March 2008 UNS Newsletter

VOLUME 53                    MARCH 2008                    NUMBER 3                    $9.00

Annual Awards Banquet

April 11th is the date set for this years Annual Awards Banquet to be held at the Lakeview Castle on Highway 61.  Viewing of the auction items will open at 5:00 PM and dinner will be served at 6:30 PM.  Our awards will be awarded immediately following.  A fabulous buffet has been guaranteed and a cash bar will be available.  As in past years we will have a number of guns and an archery kit and numerous other prizes and auction items.  Feel free to invite your friends and make an evening of fun helping make this event our biggest and best ever.  For tickets or more information please contact Bert Cieluch at 525-5547 or Sandy Roberts at 722-2711.  Remember, any donations will be greatly appreciated.  See poster insert for additional information.

Speaker at March 12th meeting

Years ago we tried to have a speaker, or some kind of program, at each Membership Meeting.  Well, we are going to try that again hoping to increase attendance.  This month our speaker will be the Honorable Judge Eric Hylden ; he will speak on the 2nd Amendment and how it affects us.  I'm sure Judge Hylden will be happy to answer any questions from the membership and coffee and cookies will be served also.  If a member wishes for us to try to have someone special for a speaker please contact one of the Board Members and we will do our best to try to accommodate.  We obviously can't promise anything but we can certainly try.

Club Calendar

Mar. 12..........UNS Membership Meeting
  Sportsmen's Retreat
  7:00 PM
  Speaker: Honorable Eric Hylden

Mar. 23..........Happy Easter

Apr. 2.............UNS Board Meeting
  Sportsmen's Retreat
  6:00 PM Pot Luck
  7:00 PM Meeting
  Work Party prior

Apr. 9.............UNS Membership Meeting
  Sportsmen's Retreat
  6:00 PM Pot Luck
  7:00 PM Meeting
  Work Party prior

Apr. 11...........Annual Awards Banquet
  Lakeview Castle
  5:00 PM viewing of items
  6:30 PM Dinner

May 7.............UNS Board Meeting
  Sportsmen's Retreat
  6:00 PM Pot Luck
  7:00 Meeting
  Work Party prior

UNITED NORTHERN SPORTSMEN'S BANQUET REGISTRATION FORM NAME:________________________________________________________________________
ADDRESS:__________________________________________________________________
NUMBER ATTENDING ($25 PER PERSON)_______________PHONE    NUMBER_________
PLEASE PROVIDE NAMES  OF ALL  ATTENDING.  Mail completed registration form, along with a check to: Bert Cieluch, 4801 Oakley St., Duluth,  MN 55804, 525-5547.  Request must be received by March 24 to be eligible for Early Bird Drawing.  Prices go to $35.00 on April 8.
....................................................................................................................................................................................

United Northern Sportsmen's Annual Banquet
April 11, 2008          5:00 PM - ?
Lakeview Castle

     And Much More!

Notes from the Stovepipe by Ken Norenberg © 2008

Opportunities

For years some of us at UNS have complained about the lack of cooperation among various factions in the hunting/fishing/shooting fraternities, as regards opposing, with a united voice, the Antis and their antics, politics and media comrades.  In fact, in the past we've taken some steps toward organizing a local or regional umbrella group for that precise purpose, but obviously haven't met success – yet.  Well, here's an opportunity to at least participate in another Club's activity, that I thought some of you might be interested in, for fun and proficiency.  Any of you who have a Service Rifle (surplus military, M-1 Garand, M-14 or commercial M-1A, M-16 or commercial AR-15) standing around in the closet, and have wanted to learn how to shoot it, or enhance your accuracy with it, here's your chance.  On Thursday May 8 from 6 PM - 9 PM at the Northwest Gun Club (6512 E. Hunter Lake Road), SFC Dwight Barth USAR, a High Master, Distinguished Rifleman will offer a Riflery Clinic.  He will teach proper Rifle Technique, improving Competitive Performance, developing your own shooting technique, and learning to analyze your own performance.  Clinic attendance also gets you a ticket to attend, and participate in if you wish, a CMP Qualification Match on Saturday May 10th, there at Hunter Lake.  This is an unprecedented opportunity to get out and get educated on riflery, by experts who you probably can't ever run into here at UNS.  And could only be beneficial to your successful deer hunting or any other hunting, shooting or gunnery, to boot.  We'll have more on this next month – just keep the May dates in mind.
 Now here's another one: The Stovepipe has just been informed that Judge Eric Hylden will be a guest speaker at our general membership meeting on March 12th.  All I can tell you at this time is that he "wishes to talk to us about the 2nd Amendment" and that he is a fellow member of UNS.  Having never met Judge Hylden nor even knowing what or where his bailiwick in our judicial system is, there's no telling just what his gun-rights position might be.  But your auld Stovepiper, having mentioned gun-rights once or twice before, I bet you two traffic tickets and a lunch at the Black Steer that whatever the Judge has to say will be very, very interesting.  And you'll be the loser if you don't show up on the 12th.   Adios Amigos, (press 2 for English) and Happy St. Pats'. 

Next Month–Spring!

Up-coming Retreat use

March 10, 11, 17, & 18 - 10:00 am - 2:00 pm - Rifle Range - US Border Patrol
March 15 & 22 - 10:00 am - 2:00 pm - Pistol Range - Marty LeRette
March 27 - 1:00 pm - 5:00 pm - Retreat & Trap Range - UMD Outdoor Class
March 29 - 10:00 am - 2:00 pm - Retreat & Pistol Range - Steven Holt
April 1 & 3 - 1:00 pm - 5:00 pm - Retreat & Trap Range - UMD Outdoor Class
April 5 - 10:00 am - 2:00 pm - Retreat & Pistol Range - Steven Holt
For reservations contact Jim Lemmerman at          624-3847.

Club Notes - Cont. from page 4
the assault incident that took place at UNS.  
   Minnesota Conservation Federation is having their quarterly meeting on March 8th, at the Lakeville Gander MT store – 9am.
   Firearm Safety Class – Richard Montgomery has a regular firearm safety class scheduled for April 19th and wants NO outside help.  He had shared with Joe that he was told that there were only two people who could conduct firearm safety courses at UNS – which is inaccurate information.  Joe will follow up with the person who gave Richard Montgomery this information.
   Summer Fishing Contest – needs a chair person.  This event is scheduled for June 14th /15th, which is also, take a kid fishing weekend and also Father's Day weekend.
Sick/Distressed – Bernie Lindberg, at Benedictine Health Center recovering for about 2-4 weeks.
Attendance Drawing - $20 Kevin Waino
Progressive Drawing - $80 Charles Beasley, not in attendance to win
Motion to Adjourn:  Motion made by Howard Tullgren to adjourn the meeting at 8:05, 2nd by Jim Kurtz, carried.

 
Club Notes
Meeting called to Order by Secretary Ashley Craig who appointed Sandy Roberts to chair this meeting, due to both Pres. Joe Roberts and Vice Pres. Jim Lemmerman's absence.
Board Members Present: Sandy Roberts, Ashley Craig, Cindy Craig, Eric Hansen, Bob Curtis, Chuck Cieluch, Ken Norenberg, Howard Tullgren, Jim Kurtz, Kevin Waino, Mark Wiarda, Mike Drager, Mike Foy, Jim Jensen
Secretary's Report:  Motion was made by Cindy Craig to accept the Sec. Report, 2nd by Bert Ceiluch, carried.
Treasurer's Report:  Checkbook balance is $ 19,460.45, Money Market acct balance $10184.73, Reg Savings acct balance $9.85, total available funds $29,655.03.  Motion was made by Mike Drager to accept the treasurer's report and pay the bills, 2nd by Mark Wiarda, carried. 
Membership Secretary: Current membership total is 1568.
Committee Reports:
   Ice Fishing Contest –   Approx profit to date of $2628.84.  Still have about six prizes that need to be picked up.  A special thank you to Monica Waino and Judy Foy for helping out last minute in the concession stand.
     Spring Banquet – Date is set for Friday April 11th at Lakeview Castle.  Contact Bert for tickets.  Distributed list of past businesses who donated along with the request for donation letter to give to area businesses. Please collect donations and get them to Bert.  Monday before banquet planned to organize all prizes at Bert's house.  
Retreat Improvements –Nothing new to report except that Bob received a call from a member, Dan Woollel asking what he can do to help out and volunteer.  Great!!!!  Thanks for the willingness to participate.     . 
New Business
   Legislative Proposal – Walleye Fishing – proposal is to open a week early and reduce the number of fish allowed to be taken.  Nothing has been decided – but reports show majority not in favor.
   New Board Member's Keys – Keys distributed to most all new members.  Still one set short.
   Greg Brisky - Spirit Valley Insurance -   Joe discussed with Greg raising figures on the retreat building and the camphost building, plus the additional buildings.  Joe questioned the additional charge for our Banquet – always held off premises.  More to report at next meeting.
   Letter from Unhappy member – Joe had received a letter from an unhappy twenty plus year UNS member.  This letter stated his displeasure in the conditions of the boat ramp, the limited parking along the lakefront, dock/water levels, etc.  
   Letter to Sheriff Litman – Joe did write a letter to Sheriff Litman sharing with him our concerns about (Club Notes cont. on page 2)