President’s Message(May 2025)
Our annual club cleanup day was held on Saturday May 3. I want to thanks all of you that helped to make our club ground look great and to the high school trap team students for all of their help. Also, thanks to Steve Wiltgen for preparing a delicious lunch.
The drilling of the well has been completed and test results showed an unacceptable amount of radium in the well water. To remedy this issue a reverse osmosis system is planned to be installed in the clubhouse sink the week of May 12th. The Landscaping to repair the lawn that was dug up during the drilling of the well has been completed.
Rockford Skeet Club will be hosting a club fun day on Saturday June 14, 2025 starting at 9 am until around 1 pm. We have invited NIRPC members to join us. All venues will be open. There will be attendance drawings for ammo, a raffle for $1.00 per ticket for10 rounds, and a free lunch. Also, if you break a pink target, you will receive an extra attendance drawing ticket. Please check in at the club house to receive your attendance ticket before shooting. Come on out and join the fun. If you bring a guest, please let me know by emailing me at sam.valenza@att.net so that I can order enough food. NIRPC will have their long-range rifle range open on that day and all attendees are invited to bring their rifles and shoot at their range.
The BOD has decided that since the Long Range trap voice calls will not be available in the foreseeable future that the current voice calls will be sent to the supplier for refurbishment with a 1-year warranty. Starting Saturday May 17th, the voice calls on trap field 2 will be unavailable until they are refurbished which will take about 2 weeks. The field can be used with the pull cord located in the barn. Once they are returned and installed, field 1 voice calls will be returned for refurbishment.
A trap tutorial will be held on Saturday May 17 at 10 am. The tutorial will be basic trap shooting instructions including hold points, break points, and foot stance. Also, a shotgun camera will be used to show where the target is in relation to the shot pattern.
If you have not noticed, our website is in the process of being updated thanks to club member Jeremy Hernandez. Check it out and let me know if you have any suggestion for the update. Thanks, Jeremy, for taking on this task.
We’re thrilled to announce that our club is proudly sponsoring the Shotgun Shooting Merit Badge for Scouting America! This exciting opportunity allows Scouts to learn safe handling, proper maintenance, and accurate shooting techniques using shotguns. Through a combination of classroom instruction and hands-on range time, participants will gain valuable knowledge about firearm safety, shooting sports, and responsible outdoor recreation. We’re honored to support the development of these important skills and to help foster confidence, discipline, and respect for safety in the next generation.
The skeet light that has failed will be replaced this sometime this week.
Club hats have been ordered and will be available for sale in the coming weeks.
The school trap team will be shooting at our club on the following dates from 4:30 to 6:30. Therefore, members will not be able to use the trap fields while they are shooting.
- April 8, 15, 17, 22, 24, 29
- May 6, 8, 13, 15, 20, 22
Skeet League
Starting Wednesday 5/14 Rockford Skeet will host an in-house Skeet League. League will run from 5/14 to 7/16 Wednesday nights (10 weeks), from 5:30 until done. Rules will be posted in the clubhouse, but here are the basics:
- League cost is $10; this covers a league ending banquet on the final night plus cost of rounds.
- 50 clays (2 rounds) a week, rounds paid for on members’ card; league night is Wednesday night. You can shoot your 2 rounds anytime during that week or use a banked week, for score banking see section F in the posted rules.
- First 2 scores will calculate your handicap for the league. Shoot your handicap rounds with the gun you are going to use for the league. If you handicap with a 20ga, that is the largest gauge you are allowed to use during the league, if you handicap with a 12ga that is the largest gauge you can use during the league.
- Score sheets will be in the club house and posted every week. If you want to have them e-mailed to you, provide your email address when you sign up.
The sign-up sheet will be located in the club house, or you can email Jeremy Hernadez at jeremyhernandez@gmail.com.
5-Stand/Sporting Clays League
A 5-stand/sporting clays league between our club and Rock Ridge is being formed by Bill Shold. See below for information and schedule.
Rock Ridge and Rockford Skeet Sporting Clays and 5-Stand League $235, includes 10 weeks of shooting, dinner at our last shoot, and a weekly shell raffle.
Rockford Skeet – 50 5 Stand: 5/21, 6/4, 6/18, 7/2, 7/16
Rock Ridge – 50 Sporting: 5/28, 6/11, 6/25, 7/9, 7/23
Rock Ridge: 14755 E Edson Road, Davis Junction
Rockford Skeet: 8104 Lindenwood Rd, Rockford
Top 8 scores will be taken, allowing for 2 missed weeks or 2 throwaway scores. Shooting every Wednesday night beginning at 5 from May until July. We will have a random drawing of 50 shells for shooters in attendance each week. To sign up, contact Andrew (815-382-1232) at Rock Ridge or Bill (815-978-8686) at Rockford Skeet.
If anyone is interested in getting certified for the handgun range, please contact
George Ketter at 815-631-9366, Caleb Davis at 815-243-1483 or Greg Baylander at
815-494-7321. You will need to bring a handgun, ammo, eye and ear protection and a $25.00 annual fee (cash or check).
2025 Projects
- Repair skeet houses and install gutters – completed
- Refurbish trap voice calls
- 5-Stand shooting building – TBD
- Electrical power to 5-Stand – TBD
- Rolling the grounds to smooth out the ruts
- Reconfigure trap house 2
2025 Events
- Youth shooting initiative events – October ?
- Fun Days – 6/14/25 & 8/23/25
- Landfill Lunch – 9/25/25
- Tutorials
- Trap – 5/17/25
- Skeet – 6/21/25
- 5-Stand – 7/12/25
Remember gun safety is our number 1 priority.
Rockford Skeet Club Mission Statement
The Rockford Skeet Club’s mission is to promote clay target shooting and complementary shooting sports. The objectives are to promote those characteristics of honesty, good fellowship, self-discipline, team-play, and self-reliance which are the essentials of good sportsmanship. It is the duty of all members to contribute to the wellbeing, to protect, to grow, and to enhance the club and its membership.
Best Regards,
Sam Valenza
President, Rockford Skeet Club