WSSA  MEETING  MINUTES  JAN 21, 2012

 

President Mark Spungin called the meeting to order at 10:05 AM. The meeting was held in the Casper Ramada coffee shop.  Officers present:  Pres & VP Spungin, Sec/Trea Sebesta,  Hunting/Conservation  Morgan, Jr programs Irvine and 8 interested members, 1 guest.

 

The minutes from the Sept 7, 2011 meeting were read.  Date correction on annual meeting needed.  M by D Irvine, 2nd  P. Morgan  to approve with correction.  VV+.    The treasurers report was handed out with the agenda and reviewed.  Checking balance as of Jan 15, 2012 is $1565.97.  Membership totals 792. 727 newsletters mailed or delivered Jan 13th.

 

OLD BUSINESS    1]  Ed Cassidy continues to be a great asset to WSSA and quickly posts updates to the web site.    2]  M Spungin reviewed the Richard Kern  empty holster case.  Legislative office advised that WSSA should discontinue involvement but members should/could as the case is appealed.

 

NEW BUSINESS   1]   The Casper decision to go against the WY preemption law was discussed.  Wyoming Gun Owners is pushing a test case.  Stay tuned.     2]   May 5th will be the annual meeting date.  Sec/Trea to make location known in next newsletter and will post on the web site.     3]   Sec/Trea asked for ideas to lower the costs of printing and mailing the newsletter by going to electronic media.  Discussion led to placing an item in the next newsletter telling that the newsletter will be on the web site and if member wishes a hard copy they notify the Sec/Trea.  Jan 2012 printing and mailing was $728.76.   4]    Roy Bane’s competition letter included in the Jan ’12 newsletter was discussed.  John Lancaster thanked Bane for realizing there were problems but warned against the further dividing, rather than ‘hang together, or hang separate’.  Yes there are problems but can not all be placed onto the leaders and coaches working with 4-H and junior training.  Dudley Irvine showed the numbers that fired the Jan Jr Olympic event; 5 smallbore and 32 air rifle.  Very difficult to keep youth involved as they reach junior hischool where school sports are on site and most have no place to shoot with out  traveling or parents hauling and waiting.  The unanswered question is ‘How do we get the shooting sports back into the school?’    5]  Doug Meachum, Buffalo related disappointment in lack of juniors in high power.  He wondered if a Junior High Power director should be added to the association.  Discussion covered various factors including the By-law and Policy manual descriptions of the Comp and Jr Officer duties.  Bev Spungin and Paul Ward are working on idea to be discussed at the annual meeting.   6] Discussion held on the upcoming NRA board of Director elections.  Steve Shreiner, CO  and WSSA life member Joe DeBergallis are running.  M/ Sebesta that we send $100 to Shreiner and $50 to DeBergallis; 2nd by Don Rizer. VV+

 

Hunting/Conservation- Phillip Morgan said many factors are affecting the future of hunting in WY:  disease,  predators, license and travel costs, access to lands, increase in leased lands, declining dedication to the hunt, ageing population with low recruitment.

 

Legislative by Mark Spungin.  This WY legislative session is a ‘budget’ session.  That adds to the difficulty for other subject mater to be acted on.  Slight possibility of having some ‘clean up’ on the concealed carry restrictions.

 

Junior programs by Dudley Irvine    The Jr Olympic matches for air rifle and 3 position smallbore were held Jan 14-15 at Laramie CO Fairgrounds.  Thirty-two competitors.  Jodi Ross, Laramie State Champ in womans air rifle and smallbore  @ 376/400 & 507/600.  The men’s Champion is Austen Williamson, Cheyenne, in both events @ 536/600 AR & 475/600 3P.  Cheyenne has a Jr ROTC program starting up.  Lander lost the Jr ROTC program after several year of dropping interest. Lander will host JR & open 3P, 4P smallbore and 3P air Mar 10-11.

 

Club reports—

Lander Valley Sportsmen continues with a full calendar of events in air rifle & pistol, 3P & 4P smallbore, indoor and outdoor rifle silhouette, offhand events, High power, cowboy action, & tactical shooting. Membership at 258.

Thermopolis Gun Club installing new clay throwers and expected to continue with the youth, trap and sporting clays programs.

Fort Fetterman Sportsmen by Brian Nugent  About 200 members, $40 annual membership.  Road has been improved to reach distant target frames; vandalism still a problem; no competitions planned.

Laramie Rifle Range, Inc by Phil Morgan.  The Nat Guard completed the road and berm work making winter access possible.  The will host the long range and hi-power 2012 Championships; 470 members.

Casper Shooters Club by John Popelka.  Operate the Stuckenhoff Range; have air rifle and archery indoors; expanding dump work has caused open times to be restricted; Jr Biathlon Club active and had 2 attend National competition.

 

Adjourned at 12:30PM    emailed to BOD   1-22-2012      Roger Sebesta Sec/Tres