PARKSVILLE-QUALICUM FISH & GAME ASSOCIATION

FEBRUARY NEWSLETTER – DORMAN RANGE THE NEW YEAR 2018 - RON CARD

GREETINGS AND CATCH-UP NEWS:

Early November, amidst our first snowfall. Our refrigerator packed it in but we were successful in

replacing it and just after we hauled it in and set it up, the freezer section packed it in. This is our

version of Facebook – telling you every little detail that you could care less about.

“I changed my iPod name to Titanic. It’s syncing now.”

On Nov.12, we had the Club shootoff to test the shooting ability of our regular members.

Bob Marr won it with a 70 out of 75. Joe Ringwald was giving him a run for the money but Joe dropped

a few in his last stations. He won second. Bob (Rigger) Wilson and Ron Card had a long shootoff for 3rd

place and Rigger won the shootoff. A total of 16 people competed for the Club Championship. Others

shot on Range 2 while the competition was going on.

Photo 1 – The replacement refrigerator ready to be installed. Photo 2 - Bob Marr, the champion with

his prizes Photo 3 – Rigger displaying his prizes

3 trophies included boxes of shells and mantle clocks.

(Bob continued with his expertise with a group of us at the Nanaimo range on Wednesday Nov.29 and

he shot his first 75 straight. When he continued at the Dorman Range on the Sunday he was only able

to make it 98.)

“When chemists die, they barium.”

To round out the Club champion shoot we had a “Bushwacker” shoot. There were about 25 people that

started this event. Bob Davenport was able to kill off everybody and came out the winner. The

“Bushwacker” shoot is where two people line up at the trap house – the first shoots and if he leaves too

large a piece of the clay pigeon the second shooter, if he can hit that piece, knocks the first shooter out

of the competition. Otherwise, the second shooter becomes the first shooter and a new person tries to

hit one of his broken pieces. This carries on until there is only one person left – the winner.

Photo 1 – Inside the clubhouse for the Club shootoff Photo 2- November 19, after the work party

prepared the formwork for the handicap sidewalk, looking towards the skeet field. Photo 3 – Sidewalk

formwork at the skeet clubhouse.

A work party constructed the formwork for the sidewalk going past Range 2 and continuing to the skeet

field. This will make it much easier for people with mobility difficulties, either with canes, walkers,

wheelchairs or carts. This was paid for by the handicap grant that Michelle Stillwell, MLA, was able to

get for us.

Photo 1 – Sidewalk formwork looking back towards the main clubhouse. Photo 2 – Our new shelter now

makes it more enjoyable to shoot in the pouring rain, although the added distance provides a greater

challenge. Photo 3 – November 25, the food donated for the Club sporting clays Foodbank Shoot –

thanks everybody.

“Jokes about German sausages are the wurst.”

Our Sporting Clays shoot on November 25 was in support of the local Food Bank, for both money and for

donated foodstuffs. We had a total of 67 shooters.

“A soldier who survived mustard gas and pepper spray is now a seasoned veteran.”

Photo 1 – Food bank shooters at Station 4 Photo 2 – The parking lot for the food bank shooters

Photo 3 – Shooters at Station 3 (that “incomer” is wicked)

Photo 1 – Equipment set up at Station 2 Photo 2 – Shooters at Station 3 Photo 3 – Shooters up in the

woods

The high shooter for the Food Bank shoot was James Wicks with 93. Follow-up shooters were Bob

Cerenzia 90, Paul Hagel 89, Tony Hackett 85. There were 12 others in the 80’s.

“I know a guy who’s addicted to brake fluid. He says that he can stop any time.”

On December 5 the Club held a social evening at the Parksville Community Centre

Photo 1 – Part of the gathering for the social event. Photo 2 – Many members brought different types

of cakes and goodies. Photo 3 - Club members enjoying the get-together.

“I stayed up all night to see where the sun went. Then it dawned on me.”

On Thursday, December 7, the concrete was poured for the rest of the sidewalk. Thanks to the fellows

who contributed to this project.

Photo 1 – The sidewalk past range 2 Photo 2 - The sidewalk at the skeet field

On December 11, a work party consisting of Andy Lemmon, Huli, Rigger, Bill Kellow, John O’Regan, Dave

Upper, Keith Thompson, Dave Vaton, Rod Wiebe and myself performed a great deal of maintenance

work around the range. They burned the debris pile and chopped/split firewood that will take us well

into 2018. It was then piled in the various sheds. Don Yacovelli loaned us his log splitter. Don Wilson

arranged for a delicious lunch for the work party. Thanks guys.

On December 18, another work party was held. It spread, graded & compacted road gravel in the

parking lot.

Winter arrived with a vengeance on December 20, the first snow on a shooting day. In case you have

forgotten what snow looks like at the range, here are several photographs. (It gets worse.)

Photo 1 – The main trap range Photo 2 - The parking lot and the skeet area

“I’m reading a book about anti-gravity. I can’t put it down.”

The big events of the year were the Boxing Day and New Year’s Day turkey shoots. Despite the

Christmas holidays, the attendance was great. There were 83 squads that shot on Boxing Day and 87

squads that shot on New Year’s Day. The New Year’s Day turkey shoot is highlighted below.

For years, Don Wilson has managed the turkey boards; all the proceeds go for the Dorman Range

facilities. This year, Don (and Tina) were going away, so we were fortunate to have Andy Lemmon step

up and manage the turkey boards. (For $2, you put your name in a circle on a large sheet of paper.

When the circles were filled, the paper was taken out to the range and shot at. The circle with the

highest number of pellet holes in it, won a turkey. A whole variety of shooters were invited to shoot the

“boards”.)

The weather on New Year’s Day turned cold and snowy. However, that did not stop the turkey seekers.

For the Boxing Day and the New Year’s Day turkey shoots we started with 100 turkeys (and a special

thanks goes to Thrifty Foods for giving us a very good price on the turkeys) and 100 hams. This was to

supply both the turkey boards and the turkey shoot winners. On New Year’s Day, it looked as if we were

going to run out of turkeys so Andy went and picked up another 12. We ended up with one extra and

we shot for that one on the next practice day.

A great thank you goes to all those people that helped to make the turkey shoots successful. Their

dedicated efforts made both shoots a fun (and rewarding) event. Those people were Dave & Diane

Upper, Rod & Lynne Wiebe, Jim Walters, Andy & Joanne Lemmon, Dave Vaton, John O’Regan, Steve

Kennedy, Doug, Darren Peerens, Bob Davenport, & Cassie B. I apologize to those that I missed.

Photo 1 – Man, it was cold but the fires helped the warm-up for Range 3. Photo 2 – Snow-covered

parking lot Photo 3 – Looking back at the shooting positions and the blessed shelter that we had

erected earlier on.

Photo 1 – Shooters competing for the turkeys on Range 3. Photo 2 – Lots of snow but it didn’t slow

anybody down, on Range 2. Photo 3 – Our prize turkeys resting in the freezer.

Photo 1 – More prize turkeys. Photo 2 – Our recently completed sidewalk is appreciated by the

shooters, along with the second steel-barrel warming fire on Range 2. What a blessing. Photo 3 – The

snow didn’t slow down the shooters on Range 2 (almost the same view as Photo 2 above).

“How does Moses make his tea? Hebrews it.”

Photo 1 - No turkey shoot is complete without an “Annie Oakley” shoot. Shooters lining up. Photo 2 –

The “Annie Oakley” in progress. The snow didn’t slow anybody down. The winner of the Boxing Day

Annie Oakley was Nolan Peerens, and the winner of the New Year’s Day Annie Oakley was Steve

MacDonald.

We got through the snowy conditions for the turkey shoot, and the weather returned to reasonably

warm temperatures and bare ground. Then we were preparing for Sporting Clays on January 27. The

night before, the weather turned so bad with rain, snow and sleet that we didn’t think that anybody

would show up, so we hadn’t set up the Sporting Clays equipment. We thought that if anybody showed

up they could shoot on the trap field if they so desired. However, much to out amazement, 62 shooters

showed up and were ready to shoot. The Alberni shooters said that there was no snow over their way

and they only ran into it once they got close to Qualicum.

We quickly set up the lower 5 stations. With the inclement weather the upper 5 stations were too

difficult to access and get to them. The shooters were quite happy to shoot the 5 stations twice.ll.

Photo 1 – Snow clearing for the Sporting Clays (snow not as deep as on New Year’s Day turkey shoot.

Photo 2 – Here’s what Range 3 looked like for the Sporting Clays Photo 3 – Registration going on in the

nice warm clubhouse.

“I did a theatrical performance about puns. It was a play on words.”

As Mike Fall said, the drive up from Victoria wasn’t too bad, the drive down from Courtenay was brutal

(at least 1 driver managed a 180) and my guess is the Alberni hump wasn’t any fun.

Thank you all for braving the hazardous highways! 63 shooters showed up to endure the wet, the cold

and some difficult targets but the sun did come out briefly after lunch. Thanks to the volunteers for a

chill eliminating Chilli and a warm clubhouse.

Thanks also to the volunteers who braved the weather to set up the course.

The high shooter was Frederic Duke with 88. Fraser Campbell, Ron Stubbings, Dennis Royan, Bob

Cerenzia, and Bob Emde all shot in the 80’s.

Photo 1 – Our mobility carts performed well, even with the snow. Photo 2 – Station 5 in the woods

Photo 3 – Station 1 at the skeet field was a challenge, not just for the snow.

Photo 1 – Shooters at Station 2. Shooters on Station 3 are beyond. Photo 2 - Another look at the

shooters on the skeet field. Notice how they are bundled up. Photo 3 – Clay pigeon machines on

Station 4 just after firing a pair of “birds”. The “hats” keep the machines and the clay pigeons dry.

“How do you make holy water? You boil the hell out of it.”

And finally, a repeated request to our Club members – We still need an accounting person to take over

as Club Treasurer from Tina Wilson. As well, we need some Dorman Range people to represent us on

the Club Executive. We have a couple of people that may be interested but we are greatly under-

represented on the Club executive. Come on . . . . get active and continue to make this Club the best on

the Island.

Please attend the Annual General Meeting on March 29. As well as election of officers, there are other

items that need your consideration such as the 2018 Budget, and our ongoing expenses.

And just to make you fishermen drool, here is a photo of Dave Upper with a specimen that he just

recently caught in the Cowichan River. A very nice catch, Dave. I am envious.