Trailsmen Rod & Gun Club History June 1980
The Trailsmen Rod & Gun Club, created in 1967, is a result of a group of miners wanting to organize themselves in order to provide competitive shooting in their community of Val Caron.
The basis of this new club was formed in 1966 with the organization being registered with the Dominion Marksmen Association and founders making plans in order to kick off the club as a Centennial project in 1967.
The spring of 1967 saw club members busy building a club house and range on property which has been leased. An affiliation to the Ontario Federation of Anglers & Hunters would be realised in the fall off that year while members busied themselves by making use of their new range. Thousands of shots were fired by members resulting in several receiving various distinctions for proficient shooting and a few obtained the C.I.L’s Expert Shield. Shooting dominated the activities of the club for the first year but members took time out of the group in order to visit sportsman shows such as the Canadian Sportsmen Show and others, travelling as far as Cleveland Ohio in pursuit of their hobby.
Slowly and surely the club’s activities turned from shooting to conservation. By 1971 activities from animal displays, film showings, tree planting, fish stocking, cutting bush for deer yards, etcetera. So intense was the club’s work in the field of conservation that year, it was awarded the Mary Pickford award, an award presented annually by the Ontario Federation of Anglers & Hunters to the organization who has contributed the most time and effort in furthering the cause of conservation during the proceeding year, in the province of Ontario. The club was presented with the award at the Ontario Federation of Anglers & Hunters annual meeting and conservation help in Thunder Bay that year. The club went on to win the Ontario Federation of Anglers & Hunters Zone two top awards for several years to follow. A few Trailsmen Rod & Gun have been presented with the Carlings Conservation Trophy, an award sponsored by the Carlings Breweries Limited which is the highest individual achievement presented by the Ontario Federation of Anglers & Hunters. The recipients are judged to have done the most work in conservation on a voluntary basis during the past year. This award was bestowed upon various club members in the years; 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1976, 1977, 1979. The climax of the award came in 1974 when the Junior Trailsmen Conservation Club, a club which had been formed only one year previously was presented with the Lands and Forest Trophy. “In order to advance conservation principles and practices among young people this trophy is awarded annually by the Ontario Federation of Anglers & Hunters to the youth group which is judged to have made the most progress and the greatest contribution to conservation in the province of Ontario.” Entries are open to all youth groups of the province including Scouts, Cubs, Rangers, Cadets, 4-H clubs, school groups, junior conservation clubs, etcetera. This distinction was bestowed upon the Jr. Trailsmen again for the years 1978 and 1979. All in all when taken into account all the clubs and individuals awards presented to the Trailsmen Rod & Gun Club organization for their work in the field of conservation they can be proud of having achieved eight Zone awards and ten at the provincial level.
As the community expanded bringing with it an influx of people and businesses a marked difference could be seen in the popularity of the club. It’s membership increased from a mere twenty in the first years of operation to the numbers it presently boasts, approaching the 100 mark.
Recognizing the necessity of educating the public in regards to the outdoors and wildlife the club has continued to offer their assistance to organizations interested in learning to identify the various coniferous and deciduous tree species, wildlife and waterfowl identification, orienteering, wilderness survival and by providing conservation talks, anti litter campaigns and films showings to all wishing them. Beavers, Cubs, Scouts, Brownies, Guides, senior citizens homes, libraries and schools were all visited for such purpose on a voluntary basis with no remuneration.
The majority if not all Hunter Education Programs provided for the citizens of Valley East from 1970 on, were provided by members of the Trailsmen Rod & Gun Club.
The organization is involved in many aspects of conservation, their most recent accomplishment being the completion of a five year reforestation program in an area which had been rampaged by forest fires in Blezard Township.
Acknowledging the fact that organized shooting facilities are lacking in Valley East, members of the Trailsmen Rod & Gun Club diligently searched for an area that could house a variety of programs of which this community is in dire need. Such a location has been found and our club has been in negotiations with the Town of Valley East, the owner of the parcel of land.
The Trailsmen Rod & Gun Club was incorporated in 1979. All members in good standings enjoy all privileges the club can offer and those of the Ontario Federation of Anglers & Hunters. The club and all members are covered by a $1,000,000. liability insurance policy. The Trailsmen Rod & Gun Club is affiliated with the Ontario Federation of Anglers & Hunters, Canadian Wildlife Federation, Ontario Forestry Association and Ducks Unlimited Canada.