Please Click Here to view the constitution and by-laws for United Bowhunters of Missouri.
UBM History
The United Bowhunters of Missouri (UBM) was founded in 1987 by a group of like-minded individuals living near the Kansas City area. They were concerned about the erosion of their hunting rights and the inclusion of new technologies into the archery season. So, they decided to create an organization that would closely interact with the Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) to make sure that their voices would be heard.
Over many long meetings at the house of Larry and Brenda Hudson in Harrisonville, the ground rules were set, and a charter was created. The folks involved with ground work became the first board – Wayne Allen (chairman), Robert Dyer (vice chairman), David and Sherry Alkire (membership directors), Marvin Cochran (Director of conservation), Dale Dortch (membership committee & records keeper), Gene Eakins (treasurer), Larry Hudson (secretary), and Bill Westpfahl (membership committee). All individuals involved gave $100 each to start a treasury fund and buy a state license. Our first task as a group was to help the MDC teach a bowhunters education course. The first UBM newsletter was published in September of 1987 with Gene Eakins as our editor, and we had our first banquet in April of 1988 at a motel in Blue Springs – G. Fred Asbell was the featured speaker that year.
UBM in the Present
While hunting regulations and societal views of the sport have changed over time, the UBM still holds steadfast to the core tenets upon which it was formed. We believe that bowhunting should not be easy. We believe that the contest between hunter and hunted should be decided by the skill of the contestants and not the technological advances of the weaponry used.We also believe that showing respect for the animal you are pursuing is much more important than putting your tag on it. We promote these beliefs at the local, state and national levels and try to instill them in the generations coming up after us.
For a UBM member, archery is not a pastime but a way of life. Drawing a bow, for us, is like eating and breathing. If you are passionate about the sport and want to meet other people who feel that bowhunting is about much, much more than killing, then sign up with the United Bowhunters of Missouri. We are not just an organization – we are a family, and we always have room for one more member!
