Newsletters
May 2023 and Annual Meeting
I will combine news from both meetings.
ELECTION RESULTS: CHANGE AT THE TOP
Despite light attendance, enough votes were cast "legally" and as expected Doyle Estes, Al Boehm, and Greg Ficklin were re-elected to the Board for a three-year term. When officers were selected after the Annual Meeting, Doyle and Beryl nominated each other for President, and Beryl was selected as the new president. Doyle will be VP, Al will remain as Treasurer, I will continue as Secretary, Charlie will continue as Membership Chair, and Bobby will continue as Executive Officer. Note Charlie's email is posted under Contacts on the website if you have membership questions. Go to him, not me!
RECENT CLUB PURCHASES
A total of $1,000 was approved for lumber to extend the safety fencing alongside of Field #3.
An AED device has been ordered for approximately $1,000 and will be installed in the clubhouse. We will probably arrange for training on its use for anyone interested.
Ten new Samsung tablets totaling about $1,000 were approved to facilitate electronic scoring on the rifle ranges.
TRAP/SKEET KEYS
Exactly 50 keys have been given out so far. We still have a few more. Contact me to arrange a meeting time if you want one.
TRAP/SKEET SIGN-IN LOGS
At one point, we announced we were going to have logs in each skeet/trap house to log in opening and closing, but we have decided not to do that. However, all shooters must continue to complete the sign-in books at each range. We need to know who is shooting, especially the last person leaving.
Without the close-out logs in the houses now, everyone must remember that the LAST trap or skeet shooters of the day MUST follow the closing procedure (to be posted in each house) and make sure all machines are re-filled and houses are LOCKED. A key is not needed to lock them. ONE IMPORTANT POINT: When the last MEMBER is finished shooting, the houses must be closed/locked. A non-member cannot continue to shoot withOUT a member present.
CONCRETE STEP REPAIRS
Bobby is working on this and by the time of this writing, I believe all the repairs/replacements have been completed.
Repeating two points from last month:
Terry
April 2023
Charlie mailed the Annual Meeting notice with the new gate code on Tuesday, April 18. Be on the lookout. If your check hasn't cleared yet, be patient as Al deposits them in batches to avoid extra fees from the bank. If you get your letter in the next few days, you are good.
Nominations for Board Positions
There were no volunteers for the Board except for the three going off--Doyle, Al, and Greg--to recommit for another three-year term. If last minute you want to run, you'll have to have the Board consider it.
Clay Busters Leader Announced
Johnny Cantrell has agreed to take over leadership of Clay Busters. Please congratulate him and help him out if he needs a hand.
Nora Ross Clinic Coming May 6-7
Details on the website PCGC members can get first dibs by signing up now with Dave Foti.
WNC Junior Hunter Event Recap
We had 31 teams and parked 377 vehicles. We're almost at capacity. There were lots of people here and the event ran very smoothly and safely.
Women on Target
We're still seeking a person to lead this. It would be a great service to the ladies of the community. It requires a lot of effort but a well organized, manager-type individual would be able to manage it. Contact the Board if you are interested or want to recommend someone.
ATF News
Sam Summey has reported a couple of very positive results on gun legislation by NC legislators. Details are posted on the website.
Lawn Care
We started a lawn service this week and they mowed and weed eated everything on Wednesday morning except the rifle range which Ed did himself last week. In my opinion, they did a GREAT JOB. The service will generally be there on Wed morning and alternate between the rifle range or all the rest of the ranges each week until we get a pattern figured out..
Trap/Skeet Keys
We have "given out" 45 keys in exchange for a refundable security deposit. Thirty-two old ones were turned in. I have 5 more left from the second production run. When they are gone, we will get some more made. Contact me to meet sometime at the club to get a key.
We are dispensing with the opening/closing logs in the houses but NOTE THAT A KEY IS NOT NEEDED TO LOCK UP. Therefore, anyone can close up the ranges but you must follow the shut down process--turn the machines off, refill the trays, etc-- and remember to lock the houses if you are the last shooter.
Gate Lock
Gate--If you are fortunate enough to open the main gate sometime, be sure to lock the lock back onto the chain after you swing open the gate and spin the dials to hide the code. If you don't relock the lock, you can't spin the dials and the gate code will be exposed for all to see all day.
Club House Lock
If you are last out, make sure both doors are locked. It's possible to flip a switch on the combo lock so it's turned off, and similarly, the other door automatically stays unlocked when opened from the inside. Check both, please.
New Parking Area
A new parking area for 10-15 cars parked on an angle has been completed just behind Field #1. This will also be convenient for the Pistol Range. John Holbert did the work and also replaced the culvert between the fork and the Pistol Range. Great job!
Dogs Still Prohibited
Once again, a reminder to all that no dogs are allowed on property for safety reasons, both for the dog's sake and for the humans' sake. Most everybody has been good but there have been a few dogs here. If you see one, do your RSO duty and ask them to leave with the dog.
Upcoming Events
F Class Match--April 22
Buffalo/Rim Fire--April 29
Long Range Handgun--May 2
ASI Pistol--May 6
Bench Rest--May 7
Turkey Season
Check out the attached photo taken just before the March meeting. They knew the season wasn't open yet.
Hope you made it this far.
March 2023
Lots of important information this month. Not everybody reads emails so please pass this stuff on by word of mouth.
NEW TRAP/SKEET HOUSE KEYS TO BE ISSUED
The new locks will be placed and new keys will be exchanged with old ones on April 8 from 10am to Noon in the Club House. This date/time will be for people with current keys only. It's a tight window but we want to get it done quickly. If you want the new key, make it a point to get there because the locks are being changed that day. Bring your old key and a $50 deposit check which is refundable if/when you return the key. People not having a current key and wanting one will be taken care of later after we see how many current holders claim new keys. Not everybody reads these emails so spread this event by word-of-mouth to your friends with keys!
WNC JUNIOR HUNTER COMPETITION THIS WEEKEND
All ranges closed THIS Friday and Saturday. Need a few volunteers for Friday setup (9am), Saturday parking (6am), and RSO support (9am-3pm). There will be ~300 cars and ~700 people on site Saturday.
NO DOGS ON PROPERTY
We continue to remind everyone that the club policy is NO dogs on property. This is primarily for safety (human and animal) reasons.
CLUB HOUSE DOORS BEING LEFT UNLOCKED
This is another reminder that if you are the last one in the Club House on any given day, MAKE SURE BOTH DOORS ARE LOCKED. We've had several instances where the combo lock door is locked but the other door is open. For the latter, if you open it from the inside, it AUTOMATICALLY UNLOCKS from BOTH sides. When you leave, you have to turn the button. Check it! The combo lock door needs to have the interior switch in the correct position to lock from the outside. Check it too! Please!
RIFLE RANGE NUMBER SIGNS REPLACED/PENALTY TO SHOOT AT THEM
Recently, new signs were installed. Please make every effort NOT to put bullet holes in them. We know there is an occasional flyer but we have seen tightly grouped patterns on some of them suggesting people are unwilling to hang targets and use the number signs as targets. THIS DESTRUCTION OF CLUB PROPERTY IS A VIOLATION OF CLUB RULES AND IF OBSERVED WILL BE PUNISHED BY TERMINATION OF MEMBERSHIP. As RSO's, if you observe someone shooting on the rifle range without targets, we'll assume they are shooting at the signs so please find out the name of the person and pass it on to the Board immediately.
HOLD HARMLESS AGREEMENTS
Every guest needs to complete a Hold Harmless Agreement before shooting but only once a year. Forms are on the rack on the wall. There is NOW an alphabetized notebook on the table to put the completed forms in by last name of the guest. Don't stuff the mailbox; it's gone!
ASI PISTOL MATCH #2
Since it's the newest discipline in the Club, we'll give this a bit more of a plug! The second ASI match was a success. The weather was good and the shooting was great. There were 15 competitors, twice last month, with several from the first match. Also they were about equally split between members and non-members. The word is spreading. After the safety briefing, we started at 1215 and ended up at 330. We shot 4 stages with a round count of 46 rounds What was surprising and a good sign was that almost half of the competitors were rocking with 1911’s. Yay! Also, 9mm ruled today! The best overall shooter was Jake Davis with a time of 58.20. Everybody was safe and shot great. Some were new to this style of shooting and as the stages went on you could see improvements. I want to thank Tom Brooks again for his RO duties and scoring, Kathy McBride for signing everybody up and keeping the paperwork straight. The next match is April 1 and I (Caton McBride) am already looking at some different stages with a couple really challenging ones.
LONG RANGE HANDGUN
OK, the second newest discipline! Dan Henk sent me a nice article but it's too long for this newsletter. I'll send it separately next week and read it if you're at all interested. The next LRH match is Tuesday evening, April 4.
WOMEN ON TARGET
At the Feb meeting, the Board discussed a desire to restart this program which teaches women how to be more comfortable and competent with shooting. PCGC used to run it but the leadership dropped away. The program needs a strong, capable administrator. If you have an interest in taking on this project for women both in our Club and the community as a service to both, please contact someone on the Board and we would be happy to discuss what's involved.
RUDY EIDAM LEAVES TOWN
For those of you who knew Rudy, he recently moved away and sent me a nice note he asked to share:
I want to thank the entire club membership for the manner in which they accepted, and instructed me, during my three years of shooting. Polk has proved to be the very best club I have ever been associated with.I have moved to Indiana to be closer to family. But please let the good folks at the club know how I appreciated the way they allowed me to enjoy being part of their organization.Respectfully,Rudy Eidam
February 2023
February 2023
Well our next meeting is tomorrow night which, of course, is Valentine's Day. Given the kind of guys your Board is, we decided to leave the date alone and take our spouses/others out for dinner on a different night and beat the crowds. But YOU can bring your spouse along to the meeting for a romantic night out. Parking lot will be real dark after the meeting!
Website
We've made a couple small changes to the website.
1. Past newsletters are now posted under News.
2. There is a Volunteer Project List now posted under Our Club. Take a look. Pick a project you could help with, or send new project ideas to me to post.
3. The Classified page continues to be popular so give it another look. If you have something to sell or want, send me an ad for it.
New members
Last month, Lee Wangsted, Marc James, Devon Cole, and Bob Shutt were approved as new members. Two more will be interviewed tomorrow. We are at about 315 members., I think.
Nominating Committee
Bobby Robinson ([email protected]) is chairing the nominations committee for the three new board positions coming up for election at the Annual Meeting on May 16. If you'd like to run, get in touch with Bobby.
Frozen Chosin (February 18)
Shooting begins at 10am. Match is held under modified CMP rules. Will be a 40 shot match (due to limited availability of ammo) conducted at 200 yards on standard SR targets. Sighting shots are allowed. Shooting positions are: prone slow fire, prone rapid from standing, sitting rapid from standing, and standing (off hand) slow fire. A competitor will need 60 rounds total which includes sighting rounds.
Spring Clean Up Day (March 4)
To get ready for the Junior Hunter competition--we'll have over 700 visitors to the Club--we'll have our annual Spring Clean Up Day on March 4 starting at 8am. It usually lasts until between noon and 2pm depending on work and attendees. All are encouraged to attend and the more who do, the quicker the work gets done. Projects are being planned so if you know of something to get done, let me know.
Next ASI Pistol Match (March 11)
The first ever Action Shooting International pistol match went off smoothly on Feb 4 with 8 shooters braving the cold weather. Reports were it was a lot of fun. The next match will be on March 11, one week later than first scheduled due to the Club Work Day on March 4. If you'd like to shoot, give Caton McBride ([email protected]) a heads up so he can plan.
WNC Junior Hunter Competition (March 18)
This year's Junior Hunter competition will be on Saturday, March 18 with Friday, March 17 as a prep day. All ranges will be closed both days. On Friday, March 17, while the State DNR guys are setting up ranges, Club members will do prep work getting the rifle range fields ready for parking. If you can volunteer on Friday, please let me know. We could use a half dozen or so folks. On Saturday morning, starting about 6am, we will be parking the 300 or so vehicles that will be coming. It's crazy but fun--in the dark! If you want to help with this, let me know you are coming and make sure you have fresh batteries in your flashlight. It's all over by 9am but some of us hang around to help with RSO duties.
Terry Lynch
PCGC Secretary
January 2023
Shooting at the Number Boards on the Rifle Ranges is a Violation
ASI Pistol Matches Rescheduled (Caton McBride)
Long Range Handgun (Dan Henk, Shawn Risdon)
WNC Junior Hunter Competition March 18
Spring Clean Up Day March 4
Update on Website Classified Ads
New Trap Machine
Keys to the Trap and Skeet Houses
Club to Purchase an AED Device for Club House
Mike Murph to Retire from Clay Busters Leadership
Murph has announced his intention to retire from his position taking care of the Clay Busters. All of us on the Board and in the Club who have benefitted from Murph's leadership and unselfish coaching will be sad to see him leave. He has spent many, many hours coaching our youth with many of them going on to great success in state and national competitions. It's a great legacy! While we are confirming a replacement, we hope Murph will be around to offer assistance as needed.
Secretary
December 2022
Christmas is coming . . .
Check the PCGC Classified Ads section for gifts for your family or favorite shooters! https://polkcountygunclub.com/classifieds/ It's also a good time to post anything you want to sell. We've had good movement of items recently.
New Members
At the November meeting, Lindsay Bagwell, Justin Nelson, and Mike Lovelace were approved as new members.
Trap House completion
Glover McMurray and a few buddies completed the trap house on the new (third) trap/skeet range. They did an outstanding job. Check out the photo attached. Now they are making some repairs on the other two houses. Both of these houses need some paint. If you want to volunteer to do it, let me know but go ahead and do it. The club will reimburse for the paint if you will supply the labor.
Jack Arcularious Way
The sign naming the entrance drive for Gunny is now installed! As you drive into the Club, please remember Jack and the many years of service he gave to Country and to our Club.
Upcoming Events
Saturday, Dec 31, 8am Buffalo Rimfire New Year's Eve Match
ASI Action Pistol Matches Coming in January, February, and March
PCGC, led by Caton McBride is introducing an ASI (Action Shooting International) pistol match for the first time in January. The first three test matches will be on the first Saturdays of January, February, and March. Dates are on the calendar and full information is under the News heading on the website.
Each match will start at 1200. Registration, depending on weather, will be in the clubhouse or at the pavilion at the pistol range and starts at 1100. New shooter briefing at 1145am. Cost per shooter is $20.00 and ALL shooters must register.
Any caliber handgun may be used. A holster is preferred but not required but the handgun must be in either a holster or bag, UNLOADED, and VISIBLY LOCKED OPEN if a semi-automatic. Shooters will need at least 50 rounds of ammunition, extra mags if available, and hearing and eye protection.
If you are interested in participating in the match, please email Caton at [email protected] or call 8282201778. He would like to have an idea of the attendance.
Here is a link to a sample of what one of these matches might look like. Obviously, each "session" would need to be adapted to the available range geometry. That is what Caton is planning.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xZjtA9NSd3Q&authuser=0
Reminder to Sign In When Using Each Range
Please remember to sign the logs whenever you use one of the ranges. I personally witnessed a couple guys leaving the rifle range who had apparently forgotten. We need a record in case of any problems encountered on each range.
Hold Harmless Guest Release Forms
Every guest, adult or minor, who shoots at the Club is required to complete a Hold Harmless Form. No exceptions. We have separate forms for adults and minors. Each signed form is good for a calendar year. At the end of this month, all of the 2022 forms become invalid and every guest needs to sign a new form for 2023. The blank forms go quickly so if you use the last one, please make and leave a few copies for others on the printer right there. Let me know if there are no more forms and I can get some more there pretty quickly too.
I hope everyone has a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year if we don't see you at the Club this month!
September 2022
LONG RANGE PISTOL MATCH--SEPTEMBER 6 (TOMORROW!)
Format of the match remains the same: twenty shots for record on a groundhog target in a time period of fifteen minutes. Rimfire shooters will shoot targets on the 100 yard range. Centerfire shooters will shoot targets on the 300 yard line. Assuming there are more than three shooters in a class (rimfire or centerfire), first-place winners will receive a cash award. Registration fee for the match is $15.
OTHER UPCOMING MATCHES
MONTHLY MEETING
FALL CLUB WORK DAY--SATURDAY, OCTOBER 8, 8AM
CALENDAR AND CLASSIFIEDS
NORA ROSS TRAPSHOOTING CLINIC--MAY 6-7, 2023
What to expect:
Terry
July 2022
It's been a while since I sent a newsletter. I've been doing a lot of traveling. Here goes with a few comments and questions seeking a comment.
At a recent monthly meeting, there was discussion about how difficult it has become to find reloading components of all sorts. If anyone has extra components of any type that they are not using and may wish to sell, or who has found a reliable source, please share the information with me and I will forward it to the whole group. If you know of a good source for reloading supplies, especially powder and (shotgun) shot, please share also.
Ads on the calendar.page, reflecting a negative experience of and comment by one member, are there because we are using a free calendar app. My advice is not to click on any of them. I can't vouch for the security.
QUESTION #1: IS THERE ANY INTEREST IN A CLASSIFIED ADS SECTION ON THE WEBPAGE WHERE FOLKS COULD LIST ITEMS FOR SALE, AS WE DO ON THE BULLETIN BOARDS NOW. WE WOULD HAVE A SEPARATE PAGE ON THE SITE. I THINK I WOULD RECOMMEND SELLERS LIST ONLY AN EMAIL ADDRESS WITH AN ITEM FOR SALE.
QUESTION #2: DAN HENK AND SEAN RISDON ARE PROPOSING A MONTHLY LONG-RANGE PISTOL MATCH ON TUESDAY NIGHTS STARTING IN AUGUST AND CONTINUING THROUGH DAYLIGHT SAVINGS. IT WOULD LAST LESS THAN ONE HOUR. DETAILS IN THE ATTACHED PDF. THE BOARD IS GOING TO CONSIDER THIS IN THE JULY 12 MONTHLY MEETING. WE ARE CHECKING THE RANGE SHEETS FOR "BUSY-NESS" ON THOSE EVENINGS WHICH IS A CONCERN. PLEASE READ OVER THE PDF AND REPLY TO ME WITH COMMENTS AND A EITHER YES OR NO ON THE PROPOSAL. IF YOU YOURSELF WOULD SHOOT AT SUCH A MATCH, PLEASE LET ME KNOW THAT TOO. SUCH DATA FOR THE BOARD WOULD BE HELPFUL.
Finally, from the last survey, here are some key points:
Survey Results
35 people responded which is less than 12%. Not a very good response considering we have 300 members. But most people were appreciative of the opportunity to provide input and I'm guessing the responses were probably fairly representative.
PISTOL RANGE
Q1: 21 shoot both pistol and rifle, 4 shoot pistol only, 1 rifle only
Q2: 17 shoot 1x/month or less, 7 shoot a few times per month, 1 shoots 1x/week
Q3: Pistol distance: 7 yds – 11 shooters, 10 yds – 6 shooters, 15 yds – 7 shooters, 20 yds or more – 8 shooters, 5 yds or less – 24 shooters, 20 yds or more – 8 shooters
Q4: Rifle distance: 50 yds – 17 shooters, 25-30 yds – 3 shooters
SKEET/TRAP RANGE
Q5: 10 admitted to having keys. I won't list them here.
Q6: At least 10 others said they arrived and no one had a key, some many times.
Q7: Sometimes people came with a key and sometimes not.
Q8: Most common day seemed to be Friday but also a few Tuesdays and Saturdays
Thank you to everyone who took the time to respond!! We will use these results to 1) consider improvements/changes to the pistol range and 2) how to better manage key availability.
As always, comments welcome.