Grand Rapids Gun Club Newsletter December 2009

Itasca Gun Club Membership Renewals Due Now
Enclosed with this newsletter is your 2010 dues statement. If you haven’t paid already, payment for 2010 memberships should be paid by January 31, 2010.
During mid winter we always get a few questions from life members and those who have already paid their dues about when membership cards will arrive. Typically, it takes a couple of months to get all of the paperwork in and accounted for. During this time, your 2009-membership cards and the gate combination will remain in force.
We never change the gate combination until the new cards are mailed to everyone. Combinations are typically changed on or about March 1st annually. For more answers to frequently asked questions use our website www.itascgunclub.org and click on the FAQ section.

IGC 2010 Annual Meeting and Election of Officers
The date for the Itasca Gun Club Annual Meeting is set for Friday January 15, 2010 and will be held at the Eagles Club in Grand Rapids, Minnesota. The meeting begins with a social hour starting at 5:30 PM, Dinner at 6:30 PM followed immediately by a presentation by special guest speaker.
The business meeting will be brief with agenda items limited to league awards, discussion of changes or additions to club by-laws, opening the floor to new business and the election of officers.
Your leadership is needed! Here’s your chance to influence the future of the Itasca Gun Club. All club members in good standing are eligible to run for office. Declare yourself as a candidate or nominate someone you think would do a great job. This is your chance to lead the way to better shooting in the Itasca Area. Nominations are accepted in advance or at the annual meeting.
The cost is low, $15.00 per person covers the meal, meeting and gratuity. To make your reservations, please contact Joanne Baker at membership@itascagunclub.org, mail your reservation form or drop it off at one of the handy drop locations listed on the back page of this newsletter. Reservations are due in before January 12, 2010. Please come, it’s a great time and we want to see you!
2009 Hunter Sight-in Days Report
Thanks to EVERYONE that helped make Sight-in Days 2009 a great success! Once again the IGC members came through with flying colors. Volunteers at the range are getting more efficient all the time and it was rare to see any waiting lines during the sight in event.
In spite of the rainy, windy weather, we still had an excellent turnout this year. With a total of 1374 guns sighted in, we exceeded the 2008 sight in event by about 75 guns.
We hope that the 2009 Deer Hunting Season was a happy time for you and your families. Whether or not you bagged a deer, it’s great to live in a country where we can get outside and go hunting!
Now, let’s get ready for next year. Sight in dates for the 2010 deer season will be October 23rd, 2010 through November 5th, 2010. Mark your calendar now and let us know when you can help.

2009 Raffle Drawing Winners
Raffle ticket sales were also brisk again this year and the fundraiser generated a little over $6000.00. Thank you everyone for participating! Congratulations to the winners of the 2009 sight in days raffle prizes. The Ruger 10/22 rifle went to Ann Braiedy of Grand Rapids, MN. Joe Oliver of Grand Rapids, MN won the laser range finder and Max Benolken of Grand Rapids won the first prize, a new Savage Model 111 30-06 Deer Rifle. Thanks to L&M Supply, Glen’s Army Navy Surplus and AA Guns for your help with the raffle prizes.

Itasca Gun Club Pistol News
The Itasca Gun Club Bullseye Pistol League for 2009-10 will be conducting a 16-match season beginning on December 3, 2009. The matches will be held on Thursdays (except Dec. 24 and Dec. 31) and the final match will be shot on April 1, 2010. The league will shoot 600 point matches and use .22 caliber guns.
Starting times this season will be 4:30pm, 5:30pm or 6:30pm. Shooters can choose the time they prefer. A signup sheet will be available so that shooters will know in advance when they will be firing. Participants can sign up by the week or for the entire season.
Competition this season will be based on NRA classification, the classes being Marksman, Sharpshooter, Expert, Master and high master. Trophies will be awarded to the champion of each class. In addition, a trophy will be awarded to the overall league Grand Champion.
There will be practice time available on Monday evenings from 5pm to 7pm. The indoor range will be closed except for league members on Nov. 23 and Nov. 30. There will be a practice match held on Nov. 30 to help introduce new shooters to the Bullseye program. The indoor range will be available for open shooting and practice starting on Dec.7, 2009.
The costs for the Monday practices will be $1 for club members and $3 for non-members. A season pass will be available for club members only for $10. The season pass for Mondays will also be honored for the Tuesday "Pistols and Coffee" program. The costs for the league will be $3 for club members and $5 for non-members. A season pass will be available for club members only and will cost $25.
If anyone has a question or needs further information, please call Mike Hughes, Pistol Chairman, at 218-327-3231 or email

Arrowhead Rifle League Schedules
2009-2010 ARL match dates set beginning 12-5-09. This is a one-year trial, as per our 2008 Spring Shoot where we will shoot a three way match (each team scores against two teams). Team score, will be top four persons score.
The season opens on December 5th at 9:00 AM with a match hosted by the Virginia Team at the Virginia, MN Range.
Standing Match December 9, 2009 Hosted by Hibbing at the Hibbing Range.
Standing Match December 16, 2009 Hosted by Itasca at the Itasca Gun Club Range.
Standing Match December 9, 2009 Hosted by Hibbing at the Hibbing Range.
The full season schedule has been posted on the website; www.itascagunclub.org or get more information by contacting Phyllis and Stu Anderson 218-246-2396 or email

How Was Your Hunting Season?
During sight in days, we see a lot of folks getting ready to head into the woods, but we don’t hear from most of you again until the next season.
Itasca Gun Club member Lloyd Smrkovski sent some photos and a report about his recent African Safari. Lloyd’s adventures are above and beyond the usual chat at the range, so I asked and he has agreed to go into some detail about his adventures in both Africa and the Arctic Circle. I’ll be setting up a special section on the website for Lloyd’s articles and photographs.
If you have a great story from the hunting season or took a picture of your trophy buck, we can post them on the website too. Submit your comments or pictures newsletter submission.

IGC Membership Reaches Record high in 2009
In 2009 the membership of the Itasca Gun Club reached another all time high.
In today’s uncertain times, it’s easy to speculate about reasons why more folks keep choosing to join. America’s current political climate is certainly fueling a portion of the increase in membership. But it’s not the whole story and I see it from a different point view.
As a member for thirteen years and president of the IGC for the past seven years, I’ve seen time and time again how dedicated our volunteers are. With nothing to gain and no one forcing them, our volunteers have built and maintained a shooting facility that rivals shooting ranges operating all over the country and it’s all been accomplished while raising membership dues only a single time in over thirteen years. Let’s have a look at what 30 bucks get you.
What you see at first glance, the outdoor rifle range, outdoor pistol range, classroom and indoor range are the obvious signs of the work that’s been done. Dirt has been moved cement poured and nails pounded.
But let’s remember all the folks who work behind the scenes and do what really amounts to the lion’s share of the work at IGC. Our treasurer keeps the bills paid, membership records are kept flawlessly and meeting minutes never skip a beat. The heat is always on, the floor is always clean and the lights always work. All other form of administrative duty is performed like clockwork. We even have the world’s greatest grass cutter!
Instructors, match directors, range officers and line volunteers see to it that classes are taught, matches are held and thousands of deer rifles are sighted in every season.
Great people whose only reward is in knowing that they contribute to keeping our shooting sports alive perform all of this fine work. With all of this help to make our shooting experiences safe and enjoyable at an unbelievably low cost, is it any wonder why our membership would continue to grow?
To each and every member who has lifted our spirits by pitching in, we are truly blessed to have you in our ranks. Thank You! Jeff Sundin – President, IGC

MSSEC Announces Plan To Re-Open
The MSSEC, Inc. is under a new board of Directors. I am the Chairman of the Board. Ed Schultz is the Vice Chairman. Matt Emmons Treasurer. Other members are Shelly Patten of the DNR, Mike Loeschieder, of Eagle-Eye Junior Rifle Team, Bill Maves, 4-H air rifle trainer, Dan Peliska Virginia Rifle Club, Coach. Mike Porter, Bemidji youth rifle and pistol trainer. Barry Burton of Second Amendment Arms. Marge Kelley, and Sven Lindquist. The Main Goal of the new board is to re-open the doors of the Shooting Center.
We do not intend to compete with any other clubs or organizations. We hope to form partnerships with all other clubs and work to a common goal. Education and Training. If we achieve the goal of opening the Shooting Center, we plan to not make the mistakes that were made in the past. We are forming committees to develop programs in all interests that will make the center self supporting and be available to all. This is a slow process and will not happen overnight. But we are in it for the long haul and have dedicated members and will be looking for volunteers for our committees in the upcoming days. Wayne Christensen