Martinsville Conservation Club

[Meister]

I believe I spoke with you at the range a couple weekends ago. I was with my family in the back pistol bay. Very pleased to see how well things are coming along. I joined the club for what it has now, can't wait to get a BONUS longer range for the money. Thanks again for your hard work and dedication.

 

[opus1776]

I'm a member of the board that manages this club and thought I'd give club members who are also INGO members a peak at the new 300 Meter rifle range now under active construction

Home - Martinsville Sportsman's Conservation Club

Scroll down a bit on the home page and you will see a photo taken 3/23/13 of the new range area after logging and initial dozing and excavator work. More work is needed and will continue for a couple more months as the area is wet from runoff and drainage must be constructed. Photo is taken from the vantage of where the shooting house will be looking toward impact area straight down center of photo.

We know it has taken time, but it's now coming along well and will give our club an outstanding 300 meter long rifle range to add to our 100 yard existing rifle range, 3 pistol ranges and shotgun area.

cheers,
Roger
VP for the board
Martinsville Sportsman's Conservation Club

Roger,

What was the hold up of completing the range last summer when it was really dry all summer long? The trees were removed then nothing else was done...

tnx.

======================================
"Nothing tastes as good as skinny feels" K. Moss
You can NEVER be too rich or too thin.
Life is not a journey, but a series of unplanned detours...
Perfection: is not a goal---it's a demanded expectation.

 

[tenring]

^ This

 

[indy1919a4]

Good Heavens... This is proof that no good deed goes unpunished...

Here is a Private club (One of the Best in the State) with part time managers, adding an additional 300 yard range to its facility... 300 YARDS!!!!

No extra cost to members,
They did not promise this range to get anyone to join or renew,
They are not even taking anything away while they do this.

It is just a fun future Gift, like Christmas in July..

Heck if you where a member they even gave away free firewood out of the deal..

They are even adding a driveway so you can drive down and set up your targets!!!!! A DRIVEWAY!!!!!

And yet with all this goodness, someone complains its not fast enough...

 

[kawtech87]

Good Heavens... This is proof that no good deed goes unpunished...

And yet with all this goodness, someone complains...

I'm complaining because they don't have open membership. I dont honestly understand the reason to cap membership where it is. I mean is range over crowding really a problem? I doubt every member will show up and want to shoot at the same time. Also is more money from more members coming in ever a bad thing? I bet if they had more money from more members they could get the 300yd range built faster...

 

[indy1919a4]

I'm complaining because they don't have open membership. ...

Well I can understand that, A few years ago I wanted to use their range also..
but they told me that membership was full and would have to wait till the new year to apply.. I begged, bribed, pleaded and whined, and still no go. The answer was the same...

At the time it was a let down.. But by God Come the 1st of the year I followed the clubs instructions. Got in early and was able to get a membership.

 

[tenring]

There was a question asked, that's all. The complaining seemed to have started later. What about the taxes on income from the logging that took place ? Were there any, and how much? Could that have been used to start the range improvement last year, and lessened the tax burden, thus leaving more funds for this year? That's the questions that should be answered, instead of wide open membership so the Johnny come lately can join.

 

[Wheezy50]

I'm a member of the board that manages this club and thought I'd give club members who are also INGO members a peak at the new 300 Meter rifle range now under active construction

Home - Martinsville Sportsman's Conservation Club

Scroll down a bit on the home page and you will see a photo taken 3/23/13 of the new range area after logging and initial dozing and excavator work. More work is needed and will continue for a couple more months as the area is wet from runoff and drainage must be constructed. Photo is taken from the vantage of where the shooting house will be looking toward impact area straight down center of photo.

We know it has taken time, but it's now coming along well and will give our club an outstanding 300 meter long rifle range to add to our 100 yard existing rifle range, 3 pistol ranges and shotgun area.

cheers,
Roger
VP for the board
Martinsville Sportsman's Conservation Club

Thanks for the update on the new range!!! Most of us are waiting patiently

Your work and time are appreciated, as well as the membership price staying the same for the last several years. I hope the membership stays the same, more memberships would lead to wait times for the regulars. It does seem that people with memberships are using them more now than in years past. Normally you can still get an open bay, but sharing space happens much more now than a few years ago.

 

[kawtech87]

That's the questions that should be answered, instead of wide open membership so the Johnny come lately can join.

I understand it is thier club thier rules. I just don't understand the rules they have or why more paying members is a bad thing for any business.

But like I said in my original post a few pages back, I've got 40 acres of my own family's property (50 when my uncle isn't being an ass) to do with as I please. So you all can keep your fancy exclusive club.

I remember we used to be able to ride our moutain bikes back in the hills. Nope can't do that anymore either.

It would be nice to be able to use my hometown range with real benches and real lanes every once in a while.

 

[jzwhts]

I am on my second year as a member. Thank you to all the Board members and all involved in taking care of the facilities. What a great place to take the entire family.

 

[Frankingun]

I've been a member for several years, starting right before the creation of the new ranges. I appreciate the facility and the work the board puts in.

 

[IndianaRog]

Martinsville Sportsman's Conservation Club

Speaking as a member of the board..............

For those asking (some complaining) about why the new 300 Meter range at this club was not completed last summer after logging, I will simply say we had other priorities to deal with that prevented it's completion in 2012. We fully expect to get the job done in 2013. It's a big job, it ain't cheap, it will add to our costs to maintain it and we are just 7 volunteers that run the place for no compensation. We appreciate folks cutting us a bit of slack.

For those who ask why we don't increase the membership numbers so all who want in can get in, we HAVE done that several times over the last 8 years and we now feel 500 families (not members...but mom, dad and kids under 18 = family) is the maximum size we want to be at this time, so as to not create overcrowding on weekends when most folks shoot. Someone else commented that more folks ARE shooting these days, and we have noticed the increased numbers at our ranges. We have also had a steady rise in the renewal rate of existing members...95% for 2012. So by default the openings for new comers have gotten fewer and fewer each year.

We've held annual membership at $85/year for 3 years now, recognizing these have been tough times for many folks. Will membership cost go up in the future?...probably, as we'll have more range acreage to mow and maintain, parking lots and access roads to keep graveled and de-weeded etc. etc. Our costs for these things do go up like everyone else's.

For those who ARE members at our club, you know we have one of the best range facilities in the state of Indiana (and the best restroom we are told!!) and we make improvements without borrowing money, in part from membership fees and part from timber sales done in the past. Heck, if you were a member before the major range improvements in 2005/2006, you know we offered ONE rickety lean-to and 60 yard clearing in the woods and little more for shooters. Now we feature 3 pistol ranges, a rifle range, a shotgun area, new well, a heated/hotwater/flush restroom, new clubhouse, motorized gate you operate from your car and a 300M range coming on this year. Not bad for less than 7 years despite a 2008 flood that cost us a lot to rebuild our main access road, powered gate and entryway fencing that got washed out. Since that flood, each year we have purposely added to an emergency cash reserve, since such a thing could happen again and probably will being as we exist along flood prone Indian Creek.

For those who want IN...our new member application process in the future will likely be the same we have used for 2012 and 2013...first come, first served AT the club on New Year's day. We'll confirm this process by Dec. 1 on our club website, but the feeling of our board is it's working. We will try to give a better "heads up" on number of openings (on website) BEFORE New Year's eve so folks can judge for themselves if they want give it a try. We turned away nearly 150 cars this past Jan 1 given only 22 openings were available.

Though I am commenting here given questions that have come up on this forum, our primary communication medium is our club website:

Home - Martinsville Sportsman's Conservation Club

Thanks to members who use and appreciate the Martinsville Sportsman's Conservation Club for what it is...we intend to keep it a highly desirable destination!

cheers,
Roger
VP for the Board

 

[SAILORGOLF46]

To the board of MSCC,thank you for all you have done and all you do to make the club very special to all the membership. I have been a member three years and my only complaint is the weather did not alow me to visit and shoot this year as much as I wanted. Thanks again and try to work on the weather control next winter.

 

[oldnovice]

As a member, let me also add my note of thanks to the board and other volunteers. As someone who is trying to pass on the shooting tradition to my kids, I am grateful to have such a well-maintained and safe place to shoot. I never think twice when it is time to write out the check for membership dues.

 

[tenring]

How's the progress on the new 300 yard coming along?

 

[Meister]

I'll let you know tomorrow night. I'm heading down in the AM.

 

[x10]

Anybody know the story on why the Bowling pin matches stopped or if/when they will start back up?

 

[indy1919a4]

How's the progress on the new 300 yard coming along?

\

They have all the trees down and you can see just how long the range is going to be...

I am going to have to get better glasses and much bigger targets

 

[femurphy77]

I was down there last weekend hoping to try out the new M1A. I believe I was told by a board member that it was 200 yards but not sure. The trees are down but that's about it for now, heavily overgrown, rough terrain and not really usable at this point. You pretty much need a high clearance vehicle to get to the far end where somebodies deer stand is now exposed and have to cross a couple of small washes from the hills. I tried setting up a real estate target holder but was unable to pick it out through the vegetation from the other end so just squeezed off a few at the 100 yard range and called it a day.

I think the guy that has been doing the work is like the rest of us and has a day job improving farmers fields so the range work takes a back seat during his busy season. Based on the quality of the rest of the facility I'm sure it's going to be a GREAT addition when they are thru.

 

[IndianaRog]

Anybody know the story on why the Bowling pin matches stopped or if/when they will start back up?

We last ran bowling pin matches in 2012, but interest dwindled to almost nothing and decision was made to drop them for 2013.

Roger for the Board of MSCC