THE PRESIDENT’S SHELLBOX:

Hello Youngwood Sportsmen’s Association members. I hope the holidays were enjoyable for all of you and this New Year is better than last year’s. This newsletter and all future newsletters should be on our web site. Also, please pay attention to the bulletin board at the gate and on the porch of the clubhouse for notices.

It may be difficult for all of us with the economy in a state of flux and a new president and cabinet. We can almost be assured that our Second Amendment rights will be challenged. If you aren’t a member of the NRA please renew your membership or join as a new member. One of the first issues that we may see with the new governing body is an attempt to place a serial number on every bullet. I suspect, if such a bill is passed, many ammunition companies will no longer manufacture ammunition. Within a few days of Barack Obama’s election the largest civilian army was created as tens and hundreds of thousands of AR and AK type firearms were purchased, along with the ammunition appropriate for these firearms. You may want to stock up on rifle and pistol ammunition when we hear that a bill is being introduced to serialize bullets.

The officers and trustees you entrusted to run your club in 2008 were not apposed for 2009. They will continue to run your club and inform you of pertinent information via the monthly meetings, newsletter, and the bulletin boards.

This spring and summer you should see some major improvements to the club grounds. The Board of Directors has been working on a collateral initiative with CH&D that will benefit them and the club as well. YHEC begins their weekly training sessions in February. Read more in the YHEC session of this newsletter; and please remember these youth practice every Sunday on the small bore, and muzzle-loader ranges, and their sporting clay tower. Please be considerate and accommodate them, as this is the only day they can practice. If you can forego using the ranges from 1:00PM to 4:00PM on Sundays it would be greatly appreciated. Thanks to Bill Petraxis for the beautiful benches on the small bore range. Remember, no automatic weapons or firing on the ranges. Semi-auto weapons and firing are permitted, but please be considerate of other shooters.

There were some nice bucks taken on the club grounds in the archery & rifle seasons. Many Pheasants were harvested during the Pheasant season and we hope our fields provided good cover and food through the winter and will provide nesting sites this spring. We will be releasing some hens with the hope of propagation, with left-over roosters, in early summer. Thanks to Jim Young for delivering the four shipments of Pheasants saving the club $100.00 which, went to purchase more Pheasants. The lake will be stocked again this spring. I will be taking care of the lake activities until a lake chairman is found. Anyone interested please contact me. More on the stocking dates later in this newsletter.

Please remember to close and lock the gate when you are entering and leaving the club grounds. It has been left opened more times than I can count and this may invite non-members to use your club. We have repeatedly requested that club members' park in the club parking lot when using the club grounds so we can prosecute trespassers parking along the road and using our grounds. It seems that our requests have been abided by as the incidents of parking along the road have diminished somewhat. We aren’t at 100% yet, but close. Thank you. We still have many incidents of quads and four wheel drives driving on the club property. If you can get a name or description of the perpetrators please call the state police or me so we can prosecute the violators.

We needed to get this newsletter out to you earlier than usual so you won’t see the financial statement that I normally enclose with the spring newsletter. The budgets will be presented at the February board meeting and will be presented at the February or March membership meeting for your approval. I will mention that your club is financially sound but it is getting more difficult each year to end up in the black. The board will be investigating ways to overcome this dilemma. Any suggestions please contact me. The yearly audit was done on January 11, 2009 and reported by Ed Sadler, chairman of the auditing committee that everything is in excellent order. Thanks to your treasurer, Bobbie Davis, for a job well done.

Stocking dates, work parties, range closings, HTE classes and other events that didn’t get included in this newsletter will be mentioned at the membership meetings and will be posted on these bulletin boards.  When you see someone using the club facilities don’t hesitate in asking them to show you their membership card. The number on their membership card must match their gate key. If someone can’t produce a membership card or/and these numbers don’t match contact an officer or trustee and report them. Gather as much pertinent information as you can i.e. name, license plate number, etc. The club boundary needs re-posted. Anyone interested in helping please contact me or Clyde Trout.

Remember your club needs you. Join a committee, volunteer to help stock Trout and Pheasants, participate in property postings and work parties, donate your time or make a financial contribution and remember join the NRA.

FIELD CAPTAIN’S CORNER:

We need some brush and trees cut and some range work done. As we schedule this work and work parties notices will be placed on the bulletin boards. The tractor battery was recently replaced which will make the starting much easier. I was informed that quads are running on the twenty acres that border route 119. I will be posting this property with no trespassing signs on the trails they are using. All club members are reminded to report any violations to an Officer, try to get the license #, color, make and day and time.

LAKE NEWS:

Terry Riddle will be ordering the fish for the lake so if the stocking dates change a notice will be placed on the bulletin boards. The Trout stocking dates will be April 17^th @ 5:00PM, May 1^st @ 5:00PM, May 8^th @ 5:00PM, and a fall stocking late in October or early November when the water cools down. Remember there will be no fishing after the fish are stocked on May 8^th until after the fishing derby has concluded on May 9^th. The Youth Fishing Derby will be on May 9^th; for further details and to register see the bulletin boards or contact Roger @ 724-832-1582. If there are any changes to these dates or/and time it will be mentioned at the membership meetings and posted on the bulletin boards. Anyone wishing to chair the Lake Committee or help with the youth fishing derby please contact Roger @ 724-832-1582.

Greeting and salutations to everyone. The members of the Trap Committee hope everyone’s New Year is off to a great start.

We’ve just competed another successful year of shooting and competition. We’re very proud of the fact that our Twi-Night Trap Team was able to once again finish in first place in the 24 week Twi-Night League (two years in a row) and we are gearing up now for the start of the competition in March.

There’s always room for more shooters. We shoot the League at 4 different clubs (Ruffs Dale, Connellsville, East Huntingdon and Youngwood) on a rotating basis on Thursday evening starting in late March. Hecla has expressed an interest in re-joining the Twi-Night league. If this occurs then the rotation will be with 5 clubs. Contact any of the trap committee for more info.

We were able to complete and utilize our new trap field last summer with the guidance, support and assistance of the club and its members.

We faced a number of challenges in the past year. Price increases for shooting components, fuel costs and an increase in target prices to name a few but we were still able to be profitable and successful without increasing our price per round. Most other clubs have increased their prices over the past couple of years.

For the New Year we have planned and scheduled 6 registered ATA shoots. February 21, March 21, April 18, May 23, Jun 13, and July 18.  ATA members can register singles, handicap and doubles targets. The cost to shoot will be $16.00 for 100 targets. Registration will be 10:00am and end at 2:00pm. Call Jim, Roger or Fred for more details.

Thanks to everyone for your continued support. We shoot practice on Sundays at 10:00am and Tuesdays at 6:00pm and everyone is welcome. Price is still $2.50 per round.

For more information call Jim at 724 527 5945, Roger at 724 832 1582 or Fred at 724 837 5516.

Jim Lambert

Congratulations to all 2008 YHEC participants on your accomplishments and welcome back! To those just joining the program welcome!

On behalf of the YHEC participants, their parents and coaches we would like to thank the club for their continued support. For those not familiar with YHEC (Youth Hunter Education Challenge) it is a NRA program intended to promote firearm safety and to introduce young people to the shooting sports. Starting March 1^st and continuing for thirteen weeks the participants will practice 3-D archery, Sporting Clays, 22-long rifle, muzzle loader and hunter responsibility on the club grounds. Then in June the participants will compete at Scotia Range in State College PA with other YHEC participants from across Pennsylvania.

We currently have 21 returning participants and 5 new ones, with room for a few more. Should you wish to participate you must be at least 11 years old, be a club member and have passed your hunter safety exam by the state competition.

For information, please contact Tom Polansky (724-864-3285) or Larry Pedder (724-834-5366).

Samantha Pedder will be having another Women On Target event this year. It is tentatively scheduled for May 16^th. All ranges will be closed on May 16^th till 5:00PM.

After March 1, 2009, unpaid memberships will be removed from the club membership roster and renewal costs will be membership fee plus $5 late fee penalty until June 1, 2009. After June 1, you will be required to sign up as a new member at the cost of membership plus the cost of the initiation fee. All renewals who wish to receive a new pin by mail must include an extra $1 with their dues.

Persons who have been regular members in good standing in the association for ten (10) consecutive years up to their 65^th birthday and have attained the age of sixty-five (65) or older shall be eligible for lifetime membership. You must be a paid up member for the year you become 65. An eligible member must submit a letter to the board of directors verifying the he or she has met the requirements for lifetime membership. Remember, LIFE membership is not automatic.  You must apply to the board via previously mentioned letter.

The game dinner will be held Saturday, March 7, 2009 at the Roosevelt Hall I Norvelt. Lots of good food, 50-50’s, raffles, auction, and door prizes that include a 4-gun giveaway are on the dinner ticket. Tickets are $20. Tables can be reserved for parties of eight (8). For information and tickets call Pete Hawley at 724-925-7165, Ken Carlson at 724-925-3610 or Bobbie Davis at 724-832-1582.

If you have an urgent message, contact one of the officers, trustees or committee persons below.

President:            Roger Davis                        724-832-1582

Vice Pres:            Dale Close                        724-838-1510

Secretary:            Mike Spychalski            724-424-5501

Treasurer:            Bobbie Davis                        724-832-1582

Field Capt:          Tom Boord                        724-925-1852

Trustees:             Jim Lambert                        724-527-5945

                            Fred Perillo                        724-837-5516

                            Bob Mull                        724-925-1852

                            Carl Rossman                        724-309-3275

Past Pres:            Clyde Trout                        724-925-8054

Game Dinner            Pete Hawley                        724-925-7165

Hunter Educ:            Roger Davis                        724-832-1582

                                Carl Rossman                        724-309-3275

Newsletter:              Carl Rossman                        724-309-3275

Membership:            Ken Carlson                        724-925-3610

Lake:                        Roger Davis (Interim)            724-433-4175

Pheasant Stk:          Clyde Trout                        724-925-8054

NRA:                        Bobbie Davis                        724-832-1582

Pavilion:            By Committee

Rifle & Small Bore            Bill Petrakis            724-423-7329

Pistol:                              Mike Spychalski            724-424-5501

Trap:                               Jim Lambert                        724-527-5945

Archery:                         Matt Wilson                        724-925-6829

Tractor:                          Tom Boord                        724-925-1852

Shotgun/Muzzleloader   Don Teet            724-527-3309

YHEC:            Larry Pedder                        724-834-5366

These Range and Ground chairpersons are always in need of members to help on their committees. If you are willing to help out, or you need to contact them with an idea or questions, please give them a call! If you wish to take charge of one of the committees, contact Roger Davis.

Special Snow Goose Conservation Hunt:

Location: Statewide
Season dates: March 11 - April 1, 2009
Shooting hours: ½ hour before sunrise to ½ hour after sunset
Bag limits: 15 snow geese per day, no possession limit
Special hunting methods allowed: Electronic calls
Non-toxic shot: Required
Requirements to participate: Current Pennsylvania hunting license, federal duck stamp (for individuals 16 and older), Pennsylvania Migratory Game Bird license, and a free 2009 Snow Goose Permit. In addition hunters must complete a harvest report and submit it by May 1. Go to : www.pgc.state.pa.us.

·      Please wear your pin and carry your membership card while you are at the lake and/or involved in any other club activity and any time you are on the club grounds. You will be checked.

·      When you put your third game fish on your stringer, YOU ARE DONE FISHING.

·      If you release fish, don’t handle them. Cut the line or use pliers.

·      For your safety and the safety of others, there is no parking beside the lake or on the road. Parking is in the club parking lot ONLY.

·      You are only allowed 1 rod at the lake.

• No ice fishing unless the ice is at least 4”  thick for obvious safety reasons.
• Pennsylvania Game Commission regulations and laws apply to all club members when hunting and trapping and shooting on club property.
• Non-members are not permitted on club property except during “open to the public” events.

If you see someone doing something wrong, please say something to them and report them to an officer or trustee. You, as a member, have that right!!!