WILTON – Wilton Fish & Game Association is continuing to offer outdoor programs to educate and involve the general public.
The rifle range will be open to the general public on Saturday, Oct. 13 from 9 AM to 3 PM and Sunday, Oct. 14 from noon to 5 PM. Hunters will be able to sight in their hunting rifles for the upcoming season. Members will be present for safety, to answer questions and to coordinate the use of the range. Bring your own ammunition and paper targets only. Any questions call Noel Brown at 645-2797
Members will have a table at the Livermore Falls Apple Pumpkin festival on Oct. 13 to give the public an opportunity to ask questions about any of their programs or to inquire about club membership.
The Wilton Fish & Game Association will be hosting a public meeting and pot luck supper on Sunday, Oct. 21 at 5:30 PM at their club house on Route 2 in Wilton. If you can bring a dish to share it would be greatly appreciated, if not please just come and enjoy the evening. Guest speaker Patrick Keenan from Maine Audubon Society will be presenting a program (approx. at 6:30 PM) on the Eagles in Western Maine and will also highlight some of their other work with saw-whet owls, common eiders, and peregrine falcons.
On Sept. 16 the Fish and Game hosted a field day open to the public with instruction on trap shooting, three-position shooting and a shooting gallery. The shooting gallery was open from 9 AM until 4 PM with fun and challenges for all. The three-position shoot was a timed event which was a challenge for everyone that participated. When the pressure of time comes into play, each person must control their emotion and think their way along the course. This was a great event and a lot of fun. The trap shooting event was the most challenging event of the day.
Charlie Tappan and Ed Davis ran and instructed the trap shoot. One of the highlights of this event was a 14-years-old who had never shot trap. She was overheard saying she would like to try this event but was afraid she wouldn’t be able to hit the targets being thrown out. Members encouraged her to try and assured her that no one would laugh. Before she started she was instructed on the safe handling of a firearm, the safe operation of the shotgun she was to use and then she was turned over to her grandfather Ed Davis for instruction on shooting Trap. She was heard saying “If I could just break one target I would be so happy.” Trap consists of 25 shots at five different stops, on her sixth shot she hit her target and everything stopped. The 4 other shooters on line put down their guns and applauded her along with the whole crowd. At the end of her 25 shots she broke 7 targets and all congratulated her for her great effort. She was the happiest person there that day.
The Wilton Fish & Game’s annual fund raiser ended the last day of Farmington Fair. Raffle tickets were drawn and there were many lucky winners: Youth Bow Package donated in memory of Richard A. Rowe by Jeff Rowe and family was won by Linda Brown. Ruger Rifle, All American .270 Winchester caliber, Bolt Action sponsored by Audette’s Hardware went to Ann York. The Salmon Fishing Trip on Rangeley Lake with Bruce Dyke was won by Earl Hardy; W.A. Mitchell Fine Furniture from Farmington donated a Long Handled Cherry Step Stool and was won by Adam Buote. One Half ton of hardwood pellets donated by Wood Pellet Warehouse, Jay was won by Martin Thorne. Calzolaio Pasta Co. $50 gift certificate to Scott Daggett, Hand Crafted Walking Stick by Warren Bryant to Tom Marble, Two $25 Valero Fuel Cards from Fabian Oil Co. were won by Courtland Dill and Tony St. Pierre. Wilton Hardware $25 gift certificate-Kurt Gordon. Dexter Supply $20 gift certificate-Nate Paling. $10 gift certificate from C.N. Brown to Michael Ryan. The Wilton Fish & Game members are very appreciative of the generosity from the area businesses and extend a sincere thank you.
The Wilton Fish and Game Association will be hosting more events throughout the year so watch the papers and other ads. The Annual Fishing Derby will take place on Feb. 17 the free fishing day for Maine. Emily MacCabe from the Dept. of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife will be on the ice with the program “Hooked on Fishing.” This is a free fishing clinic on how to ice fish with all equipment provided. This instruction is for all ages young and young at heart. Hope to see you there.
Wilton Fish & Game Club meetings are held at 6:30 on the third Sunday of each month. For more information call Phil at 897-4305 or 897-3027.
I am truly pleased to see the recent rejuvenation of this long-standing club. They have made a significant contribution to gun safety, provided a unique addition to the Blueberry Festival activities, and offered a chance for people, young and old, to understand the safe use and enjoyment of firearms. As someone who was raised in a family that had pistols, rifles and shotguns that we considered “family”, I know how an early understanding and respect for firearms makes them something other than weapons. Responsible exposure to guns made them as mundane as the lawnmower. They were tools, part of our household “arsenal”, and we handled them with the proper respect and care. They are a fact of life in American society, especially in rural Maine, and every young person should have some experience with them if for nothing more than to remove the mystique that surrounds them.
I am so glad to see that the Wilton Fish & Game is continuing to promote their club. Both my Dad and I have worked so hard to provide a service to the community, it makes one proud that others keep the programs alive.
Keep up the good work.