The club directors held their monthly meeting this month at the CR&GC rifle range facilities. Meeting highlights are as follows…

• EDC, LLC. held another Concealed Weapons class on July, 13th. They reported having only 5 students this go around because the people who were interested were already committed to other obligations. EDC said they are considering holding another class in September, after everyone’s summer activities settle down.
• This year’s .22 Youth Shoot is finished. Fred Tetchner reported that the club supplied approx. 500 rounds of .22lr per week for the Youth Shoot. He said we have about consumed our ammo supply for this event, and will have to come up with more before next year’s class.
• Ron Hurr reported that the Youth Archery clinic this year was OK, but attendance was much lower than last year.
• Cheri Reed reported that Keith Hall has done a tremendous amount of work at the Spotted Eagle Trap Range. She said he has done a lot of tree trimming, and week control, as well as removed stumps and other objects that could damage the new riding mower. Please thank Kieth for his hard work, when you see him.
• Bluerock will be installing a Pepsi vending machine on the outside of the Spotted Eagle clubhouse. The club will supply the power, and receive a portion of any proceeds from the machine.
• Club directors have been meeting with contractors over grant work to be performed at the trap range. We are waiting to get a firm quote back any day. Then we can start scheduling the first phase of the project. We have only have until the end of the year to complete the project and turn our receipts into the Yellowstone Caviar Project, in order to receive reimbursement from the grant money that they approved us for. Please note that at some point we will need several volunteers to help with the trenching for this project.
• In accordance with the club’s Bylaws in regards to missing the last four consecutive Directors Meetings, the club’s Vice President has been assumed to have resigned. Cheri Reed nominated Keith Hall to fill the vacant position, and was approved by the directors.
• The 4th Annual Holy Rosary Trap Shoot is still being finalized, but there will probably only be one Annie Oakley shoot this year, which will be held after all three rounds of trap have been completed. Todd Burch will get with Holy Rosary and discuss the idea of opening up the skeet range at the same time, so folks waiting to shoot trap could have the opportunity to shoot some skeet also. There was also some discussion about having an archery tournament the morning of the trap shoot, but this will probably not happen as the distractions when the trap shooting starts would be an unfair advantage to the archers who already shot before the trap shooting starts.
• Fred Tetschner reported that the rifle range is out of new target backer boards, and he will start checking prices to get more.
• The directors approved purchasing a shot timer to be used for the weekly Action Pistol Fun Shoot being held at the rifle range Thursday nights. They also approved this event to be opened up to non club members, and to charge an appropriate target fee for members, and one for non members.
• Cheri Reed is going to start applying for Friends of the NRA grants improve the Spotted Eagle trap and clubhouse facilities, in order to meet the requirements necessary to hold sanctioned ATA trap matches there.

The Custer Rod and Gun Club held their June directors meetings at the Spotted Eagle Trap Range, June 18th. Meeting highlights are as follows…

• Ron Hurr reported that they are all set to have the Youth Archery clinic Saturday morning, June 22nd at the Spotted Eagle Archery Range. This event is open to any children who wish to experience archery for the first time, or who have shot before. If anyone would like to help run this event, or would like more information about bringing your kids, please contact Ron Hurr at 853-2370.
• Fred Tetschner reported that he received permission from the City Council to use the City Range for the .22 Youth Shoot. The city required the club to up our insurance from $500,000 to $1 million, but also issued a resolution letter giving us permission to use the range for the Youth Shoot the next 3 years. Fred said the Councilmen were great to work with and very in favor of this sort of Youth activity. Please take the time to thank your Mayor and Councilmen when you see them.
• Fred also reported that we have 32 kids attending the Youth .22 Shoot, and 15 signed up for the Youth Trap Shoot.
• Some targets have been removed from the Spotted Eagle range for repairs made necessary by more vandalism last week.
• Randy Hart reported that he is getting closer to a final layout for the new pistol range to be built at the Rifle Range facilities. He said Mike Webb has agreed to help with the earth work to build the new berms.
• Todd Burch reported that Holy Rosary wants to hold their annual charity fundraiser Trap Shoot on Aug. 9th and 10th, but there is a scheduling conflict on the 10th with the Pheasants Forever Youth program. Todd said he will try to work out the scheduling conflict.
• The Directors approved Eric Fritz and Shane Taylor of EDC, LLT. to hold another Concealed Weapons pistol class at the Rifle Range on July 13th.
• It was noted that the club’s Vice President has now missed 3 consecutive Directors Meetings. It was moved and approved to address the issue appropriately at next month’s meeting.
• Jesse Smith reported that he will be setting up Action Pistol style steel and cardboard silhouette targets on the short range at the CR&GC Rifle Range every Tuesday night at 6pm starting July 9th, for any club members who wish to come out and do some fun action pistol shooting. This will just be a fun/practice shoot open to any club members who wish to come out and spend a evening with other pistol shooters. Handgun shooters of all experience levels are encouraged to come out and bring any auto or revolver of common defensive caliber (usually 9mm/.38 – .45 cal) There is no charge to shoot, and all targets will be supplied by himself and John Olsen.

The next monthly meeting is scheduled for 7pm July 16, 2013 at the CR&GC Rifle Range. All members are encouraged to attend these meetings and help steer their club in any decisions to be made.

The Custer Rod and Gun Club held their May directors meetings at the rifle range, May 21st. Meeting highlights are as follows…

• Todd Burch reported that the Yellowstone Caviar Project got back to us about the grant request he had submitted for funds to instal an additional trap thrower, lighting, and updated electrical at the Spotted Eagle trap range. Yellowstone Caviar Project did not award us the money he requested, but offered a portion of the requested money. If all the work is completed and we submit receipts before the end of the year they agreed to reimburse the club $3,000 toward the project.
• The directors voted to allow Pheasants Forever to hold their annual Youth Pheasant hunting program at the Spotted Eagle trap facilities. They will hold classes for the 11-15 year olds enrolled in the program, and practice shooting trap every other Saturday from July 18th through September 21st. This class has already been filled to maximum enrollment.
• Everyone at the meeting inspected the area where Randy Hart proposed to build an new action pistol bay/range at the rifle range. They decided the location needed to be thought out more and adjusted, but approved him to go ahead and build it when he decides exactly where it would work the best.
• It was decided that this year’s Trap League will only run 8 weeks, rather than the 12 it has in the past. This change was made to hopefully encourage shooters to participate through the entire season, and not leave other shooters hanging without a partner toward the end of the season. Cheri Reed volunteered to run the league this year, but would like someone to volunteer to help her. Cheri is checking her schedule and will decide when she has time for the league to start. Please contact Cheri if you would be willing to help run this year’s trap league.
• Fred Tetschner is scheduled to meet with City Counsel Wed. 4/22 to ask permission for the CR&GC to use the water plant shooting range, to hold the Youth .22 shoot.
• A couple of people mentioned that they have been approached by various foundations that would like to award grants to the Custer Rod and Gun Club, but we don’t have anyone submitting the grant requests. If anyone is interested in helping out the club by writing grant requests on behalf of the Custer Rod and Gun Club, PLEASE contact Todd Burch at (406) 853-6707.
• Ken Hess is going to look into the feasibility of installing the air conditioner that was donated to the club, in the Spotted Eagle club house.
• Ron Hurr is looking at running a Youth Archery league on Tuesday evening, at Spotted Eagle, but hasn’t decided on exact dates yet.
• The directors discussed holding some sort of “Club Ironman” contest in conjunction with a club BBQ. The idea would be that participants would have the opportunity to compete on the same day at shooting rifle, pistol, shotgun, and archery. The days winner would receive bragging rights for the year, and this would be a great opportunity to get all the club members together for something other than the annual meeting, as well as expose members to other shooting disciplines that they may not currently have experience in.
  It was decided that there wasn’t enough time to set it up this year, but we need to start planning it for next year so that the official date and details can be announced at the annual meeting in January, and members will have time to plan for it.
  If you’re interested in helping plan or run this event, please contact any of the club directors.

The April Directors Meeting was held 7:00 PM, April 16th at our Spotted Eagle clubhouse. This months meeting was pretty short and sweet, with some of the highlights listed below…

• Club President Todd Burch reported that he submitted a grant request to the Yellowstone Caviar Project for improvedments to the Spotted Eagle facilities, including a new trap thrower, updated power, and lights, etc. We should find out if our grant is approved withing 90 days.
• The Directors approved advertising the .22 Youth Shoot that starts June 4th, through the newspaper, flyers, and online, as the dates get closer.
• The Concealed Weapons/Defensive Pistol class CR&GC held March 24th and taught by EDC Training, LLC. was a sucess dispite the cold weather. We had 14 studends in the class including some who were club members, and at least 3 who purchased memberships right after the class. There is talk of holding another class later in the year.
• Rocky Mountain Promotions will be holding a Gun Show at the Eastern Montana Fairgrounds in Miles City May 10th – 12th, and requested to rent tables from our club. This was discussed and approved at the meeting.
• Randy Hart purposed building a dedicated pistol bay/range at the rifle range. The idea was well received, but tabled until the next meeting which will be held at the rifle range and everyone can decide exactly where it should be and what dirt birms, etc. would be required.

The next Directors Meetings will be held 7:00 PM May 21, 2013 at the Rifle Range club house. All members wishing to have a voice in their club are encouraged to attend.

Updated to add the Club Secretary’s official Minutes:

Meeting 4/16/13
Todd, John O. Ken B, Glen K, Jeremy K, Randy A Ken H
grant new trap with 60-90
Jeff Williams to donate up to 5,000
treasure 9,000in account
bob cat to deliver soon, is the new mower paid for? Todd thinks so
245 members so far an average of 10 people a week per Randy A
Trap birds have be delivered and great turn out on Sunday
Clean up on rifle range approved
Old Business Randy A was the gate keeper at the womens shoot
New Business cavier grant
John H flyer for buying ad in newspaper cost is 60-65 dollars for advertisements run add for 2 weeks possible thru Chamber of Commerce approved
Hot water heater needs to be hooked up at rifle range
Trail Cam was purchased and Randy A is to install it
Possible steel wording across agate and will find out how much it will cost
Gary Matthews and friends that are marines per Ken H will be here this spring to shoot @ spotted eagle possible looking for shot guns to use
Randy H is making a new shooting burm for Cowboy Action held every third Saturday of each month, ok’d for, table until next month to see what can be done
Charles L questioning the shot gun targets to be shot @ rifle range discussed
adjorned meeting

The club held our monthly Director’s Meeting March 19th at the Rifle range as well as had a brief range clean up before hand. The highlights of this meeting were as follows…

• The club is in the process of obtaining a Debit/Credit card tied to the club’s bank account to make it easier to pay for services or purchase items over the phone, rather than having to mail a check and wait for it to clear before vendors will ship merchandise to us.
• The club is looking into the property lines at the rifle range in order to ensure fences are in the correct locations for liability reasons.
• The Ladies Trap shoot will be done as it was last year. Ladies who are participating for their first year will receive their shells, clays, and a loner shotgun (if needed) for the entire 5 weeks. Ladies who have participated in past years will be required to provide their own shells, but will not be charged for clays, and can use a club gun if needed.
• The Youth Archery Day will be held on June 22 at Spotted Eagle. This is the same day that Fish & Wildlife will be holding their Youth Walleye Fishing Day.
• There have been issues with members shooting exploding targets at the rifle range, and leaving the gate open. Persons caught doing this, or any other damaging activities will be sent a warning letter, notifying them that a repeat offense will result in their barring from the club.
• A committee was established to work on selling advertising sign space at both our Spotted Eagle and Rifle Range facilities.

The next Directors Meeting is scheduled for April 16, 2013 and will be held at the Spotted Eagle clubhouse at 7:00 PM. All club members are encouraged to attend these meetings. While only directors have a vote, ALL MEMBERS ARE ENCOURAGED TO OFFER THEIR OPINIONS AND IDEAS AT THE MEETINGS.