Milford Township
Fish, Game, and Forestry Association


The Straight Shooter

News

Presidents Column -- August-September

2011  

George D. Honeywell

The President’s Column

It is time to take to the woods and fields in search of game, large and small which runs or flies to avoid becoming dinner.

Which brings up a small issue that bugs the heck out of me. I ordered my license online and when it arrived in the mail the return address was Nashville, Tennessee. It is hard to believe the Game Commission could not find a vendor in Pennsylvania to do the same work. One thing that was different and makes sense is I only receive 1 regulations booklet, the past few years I would receive 2, one for the general hunting license and another for the trapping license. I guess we saved some dollars there. I for one am going to let the Game Commission know what I think of the outsourcing.

Have a safe and productive hunting season.

George D. Honeywell

For the Good of the Association

We need people to take over the following committees: Shoot (responsible for planning and running the Spring and Fall shoots), Game (report on the items of interest regarding game and non game animals we may encounter), Forestry (responsible for making sure the timber is cared for in the best management practices).

Paul Clymer house bill update:  Sunday hunting issue, Fish Commission leasing gas rights – community meeting scheduled for September, $23.6 billion balanced budget passed – no tax increases, privatization of state stores, school choice (voucher system) for failing schools, charter schools (another urban alternative).

Guests may come to the Club but must be accompanied by a Member. There are forms in the clubhouse door which need to be filled out and deposited with the $10.00 fee in the slot box in the door. Both the member and guest must sign in at the range boxes. No guests are allowed in November and December.

George D. Honeywell

Building Committee

Things have slowed down on the construction due to personal work that needed to be done. We will start back at it the weekend of September 10th. We are ready to paint and install ceiling grid. The kitchen cabinets are ready for pickup which we hope to do soon and start installation. I am having the interior doors delivered in the next (2) weeks.

As noted in the schedule of events we are having the Grand Opening for the new Clubhouse on Sunday November 13th coinciding with the fall shoot. We hope to see all members come out ant take a tour of the facility and maybe take a few shot at the shoot.

The doors will open at 10 a.m., the shoot will start at noon.

Please call for the work schedule if you can help out for a day.

George D. Honeywell

Pamphlet

Any Member that would like to add something to the newsletter can do so by sending me an email @ bonefish@ptd.net or send it to the Club.

The bi-monthly newsletter can be viewed on the Club website www.milfordstraightshooter.com

If you know of anyone that would like to advertise in the newsletter let us know and we will contact them.

George D. Honeywell

Membership

No report

Libby and Matt Bauman

Fishing

305 tickets were sold for the rodeo lottery which brought in $1,525. Expenses were $875 for 270 fish, $135 for prizes, toilet $35, lottery prizes $675; total expenses = $1,780 for a net cost to the Club of $255.00.

Bob Meas

Game

Hunting season is upon us with Archery starting with an antlerless only season in several units starting Sept. 17th. Read the regulations thoroughly there are some changes and many WMU specific seasons.

Club Game Spotlight: Squirrels

Squirrels belong to a large family of small or medium-sized rodents called the
Sciuridae which also includes marmots, woodchucks, prairie dogs and many others . We have both red and gray squirrels on the Club property. They feed on acorns, pine cones, mushrooms and various other protein based food sources. They will raid the corn fields often times travelling quite a distance from the home tree.

They breed 1 to 2 times a year with multiple offspring which are weaned in 8 to 10 weeks.

Squirrels make a tasty addition to pot pie or barbequed. One of my favorites is baked in mushroom soup.

George D. Honeywell

Forestry

There is more timber down and available for firewood, please contact the Club or President George Honeywell and we will get you in touch with the Forestry Chairman.

Club Timber Spotlight: Oaks

We have both Red (Quercus rubra) and White (Quercus alba) oaks on the property. The acorns from these trees provide food for many animals, squirrels, deer (white oak preferred), turkeys, rodents and more. The Red oak acorn is generally round in shape, the White oak acorn is oblong. The wood is generally straight grained and hard and makes beautiful furniture and is a good wood for burning.

Archery

Hurricane Irene caused us to cancel the August 3D shoot. The next shoot is September 25th.

George D. Honeywell

Shoots

The fall turkey shoot is set for Sunday November 13th with a noon start time. We will have dead and flying board shoots, baked goods raffles, splatter board and the kids .22 shoot.

George D. Honeywell

Ranges

The ranges are in good shape.

Phil Fachet

PA Federation of Sportsman’s Clubs

The Federation will be holding anther raffle this year please contact Dennis Young for tickets.

There will be no meeting in July and August.

Dennis Young

Public Relations

No Report.

Richard Ruth

Work Parties

No report.

Gary Erbe 

Activities

None

John Burke

50/50 and Membership Drawings

There was (1) cash prize in the 50/50 and the member whose number was drawn was not present, the September drawings will be worth $45.00.

 

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