The Revelstoke Rod and Gun Club is still functional, and doing what we have always done.
We have relocated the range to Sledhella Forest Service Road. Development has made it difficult to operate on the Camozzi Road location off of Westside Road.
The club’s objective has not changed. Our mandate to enhance hunting and fishing opportunities, which has been lacking due to COVID and the relocating of the shooting range.
I would like to take this opportunity to update the public on some of the projects our club is working on or completed.
Rod and Gun Club directorJennifer Bowden is actively pursuing installation of a wharf on Williamson Lake with the City of Revelstoke, BC Wildlife Federation and Fishing Forever.
The purpose for this wharf is to give juniors and others who would like to learn the art of fishing a place to start, it will also be wheelchair accessible.
It is our hope that this will be available some time in summer of 2024.
Rod and Gun Club vice-president Zack Jenne and some of our members responded to the beaver dam that blocked the Tum Tum Creek. They removed enough of the blockage to allow the kokanee and trout to access the spawning area upstream.
Our biggest project has been the construction of the new shooting ranges.
We finally received approval this spring to start the construction of a 400-metre rifle range, 100-metre pistol range, a trap and skeet shooting range and a designated area to shoot archery.
After the completion of the ranges, we have approval to shoot pistols and approved rifles at the 100-metre range.
We are expecting the approval of the 400-metre range in spring 2024. We are working on getting the right equipment for the trap and skeet shooting range and having the equipment installed in spring of 2024. The archery area has been designated to about a five acre wooded area available for shooting.
We expect to keep the 100-metre pistol and rifle range open all winter for members. Memberships are available at Johnny’s Wild, Rough Country and Universal Footwear.
The club consists of 280 members with a wide range of interests. The club’s monthly meetings are on the first Thursday of every month, 7 p.m., at the Knights of Pythias Hall on Third Street. Everyone is welcome.
The Revelstoke Rod and Gun Club banquet is tentatively scheduled for April 20. I would like to thank all the members and others who helped to make this a reality.
George Buhler is the Rod and Gun Club president.