Spring Has Sprung, The Grass Is Riz…

…I wonder where the birdies is.
 
The birdies is on the wing!
Don’t be absurd!
The wings is on the bird!
 
With that wonderfully silly piece of doggerel, we welcome spring — at last!
 
Kid’s Fishing Derby
We held our annual fishing derby for local kids on Saturday, May 17th. The weather was perfect, in fact you couldn’t have asked for a better day.
 
A constant stream of young Izaac Waltons filled the available fishing spots around the pond, all hoping to land Moby Trout as the pond had been stocked with a large number of average sized fish, plus a few big ones.
 
Trophy fish were landed by Emily Drew and James Ivers.
 
Securing liability waivers and dispensing hooks, bobbers and poles was the responsibility of Rich Greim, our erstwhile Fishing Chairman, while his lovely wife Rox manned the kitchen and made sure the little darlings were well fed by dishing up a constant supply of hot dogs and sodas.
 
A handful of other members were in attendance to help out as needed. Hooks, bobbers and bait were generously donated by Peter Belsan of Belsan Bait and Tackle whose ad appears later.
 
We hosted a second fishing derby on Tuesday, May 20th for a Special Needs class from the local high school. All the kids had a wonderful time and the fish were biting.



A complete set of images from the Kid’s Fishing Derby can be viewed here:
www.scituaterg.com/kfd-08

In Other Club News
We held a Cleanup Day the morning of May 18th. Thirteen members started the morning with a hearty breakfast before heading off to spread loam and reseed the Skeet field, cut and stack additional firewood for the next heating season and give our property and clubhouse a general “fluff and buff.”

When all was said and done, the grounds and clubhouse were in spanking condition.
 
Two large shipping containers, retired from service, are now providing extra weatherproof storage space for target frames, cowboy targets and other items that were overflowing from the small storage shed. The containers are located behind the high-house and small shed.
 
Considerable work has recently been done on both the large and small ranges. The berms, including the side berms, have been covered with a layer of wood chips to prevent weed growth and to aid against erosion.
 
In the case of the berm on the large range, additional erosion control in the form of a terrace with drainage to carry water to the sides of the berm was completed.
 
For the small range, a mini-berm was constructed short of the backstop to prevent ricochets off the ground from leaving the range.
 
Note: There will be no Safety Course in July, our next class is scheduled for August 7th and 9th.
 
Of Interest to Fishermen and Captains
Two recent items of interest were recently brought to our attention for onward disbursement to the membership — pulpits and Stellwagen Bank.
 
The National Marine Fisheries Service is proposing a rule to allow harpoons and pulpits on charter boats.
 
Opponents of this proposed ruling feel that:
“This proposal will significantly increase retention and mortality of school and small medium bluefins. Allowing pulpits on for-hire boats will invite cheating because it is impossible to police this rule.
 
In an attempt to harpoon giant tuna many school/small medium fish will be harpooned/electrocuted under 72 inches and they will be discarded dead, retained illegally, or retained and not reported”.
 
Members may voice their opinions on this subject to:
    National Marine Fisheries Service
    N.E. Regional Office
    1 Blackburn Drive
    Gloucester, MA 01930
    Attn: Sarah McLaughlin

Please reference “0648-AV92” in your comments.

In the second item of interest, Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary managers are now updating its management plan for the first time since Congress created it in 1992. The draft plan doesn’t include immediate restrictions on uses, but could eventually lead to more protections for wildlife, it says.

Conservation groups, including the Conservation Law Foundation, are pushing for more aggressive protections and want Stellwagen to become more of a true sanctuary for wildlife.

Public comment is open until August 4th, 2008. Comments may be mailed to:
    Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary
    175 Edward Foster Road
    Scituate, MA 02066

or emailed to: sbplan@noaa.gov

The draft plan can be viewed at:
www.stellwagen.noaa.gov/management/mpr/draftplan.html

Peter Belsan, General Manager
www.belsanbait.com
belsanbait@comcast.net

Cowboy News
by Nantucket Dawn aka Sue Lennon

The 2008 SASS MA/CT/RI State Championships was hosted by the Harvard Ghost Riders at the Harvard Sportsmen’s Club of Harvard, MA between May 30 and June 1, 2008.

Friday was a great day with all the side events a person wanted to shoot. A person could choose to shoot the warm up stage using two pistols, a rifle and a shotgun or go to one of the many stages set up just to shoot one gun of their choice for speed.

At the end of the day when all gear was put away, a cowboy dinner was served in the main tent.

Saturday, after opening ceremonies, the start of six of ten Ghostly stages was shot. There were approximately 154 cowboys and cowgirls participating in this event. Saturday evening was the banquet at the Concord Elks Club. Dinner was carved beef and chicken. There were costume contests, dancing and karaoke.

Sunday was another beautiful day and the remainder of the stages were shot. Then it was time for the Top Gun Team Shootout. The top 16 male and top 16 female shooters from Saturday’s results were chosen for this fun event.

I am proud to say that four of SRGC’s female Gunnysackers made it into this event: Dee Bonnie (Bonnie Dee), Jean Alexander (Boston Lady), Connie Carter (Avocatessa) and myself (Nantucket Dawn). Gunnysacker Gals Rule!

The awards ceremony was held shortly thereafter. See all results and photos at www.harvardghostriders.com. Note the photo of Ron Rice aka Yankee receiving the Spirit of the Game award. Congratulations Ron!

Everyone had a great time and are looking forward to next years Tri-State match.

Our next match in Scituate will be held on Saturday, June 28th.

[Ed: There’s a set of photographs of this 3-day event at:
www.scituaterg.com/nimrod/n15v05/tristate.html.
The photos were taken by member Bill Ryan, an aspiring cowboy shooter.]

Rifle News
by Scott Hollis

Many thanks to those who’ve inquired concerning the bolstering of SRGC’s participation in the Summer League matches at Old Colony. We'll be shooting for another 9 weeks at Old Colony in Pembroke on Tuesday evenings, starting promptly at 6pm.

Once again, for anyone interested in participating in the matches, the minimum equipment required is; any rifle, any sight which is sighted in for 200 yds., 22 rounds of safe ammunition (2 sighters and 20 for score) and a desire to do your best in a match environment.

When not shooting, you may be in the target pits, scoring for another relay and they depend on you for an accurate accounting of their scores. For those of you who use iron sights, binoculars can be helpful in seeing your spotting discs posted on the target.

We need at least four shooters for each match to achieve an aggregate score.

While it is possible that you may secure the loan of another shooter’s rifle and ammunition, this cannot be assured. It is best to have your own rifle. Remember, we’re shooting against several other teams on the South Shore.

All shooting is done offhand in pairs, four targets with 8 shooters on the line per relay.
Relays usually run for 30 minutes. On busy nights, we often run three full relays. Safety is, as always, of paramount importance.

I can be reached at (781) 367-2221 if you need further information.

BATFE and Forfeiture

Seems that the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (BATFE) is still up to it’s tricks. As part of its Asset Forfeiture training program for agents, the BATFE ordered 2,000 Leatherman tools inscribed with the words “Always Think Forfeiture.” The program urges agents to focus on seizing private property.

Representative Bill Sali (Rep. ID) is introducing the ‘Always Think Freedom’ bill to send a message to the BATFE that freedom still means something in this country.

Rep Sali believes the agency should be thinking ‘Freedom,’ not ‘Forfeiture.’ The Idaho Republican complained about the program and received a letter from Acting ATF Director Michael Sullivan, who apologized for the “confusion” over the issue and halted distribution of the tools in the face of public outcry.