President’s Message
(April 2025)
The club annual meeting was held on March 15, 2025. The board of directors discussed club finances, events and projects, election results.
Our annual club cleanup day is Saturday May 3 starting at 8 am. Please bring your trimmers, chain saws, blowers, etc. No shooting will be allowed until all of the work is done. Your help is needed in order to keep our club house and grounds looking beautiful. Lunch will be provided.
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
New gutters, down spouts, and gutter guards have been installed on all of the skeet house in an effort to prevent rain from rotting the bases of the skeet houses.
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 will be installed at the clubhouse sink the week of April 14th. Landscaping will also be done doing that same week to repair the lawn that was dug up during the drilling of the well.
The following is from our Chief Safety officer Brad Yocum:
Returning shooters who have been absent from range activities due to weather, travel, or other reasons please review the excerpts below from RSC Safety Rules revised in 2024.
• Muzzle direction: pointed up, to the ground, and of course down range
• Breaches are to be open at all times when not shooting
• Load and unload guns on station and only when it is your turn to shoot
• Eye and ear protection is required while on a shooting field
• No shooting alone. A minimum of two people is required at all times on club property when shooting.
• Each shooter in a squad and on the shooting field is responsible for the safe discharge and use of their shotgun.
• Always unload your gun immediately if there is a hold up and/or malfunction. If you have a misfire or malfunction, keep the muzzle pointed down range until the gun can be safely unloaded. Always check for obstructions in the barrel before attempting to fire the gun.
• Don’t walk in front of trap or skeet machines until the arm is released and the power is turned off
• Firearms safety is no accident
• All RSC members are, in fact, Safety Officers and safety is everyone’s job.
• As a reminder, please follow range etiquette
• BE SAFE, KEEP IT OPEN, AND HAVE FUN
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.
Youth Clays Initiative Ages 12 to 18
Do you have a child or grandchild who would like a gentle introduction to clay shooting? Our member high school trap team coaches will offer a free 2 hour hands-on explanation, demonstration, and participation session next month. Important safety and handling, hands on familiarity with different shotguns, and a chance to shoot some clays will be included. Our coaches are also safety officers, and there will be additional safety officers to allow a one-on-one experience. Parents must be present to observe only and to sign appropriate waivers. Bring your own firearm if possible and ammunition (8, 81/2 or 9 shot only), eye and hearing protection, and your enthusiasm. We will have some shotguns and ammunition on hand provided by the club. Each participant will be provided one round of 25 clays. The details: Sunday, April 27th 1 to 3 pm Rockford Skeet Club- Clubhouse 8104 Lindenwood Road Cost: free Respond by text if you are attending with number of kids to: Bill Shold 815-978-8686.
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.
Revolver Shoot
A revolver handgun shoot will be held on Saturday April 12 at 9, 10, and 11 am. It will require a revolver, speed loader, and 42 rounds of any caliber ammo. If you don’t have a revolver and want to shoot, George Ketter will provide a revolver and ammo at a cost of $5.00. If you are interested in shooting this event contact George Ketter at 815-631-9366 or email him at geosueket@gmail.com.
Twilight Tuesday skeet will be held on the 1st and 3rd Tuesdays of the month starting April 1 at 7 pm. Come out and enjoy a couple of casual rounds of skeet under the lights. Low key and open to all ability levels. All shooting ends by 9 pm. Invite your friends to join us.
Northern Illinois Pistol and Rifle Club (NIRPC) LONG RANGE SHOOTS – 2025
NIRPC has invited members of our club to shoot in their long-range rifle shoots. If you are interested in shooting in any of these events, just be present on the day and time of the shoots.
Long Range Shoots will return for 2025 at the South Range (Lindenwood Rd Based on the response and things learned from last year, we will be making a few adjustments for 2025!
- We will be holding the events every other weekend for 2025, alternating Saturdays and Sundays. Each event will last 2 hours
- All events will be conducted under the direction of an RSO.
- We are adding 2 additional target stands at 150 yards and 300 yards respectively. All gongs are ½” AR550. There are no caliber limitations.
- 150 yards = 4” 6” and 8” gongs
- 300 yards = 6” 10” and 12” gongs
Dates for April, May & June are as follows:
- Sunday, April 27, 2025. Noon – 2 PM
- Saturday, May 10, 2025. 10 AM – Noon
- Sunday, May 25, 2025. Noon – 2 PM
- Saturday, June 7, 2025. 10 am – Noon
- Sunday, June 22, 2025. Noon – 2 PM
RSOs will have guest waiver forms for non-member shooters. Guest fees are waived for these events.
Please note that while these are considered Special Events, NIRPC Range Rules apply.
- NIRPC badges must be worn during these events.
- Leave your firearm unloaded and cased upon arrival. You will uncase the rifle at the shooting bench and at the direction of the RSO.
- When done, and at the direction of the RSO, you will direct you to recase your rifle at the bench, or show clear and place in the rifle rack. Muzzle will be pointed up at all times while moving rifle from the rack to and from the bench.
- All rifles in the rifle rack will be stored muzzle up, magazine removed, action open. Empty chamber flags are appreciated, but not required.
- When Range is “Cold”, all rifles are to be placed on the storage racks. No rifles are to be left on the benches.
- Policing of brass will only take place when the range is “Cold”.
- Paper targets can be hung / retrieved when the range is “Cold”.
If anyone is interested in getting certified for the handgun range, please contact George Ketter at 815-631-9366, or Caleb Davis at 815-243-1483. You will need to bring a handgun, ammo, eye and ear protection and a $25.00 annual fee.
2025 Projects
- Repair skeet houses and install gutters – completed
- Purchase new trap voice calls
- 5-Stand shooting building – TBD
- Electrical power to 5-Stand – TBD
- Rolling the grounds to smooth out the ruts
2025 Events
- Cleanup day – 5/3/25
- Youth shooting initiative events – April 27 & 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