President's Newsletter
I hope everyone has had a very happy Thanksgiving. We are so fortunate to live in a country with such bounty, opportunity and the freedoms we enjoy. Going into this holiday season, please take a moment to thank the men and women who have served or are currently serving in our military, law enforcement and as first responders. We owe them so much for their commitment to our country and its communities.
I want to remind everyone about our upcoming annual meeting coming up January 21st at 6pm. Our guest speaker this year will be Malhuer County Sheriff Travis Johnson. We will not be hosting a dinner this year, but you are encouraged to come early and enjoy a meal at the Plaza Inn in Ontario. The meeting will be in the back conference room.
This is also when we elect new club officers. If you have someone you would like to nominate, let a current board member know so we can arrange a vote. The individual must be aware of the nomination and is required to be present at the meeting. Thankfully, our current officers have agreed to another term if no one is elected.
We are still working through securing our liability insurance for 2026. Our current provider had some internal issues getting us a quote. We are a little nervous what the cost will be – everything seems to climb these days- but I will let everyone know as soon as we get the numbers. This insurance is a major expense and directly affects annual membership fees. All shooting disciples and matches continue to fund themselves and don’t cost members extra.
Vale Range
Kerry held his November Short-Range Benchrest match, running a 300-yard group and a 300-yard score double match. He had 9 shooters for each match. This was my first 300-yard match – definitely a learning experience.
Jim wrapped up his last Practical Pistol Match in November and will be
taking some time next year to travel. He’s built that match into
something special, and I’ve heard many compliments on both the match and
the safety procedures. The Board and all participants appreciate Jim’s
dedication over the years and wish him the best in his travels.
I held my .22 Benchrest match on a cool, foggy morning in November. We had seven shooters and ended up shooting straight through the fog. That was a tough new experience for me. I stalled a bit hoping it would clear but all that did was give Mother Nature enough time to invite a breeze to mix in with the fog. Even with the conditions, we saw some impressive scores.
The 600-yard benchrest match was canceled this month due to lack of interest. We will pick it back up in March, weather permitting.
Ontario Shotgun Range
Curtis and Josh hosted a NSCA match in November with a great turnout. I believe they had 35 shooters for the main event and 34 for super sport. That is a lot of targets and plenty of work keeping machines fed all day. Thank you, gentlemen, for your hard work and dedication. They even managed to get a cook to show up this time for lunch. Well done.
We have been working to try and clean up the skeet facility and shotgun facilities. This spring the Board has approved a contractor to help with the weed control. We will still have to spray some areas ourselves, but it should make a real difference. We replaced the stairs on the High House on skeet field 1 – they’d become unsafe and needed a full rebuild. We managed to get the weed piles burned and the area is finally shaping up. My personal highlight was seeing that old forklift finally leave the property. I’ve wanted that eyesore gone for years, and thanks to some persistent negotiations, Kerry pulled it off. With a few more trips to the dump and a couple good bonfires, that place will start to look sharp.
Pat is still running his skeet league and needs more shooters. He’s an accomplished skeet shooter, solid instructor, and a great guy to shoot with. If you’re interested in shotgun sports, the skeet field - with a free instruction- he is a great place to start.
Just a reminder, after the first of the year, gate combinations at both ranges will change. Sporting Clays shooters will be required to re-read and approve the 2026 Memorandum of Understanding to get the new Ontario Shotgun Range combination.
Have a safe and Merry Christmas - and aim small.
Bob Smith
President, Snake River Sportsmen
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