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Itasca Gun Club Grand Rapids Minnesota

Itasca Gun Club Newsletter, December 2006 page 1 Back To Home Page

In This Issue

2007 Annual Meeting Announcement

2006 Hunter Sight In Report

Itasca Gun Club 2006 Raffle Winners

Arrowhead Rifle League Schedules

Indoor Pistol Range Schedules

Muzzleloaders – Bill On Optical Sights

IGC 2007 Annual Meeting and Election of Officers

The date for the Itasca Gun Club Annual Meeting is set for January 12, 2007, 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 a special guest speaker. John Erb, DNR Wildlife Biologist and expert on predators like big cats, wolves, bobcats, lynx and others. This should be a great chance to learn more about the critters that we often talk about, but seldom see.

The business meeting will be mercifully 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! You’ve said it before, "If I was in charge, I’d run things differently around here". Well, 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.

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 8^th, 2007. Please come, it’s a great time and we want to see you!

2006 Hunter Sight-in Days Report

Howdy! Thanks to EVERYONE that helped make Sight-in Days 2006 a great success! We had another heavy turnout this year in spite of the cold weather with 1293 guns sighted in. Not an all time record, but up from last year and enough to keep us plenty busy.

The schedule filled itself quickly and I had only minimal calling to do. I think everyone had a good time. There were some stressful moments but everyone was happy in the end! A special thanks to our mystery target stapler! On most of the days, the targets were already replaced before anyone arrived at the range. Help like that really make everyone's job easier.

Let’s get ready for next year. Sight in dates will be October 20 through November 2, 2007. If you will volunteer to lend a hand, please Email me. Thanks Again! See you around! Conley Janssen USMC 87-93

A special note: to any Marines (once and always), I am organizing a Marine Corps Birthday Ball for the 232nd Birthday in 2007. If you think you would be interested in attending please email Thanks and Semper Fi. Conley Janssen USMC 87-93

2007 Raffle Drawing Winners

Congratulations to the winners of the 2006 sight in days raffle. The 3^rd prize, a Ruger 10/22 rifle went to Connie Nelson of Mizpah, MN. Roger Hirt of Grand Rapids won a Nikon Lazer range finder the 2nd prize.

Rick Guertin had been having a bad day since he discovered that his rifle had disappeared from the range during his volunteer shift at sight in. Happily, he got a phone call from an embarrassed shooter who had inadvertently picked it up with several others that his group had been sighting in.

As luck would have it, Guertin, now relieved to have his rifle returned to him, got another phone call. This time to inform him that he had won the first prize, a new 30-06! Now that’s a happy ending to a long day!

Arrowhead Rifle League Smallbore Match Schedule

The Arrowhead Rifle League season begins it’s 2006/2007 season the first week of December and has several "Fun Matches" scheduled this season. If you’ve ever thought about becoming a better rifle shot, take a test drive at one of these fun matches. The Itasca Gun Club has some rifles and shooting equipment that you can use and the folks on the Smallbore Teams would love to see a few new faces. You can get more information by emailing Stu and Phyllis Anderson.

Starter match and Fun Matches

Starter Match Dec 2nd @ Itasca Rifle Range.

Fun standing match Dec 6th @ Hibbing

Fun standing match Jan 10, 2007 @ Virginia

Fun standing match Feb 8, 2007 @ Dul/Superior

Itasca travels out of town:

IGC @ Hibbing Dec 13, 2006

IGC @ Duluth /Superior Dec 21, 2006

IGC @ Virginia Jan 31, 2007

IGC @ Hibbing Feb 14, 2007

IGC @ Duluth /Superior Feb 22, 2007

Itasca hosts at IGC club range:

IGC Hosts Virginia Jan 3, 2007

IGC Hosts Hibbing Jan 17, 2007

IGC Hosts Duluth/Superior Jan 24, 2007

IGC Hosts Virginia Feb 28, 2007

Itasca Gun Club Newsletter December 2006 Page 2

IGC Winter Bullseye, Open Pistol Indoor Range

Mike Hughes and Joe Oliver will be teaming up to run the indoor Bullseye Pistol League that will run from Thursday December 7th 2006 until Thursday March 29th 2007. In addition to the league schedule, we will have open shooting sessions every Monday night starting Monday November 27th 2006 continuing on about the end of March 2007.

Scheduled events at the Itasca Gun Club are open to the public, but to provide additional incentive for pistol shooters to join the club, we’ve instituted some new pricing for the 2007 season. To expand shooting opportunities, open shooting is also now available on Wednesday mornings as well.

Indoor Range Pricing For 2007 Winter Season

Non-Members

Open Shooting Mondays 5:30 – 8:00 PM $3.00/session

Open Shooting Wednesdays 10 AM – Noon $3.00/session

League Shooting Thursdays 5:30 – 8:00 PM $3.50/Gun

Members

Open Shooting Mondays 5:30 – 8:00 PM $1.00/session

Season Pass $10.00

Open Shooting Wednesdays 10 AM – Noon $1.00/session

Season Pass $10.00

League Shooting Thursdays 5:30 – 8:00 PM $2.50/Gun

1 Gun Season Pass $25.00 (All 16 Events)

2 Gun Season Pass $50.00 (All 16 Events)

Volunteers to help run the Monday night open shooting sessions are always welcome. Email Mike.

Indoor Range Clubhouse Report

By now most folks have had a chance to get a peek at the new clubhouse/classroom at the Itasca Gun Club. In case you haven’t seen it yet, the project is in its final stages. Heating, lighting, painting and rough plumbing is complete and the building is in useable form right now. Projects that remain to be tackled this winter are the finish/trim work, installation of a holding tank a couple more doors and some painting.

There have been lots of folks who stepped up and helped out during the building project and to simply say thank you is an understatement. I am amazed at not only the talent, but also the willingness to pitch in that the members of our great club demonstrate every single season.

As much as it seems like the project is almost finished, let me say that the real project is just beginning. We’ve got a first class range, a great new classroom, plenty of equipment, folks with know-how and lots of soul. Now lets use the place! This is your club and we want to help you get organized in order to advance your favorite shooting sports.

As president of the IGC, my job is "To promote sport shooting in all of its forms". As I see it, the best thing I can do for each and every member is to stay out of the way and give folks room to breathe. If you’ve been thinking about a shooting program you like, want to schedule a class, put on a match or just want to be around the range more, don’t be shy! Pick up the ball and run. We’re here to help you get started and we welcome new ideas. – Jeff Sundin

IGC Work Days Scheduled

At the time of writing this newsletter there are no work dates scheduled. But it’s likely there will be a few during the next several weeks. If you can help out with some inside finish work and painting, email Vince Rittmiller.

Are Muzzleloaders with Optics for You?

As a pistol shooter with aging eyes, I can tell you from personal experience that without optics, NRA Bullseye matches would be declining fast. Let’s face it, most of today’s competitors are outliving the warranty on our eyes. We still love the sport, we want to shoot, but we need optical sights to make competing possible.

Deer hunting with a Muzzleloader falls into the same category for me, I love it, I want to do it, but it’s rare for me to get a shot because I have problems seeing the open sights. Where I hunt, it’s usually really late in the day before the Deer move and I have passed on legal shots because I couldn’t see the sights in low light.

Recently, a bill introduced in Minnesota that would have allowed the use of optical sights on muzzleloaders failed. The introduction of a new bill is under consideration now and this is your chance to contribute to the discussion.

Question) Would you support the use of non-magnifying optical sights such as a red dots or zero-power scopes during the Minnesota Muzzleloader Deer Hunting Season? Email president@itascagunclub.org

Christmas Shopping, Need an Idea?

When you’re shopping for someone who seems to have everything and you’re stumped for an idea, get the gift that really does keep on giving. Buy or renew their IGC Club membership or their NRA Annual dues or both. By the way, when you renew NRA dues through the Itasca Gun Club, we get money and it helps everyone. Help out the club and solve your shopping problem, it’s a no brainer! Contact Membership Secretary Joanne Baker by email membership@itascagunclub.org

IGC Elected Officers

President

Vice President

Treasurer

Recording Secretary

Membership Secretary

Chief Instructor

Chief Range Officer

Youth Programs Officer

Jeff Sundin email

Dr. John Howe email

Bob Ross email

Phyllis Anderson email

Joanne Baker email

Taylor Bunes email

Vince Rittmiller email

Wayne Christensen email

IGC Range Officers Appointed

IDPA Chairman

High Power/Smallbore Rifle

Pistol Chairman/NRA Recruiter

Range Officer

Range Officer

Range Officer-Winter Indoor

Conley Janssen email

Phyllis Anderson email

Mike Hughes email

Dennis Nix

Joe Oliver email

Eugene Varani

Your comments, photos, articles and questions are always welcome. Send letters to the editor: Jeff Sundin, PO Box 627, Deer River, MN 56636 or email president@itascagunclub.org This newsletter along with other articles, archived newsletters and general range information are available online at www.itascagunclub.org

Shooting Range, Minnesota Itasca Gun Club Newsletter December 2006