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Constitution and By-laws of Maryland Bowhunters Society
Organized on July 18, 1977 in Montgomery County, Maryland
Article I
Article II
Article III
Article IV
Article V
Article VI
Article VII
By-Laws
Article I
A. This organization shall hereby be designated as the “Maryland Bowhunters Society, Inc.” hereafter referred to as MBS, founded on the date of July 18, 1977 and incorporated August of 1977.
Article II
A. The goals of the MBS are to promote and preserve ethical bowhunting practices throughout the State of Maryland, and to seek and obtain additional bowhunting opportunities for sportsmen and sportswomen.
B. The goal of the Society is to unify bowhunters in a conscientious and sportsmanlike manner. The Society shall promote a positive image of the sport of bowhunting and assist other organizations whose purpose it is to support the sport of hunting. The society will actively promote bowhunter education, safety, sportsmanship and the education of the public in the role of hunters in wildlife management.
Article III
Membership Requirements:
A. A member shall vow;
- To uphold the goals of the society.
- To practice and adhere to all laws and the rules of fair chase when bowhunting game.
- To assist others in developing archery shooting skills and safe hunting techniques and to facilitate goodwill among all hunters and promotion of hunter education.
- To promote and practice conservation of all natural resources.
- To conduct themselves in an ethical and sportsmanlike manner when hunting or engaging in society functions.
B. Membership may be granted to any person of good moral character who;
- Has completed and submitted an application for membership to the MBS and
- Has submitted proper fees to the membership secretary for membership and
- Has had their membership application accepted by the membership secretary and
- Meets the requirements as stated in Article III A.
C. Membership may be denied or terminated for;
- Failure to meet membership requirements as noted above.
- Willful violation of local, state or national game laws.
- Failure to renew dues within 30 days of the expiration date.
- Misconduct requiring action by the Executive Council by a majority vote.
D. Membership shall not be denied to otherwise qualified candidates on the basis of age, sex, race or religion.
Article IV
Officers:
A. The officers of the MBS shall consist of the elected positions of president, vice president, executive secretary, membership secretary and treasurer. This shall comprise the Executive Council.
B. Officers shall meet on a regular basis (to be at least once each quarter) to conduct the business of the society.
C. Upon election, officers shall serve one two-year term of office. Officers who fail to perform satisfactorily may be removed from office by a 4/5 vote of the Executive Council or a 2/3 vote of the members present at a membership meeting.
D. The Executive council will be elected on alternate years of the two-year terms of office. President and vice-president in one cycle and executive secretary, membership secretary and treasurer in another cycle.
E. Vacancies on the Executive Council will be filled by appointment of the president and approved by a majority vote of the Executive Council. The appointment will be the completion of the original term of office which has been vacated.
F. Duties of officers:
- President – The president shall preside at all meetings of the society, shall be a member ex-officio of all regular and special committees, and shall conduct such duties as pertain to the office. The president will conduct the meetings and shall appoint such committees and non-elective positions as may be required. The president will rule on procedural questions at all meetings using “Roberts Rules of Order” on matters not specifically addressed in this document.
- Vice-President - The vice president shall perform the duties of the president, in the president’s absence, at the president’s request or should the office of president be vacated.
- Membership Secretary – The membership secretary shall receive and date all applications for memberships, keep an accurate, up to date roster of members (in a format presented by the officers), maintain each member’s application and prepare and distribute renewal notices.
- Executive Secretary – The executive secretary shall be responsible for the administration of the society (except financial). The executive secretary shall record the minutes of all meetings, and read the minutes of the previous meeting. The executive secretary will see that each member of the executive council receives a copy of the minutes for each business meeting, at least one week before the following meeting. The executive secretary shall ascertain the membership status of members present at all meetings. The executive secretary will prepare the agenda for meetings and correspond for the society.
- Treasurer – The treasurer shall have charge of all society funds and be responsible for the same. The treasurer shall place all money in such bank or banks approved by the officers, within five working days of receipt of same. Such moneys shall only be withdrawn by a check drawn on an active MBS account. Said check being signed by the Treasurer and either the President or Vice-President and shall be for payment of such bills/expenses approved by the officers. Any expenses, with the exception of normal operating costs (i.e. newsletter, banquet expenses, etc.), that exceed $500.00 shall be subject to prior approval by a majority vote of those members present at a membership meeting. The treasurer will submit quarterly reports to the executive council of the finances thirty days after the end of the quarter. The treasurer will render accurate accounts of all transactions and a detailed report at each meeting and a full written financial report at each membership meeting. The treasurer is responsible for the collection of all fees, dues, etc. The treasurer is responsible for the filing of all federal and state tax returns and forms.
Article V
Appointed Positions:
A. Appointed positions shall be added at the time there is a need deemed necessary to the functioning of the society.
B. They shall be appointed by the president and approved by a majority vote of the executive council.
C. Committees shall be appointed by the president.
Article VI
Meetings and Elections:
A. Election of officers and specific changes to the constitution and by-laws shall be performed at membership meetings either verbally, or in writing by secret ballot, by fully paid members.
- The Society shall hold quarterly membership meetings, rotating each meeting to different sections of the State thus ensuring that all MBS members have equal opportunity to participate in these meetings. It shall be the duty of the Executive Council to arrange for the different meeting places. Notice of the meetings shall appear in the issue of the official club newsletter, which precedes the actual meeting date. (i.e. If a meeting is scheduled for March/spring it shall appear in the January/winter issue.)
B. Any future changes to the constitution and by-laws shall be presented to the general membership in writing 30 days prior to a membership meeting and may be executed by 2/3 of the members present at the membership meeting.
C. All ballots shall remain with the executive secretary for a period of one year.
D. Time and place of membership meetings shall be decided by a majority vote of the executive council.
E. Quorum of officers to hold a meeting shall be three (3).
F. Only a majority vote of the executive council can call a special meeting of the society.
G. Any member of the society may request a special meeting through the executive council.
H. Nominations for candidacy shall be verbal or written and said nominees shall consist of those members submitted by the nominating committee, who meet the following criteria. Nominees who also meet the criteria may also be nominated from the floor at membership meetings.
Candidates must:
- Have attained the age of 21.
- Be a member in good standing for at least one year. In the event that no eligible candidates volunteer for the office then the Executive Council may authorize a member in good standing with less than one year tenure to serve.
- Be a resident of the State of Maryland.
- Have broad experience and considerable expertise in the sport of bowhunting and be a licensed Maryland hunter.
- Be of good moral character.
- Have the skills necessary to carry out said duties of prospective office in accordance with the goals and directions of the society.
I. Those candidates for elected positions shall be elected by a majority vote of the society members present at a meeting.
J. The term of office consists of 24 months from the date elected.
K. Officers may serve more than one term of office.
Article VII
Chapters:
A. Individual members of the MBS may establish regional working groups hereafter referred to as Chapters, to represent and/or carry out the goals of the organization within a specific county or area. Chapter initiatives will enhance the visibility of the MBS at the local level and provide greater opportunities for the members to participate in convenient activities, which promote the sport of bowhunting. The following operating procedures will apply to all chapter activities.
- Each chapter shall have a Director and Assistant Director. These individuals should be elected for a two-year term of office by all members in good standing in each respective chapter. There is no limit on the number of terms that can be served by either the director or assistant director. All chapter directors and assistant directors must also be members in good standing with the MBS and meet the approval of the executive council.
- All events, projects or programs will have to be approved in advance by the president and the executive council.
- Chapters of MBS shall be allowed to maintain their own accounts consisting of funds raised by the chapter. No general MBS dues monies shall be included in Chapter treasuries. Any funds maintained by a chapter shall be deposited in a checking account bearing the name of the Maryland Bowhunters Society, with the chapter designated on the account. (i.e. Maryland Bowhunters Society, Eastern Shore Chapter). This account shall require the signature of both the Chapter Director and the Chapter Treasurer on any checks drawn on this account. Chapter Directors shall be responsible for seeing that any funds accumulated by the chapter are accounted for and reported to the Executive Council at least quarterly. These funds, while under the control of the individual Chapters(s) shall be considered as part of the general funds of the MBS for tax purposes only. Any tax liability attributable to the Chapter's funds shall be paid from that chapter's account. Any funds disbursed from the chapter treasuries shall be for purposes that further the goals and objectives of the Maryland Bowhunters Society. Any expenditure in excess of $200 shall be reported to the Executive Council prior to disbursement.
- There will be no limit to the amount of chapters that there can be in a county. Chapters may also be formed out of the State of Maryland. (PA, WV, DE, VA)
- All chapters will be required to meet on a regular basis (to be at least twice a year) to conduct business. Written minutes of same shall be submitted to the MBS president within 15 days of all such meetings.
- Chapters will be subject to the same rules and regulations that are listed in Article I through VI in this document.
- Chapters should promote membership through the dealers in their areas.
BY-LAWS:
1. The fiscal period of the MBS shall be from July 1 through June 30.
2. The membership fees shall be determined by the executive council and approved by the members at a membership meeting.
3. All fees for renewal of membership must be paid within 30 days of written notification.
4. Those members holding appointed positions are responsible to the executive council.
5. No one member or officer shall speak for the society before any group without obtaining specific permission from the president with the approval of the executive council on official society policy or legislative issues.
Adopted: 3/11/78 Revised: 8/12/84
Revised: 3/15/81 Revised: 3/13/89
Revised: 3/14/82 Revised: 3/04/95
