May & June 2023
May 1, 2023 - General Membership Meeting
May 13, 2023 – Farmers’ Fishing Charter
Jun 4, 2023 – Clay Shoot
Jun 5, 2023 - General Membership Meeting
Jun 12, 2023 – Member Fish Fry
President's Message
May has arrived...34 degrees, rain all day and Snow in the forecast...is it May or March? Well rest assured the weather will soon improve. Might be a good time to check your A/C as it will probably be 90 plus before the end of the month. All weather jokes aside we have allot to look forward to this May as the turkey season is going full tilt, the Walleye fishing will only get better and the inshore reservoir and pond fishing for Bass, Bluegill, Crappie and Catfish will heat up as well. Our range is open for business and willing to accept as much lead as you are willing to throw at it. A special Thanks to all who helped at the Farmers Fish Fry back on April 12th the event went off without a hitch (Thank You Joe Jones) and a special thanks to our Farm Members who enjoyed a great meal.Our Farmers Fishing Trip is scheduled for Saturday May 13th and I believe we still have plenty of openings. Any Farm Member interested please call Dave Novak (330) 659-6349 to reserve your spot. Any Club members interested in the trip as well please also reach out to Dave for details. No other major club events are planned for May other than a work party or two and as always your help is appreciated. Also remember all work party volunteers are entered for our Work Party drawing later in the year.
Fast forward to June and my weather prediction was dam close forecasted high tomorrow 87 degrees our A/C is on. Sorry for the May newsletter MIA and that will be 20 lashes with a wet noodle for Rick Knight. Next Monday the 5th will be our final membership meeting for the Summer and we will meet again early September. The following Monday June 12th we are planning a Club sponsored fish fry for all members at the Club property. The Club will supply all Fish, Fries and Slaw and we will cook on sight. This is all on us so any and all volunteer help is appreciated...text me if you are willing and I'll get back to you. Hope to see you there for an evening of food and fellowship. We will schedule work parties for the summer as need and Mike will be the task master as is our normal practice. Wishing you all a safe and enjoyable Summer!!!
Regards, Kevin
Member Fish Fry!Monday, June 12th, the Club will be sponsoring an unprecedented event. We will be conducting a Fish Fry for members at the club grounds. LHFC will provide all Fish, Fries, and Slaw. All you need to do is bring your appetite. And desired beverage. Oh, and a chair might help. The event will be held at the Blue Barn starting at 6:00pm. We will need some volunteers to help with various activities, so please text your president Kevin Pace with your desire and ability to assist.
And, in the normal course of a second-Monday-of-the-month, your Officers and Trustees will be conducting their monthly meeting. All are welcome and encouraged to participate. Hope to see everyone there for an enjoyable evening of food and fellowship.
And, in the normal course of a second-Monday-of-the-month, your Officers and Trustees will be conducting their monthly meeting. All are welcome and encouraged to participate. Hope to see everyone there for an enjoyable evening of food and fellowship.
Membership Bulletin
Most of you have been considerate and have gotten your 2023 dues in already. A big thank you to thosemembers as this makes my job considerably easier. As a reward, your 2023 badges are in the mail!For those of you yet to re-up, it’s not too late, although your access to the ranges will probably be curtailed for a small period of time – the combinations to the locks change on April 1st and I do not think I can have your 2023 badges to you by then. But, get those dues in and I will get them made and in the mail within a few days.
Regular Members (under age 65 at the beginning of 2023):Total = $175.00, comprising of dues of $125.00 plus $50.00 gun raffle tickets.
Senior Members* (age 65 and over at the beginning of 2023):Total = $150.00, comprising of dues of $100.00 plus $50.00 gun raffle tickets.
*There will be a one-time exemption for those current members who are 75 years old or older. Those current members who were born in 1947 or earlier will not see a raise in their dues – they will remain at $110.00.
There are three different methods of renewal:
1. Website: (LaGrangeHuntClub.org > Membership > Membership Application / Renewal.)
2. In person at a General Membership Meeting (See 2023 Calendar)
3. By U.S. Mail. Please mail a check or money order with the appropriate amount to:LHFCP.O. Box 131LaGrange, OH 44050
As always, you have all of 2023 to renew. However, the gate lock combinations will change on April 1st, 2023 and if you have not renewed before then, you will not have your 2023 badge and therefore will not have the new combination. So please, get your renewal in before the middle of March 2023 to avoid interruption in your access to the club grounds.
Also, if you know of someone who may be interested in joining, the application for membership is available on the new website (https://lagrangehuntclub.org/membership-info/membership-form/.) They can either join directly online, or they can print the Application and Waiver and send via email (LaGrangeHuntClub@gmail.com) or via USPS to the address above.
Regards, Rick
Junior Membership
The Junior Members Fund will provide a sponsorship to help cover the camp fees for The Lake & Trails – Youth Hunting / Shooting Camp again in 2023. Our Junior Members President, Jace Walters himself has attended all four years of this camp. Jace wants kids to go to this camp because it is a really good learning experience because you get to learn how to shoot many types of guns; including rifles, pistols, air guns, black powder and some archery items as well. You will also get the chance to throw axes, make a knife and even make primitive items. You will also learn about wildlife, how to trap, and even get your Ohio Boaters License and Hunter Safety Course if you need to. And most importantly, you get to hangout with other kids who like the outdoors like you do.
To qualify for the sponsorship you need to help out at a couple general memberhsip meetings and do a work party. Attend a general membership meeting and talk to the Junior Members President, Jace Walters for complete details and to sign up. If you would like to contact Jace email him at Recreation@JaceWalters.com
When you patronize supporters of JaceWaltersRecreation and the Junior Membership please remember to tell their management THANK YOU for their SUPPORT!
Firearms Range News
Hours of operation: 10:00am-dusk, Mon.- Sat.; 12:00pm-5:00pm, Sun.Work Parties: Will be scheduled on a weather-permitting basis. If you are able to help or contribute in some way, please contact Mike Beckwith or Roger Maynard and leave a message.
Remember to lock the gate behind you when leaving. The locks must have the combination dialed in to close, then roll the dials to lock.Make sure you review and adhere to the rules: SAFETY FIRST!! Always, Always, Always, Always! We have never had an accident at our range – don’t be the first to break this 90-year-old record! Remember your badge. Without it, you will be considered to be trespassing on club grounds and asked to leave! Sign in and sign out. Review the rules before each use of the range. They are posted on the boards. Pick up after yourselves. Police your brass and trash. Be courteous to fellow members. If you have any questions, or find a deficiency, please contact your 2021/2022 Range Marshal Mike Beckwith or Roger Maynard.
Archery Range News
Come spring, one of the first changes you will see will be in the 3D Archery range. More animals will be put out, and in a manner where they will not need to be removed in order to mow the grass. Future plans include creating a walking 3D course in order to help simulate hunting and tournament conditions. After that a slight redesign of the bag target range.
Special Announcements
Dues Increase – Explanation and Rationale
1. The club is in need of funds to maintain grounds and make improvements2. Covid and the corresponding limitations to club activities have strained our revenue3. Mortgage on club grounds is reviewable by Huntington every 5 years. Right or wrong, they look at club finances to judge the financial health. What they are very interested in is a steady stream of income, and we tend to have a large influx of money early in the year and then deplete it as the year proceeds. The bank has the right to call the loan if they feel uncomfortable with our financial situation.4. Our club has not had a dues increase since 1996!!! If we had simply raised the dues $5 every other year since then, currentdues would be $15 higher than they are now and each member would be out an additional $455 over that period.5. Our club is still one of the cheapest around. And, unlike the others, we do not require participation in work parties, we do not charge additional funds for our pheasant release, etc.6. Due to the sparsity of participation in work parties, we are often forced to hire contractors to complete some of the work. A good example is the call to arms for tradesmen to help with the needed repairs and upgrades to the rental house. Despite the request appearing in 4 straight newsletters, we have only received 2 volunteer calls. We are probably going to have to contract some of this work, which will mean significantly higher costs.
2023 Farmers’ Fishing TripOn May 13th we held our annual Farmers’ Appreciation Fishing Charter. Many thanks to Dave Novak who (just like every year) puts this event together. The boat was full and everyone had a great time. Unfortunately, no photos to prove or disprove anything, so we can comfortably say that each participant hauled in their limit. I hear each one also landed a new world record. Amazing!
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2023 Farm Members Appreciation Fish FryOn April 12th, the Club held its first Farmer Appreciation Fish Fry in several years, since before the pandemic. A big thank you to all who attended, and particularly Trustee Joe Jones who took on the task of managing the entire operation. Also, special thanks go out to the LaGrange Lions Club for providing the venue and Ann & Joe Sabo for facilitating our use of the Lions Club. One more shout out to Eric Broud and Anthony Michaels, who slaved away over deep fryers to provide the Fish and Fries.The number of club members who volunteered their time to make the event a success outnumbered the number of Landowners who showed up for their dinners! Thanks to Ann Sabo, Bill Hosey, John Radolec, Joel Kristoff, Joe Sabo, Ron Green, Roger Maynard, Rich Varady, Jim Laplante, Rob Miller, Dave Novak, Dave Spillar, Adam Varady, Larry Scullin, Carl Schweisthal, and Rick Knight. If I missed someone, my sincerest apologies.
Calling All Tradesmen! Your Club NEEDS you!The rental house the club owns is in need of repairs. The septic system is under repair as I write this, but the house also desperately needs a bathroom remodel. We are hoping to save $$$ on this by appealing to the membership for assistance. Any plumbers, electricians, carpenters, etc. that are willing and able to donate some time or expert advice to the club on this projectbwould be saving us a considerable amount of our finitenfunds.P.S. – The house will also need a roof in the next few years. If you can help with that project, let us know.