheep leather jacket that the back ripped open on by the second season of waring i did get some stuff to try for free but they wanted Me to buy it and if i did not want it i had to pay for the return i just saved the package it came in and just put return to sender on it i bought the books them i like very usefully on most of there books the magazine went down hill after the 3 year if i was to look in to it today i would never join it there cheep and there magazine is not as used full as it was
just my 2 cents

[O.S.O.K.]

Im a life member - have been for a long time. I don't recall ever being sent books or anything else other than the hunter packs which are just index card ads for stuff.

The magazine is OK - I read it on the plane when traveling. I prefer Rifle and Handloader and Successful Hunter but it's a good magazine with useful articles. I do have to laugh at their shooting Q&A though - often is BS.

It is what it is. I have no negatives to report and if you actively pursue the product test deal, that can be of benefit.

I've got two of the leather jackets - they didn't send me one initially and I called - then they sent two. I called and they said "keep em".

I haven't worn em for quite a while - living in TX.

[Rusty]

I never joined the club but I do have a set of cassette tapes that they put out. They are recordings of interviews done with Curt Gowdy, Ben Rogers Lee, and several other famous outdoors types. they are pretty interesting to listen to. I haven't seen them in a long time but I'm sure when I find them again it will be just like listening to them for the first time. But then my memory is so bad they now let me hide my own Easter eggs and wrap my own Christmas presents.

[Gun Smith]

From the above responses above, I get the feeling somehow you loose your legal right to do whatever you wish with unwanted mail. Federal law says you do NOT have to do anything with unwanted mail. Use it, discard it, etc. Is that what happens with a subscription?

[Pete44ru]

I was an annual member for several years, along with a few friends of mine - one of who became a Life Member there.

I enjoyed the monthly magazine, similar to the NRA's American Hunter, bought one or two pretty good books, and some small items.

As an active member, I also have insurance, at no cost to me - Life Insurance, IIRC.

My friend, who was the Life Member, recently passed away - and I received his 50 volume library of bound-alike NAHC hardcover books, and a NAHC embossed 6" S&W M-29 Revolver.

NAHC stops pestering it's members with book offers, after an offer or two are refused.

.

[Hobie]

From the above responses above, I get the feeling somehow you loose your legal right to do whatever you wish with unwanted mail. Federal law says you do NOT have to do anything with unwanted mail. Use it, discard it, etc. Is that what happens with a subscription?

I have to say that I almost always return anything that isn't mine. There have been two exceptions (ummm, maybe three) and in all instances I specifically said in writing that I did not want the item(s) sent to me and to not send them. I'm not advocating any given action, just telling the reader how to go about it.

[O.S.O.K.]

Books- now I do remember getting offers for their "directory" - is that what ya'll are talking about? I just sent it back. And they quit bothering with it. And they do send credit card offers and such now and then - but that's no biggy. Especially compared to the NRA! God bless em, they bug the s***t our of you but I feel it's worth it for what they've done and do on our behalf.

And there are a lot of good things that NAHC does in the conservation (land purchases), political lobbying, physically challenged and youth hunter programs. Its a good org and I don't think they deserve to be called a "scam".

But I certainly understand somebody not wanting to belong.

How do ya'll feel about Buckmasters, Texas Trophy Hunters Association, etc.?

I'd rather see folks pop for an NRA life membership anyway - they do more for us than all of the other orgs combined.