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April-May-June 2009

Spring has finally made it, at least on the calendar. This will be the club's busiest quarter of the year and there is much to be covered so lets get started.

Gun Show & World Record Wildlife Display the dates for this year’s show are May1, 2and 3. The location will once again be the Camplex and Marty Brown will be organizing this event. There is much to do for this event and Marty is in need of some volunteers. Set up, tearing down and people to help at the door are a

few of the ways that you can be of use. Give Marty a call if you would like to be involved in helping out.

League Trapshooting Summer trap league will begin on May 5. If you are on a team or are thinking of organizing a team, you can get all of the information you will need by stopping by the clubhouse and picking up the information sheets. Costs, days open for shooting and rules for the league. Starting on April 2, the club will be open on Tuesday and Thursday for practice. Times are from 4:00 P.M. until 7:00 P. M. and you can pick up league information at that time.

Rifle Pistol Ranges Mike Terrell of Terrell Flooring has contracted with the club to recover the benches on the rifle/ pistol ranges. Mike will be starting on this project as weather permits and as he can work it into his schedule. Mike will continue to monitor the benches and make repairs as needed. Should you know of anyone?

Who could fabricate a couple more of the concrete benches for us, let Marty Brown know. We would like to add a few more on a couple of the shorter ranges.

Work Day May 30, 9:00 A.M. This will be our scheduled work day and the range will be closed until we are finished with our projects. Bill Singleton has offered to bring some of his personal equipment out so that some posts can be taken out and some major repairs made. We usually get up to five people to help out on these days but with a membership that exceeds over a thousand, we are hopeful to see a larger number of helpers. Please mark this day on your calendar. If you are only able to come out for a few hours, we welcome your participation. Donuts and coffee will be available.

Civilian Marksmanship Program The club is not affiliated with this organization but if there is someone that would like to do some checking as to what is involved in forming a local chapter, please do some checking and report back to the board at the monthly meeting.

Memberships If you are single, you are the only one covered under your membership. If you are single and have dependents that do or do not live with you, they would be covered under your membership. If you are married, your spouse and all dependents that do or do not live with you are covered. A dependent would be someone 19 years or younger. Just a reminder, anyone under the age of 18 is required to have an adult club member that is 21 years or older and both must have proof of membership with them. A key to the gate is not proof of membership. We do not have the buddy system in place. With over 1000 members, we need to run as tight a ship as possible so please help us as we try to stay on task. Also, if you are in a handicap situation, you may have a non-member assist you at the range. Please stop by and let Vonnie or Dave know if they are at home

If you are a Life Member and no longer have your card, please give Bill Fitch a call and he can replace your lost card with a new one.

Special Events Remember that if you have a business or are a member of an organization that would like to rent the club for an event, the cost is very reasonable and most weekends and weekdays are available. If you would like more information as far as costs ect., please call Ron Filbert and he can give you that information.

Parting Shots It has been noticed that some folks have been seen shooting pistols at the shotgun range.

This is not something that we want to see. No shotguns on the rifle/ pistol range and no rifles/pistols on the shotgun range. The only exception to this rule would be if you have a shotgun and you would like to shoot it with slugs. Otherwise, it destroys the target boards. When practicing with your personal target thrower at the shotgun range, please do so out in front of the trap houses so that you do not make a mess with broken targets back on the concrete walkways. Also, please clean up your empties and police your area when you are done. Only paper targets are allowed and no bottles, cans ect. Should you ever want to use the shotgun target pattern plate located at the west end of the trap field, please note that no steel shot is allowed. You could be hit by returning shot. It was brought to our attention that when dumping the garbage at the trap range, some beer cans were in the trash.

ANOTHER YEAR OF SHOOTING HAS PASSED AND HOPEFULLY EVERYONE HAS SURVIVED WITHOUT INCIDENT. WE WANT TO WELCOME ALL OF YOU, WHETHER NEW MEMBERS OR PAST MEMBERS, TO THE FACILITY FOR THE 2009/2010 SHOOTING YEAR. WE HOPE TO HAVE ANOTHER YEAR OF SAFETY, REGARDLESS OF IF IT IS AT THE CLUB OR IN THE FIELD. PLEASE CONTINUE TO OBSERVE THE POSTED RULES AND EXTEND SOME COURTESY TO YOUR

FELLOW MEMBERS WHILE USING THE FACILITY.

WYOMING STATE TRAPSHOOT: THE STATE SHOOT WAS HELD IN SHERIDAN THIS YEAR AND GILLETIE WAS WELL REPRESENTED. JIM BUTLER, RON FILBERT, SAM SIMON, STEVE BANNISTER, DAVID JACQUOT, STAN LOONEY AI'[D DOOGlV1USERAICWmfWINf\JERS-:C;U-CYD-sROOTI G FELLA-S. TO BE AWINNER AGAINST A GROUP THAT SHOWS UP AT STATE, IS QUITE AN ACCOMPLISHMENT.

SPECIAL THANKS: WE WOULD LIKE TO THANK WALT FLANSBERG OF FLANSBERG TRUCKING FOR HAULING IN SOME ROCK FOR US AND FOR SOME WORK THAT HE TOOK TIME TO DO IN MAKING SOME IMPROVEMENTS AT THE CLUB. WE ALSO HAD A GENTLEMAN THAT DID SOME REPAIR WORK AT THE GATE THAT WE WOULD LIKE TO MENTION, BUT BECAUSE WE DO NOT HAVE HIS NAME, WE ARE UNABLE TO PUT THAT INTO PRINT.

POWDER RIVER SHOOTOUT: THE SHOOTOUT WAS HELD ON SEPTEMBER 12 ATTHE GUN CLUB AND OVER

145 SHOOTERS WERE IN ATIENDANCE. THIS IS AN EVENT THAT IS LIMITED TO COAL MINERS AND VENDER EMPLOYEES. FOOD, FUN AND WINNING GUNS IN DRAWINGS AT RANDOM ARE ALL A PART OF THE EVENT. IF YOU HAVE A GROUP THAT YOU WOULD LIKE TO DO SOMETHING LIKE THIS WITH, PLEASE CONTACT ONE OF THE BOARD MEMBERS AND WE WOULD BE GLAD TO HELP AND ASSIST IN SETIING THIS UP. IF THERE WOULD BE SOMEONE IN

THE GAS AND OIL INDUSTRY THAT WOULD WANT TO PURSUE THIS, IT IS A FUN TIME.

BANQUET: THE BOARD HAS GIVEN THE OKAY FOR SETIING UP A GILLETIE GUN CLUB BENEFIT BANQUET AND WE ARE NOW IN THE PROCESS OF ORGANIZING A COMMITIEE. WE CURRENTLY HAVE FIVE FOLKS THAT HAVE VOLUNTEERED. IT WOULD BE NICE TO HAVE TEN TO FIFTEEN ON A COMMITIEE IF AT ALL POSSIBLE. THE BANQUET WOULD BE FASHIONED MUCH LIKE AN ELK BANQUET OR DU BANQUET. IT WOULD BE FOR THE SOLE PURPOSE OF KEEPTI'J<:JCOSTS UNOR CONTROL SO THAT MEMBERSHIPS FEES MIGHT REMAIN AT ITS CURRENT LEVEL. WE HAVE TALKED ABOUT A NEW CLUBHOUSE AND MORE UPGRADES ATTHE RIFLE/PISTOL RANGE AS WELL

AS THE POSSIBILITY OF AN INDOOR PISTOL RANGE. THERE WOULD BE QUITE AN EXPENSE TO AN INDOOR RANGE BUT WITH MONIES GENERATED BY A BANQUET, IT WOULD BE A POSSIBILITY. WE HAVE OVER 1000 MEMEBERS BY YEARS END SO TO HAVE A BANQUET OF 500 IN ATIENDANCE IS A REALITY. PLEASE CONSIDER BEING ON THE COMMITIEE AND GIVE HARV A CALL AT 660-3579 SHOULD YOU BE INTERESTED. CAMPLEX HAS A DATE OPEN ON

NOVEMBER 6 OF 2010 AND WE HAVE BEEN PENCILED IN FOR THAT. WE HAVE PLENTY OF TIME TO GET ORGANIZED SO THAT WE SHOULD BE ABLE TO HAVE A SUCCESSFUL EVENT.

DONKEY CREEK SHOOTIST'S: DON'T FORGET THAT IF YOU HAVE AN INTEREST IN THE COWBOY ACTION SHOOTING SPORT, YOU CAN FIND OUT MORE ABOUT IT AT GUN TRADERS BY VISITING WITH DAVE OR TALK TO PETE AT ROCKY MOUNTAIN DISCOUNT SPORTS. YOU MAY HAVE SEEN THE NICE WRITE-UP IN THE NEWS RECORD LAST MONTH ABOUT THE SHOOTISTS

SAFETY AT THE 100 YARD RANGE: WHENEVER YOU ARE USING THE 100 YARD RANGE, A SAFETY DEVICE HAS BEEN INSTALLED FOR YOUR PROTECTION. A RED FLAG AND HOLDER HAVE BEEN PLACED INSIDE THE BAFFEL SYSTEM SO THAT WHENEVER YOU ARE DOWNRANGE, YOU ARE ASKED TO PLACE THE FLAG IN THE HOLDER. THIS HAS BEEN PUT THERE FOR YOUR SAFETY SO PLEASE, WHENEVER DOWNRANGE TO CHANGE TARGETS, CHECK TARGETS OR COLLECT GARBAGE, USE THIS FLAG SYSTEM.

MEMBERSHIP: WHEN YOU PURCHASED YOUR NEW MEMBERSHIP, YOU SHOULD HAVE RECEIVED A NOTE TELLING YOU WHO EXACTLY IS COVERED TO USE THE RANGE UNDER YOUR MEMBERSHIP. PLEASE READ IT AND ABIDE BY IT.

WYOMING LICENSED OUTFITIERS MEMBERSHIP: ATOUR LAST MEETING, ONE OF THE AREA OUTFITIERS APPROACHED THE BOARD ABOUT THE POSSIBIBLITY OF PURCHASING A SPECIAL MEMBERSHIP SO THAT WHEN HE HAS CLIENTS IN GILLETIE, HE MIGHT BE ABLE TO USE THE RANGE. THE BOARD AGREED TO TRY THIS FOR ONE YEAR TO SEE IF IT IS SOMETHING WE WOULD WANT TO CONTINUE. THE COST TO THE OUTFITIER IS $200 AND HE OR ONE OF HIS GUIDES WOULD HAVE TO ACCOMPANY THE HUNTERS WHEN THEY ARE AT THE RANGE. THE MEMBERSHIP DOES NOT INCLUDE THE GUIDES BUT EITHER THEY OR THE OUTFITIER MUST BE WITH THE HUNTERS AND THEY MUST HAVE PROOF OF BEING WITH THE OUTFITIER THAT HOLDS THE MEMBERSHIP. IF YOU ARE A LICENSED OUTFITIER IN THE STATE OF WYOMING, YOU MAY WANT TO LOOK INTO THIS IF IT IS SOMETHING THAT WOULD BE OF BENEFIT TO YOU. IT WILL BE RE-EVALUATED AFTER THE CURRENT YEAR AND A DECISION WILL BE MADE AT A MEETING OF A LATER DATE, MORE THAN LIKELY A MEETING CLOSER TO THE NEW MEMBERSHIP YEAR

FOR SALE: LEUPOLD VAR: II 3X9 SILVER MATIE W/RINGS FOR WINCHESTER - REDEFIELD WIDEFIELD 6X 6603579

PARTING SHOTS: JUST A REMINDER TO KEEP THE RANGE CLEAN AND POLICED. TAKE DOWN YOUR OLD TARGETS WHEN YOU ARE FINISHED SHOOTING AND PICK UP THE BRASS. IF YOU HAVE ANY PROBLEMS OR COMPLIMENTS LET US KNOW. WE NEED YOUR INPUT. REMEMBER THE MONTHLY MEETINGS AT THE CLUB. THEY ARE ALWAYS THE SECOND TUESDAY OF THE MONTH AND THE TIME IS 7:30 P.M. ALSO, DON'T FORGET ABOUT THE PISTOL CLASS THAT MARTY OFFERS. IT WOULD ENABLE YOU TO POSSIBLY GET YOUR CONCEALED CARRY PERMIT.

WE HAVE TWO NEW BOARD MEMBERS ON THE LIST BELOW AND WE WOULD LIKE TO WELCOME THEM. THEY ARE STEVE BANNISTER AND DAVE MOSER. THANKS FOR COMMITIING TO HELP WITH GILLETIE GUN CLUB.

Welcome to all of you gun club members, new and old alike. We hope that you all have a great shooting year but most importantly. That we all have a safe year regardless of whether you are recreational shooters or a hunter in the field. It is the goal of the club to promote the shooting sports but with the main emphasis on safety on the range and in the field.

A list of board members and their phone numbers will appear at the end of this letter and you are asked to save it in the event you should ever have a need to call someone with a question that you may have. If the board members would ever change, we would update that on the next newsletter.

For any of you who do not know the folks that live at the club and sell memberships and manage the range, they are Dave and Vonnie Gross. Should you have any questions they would be your first contact, if they do not have your answer, you or they should then call a board member.

This past year, a company out of Rapid City S.D., mined our lead shot from our trap fields, With lead costs soaring, this turned out to be lucrative undertaking and the club’s share of the project was over $35,OOO.OO dollars. This was the result of twenty five years of shot-shell shooting.

The club will be hosting five ATA registered shoots this year and the dates for those are: April 25, May 16, June 6 & 7, August 2 and September 6. A. complete shoot schedule for the state of Wyoming will soon be available on a shoot card and those can he obtained at the club. Stan Looney, 682-1526, is the Gillette Gun Club’s WSTA delegate and you could contact him about the shoot schedule.

If you or someone you know, would be interested in taking a class in regards to firearm safety, Marty Brown conduct’s these classes at the clubhouse. These classes meet the Wyoming requirements so that a person could apply for a concealed carry permit. For Class availability and cost, you can reach Marty at 682-4668.

We have no information about Hunter Safety classes at this time. The club would be available for use if someone out there would be interested in teaching those classes.

If you have a business or are a member of an organization that would like to rent the club for an event, the cost is very reasonable and most weekends are free as are most week days. Contact one of the board members for more information. We do not, as of yet, have a contact for you.

The membership year runs from September 1 to September 1 and the cost for this year is $33.0O. If you are a single person, you would be the only one to be covered on your membership. If you are single and have dependent that do or do not live with you, they would also be covered. A dependent would be someone 18 years and younger that you claim as a dependent. If you are married, your spouse and all dependents that live or do not live with you would be covered. Just a reminder, anyone under the age of 18 is required to have an adult club member with them that Is 21 years of age or older. They must also have their membership card with them.

A key to the gate is not considered proof of membership. We are all asked to have our membership card on us. No exceptions. Please be respectful of Dave when he asks to see your identification, he is only doing what is being asked of him.

If you re in a handicap situation, you may have a non-member assists you. Please stop in to let Dave and Vonnie know when you arrive if they are there. Blue and Red mirror tags and state issued plate are recognized as handicapped.

Ron Filbert will once again be placing a shot-shell component order soon, so if you would like to order any shot-shell components only, give Ron a call or drop him an e-mail for pricing and information. Ron’s number and email address is 682-2928 and email is crfilbert@bresnan.net

This is your gun club and its existence depends solely on you to maintain a clean and safe environment. The convenience of our location is a premium and the cost is bargain basement. Please be considerate one to another and clean up after you are done, (targets, shell casings ect.) If you are practicing at the trap range, do so out in front of the trap houses. That way you do not make a mess on the concrete walkways. If you do have any concerns, the board meets on the second Tuesday of each month starting in March at 7:00 P.M. at the clubhouse. We welcome your attendance and any input you may have.

On July 20 the National High School Finals Rodeo and the Nation Rifle Association held a Smallbore match at the Gillette Gun Club.

There were 90 contestants from 32 states, 4 Canadian Providences and 1 team from as far away as Australia! These teams were competing for $5000 in scholarships.

Each team consisted of 2 people and they were required to shoot off handed at 50 yards on to an NRA A-31X regulation target. All shots had to be fired in a 30 minute time frame. There was 20 rounds allowed for "sight in" (top target) and then there were 5 "scoring shots" to be fired at the four separate lower targets with a possible score of 200 points per team member.

Each shooter was equipped with a "Lever Action" Henry rifle, 22LR, Model H001, Sponsored by the Henry Repeating Arms Company. Other sponsors included Kennecott Energy's, Cordero-Rojo mine whom supplied the shooters with personal protection equipment and the Gillette Gun Club, which supplied the Ammunition for the shoot.

The shooters had to overcome an unfamiliar firearm, (no personal firearms were allowed) shooting from a standing position, open sights, (no optics allowed) and the Wilds of Wyoming. We had the heat, then the wind and the rains came, all in a couple of hours. Some of the contestant were under the stress of other ongoing events that placed a tight time frame on them.

When the all smoke cleared and the dust settled, the scores were tabulated with the winners being announced that evening at Morning Side Park.

Alberta's team, Kacey Griffith and J.D. Hays took home the top spot honors with a score of 210 points.

North Carolina's Dustin Coltrane and Hutch Eckerson took second place with a score of 201 points.

A big special thanks goes out to all the volunteers who helped out to make this event a success for all the shooters involved. Laurel Vicklund (NRA Senior Training counselor), Jason Sherwood, Neil Allen, Mike Baumert, Mark Reeves, Jim Kimbrough (Casper NRA instructor), Clem MacIlravie (NRA Master Training Counselor), Dave Gross, Steve Gross, and Ron Filbert. If I missed someone please forgive me and let me know so I can get them added to the list. We are very grateful that these folks took time out to help others.

A very big thank you to Mitch Miller (NHSFA), Matt Szarmiski (NRA) and John Venskoske (NRA) for setting this match up.

Plans are in the works for another competition for next years National High Schools Finals Rodeo.

The Gillette Gun Club was presented with two Plaques this year. One from the National High School Finals Rodeo Association. The second, from the National Rifle Association. Both were in appreciation for our support in the NRA/NHSFR Light Rifle Shooting Championship, held for the years of 2004 and 2005.

Winner: Idaho Team - Score 194
Wyatt Williamson (Eagle, ID)
Katlen Schimmelpfenning (Eagle, ID)
Each receives $1,000

Second: South Dakota Team - Score 189
Wanda Maude ( Hermosa , SD )
Les Tiltrum ( Hermosa , SD )
Each receives $750

Third: Wyoming Team - Score 184
Blake Henry ( Douglas , WY )
Tel Stephans (Glen Rock, WY)
Each receives $500

Fourth: Florida Team #2 - Score 177
Michael Grimaldi ( Groveland , FL )
KW Lindsey ( Bell , FL )
Each receives $250

Fifth: Minnesota Team #2
Weddle Cameron ( Milaca , MN )
Ling Coleman ( Windem , MN )
Each receives $250

The Gun Club is in need of Volunteer Help to get the range ready for hunting session sight in session. We are seeing a large increase of range usage and anticipate a record amount of shooters this season.

The Gun Club needs your help to make sure that the facilities are ready. Stop by and visit with Dave (at the resident at the range) and set up a date and time in which you can help out. The Gun Club will supply the materials; you may have to bring a few hand tools.

A Welder with machine is needed to make repairs to the 50 yard range on the upright pipes.

I know it’s an awful lot to ask someone to give up some of their time, but with out Volunteer help, we wouldn’t have a Great Nation to live