work party ~ sunday 11 october

     Come on... it'll be fun! Lots of things to get done are finished faster with many hands.
     Check the list on the back of this month's meeting agenda sheet; then come volunteer for a task that suits you best ...or to dig into something that no one wants to do but has to be done anyway.
     In the unlikely possibility you don't know where we are meeting, it's at the Moodus Sportsman's Club grounds. Start after skeet league.
     Football junkies don’t panic – The Giants are playing Oakland at 1 pm - Pats are on at 4 pm so the second half is workable, and the Jets play on Monday [so great to have that big screen handy].
     We can probably even rustle up something tasty to eat!
     So whether you can cut down some overhanging saplings [don't forget your chain saw], plant new trees in the property buffer area, or finally be the one to make a cheat sheet for all the remote control devices, there's still enough time for making the work load seem like a party.
     See you there on Sunday after skeet league.

migratory bird hunting season

Now is the time to go after all those resident Canada geese. Last week the Connecticut DEP released the new regulations:

The September Canada goose season will be held in the North Zone (portion of the state north of Interstate 95) from September 8 - 30, 2009. The season in the South Zone (portion of the state south of Interstate 95) will run from September 15 - 30, 2009. The daily bag limit remains at 15 geese. A new change for 2009 is the allowance of unplugged shotguns during the September goose season only. This should result in greater harvest of resident geese.

For more info check out the Connecticut DEP website: Fall 2009 Migratory Bird Hunt Regulations

upcoming events

 • 18 April/Saturday : Fishing Season begins in Connecticut. You can get your license online at the DEP Fishing license web link. Please note the link will tell you other places where you can buy a license as well. You'll also be able to download a copy of the 2009 Angler's Guide.
NOTICE! DEP staff will be stocking at various Trout Parks on opening day. People are encouraged to join them. A great way to introduce your children to outdoor activities.

 • 18 April/Saturday : MSC April Game Dinner. We'll start serving at 6:00 pm [1800 hours] but you want to get there earlier to get your seat and meet and greet one another. As of 10 a.m. today, a couple of seats have opened up. But you want to be quick about it. Call us at the club [the phone number is on the right] but be quick about it.

 • 22 April/Wednesday : 1st Annual Sportsmen’s Day, Connecticut State Capitol Building, Hartford. 1030 am to 500 pm. Connecticut’s sportsmen spend $339 million a year on their recreation, which helps support 5,500 jobs in the state [Why else would Cabela’s open a retail store in the middle of our state?]. The event will be hosted by the Connecticut Sportsmen’s Caucus. Caucus members include state Senator Eileen Daily and Representative Linda Orange.

 • 26 April/Sunday : Major Work Party. Members especially, but anybody who wants to join us for wood splitting, scrape-and-paint, improving the target range backstop and other work around the club are welcome.

 • 3 May/Sunday : Children's Fishing Derby, at the pond, which has been stocked again. - 4 cooks needed, 4 pond monitors needed - 7:30 am to 12:30 pm

 • 28 June/Sunday : The Shad Bake. Our annual spring festival. Come hungry, you won't leave hungry.

laws and legislation

Don't be the target, be on target!
Your legislators need to hear from you regularly!

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On the downside: the effort to ban leg hold traps is still alive and active. On the up: saving trapping has positive economic benefits to the state

In Haverhill, Massachusetts, a sewage pipe sustained damage as trees fell on a beaver dam, causing it to collapse. [Ron Trainor, KC8CEV, Photo]

Thanks to some deceptive emotionally based lobbying, anti-hunting activists have been pretty successful pushing to ban trapping, including prohibiting Conibear traps, which are not leghold traps. Presented with strong approval before the Connecticut Environmental committee Senate Bill No. 994 "An Act Concerning Leghold Traps." In essence, the bill effectively proposes to ban trapping altogether. If enacted, the ban would take effect on July 1, 2009. Banning trapping would have an almost immediate impact on the environment, especially where beaver populations build dams. A late entry to the discussion deals with adverse economic impact on state revenues and costs associated with varmint control. We cannot afford to have wildlife management tools banned because of ill-informed emotional appeals. It is vital you let legislators know what impact such a ban would have on good land conservation management practices.

If you don't know who your legislators are, click on the Connecticut Sportsmen's Association link learn who to contact and how and let them know NOW! You can also find your legislators, and what committees they serve on at the Connecticut General Assembly web page.

Massachusetts has already had the experience of finding out the immense cost of removing traps as a wildlife management tool. The state is now trying to find other ways to deal with beaver damages. Since the habitat range of the beaver is widespread, the potential for damage is extensive.

Read more about the impact of this proposed legislation, as well as more on the Conibear trap at Jeff Serena's Nature Examiner web page.

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UPDATE : As of Wednesday, 15th April, I'm told that "...The leghold trap bill died for lack of action in the Judiciary Committee on Wednesday afternoon. There may be an effort to revive it as an amendment, but legislators REALLY don't want to vote on it..." Let's remain vigilant, for the session is not over until it's over and you never know who will tack parts of this bill onto something else as a "Rat" amendment. [A legislative "Rat" is a bill or an amendment slipped in quietly to favor a friend or special interest].

THANKS TO: Bob Crook with the Coalition of Connecticut Sportsmen for keeping us all informed about this subject. I also want to thank another, unnamed, lobbyist for additional tracking of Bill 994.

firearms trainings

This coming Saturday, 11th April 2009, Defense Associates staff are holding a pistol course, Concealed Carry Realities at the Blue Trail Range in Wallingford, CT. Here's a description of the class:

As part of the process to obtain a concealed carry permit, most states now require the applicant to complete some form of training, usually a NRA Basic Handgun Course or the equivalent.
     While these courses do teach the fundamentals of handgun operation and their safe handling on a target range, they do not come close to preparing the student for carrying a weapon in public. Inappropriate display (even unintentionally) or use of a weapon can result in consequences ranging from a simple loss of your permit to bankruptcy and/or prison time.
     CCR is an informal, one day seminar which combines material from both the 3 Day Defensive Handgun Course and Massad Ayoob's LFI1 to provide permit holders with an understanding of the skills - physical, tactical and intellectual - needed by those who carry a firearm for self-defense.
     Included are a wide variety of topics including weapon selection and carry techniques, the use of deadly force, shooting techniques, interacting with the police and much, much more. Includes both classroom and live fire range work.

     The cost of the course is $135. Download and print out the registration form, complete it then fax it [1-203-261-8719] to Defense Associates when completed.

Thanks to Emmett for bringing this to our attention. PHOTO CREDIT: Defense Associates website

laws and legislation

Don't be the target, be on target!
Your legislators need to hear from you regularly!

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On the downside: hunting license fees may double; there's an effort to ban leg hold traps. On the up: a renewed effort to add Sunday hunting

Stay informed and do not be shy about contacting your legislator and important committee members. Let them get to know you by your first name. If you have local legislator who doesn't understand out perspective, take they time to educate them, nicely. They don't have to agree with all your points, as long as they realize the importance of protecting hunting rights.

Bookmark the Connecticut Sportsmen's Association web page on legislative updates, then check it frequently during the legislative session.

After that, call, e-mail and/or write your legislator about these bills.

Here are those URL addresses again if you want to write them down:

CONTACT: http://www.ctsportsmen.com/legislation/alert_message.htm
UPDATES: http://www.ctsportsmen.com/legislation/2009%20other_proposed_bills1.htm

upcoming activites at the club

1. Attendance to the April 6th monthly meeting is very important.

2. Town Wide Clean Up - April 4th
     a. Can someone post signs - possibly use the Town's signs - we need a reminder.
     b. Help needed Friday afternoon - we should clean our own facility - has anyone checked metal prices or should we just take the excess to the Transfer Station? We also have to prep food and set up tables for Saturday. We need to set up a white board so individuals can sign in.
     c. Participation by as many as possible would help.
     d. Four cooks needed for Saturday - 9 am to 2 pm

3. Fish Stocking - if anyone wants to help - 4:30 am - this Thursday

4. April Game Dinner - 4/18 confirm your reservations

5. Reminder - Project Grad - prep Friday 4/24, Cook Sat - 4/25 - 5 or 6 cooks needed,

6. Sunday - April 26 - Major work party

7. Children's Fishing Derby - New Date - May 3rd - 4 cooks needed, 4 pond monitors needed - 7:30 am to 12:30 pm