News – BAM Bowfishing

Update – April 2023

Memberships are going to be filled out on your phone and PAID IN PERSON – we can’t do it all yet.

Link below

to get a head start:

BAM 2023 Registration

Changes from the 2023 meeting

-Teams can only sign up for 1 class (all shoots will have a Big 20 class and a Numbers class in 2023).

-A $5 average joe side pot for each class (an avg joe winner for Numbers and Big 20), a $5 Big 10 or numbers side pot depending on what class you are in (Big 20 class will have a numbers side pot, and Numbers class will have a big 10 side pot)

– Bullhead can now be weighed-in or counted

– Was voted to pay an attorney and let them take over to get our non-profit status reinstated after receiving a couple quotes

– Online Membership Registration is up and running, but you will have to pay in person at this time. There will be a QR code on the registration table for teams to scan that will link them to the Membership form. Also, we are going to get a tablet or two to have at registration in case someone doesn’t have a smart phone or there is no service available.

– If a team wishes to compete for team of the year, they must sign up for a specific class at the first shoot they attend. There will be a Big 20 team of the year and a Numbers team of the year.

-Membership will include a free gift again this year and will be different than a hat

-Pots will still be skimmed for a lager State Shoot 1st place pot for Numbers Class, Big 20 Class, and Big Fish

Update – June 2022

BAM has been working with MUCC and the Parks Department to address nighttime boating access site closures. As we all know, all public DNR sites are closed at night, and enforcement has been inconsistent. At today’s meeting, we learned the DNR is willing to open several sites that were previously closed! Note, some sites cannot be opened, but each one has been reviewed and discussed. If your local ramp wasn’t opened, please be respectful of their decision. See here for the full list:

MI Boating Access Sites

Here are a few notes regarding the document:

*Sites that are closed by “Admin Rule” where the PRD recommends opening 24 hours can be opened as easily as removing the closed signs.

*Sites that are closed by “LUOD” (Land Use Order of the Director) where the PRD (Parks & Recreation Department) recommends opening 24 hours aren’t as simple to open. They need to update the order and it may be a couple of months to go in effect.

*Sites that remain closed as “State Park DUA” mean that the ramp is located within a state park with daytime access.

*There are four sites that still require a permit. This process requires the sportsman to contact the local supervisor in advance to request a permit. Said permit can be written for a one-year period. Permits will not be available at the site, so pre-planning is required. If you’re a local that bowfishes these waters, this is a good option. Here is a link to the use permit process:

DNR Non Event Land Use Permit

*Several sites remain closed, and several others are not managed by the DNR. If you fish these waters, you’ll need to respect the rules at each site.

*Our state shoot is in 2 weeks on Lake Erie. Opening Bolles Harbor requires a land use order change that could take a couple of months. Our belief is Bolles will be accessible for the state shoot without a permit. We’ll follow up soon to see if this also applies to Swan Creek, Sterling State Park, and Hoffman Memorial or Halfway Creek Boating Access Sites. If you receive a ticket at any of these locations, please let us know.

We’re extremely fortunate to have a great relationship with our DNR. From the Fisheries Department to the Parks Department, and Law Enforcement Division, all involved have been willing to work with us on various issues throughout the years, and we’re extremely grateful. A follow-up meeting has been scheduled for one year from today to review this issue, so if you have nighttime use issues at a public launch, please let us know.

Update – March 2022

2022 was an election year and we have some new faces on the board. Please welcome Jason Horton as our new Treasurer, and Morgan Woloszyk as our new Secretary. Josh Damron stepped up as VP, and Jesse Hurst is at the helm again as President. Several major changes were made to the club as well. For almost 30 years, BAM tournaments had an Open class (typically for competitive bowfishermen) and Sportsmen class (typically for novices and recreational bowfishermen.) Starting in 2022, all participants will have the option to shoot the Big 20 class, or the Numbers class, or BOTH! Our Big 30 shoots have not changed since there is only one class. We’re excited to see how the new format works out, so let us know what you think. Other notable changes are:

The club returned to 100% payback! A portion of tournament fees during the season will continue to be skimmed off the top, and these funds will go towards a larger state shoot pot.
Team of the year points will be awarded for both Big 20 & Numbers classes.
To participate in the team of the year race, sign your team up at the beginning of the season and the cost is $20.
Price of entry for Big 20 increased from $10 per person to $30 per person.
Price of entry for Numbers increased from $25 to $30.
Annual membership is still $30, and it will now include a BAM hat. Discounted memberships are available for $25 if you choose not to receive a hat.

Update – April 2019

2018 was an amazing year for BAM. We set a record for tournament participation, another for membership, and we passed legislation that allows bowfishing tournament directors to donate fish to rendering companies. We’re currently working with the DNR to create the permit process so we can make the most of this resource. With that said, if you know of any businesses that are able to utilize a large amount of rough fish, please let us know.

We’re currently working on several other bowfishing-related projects. One of which includes creating a statewide fish disposal network. In a nutshell, we’re creating an interactive map to help bowfishers find a proper place to dispose of fish. We can easily activate or deactivate dump sites, and we are able to indicate precise locations to unload fish. The kicker is this idea can only work with your help. If you know of a disposal area that you might be interested in sharing (even if it’s temporary), please contact me and I’ll explain the details.

As you can see, we have a radical new tournament trail this year. The current trend for bowfishing tournaments is trailering. As a new generation of bowfishers gets active in the sport, they’re bringing new ideas to the club. As one of the old timers, I admit I miss the old days of launching from one ramp on one body of water and letting the best team win. But, I’m open to change and I’m looking forward to trying something new. Now, if anyone has any tips for how to scout an entire state, I’m all ears! We have one week to get your boats & gear ready, and we’ll see you soon!

Brian Gilson

Update – April 2018

We have an exciting schedule ahead of us this year! We only made one rule change and it affects late registration. Participants are able to register up to 2 hours after start of tournament by contacting the tournament host. Host contact information is found on the tournament page. We also added a special West Side Big 30 event! The boundaries will be the entire west side of the lower peninsula west of US-131. There will not be a typical Open and Sportsman class for this tournament. Places will be determined by the heaviest sack of 30 fish.

New Leadership

2018 was an election year and we are proud to introduce our new board members: Brian Gilson is our new President, Nick Tulgestke is our new Vice President, Nick VanHeest is our new Treasurer and Rob Rouwhorst is our new Secretary.

Officers

President: Brian Gilson
Vice President: Nick Tulgestke
Treasurer: Nick VanHeest
Secretary: Rob Rouwhorst

Oneida Raffle

1. $5 per ticket or 5 tickets for $20
2. One winner drawn per event. Winner of each event will be put in a hat and the winners of each event will be drawn at the last tournament. It IS possible to win more than once. NEED NOT BE PRESENT TO WIN.
3. The final winner will receive an Oneida Osprey!

FIRST PLACE: Oneida Osprey
SECOND PLACE: Gift package
THIRD PLACE: Gift package
FOURTH PLACE: Gift package
FIFTH PLACE: Gift package

Update – April 2017

We have an exciting season ahead! All of our tournament locations are proven fisheries, so we expect to see some record weights and numbers this year. From Lake Erie to the Kalamazoo River to Saginaw Bay, all the way up to the U.P., there’s sure to be a tournament in your area. The season is rapidly approaching and we’ll see you all soon at our first event!

BAM Apparel Youth Tournament Fundraiser

We’re selling new BAM T-shirts, hoodies, & towels at each of the tournaments.
T-shirts are $15 and hoodies are $30
100% of the profits will be used to host the youth shoot.

Oneida Raffle

FIRST PLACE: RPM Nitro Bow
SECOND PLACE: Mathews Genesis Youth Bow
THIRD PLACE: Inflatable Bass Pro AM 24 Life Jacket
FOURTH PLACE: AMS Retriever or Muzzy Reel
FIFTH PLACE: Gift package

Update – April 2016

New Leadership
This was an election year and we would like to welcome our new officers. They are: President: Rick Russell, Vice President: Luke Walker, Treasurer: Steve Winters, Secretary: Brian Gilson. We are looking forward to a great term and we thank them for their service!

Family Membership Cost
Due to rising fish disposal fees, family membership (spouse & all children 16 & under) costs had to be raised to $30 per year.
Payout amounts remain unchanged.

Open Class Change
Open Class is ranked by numbers and now has an optional Big 10 side pot.
Big 10: $5.00 per person. Every member must be registered for the Big 10 Side pot in order for the team to win. The biggest 10 fish (by weight) will win. Payout is for the top place.

Sportsman Class Change
The format for Sportsman Class is still a Big 20. The new 2016 change is an addition of a Numbers side pot.
Sportsman Class Numbers Side pot is $5.00 per person. Every member must be registered for the side pot in order for the team to win. Fish count is based on total legal fish per boat.

BAM Goes Green?
Yes, it is true that BAM is catching up with the times and we switched to a paperless newsletter. DO NOT FORGET TO FILL IN YOUR EMAIL ADDRESS ON YOUR MEMBERSHIP FORM!

Do not forget to sign up for the Open Class Team of the Year points race at the first tournament that you attend in order to be eligible for the 2016 Team of the Year.

Thanks to all that attended the meeting and see you all soon at our first tournament!

BAM Apparel Youth Tournament Fundraiser

We’re selling 2016 BAM tournament trail T-shirts, hoodies, & towels at each of the tournaments.
100% of the profits will be used to host the youth shoot.

SeeLite/PSE Raffle

FIRST PLACE: (8) 50W 12/24V SeeLite LED Floodlights
SECOND PLACE: PSE Tidal Wave Bow with AMS Retriever Reel
THIRD PLACE: Iota Charger
FOURTH PLACE: Reel
FIFTH PLACE: Gift package

Update – March 2015

Open Class Change
Open Class is now limited to a maximum 4 adult shooters on a boat for tournaments.

Kids 16 and under do NOT count towards the number of shooters in Open Class.

Sportsman Class Change
The format for Sportsman Class was changed from numbers to big 20. Teams are not allowed to shoot both classes like we did 2 years ago. You will either be shooting big 20 in sportsman class or numbers in open class.

Big Ten Change
The big ten side pot was changed to a mixed bag big ten. There will be 10 species of fish allowed to be entered in this category and teams will only be allowed to enter 2 fish from five of the ten allowed. Allowed fish are as follows: Common carp, Buffalo Carp, Grass Carp, Longnose gar, Freshwater drum, Goldfish(with color), Sucker, Bowfin, Quillback, shad. An example would be entering 2 common carp, 2 gar, 2 bowfin, 2 drum and 2 suckers for a total of 10 fish.

Do not forget to sign up for the Open Class Team of the Year points race at the first tournament that you attend in order to be eligible for the 2015 Team of the Year.

Thanks to all that attended the meeting and see you all soon at our first tournament!

BAM Apparel Youth Tournament Fundraiser

We’re selling 2015 BAM tournament trail T-shirts, hoodies, & towels at each of the tournaments.
100% of the profits will be used to host the youth shoot.

T-shirts – $15
Hoodies – $30

Slob Rags (Towels) – $8

Osprey Iota Raffle

FIRST PLACE: OSPREY
SECOND PLACE: 2 IOTA CHARGERS
THIRD PLACE: 1 IOTA CHARGER
FOURTH PLACE: AMS OR MUZZY REEL
FIFTH PLACE: GIFT PACKAGE

Update – April 2014

Open Class is now limited to a maximum 3 adult shooters on a boat for tournaments.
Kids 15 and under do NOT count towards the number of shooters in Open Class.
No change to Sportsmans Class.

We’ve also simplified our membership. Instead of having a limited 2-day membership and a pricey full family membership, we eliminated the 2-Day option and reduced the price of the full to $20.
Remember, you will automatically become a member of MUCC as well, so you will be supporting two great MI organizations for the price of one!
There is strength in numbers, and we want all of the tournament participants to be part of the team.

Do not forget to sign up for the Open Class Team of the Year points race at the first tournament that you attend in order to be eligible for the 2014 Team of the Year.

Seth Rhodea is our new President, Steve Winters is our new Vice President, Zach Corradi is our new Treasurer and Brian Gilson remains our Secretary.
Thanks to all that attended the meeting and see you all soon at our first tournament!