Volume XV Issue III

OFFICERS

President: Norm Pinard

Vice President: Tim Layman

Secretary: Harry Whitney

Treasurer: Frank Knowles

Sergeant at Arms: Bob

Hartford

March 2020

ADVISORY BOARD

Mike Cramer Thru 2020

Richard Gorman Thru 2022

Ed Knowles Thru 2020

Wally Paige Thru 2021

Mike Plourde Thru 2020

COMMITTEES

Archery: Scott Rogers

Boy Scouts: Rob Lopez

By-Laws: Ed Knowles

Building: Frank Knowles

Grounds: Richard Gorman

Hunter Ed: Brian Quist

Kitchen: Norm Pinard

Newsletter: Tim Layman

Range: Eric Rivard

Space town Beagle Club:

Richie Houde

Town Fair: Tim Layman

Ways & Means: Elected Officers

Web Site: Brian Handley

These are difficult times

for all of us, but life always

seems a little more

palatable when we can

smile in the face of adversi-

ty. The following new dic-

tionary addition was sent to

me by family in California,

and the alternative activity

suggestion by family in

Michigan.

In light of the presence throughout

New Hampshire of the coronavirus, Raymond

Sportsman’s Club is altering its schedule of

activities with near future dates. Since many

of our club events involve groups that exceed

the recommended 10 person limit , either

Raymond Sportsman’s Club or its partner

organization (NH Fish & Game, Boy Scouts,

Sig Sauer) has cancelled some events sched-

uled for this spring. These cancellations have

been voluntary and are exercised in an effort

to reduce or halt the community spread of the

Covid 19 virus.

The RSC Regular Club meeting was

held as usual this past Wednesday night to

discuss a plan for future activities. It was

generally agreed upon by attending members

to play it by ear beyond the first week of

April, hoping the virus would show a decline.

All group activities are cancelled

through the RSC Regular meeting scheduled

for April 6th. If the virus epidemic does not

show a decline soon, there is a very good

chance that club meetings in April as well as

meetings and activities in May will need to be

cancelled to comply with the legal prohibition

of group events of 10 or more people.

It is our hope we do not have to alter

our schedule of meetings, classes and events

beyond this spring season, but the health and

welfare of our members, guests and partner

organizations must be our foremost concern.

The good news is that many of the ac-

tivities that RSC members enjoy are still avail-

able. As long as members maintain appropriate

“social distancing,” shooting at the rifle, pistol,

clay target and archery ranges, as well as fish-

ing in the ponds are still acceptable activities.

One of the safest places we can be, to weather

this virus pandemic, is out of doors getting

fresh air and exercise. I do urge you to bring

with you some sanitary wipes or disinfectant to

wipe down commonly touched items like the

range gate lock, the range flag and the sign in

log covers, before and after you use them.

Please listen

to and practice safe

hygiene practices at

our club, the same as

you would at home.

There are

two things to take

away from this arti-

cle. The first is that

RSC has already had to cancel events and ac-

tivities due to Covid 19 and there may be more

cancellations going forward. I will update mem-

bers through email regularly with changes in

our activity schedule. You can also use the

event calendar on our website for updated in-

formation. Secondly, the club is still open

for individual activities as long as you practice

safe hygiene habits while you are there.

Tim Layman

I’m giving up drinking for a month

Sorry, bad punctuation.

I’m giving up.

Drinking for a month!

Raymond Sportsman club member Ron

Digou was busy last summer fishing with the Ray-

mond Bassmasters Trail. As a member of that trail,

he fished around the state at most of the major

lakes well known to an-

glers in the sport of tour-

nament bass fishing.

When he was not

fishing, he worked with

the Pinkerton Academy

Bass team which competes

in the NHIAA state tour-

naments. The enjoyment

of helping these young

men in a sport that is fair-

Once you spend a few more than a few years in

the woods (a kind way of saying I’m getting old), you

begin to think you’ve seen it all.

Case in point: Nov 6th, 2019 at 0735 the buck I

know had been making three foot wide scrapes and was

tearing apart hemlock saplings in an area my hunting

buddies and I call “the knolls” came in right behind my

ground stand. He made a little noise making it possible

for me to rotate a round just in time before he appeared

behind a long blown down spruce, with nothing left but

its skeleton. It was somewhat of a sketchy situation,

with me and my ole smoke pole hoping if we touched one

off that it wouldn’t find one of those dead branches on

the way through, but the pounding heart and “this might

be your only chance” ringing in my ears overcame the

what if factors and a billow of smoke was all I remember

next.

I saw him turn and go

back down the knoll he came

up. I reloaded out of instinct

from where I sat, waited, then

went over to the place where

he stood. No blood. No noth-

ing. I then began to look at

each branch of the fallen

spruce but saw no evidence of

a deflection. I expanded the

search, and with an audible

“thank God” I finally spotted a

good deal of the bright red

blood I hoped for.

The blood trailing began. Nothing unusual, plenty

of it, regular intervals, up and down the knolls. My eyes

going ground to forward, ground to forward, always expect-

ing to see him in the near distance. Up a steep knoll, which

no doubt strained his wounded self as the blood was heavy.

Got to the top and looked out forward, expecting more than

ever to see him downed. Nothing ahead, so looks back to

ground. Nothing to see. No blood. No tracks. I move for-

ward, 2 yards, now 5, now ten, oh

my. How could I lose this blood

trail which was so distinct just

moments ago? The buck had dis-

appeared! You know the feeling

next, panic. Lost treasure. Meat

spoiling overnight. Coyotes.

How could this be. From distinct,

to nothing. I retraced over the

knoll and came back again.

Nothing. Did this deer get a

stealth helicopter “dust off” for

the wounded or what?

And then as I stood ro-

tating in amazement, out of the

corner of my eye I see him. He

lies in a gully, 15 yards away, 45 degrees backwards from

the way he came, backwards from the last spot of blood. He

had literally lurched backwards after cresting the knoll and

lay 15 yards downhill, nearly hidden from view as seen from

the original direction of travel. Needless to say, it was a

relief to find the disappearing 150 lb. dressed 5pt buck, one

who had done something I had never seen before. Just

when you thought you’d seen it all.

ly new to high school

competition, means a lot

to him.

The first picture is of

Ron holding the tourna-

ment winning fish at

Pawtuckaway Lake this

past spring. The second

photo is of Zack M from

Derry, a member of the

Pinkerton team, with a

6lb 12oz large-mouth

bass. On that day, Ron's

fish tipped the scales at 5lb 14 oz. Looks like stu-

dent schooled the teacher!

By Les Houston

PAGE 3 VOLUME XV ISSUE I I I

SCHEDULED EVENT DATES

Elected Officers 2020

President: Norm Pinard Vice President: Tim Layman Secretary: Harry Whitney Treasurer: Frank Knowles Sergeant at Arms: Bob Hartford

Advisory Board, 3yr:

Richard Gorman

Advisory Board, 1yr:

Mike Cramer

Ed Knowles Mike Plourde

50 / 50 Drawings

.RSC Annual Meeting March 4th, 2020

- -Voting for all elected officials on this night

Regular Club Meeting March 18th, 2020

Turkey Hunter Ed Course CANCELLED -

Turkey hunter Mentoring program shotgun patterning

- Rifle Range closed from Noon-3pm

Regular Club Meeting April 1st, 2020

Boy Scout Leadership Training CANCELLED

Regular Club Meeting April 15th, 2020

RSC Hunter Ed Field Day CANCELLED

-All ranges closed until 4pm

Les Houston Hunter Ed Field Day CANCELLED

-All ranges closed until 4pm

Regular Club Meeting May 6th, 2020

.221 Steel Target Fun Shoot May 14th, 2020

-New, 2nd Thursday of each month

-First-time and novices shooters welcome

Military Rifle Shoot May 17th, 2020

50/50 Drawing: March 4th, 2020 Won by: Bob Hartford

50/50 Drawing: March 18th, 2020 Won by: Normand Pinard

Pistol Shoot At left is Cally Lighthall , the

winner of the 2019 RSC out-of-state deer pool. Below left is the beauti-ful 150lb. 6-point buck that Cally took on the 4th day of firearm season at their

Upstate NY deer camp.

At right is Guy Cilluffo, who won the RSC in-state deer pool in 2019. Below right is the winning 181.3lb. bruiser that Guy

harvested with his crossbow on

November 6th from his Derry

honey spot.

Below is a great button buck Steve

Hopper took during firearm

season not far from the RSC club

grounds. Steve thinks this is the

same deer that walked across in

front of me at the rifle range when

I was shooting my muzzleloader.

Officers: President: Norm mentioned Sgt. Pomeroy of RPD is retiring and proposed club sending youth members to Camp

Berry, but it was already booked up. Also thanks to a SBC member reporting, a local truck was caught

dumping trash on club property. Corona virus was discussed.

Vice President: Tim announced that Billy Lane & family weathered the tornado in Tennessee and were OK. Tim also

commented on recent direction for corona virus protection.

Secretary: Harry found the lights on in the clubhouse and no one there. Also, he has prepared new elected officer

contact sheets.

Treasurer: Frank has club addressed magazines available.

Sergeant at Arms: Bob said the roads are muddy but drying up.

Advisory Board: Nothing to Report

Committees:

Archery: May 3rd is first scheduled shoot, set up a week prior.

Boy Scouts: All BSA events are cancelled through May 15th, 2020.

Building: Waiting for warmer weather, probably June.

By Laws: Nothing to Report

Grounds: Currently mud and more mud.

Hunter’s Ed: All NH Fish & Game Hunter Education classes are cancelled through May.

Kitchen: Norm says he is all set.

Newsletter: Tim thanked Logan Phelps, Les Houston and Steve Hopper for recent submissions.

Range: Nick Cramer fabricated a new shield for the 150 yard steel target & Tim described a member issue.

Space Town: Rabbit pens being worked on, trial on June 20 & 21. Raffle with $1000 1st prize, Weber grills for 2nd & 3rd prize and a fishing charter for 4th prize. Ticket sales to come.

Town Fair: Town Fair is currently on hold until virus issues subside

Website: Absent,

Other:

Unfinished Business: New stairs at range in the works

New Business: Nothing to Report

Committee Reports March 2020

Above are RSC’s 2019 Cote Margaritis Award

winners. From are Jon Goulet, Frank

Knowles and Dustin Dodge.