POLL: Members are complaining about the off-topics, how should it be changed?

[bearpaw]

We try to be pretty heavy handed about OT crap flowing out into the main forum. One of the big concerns we had/have is that all the crap talk in there doesn't spill over onto the main forum. Some of you have mentioned seeing the spill over. Please point it out if it's happening. We will address it directly.

This is an issue we take seriously, if anyone has an example of this happening or sees this happening, please use the "Report to moderator" button located in the bottom right of every post, or send one of the moderators a pm with a link to the post. THANKS!

[bearpaw]

The poll indicates most members want the off-topics to stay but there are many good comments indicating we need to make some changes to lessen the impact OT has had on some members. I'd like to hear more input and ideas, especially from members who haven't spoken up yet, and soon we will make some changes that will hopefully make the whole forum a more inviting and friendly place!

[Machias]

No matter what you do some folks will never be happy.    I appreciate the job you guys do, Dale and all the mods!

[bearpaw]

No matter what you do some folks will never be happy.    I appreciate the job you guys do, Dale and all the mods!

Thanks Fred, all the mods will appreciate that, we all understand some people just like to complain but I was getting too many negative comments from members who aren't always negative about the tone of things lately and it was time to deal with it. We want the forum to be friendly and accommodating for as many members as possible, there have been some good comments and ideas that we will use.

[baldopepper]

Personally I voted to remove it completely.  As I've occasionally read some of the OT posts I see an anger in them that I think spills over into the non OT posts.  I have friends and relatives on both sides of the political aisle and while, for the most part, we agree to disagree on most things there are still times I feel a lingering animosity after a semi heated debate.  Seeing the venom that comes out in some of the OT posts, it's hard for me to think many don't jump out of the OT and into the regular forum without a lingering anger that carries over.  There are many, many political forums out there, and very few good hunting and fishing forums.  I realize there are  decisions and legislative actions that impact our sport and the forum is a good place to make sure we are all aware of them.  Probably tough to do, but I would like to see a screening where only those things that impact our sport show up in the forum.  As far as I'm concerned a whole new forum dealing with political actions effecting our sport would be fine.  Sometimes it seems even the most innocent of posts turns into a name calling debate and I sometimes wonder how much of this is a carry over from past posts where it's obvious the two (or three or four) posters have made it clear they are on opposite ends of the political spectrum. No easy answer here to keep everyone happy, and I'm sure I won't stop checking the forum whatever decision is made.

[tracksoup]

I just recently joined OT a couple weeks ago for one reason only. Because I got tired of a thread I was interested in getting moved to OT because Somebody posted something that was deserving of the thread getting moved to OT.
Will, that didn't work because it seems when a thread gets moved to OT it's a green light to continue the down hill spiral of the thread. I would rather if a thread is going good, the post (s) that are crossing the the line get deleted so the thread can continue
Out of OT. 

[Special T]

I just recently joined OT a couple weeks ago for one reason only. Because I got tired of a thread I was interested in getting moved to OT because Somebody posted something that was deserving of the thread getting moved to OT.
Will, that didn't work because it seems when a thread gets moved to OT it's a green light to continue the down hill spiral of the thread. I would rather if a thread is going good, the post (s) that are crossing the the line get deleted so the thread can continue
Out of OT. 

I concur!

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G930A using Tapatalk

[Seahawk12]

I just recently joined OT a couple weeks ago for one reason only. Because I got tired of a thread I was interested in getting moved to OT because Somebody posted something that was deserving of the thread getting moved to OT.
Will, that didn't work because it seems when a thread gets moved to OT it's a green light to continue the down hill spiral of the thread. I would rather if a thread is going good, the post (s) that are crossing the the line get deleted so the thread can continue
Out of OT. 

I agree that threads which are OK outside of OTs to start with should not be moved there. Posts should be deleted that would have otherwise been grounds for moving the thread into OT.
If someone wants to discuss the same topic in the OT then they can start a thread there.
By moving an entire thread into OT because of the posts of a few members, others who are following the discussion but do not want to opt in to OTs are left out. There are also kids that cannot gain entry into OT that may be following a thread that are then also left out.
The mods need our help as members by going ahead and hitting the "report to moderator" icon so that they can find the posts that need to be reviewed.

[bearpaw]

I just recently joined OT a couple weeks ago for one reason only. Because I got tired of a thread I was interested in getting moved to OT because Somebody posted something that was deserving of the thread getting moved to OT.
Will, that didn't work because it seems when a thread gets moved to OT it's a green light to continue the down hill spiral of the thread. I would rather if a thread is going good, the post (s) that are crossing the the line get deleted so the thread can continue
Out of OT. 

Others have said that too, thanks for your comment, I'm taking that issue into consideration.

Personally I voted to remove it completely.  As I've occasionally read some of the OT posts I see an anger in them that I think spills over into the non OT posts.  I have friends and relatives on both sides of the political aisle and while, for the most part, we agree to disagree on most things there are still times I feel a lingering animosity after a semi heated debate.  Seeing the venom that comes out in some of the OT posts, it's hard for me to think many don't jump out of the OT and into the regular forum without a lingering anger that carries over.  There are many, many political forums out there, and very few good hunting and fishing forums.  I realize there are  decisions and legislative actions that impact our sport and the forum is a good place to make sure we are all aware of them.  Probably tough to do, but I would like to see a screening where only those things that impact our sport show up in the forum.  As far as I'm concerned a whole new forum dealing with political actions effecting our sport would be fine.  Sometimes it seems even the most innocent of posts turns into a name calling debate and I sometimes wonder how much of this is a carry over from past posts where it's obvious the two (or three or four) posters have made it clear they are on opposite ends of the political spectrum. No easy answer here to keep everyone happy, and I'm sure I won't stop checking the forum whatever decision is made.

That might be tough, potentially whomever is elected can make a difference in the future of the 2nd Amendment and hunting? I don't want to turn this topic into a political debate but one of the first issues Hillary proposed in her presidential run was limiting firearms? That in itself made this last election the most important ever for me! Here in this state the current AG has expressed his disliking of guns and legislators are trying to deal with the wolf issue and other issues that directly impact hunters and hunting. I'll just stop at that but hopefully you can see the relevancy. Getting back to the core issue, we must encourage civility or I'm afraid attitudes will continue downhill. 


Let me add...
FWIW: I know that I have gotten carried away at times too in certain topics, but for the good of the forum many of us need to be more civil at times.

[bobcat]

Lots of comments on not moving threads to off topics, and instead "cleaning" them up and leaving them where they are. Well, that's already what we do 99.9% of the time. This is a dilemma we've discussed many, many times in the moderator board. One instance where a thread had to be moved there, instead of being entirely deleted, was due to the threat of a lawsuit. Other than that we try to keep threads in the forum in which they were started.

[JimmyHoffa]

I just recently joined OT a couple weeks ago for one reason only. Because I got tired of a thread I was interested in getting moved to OT because Somebody posted something that was deserving of the thread getting moved to OT.
Will, that didn't work because it seems when a thread gets moved to OT it's a green light to continue the down hill spiral of the thread. I would rather if a thread is going good, the post (s) that are crossing the the line get deleted so the thread can continue
Out of OT. 

A recurring comment.  I'll point out that family/peer policing is generally more effective for behavior than having outside sources.  A few non moderators can call out posts and have it go over better than resorting to having a mod come in for some notches on the shillelagh.

[KFhunter]

A recurring comment.  I'll point out that family/peer policing is generally more effective for behavior than having outside sources.  A few non moderators can call out posts and have it go over better than resorting to having a mod come in for some notches on the shillelagh.

I resent the "us vs them" thinking of your last post and further I'm offended that someone would think that mods are after "notches on the shillelagh".   

I am one of you, I was here for years before I volunteered to be a mod and 99% of the time I'm on HW as a regular Joe without my mod hat on. 


Other than that I agree, self policing is a good thing.

[bearpaw]

A recurring comment.  I'll point out that family/peer policing is generally more effective for behavior than having outside sources.  A few non moderators can call out posts and have it go over better than resorting to having a mod come in for some notches on the shillelagh.

I resent the "us vs them" thinking of your last post and further I'm offended that someone would think that mods are after "notches on the shillelagh".   

I am one of you, I was here for years before I volunteered to be a mod and 99% of the time I'm on HW as a regular Joe without my mod hat on. 


Other than that I agree, self policing is a good thing.

It is also often overlooked that I held a poll the last time we added moderators, we chose moderators that the membership themselves voted to be moderators.

[baldopepper]

BearPaw-I do understand your position.  Wish the divides in our country weren't so great, but, as they say, it is what it is.  I think the mods do a good job of screening and easiest thing is to simply stay out of the OT.  I know the mods have other full time jobs as do you and it's unrealistic to think they can catch everything that gets posted before anyone has a chance to read it.  As I said earlier, it won't effect my jumping on the forum because, overall, it's still a great forum with a lot of well meaning good members.

[Machias]

I would rather if a thread is going good, the post (s) that are crossing the the line get deleted so the thread can continue Out of OT. 

I agree with this!