Trad Gang

I think all the people who got into the White Elephant swap and didn't send anything or get in touch with the person they agreed to send to, have broken an agreement. What do you think should be done?

Boneyard....what do you think should be done?....I'm seriously asking.

I can understand not sending anything yet, we all get busy or maybe have plans to make something for someone....

But that said....If a guy hasn't even got in touch with who they're supposed to send something to, or is ignoring any contact with them....them maybe something should be done....but like Terry said...What?

call em out

and ban them from future white elephants AND giveaways

I participated in the white elephant this year for the first time and it all went off without a hitch for my part, glad it did because it was a lot of fun.  I would like to point out that perhaps a bit of leniency could be shown this year, I personally know of several people this year since the white elephant was started that have lost their jobs.  Might be a bit embarassing to admit that for some and the obligations to family put a serious strain on charity and fun.

I know this might not be the case for all the individuals that didnt send or make contact but it could be for quite a few.

This is just my opion but the White Elephant is just a friendly give away. It is all on the honor system, nobody paid for any thing. If you sent your item to someone you made that person feel good and made a friend. If someone intentionaly did not send something then i feel sorry for that person and the way they were raised. I know if i did something like that and my mother found out she would drive over here and put one up side my head and im 51 years old.

What im trying to say is it is a friendly exchange between friends and nobody actualy owes anyone anything but its to bad that some we call friends here would not follow through.

With all that said i dont know what could be done. I just know that i would not want to be one of those guys and then end up in a hunting camp and come face to face with some White Elephant guys, that would be embarrassing and you would feel like a fool.

Unless you paid and got ripped off, no need to call anyone out and embarass them.
I say let it go.
Without knowing, your giving of a white elephant was worth more then you'll ever know.
Rewards come others ways.

Well said, King.  :thumbsup:

It's a shame we're even having to discuss this. I'd say treat it like any other rip-off.  I say we don't need these kind of people around...

wtpops "I just know that i would not want to be one of those guys and then end up in a hunting camp and come face to face with some White Elephant guys, that would be embarrassing and you would feel like a fool."

If they were in my camp it would be more like an A*$ whipping and not just them feeling like a fool or embarrassed.

Rascal, WT, and Jim, Good points....

You know, no one knows what circumstances are responsible. Heck no one ever knows what they get until it arrives.
I think instead of calling them out, have a mod discreetly contact them to find out the details. If that doesnt work or the circumstances arent dire enough, then maybe further steps like banning from future events would help.

It is something meant to be fun, sad that some havent had that experience. I for one had a great time...Im truly sad for those that didnt.

Worse case scenario...you arent out anything you didnt want to give away anyway.

QuoteOriginally posted by Guru:
Rascal, WT, and Jim, Good points....

I was thinking the same thing myself

but Jamie makes a good suggestion, not to put more on the Mods,  but not a bad suggestion to find out the whole story.

I was one of the people who didnt get anything And for a first time Participant I was a bit dissappointed.  NOT beacuse I was looking For a Gift or a FREE handout But because some took advantage of the System and that IRK's $#!+ out of me.    :banghead:  
I did not contact the person who didnt hold up his end of the bargain, and I'm not going to.  I'm not that Childish.  If someone else wants to call them out on a list thats their Business.  I'm just glad I could make someone else smile.

Get the whole story. Like what? Could they not afford to send what they received in the White Elephant to the person behind them? I am broke as a I ever have been and have been selling stuff like crazy to pay bills. IF I participated in the exchange I sure as heck could have found something to send as my responsibility that I agreed to in the joining White Elephant.

imo this doesnt need to be publicly discussed, if you didnt recive something and are sour over it, you have thier name and adress, contact them yourself, yeah its wrong to say something and not do it, the gang is getting pretty big, have to expect such things to happen more and more,  
the more fish in the pond the more parisites,  at least these are just playing the elephant and not the classifides

Jesse, with all due respect, you have stuff to sell....some may not. Life is way too short to wish pain and injury on someone for either not sending it forward on purpose or due to any number of circumstances that life may bring.

Of all the things I have seen on Trad Gang, disrespect wasnt ever one of them, no matter what. No sense in getting riled up...if someone is that upset, let them bring it to the mods, or let it be, their choice.

Again, no disrespect intended in anyway. No sense in judging people if we dont know the "facts".

Anyone that didnt get their white elephant, shoot me a pm, I will send something out. Might not be much, but I will do what I can.

im with you ishi, i have some stuff that would just go next year, whoo needs it.

I have more elephants at my house too!!

Tell you what Jamie the Gesture is nice enough.. Thanks.. But I need for nothing. I'm not that bitter,,

ishiwannabe, IMO if they have a computer and can pay for the internet then I would be willing to bet they have some broadheads a knife a hunting video or just one little something that they could send. Or like I stated already they could just send what they received it is that simple.

I sent mine a little late but after sending a PM my package had been recieved and i got a "thankyou I'll try to post later" response, so at least I knew it got there and the guy appreciated it, he just never posted on the thread.
I recieved a package and thought the whole experience was pretty good. As far as calling the people out...mmm gosh I'm not sure but what a crappy thing to do to recieve and not give when you sign up is unacceptable and maybe through private channels those that failed to hold up their end of the elephant shouldn't be allowed to participate in the next one.
Honestly, I am shocked that this is even a topic after being on here all this time and experiencing tradgang from all different angles, I guess I thought traditional people were different. This must be the 1% of folks who always tarnish a good thing. I don't care what peoples excuses are if I, going through all that has been going on in my life can get a package out to a fellow tradganger than everyone should have had a great experience.
This is a community of folks who enjoy the experience of archery the traditional way- we talk about all facets of it, each day around a virtual campfire sharing opinions, experiences, knowledge, success, failure, etc... no one should have the audacity to violate that. I've met some of the greatest people I've ever known on this site and 100% of my dealings here have been without issue and I am forever greatful. Clean it up or get out.
Todd

IMO,,,and its just that, my opinion,,,,if times are tough ( and believe me I know tough times) All they had to do was send somethin as simple as an old TBM, an IOU of sorts or really just a letter explaining and expressing best wishes till things turn around.

It didnt have to amount to anything, just the gesture, which they took advantage of IMO

I thought it was a blast myself. I thought I was lucky to be part of it.

The arrows I recieved I couldn't use, but I got to make a smile on a boys face down the road (he loved them). I love the shirts I got, but that's not the part I was in it for.....I loved the giving.

All I think is that the person should have e-mailed a note to the person and said something. No contact isn't right by my books.

Everyone has the capacity to forgive and forgive we would, but no contact...well I don't by it myself. Your word is your word is what I was taught and if things change you talk about it. That is the least ppl expect.

For my part I wish we could have another. I have some really cool things to give away.

People have great hearts for giving mostly and I wouldn't want this to blow out of proportion so this is my gift to you all.

If you didn't recieve something PM me - I would love to send some more gifts out..please let me play Santa Clause again.

You don't even have to feel sheepish about it. Just pm me and say you didn't recieve anything along with an address and I will get something out to you asap. I know my gift took a bit to get to alaska even from the yukon...dogsled delivery probably but it got there.

Jer Bear

Had the same thing happen on a Christmas gift exchange on anoth forum I belong to.  Same few rotten apples, same typical reposnes from the members.

Unfortuantely we are dealing with cyberspace here and not good friends around the campfire or the living room table.  There are predators out there and you can be ripped off.

I for one can forgive, but I will not forget, and if they are known, I think Officials of the organization or Forum should call them out by letter or pm and ban them from further participation in such events unless they pay up and appologize with remorse.  If there were unforseeable circunstances I believe they would have made that known to the intended recipiant or a forum director.

I makes the good folk wary of trusting in the future knowing there are those out there who can't be trusted.  By the way GOD is watching you!

I think the white elephant is a fun thing and I look forword to it every year. For the deadbeats that went back on their word and took that fun away from another tradganger, All I have to say is SHAME ON YOU!!!  

Personally I don't think people should be publicly called out unless the individual circumstances are known.   There are a lot of legitimate reasons why a gift was not sent.

On the other hand I cannot think of to many reasons a msg could not have been sent notifying the recipient of the situation or offering an IOU of sorts.   That could easily be done via internet or snail mail.

And as Joker said:  

QuoteFor the deadbeats that went back on their word and took that fun away from another tradganger, All I have to say is SHAME ON YOU!!!

Just my $0.02

Let me tell you all how somebody feels that is nothing more then a 3rd party in the matter as I didn't participate.

Getting on the pow-wow and complaining about it (in my eyes) is the worst thing you can do if you want this to go down next year.

The fine folks that run this site have enough to worry about and pawning any thing to do with the white elephant off on them (yes, there isn't a thread that doesn't go un-moderated) is more responsiblilty they should be responsible for. In fact, I guarantee there are mods right now wondering what to do with this thread.

I personally say, lets ask a mod to take a few seconds and lock this thread down now. If you/we can't police ourselves on a few things, the good things are going to get shut down because it HAS to be moderated.

John Wayne taught me a saying that holds true, "I don't mean to sound like a bible beater yelling up a revival at a river crossing camp meet, but that don't change the truth any. A man has two choices. You do the one, you'll go on living. You do the other, you might be walking around but you're dead as a beaver hat."

Let this go so you/we can enjoy this next year. Like above, if somebody feels cheated, send me your addy so I can send you something. Let's police ourselves and lock this down.

Todd

Todd you just put into words exactly what I've been thinking since this thread started.

I wasn't involved in the White Elephant, but I'll weigh in anyway. This was supposed to be a fun thing, why get ticked off?? Feces occurs, we can't know anothers' situation, unless they tell us. Is it really that important that someone didn't even respond? If someone doesn't let you into their lane on the road what do you do?  Probably cuss a little bit, think bad thoughts about the person, and get on with your life. It shouldn't be blown out of proportion. It's just like shipping a bow to someone and never getting a rsponse from them that it arrived, inconsiderate and thoughtless, but not life altering.  Just consider the source, some people have been that way all their lives and "calling them out" won't change anything.  Most of us were raised better than that. If it is that upsetting, You contact them, the moderators have plenty enough to do without asking someone why they didn't respond to the W.E.

Phil

I'm still waiting to hear what Boneyard thinks should be done.  He started this thread, and I'd like for him to answer.......Please hold all responsed till he does.  Thanks.

:readit:

Regardless if someone else made the choice to do the "wrong thing" if you participated and did the "right thing" take some satisfaction in that. None of us knows what is in someone else's heart...

"Do unto others as you would have them do unto you"  Luke 6:31  

These words were written in red.

ttt

QuoteOriginally posted by Terry Green:
I'm still waiting to hear what Boneyard thinks should be done.  He started this thread, and I'd like for him to answer.......Please hold all responsed till he does.  Thanks.

:readit:

I guess there are mixed feelings about this. I don't know what should be done. I think if I had a problem with an exchange I would contact the person.
My word is important to me. I don't care about what I didn't get. I do wonder what will happen in a situation where more substantial exchanges take place. What should be done? I don't think there should be a black list or that people should be hung by the toes. The reason I started this was I hope some of the people who didn't send would see what other members think.

I think it took me about two years to get my White Elephant stuff to Sticshooter and Shell. I was talking with them both during that time, and they got some excellent stuff ( :readit:    

Killdeer    :wavey:

I say LET IT GO the ones that didn't send anything know who they are and they have to live with that.

Ranger 3  

It has not been that long since the "white elephant" thread ended. I believe it ended on february 16. What is ashame is the level of violence that was exhibited in some of the responses. There was one person that threatened physical violance?? WTH if things are going to get like that then you can count me out, as I'm not going to be threatened about a give away

And a little communication goes a long ways.  But then again, if you are like me, sometimes i forget that i have communicated.
 :banghead:

Killdeer you are a good person and nothing will change that, not even procrastination.

[. There was one person that threatened physical violance??[/QB][/QUOTE]

  :rolleyes:    

QuoteOriginally posted by NightHawk:
There was one person that threatened physical violance?? WTH if things are going to get like that then you can count me out, as I'm not going to be threatened about a give away

Please! If someone intentionally ripped off someone on the White Elephant (not saying anyone did yet) but if they did and they were in my hunting camp I don't give a hoot if it offends you that I would give them a whipping. They deserve it.

If people have a good reason not to send something as they agreed to send something communicate! It is that simple.

Ya can tell Jesse is young, this thread should end now!! No one has anyway of telling why an item wasn't sent. The person could of dropped dead for all we know, remember we don't know who it was that did not send an item, so to start throwing things out there like" if they can afford the internet and they should of sent an old TBM, is just stupid. Take Kingstakens advice and move on!! Shawn

Shawn.....   :clapper:

Against my better judgement, I'm going to post to this thread.  I'm definitely not recommending violence. It's really not going to solve this issue.  I just want to draw some parallels,  though.  What if someone agreed to buy bow on this site, then received the bow and didn't pay?  Or received payment then didn't send the bow?  These things have happened in the past and the offenders have been called out in the public forum and banned from the site.  

I'm not suggesting that happen, and I think if it were to happen it would have to be after appropriate communication had taken place and the decisions could be made on an individual basis (as if the moderators didn't have enough to worry about).  If someone can't respond because they have dropped dead, they probably wouldn't mind if they were banned from the site. Nobody was forced to participate in the white elephant, it was voluntary.  I agree with the other posts, that even if times are tough you could send out what your received as your white elephant or at least a note saying why it the white elephant will be delayed.

I don't really have a vested interest in this fight, as my white elephant arrived in a timely fashion.  I just don't see too much difference in someone not living up to their obligation for a bow transaction and someone not living up to their white elephant obligation.  Either way, these people are not really representing this site in a positive fashion.

Careful who we point out as good/bad. I don't have much...and didn't send much...but..I did send. These are hard time for some folks. But EVERYONE WHO PUT THEIR NAME IN THE HAT..deserves something. If IT NOTHING MORE THAN A MESSAGE THAT SAYS "I"LL REMEMBER YOU WHEN TIMES ARE BETTER"     God Bless all!!

ok this here is what should be done.on the next white elephant have something to give before you sign up. this way none of this will happen.  we have ALL broken our word at one point in time and it helps nothing to point fingers over something this small.  and violence is surely not going to help any thing. who knows you might pick to whip one of these back woods bigfoot strong fellows and get whipped your self.  so take some advice and think realisticly befpre you speak.

You guys all are so great people,  Being part of a "family" group like this is what separates us from the mainstream hype hunters.  and family forgives.
Dustin Parker