Why should I join the BAA?
How many
times have I been asked this question and what would my answer be. When I
joined the BAA a few years ago, I honestly had no idea what they were or had to
offer. I joined to donate my money to world championship and get my tail kicked
all over my home lake. Honestly it was to get out and meet some new folks
bowfishing and just to have a good time. Tournaments are a great way to do
that. I'm not in it to win, just to hang out and have an excuse to shoot fish
with friends. If it's a tournament, I can make a weekend out of it and the wife
not say anything. As I learned more, I saw that I could do some good as an
officer, and give back to the sport I so much enjoy. In the past three years
of my terms, I have seen the BAA take great strides to expand its efforts. We
want to cater to all aspects of bowfishing from tournament shooters down to the
weekend fishermen. The BAA has worked hard to protect our bowfishing rights
that have been under attack and promote our sport throughout the country. The
BAA continues to gain new members and has expanded our reach throughout this
country. The organization continues to grow and we continually try to market the
organization better. If someone wants to join the BAA, they will join it because
of what we have to offer, and that is where we continually try to improve. As
we offer more to all aspects of bowfishing, our numbers will continue to
increase. There will always be growing pains for an organization that expands
and there will always be those who are afraid of change, but as an officer, we
will put the needs of the BAA and bowfishing overall first and foremost. Each
BAA member has a vote on all issues through ballot voting and our annual
meeting, and we encourage more involvement from our members. The more
involvement we have the stronger this organization will be. So what does the BAA
have to offer to me?
Ask yourself first off. Do you have kids? The BAA believes that kids are the
future for this sport, there is no doubt about that. The BAA continues to
support our youth with activities like the kid's citation programs. I've seen
the way Ronnie Cannon's son Drew's eyes light up when he shows off his Jr.
Bowfishermen of the year plaque. There is nothing more priceless than that.
Kids can get citations for their first fish and any fish they shoot, making it
exciting for them and keeping their interest. The BAA kids day and youth world
championship promotes our sport to children who have never been exposed to the
sport. Lots of great bowfishermen take time out of their schedule to load up
lots of kids and take them for a great bowfishing experience; this is what it's
all about. Members like Randy Woodward have organized a world championship just
for youth, an awesome way for youth to experience the comradery and excitement
of tournament competition.
So do you want bowfishing to continue to be around for your kids? If you think
the sport of bowfishing is not under attack from anti-sportsman groups, then you
need to open your eyes. Everything from PETA wanting to abolish all sportsman
activities, carp anglers wanting only catch and release for carp, people not
wanting airboats to be allowed on lakes anymore, and the list goes on. Group
likes PETA are currently on the attack against bowfishing, they already have us
in their sites, just haven't figured out their attack strategy. They haven't
struck yet but when they do, will we be ready? Groups like this have million
dollar budgets for lawyers and attack campaigns. Do you think the sport of
bowfishing is ready for that? If we don't all stand together, groups like this
could destroy our great sport. As we've already seen with issues like Town Lake
last year, the threat can come from anywhere. The carp anglers wanted
bowfishing outlawed, but the BAA and other concerned bowfishermen and sportsman
rose to the occasion and triumphed to win this first battle for the right to
bowfish. But this is just one battle in the war ahead. But the BAA will
ultimately win the war. Our public relations/political action committee was
formed just for future battles like this. I had my first son born in June. I
want him to be able to grow up and enjoy bowfishing just as I have. What will
he think as he gets older and sees all my bowfishing pictures and I have to tell
him, well son, this used to be legal, but a few people didn't like us killing
these fish and got it outlawed, so you won't be able to do that. Do you think
organizations like Muzzy Bowfishing products, AMS, and others want to see
bowfishing disappear? That is why they support the BAA and you should too. We
need numbers in our organization; a group of several thousand voices can do so
much more than one or two. Let your voice be heard and counted.
Do you want to help our environment and support conservation? A lot of people
probably never realized how bowfishing helps our ecosystem. Invasive species
such as carp have destroyed many of our waterways and many of the rough fish we
target have no known natural predators. So who are the predators? We are. By
removing these damaging fish, we protect our native fish, waterways, and
resources that so many enjoy. Study after study has shown how carp and these
other fish are destructive to our environment. Most people probably never knew
that. That is where the BAA comes in. We need to show the positive effects of
bowfishing on the environment and get the word out about how we are
conservationists and sportsman alike. The BAA continues to support the removal
of exotic invasive fish to help be better stewards to our environment. The BAA
also supports research projects such as the gator gar reserach project. Studies
like this will help to shed light on the species and show what kind of effects,
if any, bowfishing has on this. This is another way we show that we care for
the environment around us. Help us to show bowfishing in this postive light and
support the BAA and the BAA conservation fund.
On to the
more fun side of bowfishing. Did you know that the vast majority of states
across the country have no bowfishing record keeping system? The BAA has a
nationwide world and state record keeping system for all bowfishing records for
every legal species. As a member you are eligible for this system. You will
receive a plague and have your name permanently entered into the record books,
for the respect and recognition you deserve. The BAA also offers citations for
shooting admirable fish over certain set sizes, which are votable on by all the
membership. This gives you a citation and recognition for your trophy, even if
it's not a record book fish. Get your trophy the respect it deserves through
our record keeping/citation program.
Do you wish there was a magazine just about bowfishing? Well there is, it's
called the BAA Journal. It is sent out two/three times a year with updates from
the world of bowfishing. From tournament action, new equipment, how to
articles, guides, articles for the weekend fishermen, cool pictures, and updates
from all the actions of the BAA as a whole.
Do want up to the minute updates and all the actions of the BAA? Well our web
page provides updates, forms, and all information needed for BAA members. The
BAA forums have a member’s only section just for BAA members to discuss topics
relating to the BAA and bowfishing. This is how we handle business that will
help protect our sport for the future. We are continually expanding our
Internet commerce areas.
Do you enjoy the thought of tournament competition and showing your bowfishing
skills to the rest of the community? Whether you are a die hard competitor or
just enjoy getting together with friends, the BAA world championship brings
together bowfishermen from all across the country. The BAA hosts this one
tournament each year and it moves from lake to lake across the country, based on
what the membership votes on. It shows who is the "best of the best" and also
provides the venue for our annual meeting, bringing together the officers and
many members to discuss the current issues. The BAA also provides a points
system much like the BASS tournament circuit where fishermen compete for points
for the coveted bowfishermen of the year, team of the year, etc. Each
shooter/team accumulates points for each BAA sanctioned event they compete in
and how well they did. This brings excitement for the entire year throughout.
The winners are announced at the World Championship awards ceremony. All
tournaments throughout the country are eligible for BAA sanctioning. This
allows for tournament insurance through the BAA, awards certificates, point
accumulation for BAA members, a free BAA membership, and will attract more
shooters to your event. Our state representatives and membership base
throughout the country provide you an instant contact if you ever travel to an
unknown area to bowfish, this is a good thing that I have utilized before.
And if nothing else, you get a cool membership packet, which has stickers a
patch, and some other cool stuff. And you get 10% off of all Muzzy bowfishing
products too. So you can't beat that!
The moral of this story is that we need all voices of all bowfishermen in this
country to be heard, or someday we may jeopardize the chance of seeing our sport
continue to thrive. Please consider joining the BAA and the other
bowfishing/sportsman groups mentioned here and be an active member. An
organization is only as strong as its membership base.
Thanks for your support and God Bless,
Bryan Hughes
BAA Vice President