02/07/2026
On the next episode of Chasing Giants podcast that will be released tomorrow, I go on a mini rant about the National Deer Association (NDA). This post does a great job of explaining why I have my position on this organization but yet it doesn’t cover everything. NDA has fully bought into the CWD hysteria that has led to policies such as whitetail eradication campaigns using sharpshooters at night over bait piles to wipe out deer herds.
The NDA hi-jacked a good conservation-driven organization (QDMA) and turned it into a woke liberal club that no longer represents most deer hunters and sound wildlife management. I would strongly encourage every deer hunter and every company in the outdoor industry to stop supporting this organization immediately.
What ever happened to the QDMA? By Mark Thomas, Former 17 year member National Board of Directors, Former Chairman of the National Board of Directors. Well, it's been 5 years since the QDMA was rebranded NDA by Joe Hamilton and the Board of Directors, and I thought it might be time to evaluate the name/mission change and list the facts. The rebrand changing the name to NDA occured in 2020, what happened as a result during the past five years? When I was Chairman, we (QDMA) had 64,360 members, the NDA currently shows 6,823 (2023 Financial Report). Of the 6,823, around 2,000 were original QDMA members, while 4,823 were new to the NDA. So, they lost approximately 62,360 of the original members,or 97%. This is down 19% from the 8,162 members reported in 2022. They no longer list number of members in their 2024 and 2025 financial reports, and instead hide the number by combining it with "member donations". It will take them over 68 years, at this rate of "growth" to reach the high point of the former organization. They sold the beautiful National Office building, sold the warehouse, and sold the land. They destroyed the legacy of the largest single donation in their history, and destroyed the legacy of Frank Coggins, who donated the land. They destroyed most of their Branches (they had over 200 when I was Chair), and only have 2 Branches left in Michigan, and only 1 left in Indiana. They only held 8 Banquets in 2023 (Whitetails Unlimited held over 240). They terminated the Rack Pack youth organization, terminated the National Convention, terminated the Quality Whitetails Magazine, had already terminated the QDMA Forum and Quality Whitetails TV. At this point there is nothing left. They even replaced the foundational philosophy QDM, and replaced it with BBD (Button Buck Down). I begged them not to change the name, and wrote dozens of memos and had dozens of meetings, trying to get them to reconsider, and I was voted off the Board for my opposition. I was the only Board member voted off in the 32 year run, and I consider it a badge of honor. Their own market research did not support a name change, and the cost of almost $1 million was excessive, and caused undue financial hardship. I warned them that another economic recession was pending, and they should not spend the funds. I told them the members would not support it and would quit, I told them that the idea had no merit from a business perspective and was unnecessary. I was never given a single reason for changing the name/mission. Then, right after the name change was made official, the NDA made a statement "It's time for all deer hunters to come together and fight climate change", and WHAM, it hit me! The rebrand was just another attempt to push the WOKE agenda on a group of individuals. Joe Hamilton and the Board changed the name and mission of the QDMA in order to promote the same WOKE progressive political agenda that destroyed Bud Light and Cracker Barrel. It's no skin off my back, and I do not feel bad for them. I'm sorry for Joe Hamilton, the man that created the best Whitetail Deer organization in America also is responsible for destroying what he created. I have been completely vindicated, and everything I told them has come to pass. The QDMA was turned into the "Bubba Gump Brown and Down Redneck Deer Hunting Club", where all hunters must come together to fight global warming, and QDM was replaced with BBD (Button Buck Down). When the QDMA was created in 1988, it was run out of some guys spare bedroom, and today, almost 40 years later, it's run by some guy out of his spare bedroom. Ashes to Ashes, Dust to Dust. Perhaps Joe and the Board should have listened to me, and perhaps they voted the wrong person off the Board. Good Day.
