January 2002 Newsletter

CLUB MEETING

MONDAY January 14, 2002 - 6:15 P.M. to eat and 7:00 P.M. to meet at Sweetwater Café, 5559 Oleander Drive, Wilmington, NC.

Upcoming Events

Saturday January 12 Dog Trials
Sunday January 13   Mid-winter Open, Skeet - 1:00 P.M.
Monday January 14   Club Meeting - 7:00 P.M.
Saturday January 19 Cowboy Action Match - 9:00 A.M.

Upcoming Events in February 2002
Saturday February 9 BSA Troop 220
Sunday February 10 Valentine Open, Skeet - 1:00 P.M.
Monday February 11 Club Meeting - 7:00 P.M.
Saturday February 16 New Member Orientation
Saturday February 23 Cowboy Action Match - 9:00 A.M.
Saturday February 23 BSA (Inclement weather date)


FINAL DUES ALERT:

You received your annual dues notification and work day assessments with the December newsletter.  PLEASE NOTE:  If your payment has not been received by the Club (in the hands of the Club and not in the U.S. mail) by midnight January 31 your membership will be terminated and your name dropped from the rolls.  If you intend to renew your membership in Buccaneer, please have your payment in by the January 31st  deadline. IF YOUR ADDRESS HAS CHANGED - PLEASE PROVIDE THE NEW ADDRESS TO A CLUB OFFICER.

BUCCANEER GUN CLUB WEB SITE: www.buccaneergunclub.org

PROPOSED SLATE OF OFFICERS FOR 2001:

President: Mark Bradler

Vice President: Tom McGonigal

Secretary: Dale Lear

Treasurer: Don Pelling

START OF UNAPPROVED MINUTES  for 12/10/01 Meeting

The meeting was called to order at the Sweetwater Café by President Bradler at 7:00 P.M. 

The minutes of the November 12, 2001 meeting, as appearing in the newsletter, were approved.

COMMITTEE REPORTS:

Skeet They had the last shoot of the year yesterday with 14 shooters.  Good weather and a good shoot.  High Over All for the year was Ray Campbell. 

Next years schedule is on the web site.

Ft. Bragg's skeet fields are mostly built.  The mid-winter meeting will be held there on February 2nd so people can see the fields.  The state shoot will be there in 2002.

Action Pistol Done for this year.

Big Bore Match dates for next year are on the club calendar.  The shoot at Black Creek is scheduled for Memorial Day Weekend due to foliage considerations.  The International Shoot will be held in Ohio at a new range which is under construction and should be completed by the end of July or the first part of August.

Cowboy Tom Mix advised the match dates for next year are on the club calendar. Members are reminded that if you don't have the equipment you should come on out anyway as they will provide the correct equipment.  Fayetteville has started Cowboy shooting and they have a good range.  They shoot every 3rd Saturday and they shoot 6 to 10 stages per match.  They have put a lot of money and effort into this shooting sport which is the fastest growing shooting sport.  Equipment usually shot: 2 pistols, rifle, shotgun and sometimes "pocket pistols."  All shooters get a "moniker" and they dress the part.  A long sleeved shirt is required however your boots do not need to be cowboy boots.  The next match will be on Saturday, January 19 with a 9:00 A.M. starting time.

Training VP McGonigal advised a Basic Pistol Course was held at the Navy built indoor range at Hoggard High School.  Only 4 people showed up and 2 are going to attend the Concealed Carry Course to be held in February.  MGy Sgt Miller has to be present for you to use this range which is run under strict rules.  Discussion.

The 12 JROTC students have, it was their idea, volunteered to come out and work at the club.  MGy Sgt Miller expressed his gratitude for what the club members did for the students.  He continues to try to get this curriculum course started in other schools.

Membership Sholar Powell advised he has 18 applications for membership on hand.  We presently have 226 members in our 245 membership slots.  Annual attrition is usually between 10 and 15 percent so we may have 20 current member drop out. 


OLD BUSINESS:

President The work the Long Range Planning Committee wanted done right away has been accomplished.  Now we need ideas/inputs regarding the use/layout of the new property.  The Executive Committee and Match Directors are on the Committee.  Discussion.

Don Pelling  Some members have had questions regarding the exact distances to the new rifle berms.  Discussion.  The berms are at 100, 200, 300 and 400 yards.  Bill Murrell will work on getting signs put up in the rifle shed reflecting these distances.

Tom Mix We need something, such as a flag, beacon, strobe light or stop sign to let people know someone is downrange.  Discussion.  Tom made a motion, seconded by Bill Murrell, that strobe lights and a sign be put under the rifle shed.  Motion: Passed.

NEW BUSINESS:

Sholar Powell Asked if the steel at the 300 yard berm was going to be put up at the 400 yard berm.  Discussion.

Bill Murrell   The Buccaneer Gun Club web site (www.buccaneergunclub.org) is up and running.  Motion by Bill, seconded by Tom Morrison, that Bill be reimbursed the $150.00 for the web site.  Motion: Passed.  The information on the web site will be put in the newsletter.  Either Bill or Steve Perry can be contacted to put information on the web site. 

Fred Welfare Question regarding our Boy Scouts of America contact.  Discussion.

Secretary Boy Scout Troop 220 has requested the use of the club on February 9 with an inclement weather date of February 22nd.  This has been put on the club calendar.  An E-mail from Mike English regarding this matter was read to the members.  No objection.

President The vote for club officers will be held at the meeting next month.  Proposed slate of officers is the incumbent officers.  Nominations from the floor: None. 

No Constitution or By - Laws changes were recommended this year.

Bill Murrell Club All-Around Shoot.  Discussion. 

ATTENDANCE: 22
ADJOURNMENT:  Meeting was adjourned at 7:55 P.M.

END OF UNAPPROVED MINUTES for 12/10/01 Meeting.

CLUB ALL-AROUND SHOOT:

Tom Mix advised that this shoot consist of the following:

• 25 shots - standing, offhand with any pistol/any sight at a 100 yard small bore target with a 30 minute time limit
• 25 shots - standing, offhand with any rifle/any sight at a 100 yard small bore target with a 30 minute time limit
• 25 shots in a regular round of sheet

Any pistol or rifle shot that cuts the black is awarded 1 point and 1 point is awarded for each skeet bird broken.  A perfect/maximum point score is 75.  There is usually a cook-out after the shoot.

LONG RANGE PLANNING COMMITTEE: (Tom McGonigal)

The long range planning committee is seeking input from archers.  Several bow hunters have asked about setting up a target/hunting course. We need something on paper to plan the space and safety requirements so we can get a cost estimate and working group.  It's your club, here is your chance to get heard.

BUCCANEER GUN CLUB
2002 CALENDAR OF EVENTS

January

12 Dog Trials
13 Mid-winter Open, Skeet
14 Club Meeting
19 Cowboy Action Match
            
February

 9 BSA Troop 220 (M. English)
10 Valentine Open, Skeet
11 Club Meeting
16 New Member Orientation
23 Cowboy Action Match
23 BSA (inclement weather date)     

March

 2 Club Workday
10 Springtime Open, Skeet  
11 Club Meeting
16 Cowboy Action Match           
16 Big Bore Silhouette Match
16-17 March Winds Open, NSSA
                  Skeet, Skeet Fields Reserved
23 .22 Field Pistol

April

8 Club Meeting
13 Big Bore Silhouette Match
14 Tax Break Open Skeet    
20 .22 Field Pistol
27 Cowboy Action Match
28 Action Pistol Match

May

4 Club Workday
11 Big Bore Silhouette Match
13 Club Meeting  
18 Cowboy Action Match
19 Summer Warm Up Open, Skeet
25 .22 Field Pistol
26 Action Pistol Match              

June

8 Big Bore Silhouette Match         
9 School's Out Open, Skeet
10 Club Meeting
15 Cowboy Action Match
22 .22 Field Pistol
23 Action Pistol Match

July  

6 Big Bore Silhouette Match
8 Club Meeting
14 Independence Open, Skeet
20 .22 Field Pistol
27 Cowboy Action Match
28 Action Pistol Match

August

3 Club Workday
10 Cowboy Action Match
11 Summertime Open, Skeet
12 Club Meeting
17 Big Bore Silhouette Match
24 .22 Field Pistol
25 Action Pistol Match

September

 8 Back-to-School Open, Skeet
 9 Club Meeting
22 Action Pistol Match
28 Cowboy Action Match

October

13 Dove Season Open, Skeet
14 Club Meeting
26 Cowboy Action Match
27 Action Pistol Match

November

 2 Club Workday
10 Smoked Turkey Open, Skeet
11 Club Meeting
23 Cowboy Action Match

December

 8 Ho-Ho-H open,  Skeet
 9 Club Meeting

Big Bore, Skeet, Action Pistol and Field Pistol Matches are open to the public.  Call Match Directors listed in the Club Newsletter for information on matches.

Skeet Matches start at 1:00 PM; Cowboy Action Matches start at 9:00 AM; Action Pistol Matches start at 12 Noon (except July and August when start time is 9:00 AM)

Big Bore Matches start at 10:00 AM; .22 Field Pistol Matches start at 10:00 AM

Two (2) workdays are mandatory for all Club Members under 60 years old.

NOTICE TO SKEET SHOOTERS:

Skeet statements are being snail mailed or e-mailed, as the case may be, for the 4th calendar quarter which ended on December 31, 2001. You will receive a statement if you owe on your account or if you have had activity (made a payment or shot rounds) during the quarter.  MEMBERS NAMES WITH PAST DUE ACCOUNTS WILL BE PUBLISHED IN THE NEXT OR FEBRUARY 2002 NEWSLETTER. This action was agreed to at the November meeting as reflected in the minutes.  Our  General Information For Probationary Members states in item 18 under SKEET/TRAP: "Members should maintain a positive balance in their skeet accounts at all times."

BGC Logo Clothing: (Sholar Powell)

Since we will have a new group of members coming into the Club in February, we will be placing an order with Queensboro Shirt Company for Buccaneer Gun Club logo clothing. A copy of the Queensboro catalog, with order forms, are in the Clubhouse. If you would like any item out of this catalog, please fill out an order form, compute the total due with sales tax, and send the check and order form to the Club at the address on the form. The order will be placed on February 15, so please have your request submitted by then.  If you have questions about this, call Sholar Powell at 799-5438.

ATTENTION ALL CLUB MEMBERS/SHOOTERS:

PLEASE - DO NOT PLACE ANY TYPE TARGET ON TOP OF A BERM AND THEN SHOOT AT IT!

PLEASE - IF YOU TAKE TARGETS OUT OF THE SHED YOU SHOULD PUT THEM BACK WHEN YOU ARE FINISHED SHOOTING.

NO LOADED CONCEALED WEAPONS ARE TO BE CARRIED TO THE FIRING LINE AS WE ARE A COLD RANGE CLUB.

PLEASE - DO NOT SHOOT CENTER FIRE RIFLES AT SILHOUETTE TARGETS NOR ANY FIREARM AT THE ACTION PISTOL BARRICADES ON WHICH ARE SIGNS STATING "DO NOT SHOOT BARRICADES." 

TO PREVENT OTHERS FROM SHOOTING CENTER FIRE RIFLES AT THE SILHOUETTE TARGETS WE ARE REQUESTING YOU DROP THE SILHOUETTE TARGETS WHEN YOU ARE DONE SHOOTING.