RCS BOD, September 3, 2024                                                                                                     

• PRESENT:  Sam Valenza, Al Perry, Steve Wiltgen, Caleb Davis, Dave Zierke, Bill Shold

1.     Meeting called to order at 5:30 by President Sam Valenza

2.     Minutes of July – Approved, 5-0

3.    Treasurers Report:  Approved, 5-0

New Business:

1. Club hats – passed 5-0
2. Water supply – well to be drilled — TBD
3. Club ammo for events – Purchased
4. Landfill will move berm for 5 stand
5. 5 stand lift to be sold, 5-0
6. Club safe for files – completed
7. New member shooting incident, disciplinary suspension until hunter safety course has been completed.  5-0
   1. The above motion was amended on September 4, 2024 to the following: A motion was made that the boy can continue to shoot under Brad’s supervision and is required to take a clay shooting online course that was recommended by high school trap coach Jay Schaack and utilized by trap team. This amendment was approved by 6-0.

Projects for 2024

• Card reader systems – Completed
• Repair skeet houses – Jay Schaack

2024 Events

• Fun day – 9/14
• Landfill lunch – 9/20     
• Venue Tutorials, Trap, Skeet 7/13, 5stand 8/17 completed
• Annual meeting – Completed

Meeting adjourned at 6:30

Next Board meeting October 1, 2024                                                                     

Respectfully submitted – Caleb Davis, Secretary       

President’s Message

(September 2024)

Rockford Skeet Club will be hosting a club fun day on Saturday September 14, 2024 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. Guests are welcome. Come on out and join the fun.

The lunch for the landfill folks will be held on Friday September 20 from 11 am to around 1 pm in appreciations for all that they do for us. The club will be open to members but the club house will be reserved for the lunch attendees.

It has been brought to my attentions that there appears to be two issues that are occurring at the club. First, new spent shells were found on skeet field 1 marked with 7 ½ shot. Shot larger than no. 8 is strictly forbidden to be use at our club. This rule has been in place for many years. Second, it is rumored that some of our members have been poaching targets from the left-over targets from the preceding group. As I stated in my card reader orientations and newsletter, the extra targets are to only be used for broken birds or gun malfunctions. You are only paying for 25 targets and any additional usage other than described above is stealing from the club. If caught using 7 ½ shot or larger or caught poaching target, termination of membership may result.

Club hats and patches with our logo will be available for sale in the near future. I will provide more information regarding price and availability when known.

An order was placed for a third 5 stand remote and should be delivered sometime next week. Please remember to load the 5 stand machines when done shooting and to turn off the voice command on the remotes if in use. Also, the stands will be relocated back towards the handgun range in order to avoid shot from falling on our neighbors’ property. The folks at the landfill will be removing the berm located near the handgun building and will be putting in a parking lot. This work will be done in the near future. I want to thanks Bruce Knapp, who manages the landfill, for agreeing to do the work. Much appreciated.

The drilling of the well is now schedule to start mid-September.

There are several pallets located outside of the barn and are offered for free for anyone that wants them. Any remaining pallets will be move to the burn pile.

If anyone is interested in getting certified for the handgun range, please contact Milt Schwanke at

815-988-2278, 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.

 2024 Projects

• Install card readers – completed
• Repair skeet houses
• Trap fields rewiring for card reader system

2024 Events

• Fun days– 9/14/2024
• Landfill appreciation lunch – 9/20/24

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

President’s Message

(August 2024)

A 5 Stand tutorial will be held on Saturday August 17 at 10 am. The tutorial will cover basic 5 Stand shooting instructions including hold points, break points, and stance. Please let Al Perry know if you plan on attending at alans_perry_10@comcast.net.

We have experienced some issues with the voice calls on the trap fields. In an effort to remedy this situation we plan on buying new voice calls from Long Range sometime in the fall when their voice call units have finished Beta testing (field testing).

Drilling for our new well has again been delayed. It is hoped that the drilling will start by the end of August. It will take about two weeks for it to be completed.

The summer five stand/sporting clays league finished up on July 17 with dinner at Rock Ridge Sportsmen’s Club.  Congratulations to Steve Howlett who finished with the highest average score over the ten weeks of competition. 

There were twelve club members who competed at the Illinois Sporting Clays Championship last weekend at Rock Ridge.  Congratulations to Illinois State Champion in 20-gauge, Caleb Davis.

Punches awarded were: Caleb Davis – 20-gauge, 28-gauge, Pump  

                                       Mike DeGould – FITASC

                                       Bo Dylak – Main 5 Stand, Super Sporting

                                       Hugh Funderburg – 410 gauge

                                       Steve Howlett – Main 5 Stand

                                       Kent Piske – Main sporting clays, Main 5 Stand,

                                                            Preliminary, Super Sporting,

                                                             28 gauge

                                       Bill Shold – 12 gauge

If anyone is interested in getting certified for the handgun range, please contact Milt Schwanke at

815-988-2278, 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.

 2024 Projects

• Install card readers – completed
• Repair skeet houses

2024 Events

• Fun days– 9/14/2024
• Tutorial – 5 stand 8/17/24
• Landfill appreciation lunch – 9/20/24

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

Minutes

                             BOD Rockford Skeet Club August 2024

Dave Z. provided a financial report that we have about a combined $71,600 in savings and checking.

In the near future, Sam V. and Mike B. will inventory the total targets thrown and by venue. This may take place on a regular basis, i.e., monthly or quarterly.

Bob Liphart will be asked to install conduit for the wiring of the new Long Range trap field components.

Repair to the skeet houses has not started; work may have to be delayed to next season or a contractor may have to be retained.

The club will have hats and patches with the club logo made, but no shirts.

The 5-stand area will be improved by removal of a knoll, creation of a gravel parking lot and moving the shooting stations to west.

The board authorized the purchase of 2 sets of Long Range voice callers for the trap fields.  Only one set will be purchased, the second upon favorable evaluation of the first unit’s performance.

Respectfully submitted.

Steven Wiltgen

Recording Secretary Pro Tem

RCS BOD, July 2, 2024                                                                                                     

• PRESENT:  Sam Valenza, Al Perry, Steve Wiltgen, Caleb Davis, Dave Zierke, Bill Shold, Mike Buckman B

1.     Meeting called to order at 5:30 by President Sam Valenza

2.     Minutes of June– Approved, 6-0

3.    Treasurers Report:  Approved, 6-0

4.    2024 budget – Passed   6-0

New Business:

1. Club hats – TBD 
2. Gun Sold for 400.00
3. Water supply –   well to be drilled mid July
4. Target quotes awarded to Midwest
5. Club ammo for events – Purchased
6.  Committee of the whole started at 6:00 adjourned at 6:14
7. Club safe for files 6-0

Projects for 2023

• Card reader systems – Completed
• Repair skeet houses – Jay Schaack

2023 Events

• Fun days – 6/8 and 9/14
• Landfill lunch – 9/20     
• Venue Tutorials, Trap completed, Skeet 7/13, 5stand 8/17
• Annual meeting – Completed

Meeting adjourned at 6:30

Next Board meeting August 6th    2024                                                                     

Respectfully submitted – Caleb Davis, Secretary       

President’s Message

(July 2024)

The card target management system has been installed and is operational as of June 1, 2024. All member’s cards that were not picked up at the club have been mailed. Let me know if you have not received yours by emailing me at sam.valenza@att.net.

The 5-stand machines have been repositioned and adjusted to prevent shot from falling on Landfill and ACME property. The only shot that is allowed on club property is 8, 8½, and 9. 7½ shot is strictly prohibited.   

A Skeet tutorial will be held on July 13 at 10 am. The tutorial will cover basic skeet shooting instructions including hold points, break points, and stance.

We have experienced some issues with the card reader system on the trap fields. In an effort to remedy this situation, the card reader, receiver, and antennas on both fields have been relocated from the side of the barn to the posts under the overhang in order to improve reception. It is to be expected that issues will arise when a new electronic system is implemented. So please have patients as we work through these issues.

Member George Ketter will be driving to pick up cast bullets {not loaded ammo} from SNS Casting. If you want any let him know by emailing him at geosueket@msn.com . Make sure that you check their web site to see if the bullets you want are in stock. There will be no shipping charges.

Drilling for our new well will start sometime in mid-July according to the latest information. It will take about two weeks for it to be completed.

If anyone is interested in getting certified for the handgun range, please contact Milt Schwanke at

815-988-2278, 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.

 2024 Projects

• Install card readers – completed
• Repair skeet houses

2024 Events

• Fun days– 9/14/2024
• Tutorial – trap 6/15/24, skeet 7/13/2024, 5 stand 8/17/24
• Landfill appreciation lunch – 9/20/24

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

RCS BOD, June 4, 2024                                                                                                     

• PRESENT:  Sam Valenza, Al Perry, Steve Wiltgen, Caleb Davis, Dave Zierke, Bill Shold, Mike Buckman B

1.     Meeting called to order at 5:30 by President Sam Valenza

2.     Minutes of April – Approved, 6-0

3.    Treasurers Report:  Approved, 6-0

New Business:

1. Club hats –  TBD
2. Gun Sold for 400.00
3. Water supply –   fixed
4. Target price increase – will get quotes
5. Club badges to be worn on club property

Projects for 2023

• Card reader systems – Completed
• Repair skeet houses – Jay Schaack

2023 Events

• Spring cleanup – 5/18 Completed
• Fun days – 6/8 and 9/14
• Landfill lunch – 9/20     
• Venue Tutorials, Trap 6/15, Skeet 7/13, 5stand 8/17

Meeting adjourned at 6:30

Next Board meeting July 2nd    2024                                                                     

Respectfully submitted – Caleb Davis, Secretary       

President’s Message

(June 2024)

The card target management system has been installed and is operational as of June 1, 2024. If you have not picked up your target card for the new system, please do so as soon as possible. Training to use the system will also be held on Saturday June 8, 15, & 22 at 9:30 am. Please plan on being at the club on one of these dates to get your target card and to be trained.

Card Reader Instructions

• Target Cards
  • Only paying for 25 targets. Extra targets will be added for broken targets, gun malfunctions, and bad pulls. DO NOT USE EXTRA TARGETS UNLESS THERE IS AN ISSUE. Excess usage will be monitored.
  • Target cards are reusable and will be personalized and assigned to each member. Protect it like you do your credit cards.
  • All targets will be deleted after 8 minutes of no activity on machines.
    • Have team ready to shoot before scanning cards
  • Report lost or stolen target cards to Mike Buckman or a board member
• No talking on trap lines because targets will be thrown and will run out
• Loading target cards will require a credit or debit card and a target card
• To purchase rounds on the kiosk
  • Insert target card into the slot on the left side of the kiosk
  • Enter number of rounds to purchase by using the numeric key paid
  • Tap “add to card” on the monitor screen
  • Tap, insert, or swipe credit or debit card on the credit card reader on the right side of the kiosk
• Guest targets are to be put on member’s target card
  • Put $5 guest fee in envelope and place in deposit drawer
  • Guests have to sign a waiver
• Report card reader issues to a BOD member and/or write problem in the Issues Log Book. The log book will be monitored often and timely adjustments will be made.
• To use pull cords, simply disconnect receiver located next to card reader on each field and plug in the pull cord into the same port. Trap pull cords are in the barn on the wall to the right of the service door. Skeet pull cords are in the high houses.
• Trap 1 is available using pull cord at this time. Should be fully operational next week.

Rockford Skeet Club will be hosting a club fun day on June 8, 2024 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. 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.

I want to thank all that attended and donated their time and effort on club clean up day. The grounds look great. Much appreciated.  

A trap tutorial will be held on June 15 at 10 am. The tutorial will be basic trap shooting instructions including hold points, break points, and foot stance.

It is with sadness that I report the passing of club members Roger Needham and James Larson.

If anyone is interested in getting certified for the handgun range, please contact Milt Schwanke at

815-988-2278, 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.

 2024 Projects

• Install card readers – completed
• Repair skeet houses

2024 Events

• Fun days – 6/8/2024, 9/7/2024
• Tutorial – trap 6/15/24, skeet 7/13/2024, 5 stand 8/17/24
• Landfill appreciation lunch – 9/20/24

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

                                                                     Minutes May 7, 2024

                                                                     Rockford Skeet Club

Present: Sam Valenza, Alan Perry, Bill Shold, Mike Buckman, Steven Wiltgen

The President who noted that the club was financially well-situated, inasmuch as many capital improvements were paid for and the club had about 90k at its disposal.

The club will be closed on May 30 and 31 for installation of the target management system.  Training on system will begin on June 1, and 2 and another session will be held on June 8.

Wiltgen will provide lunch for the work day; the Fun Day will be catered.

The gun raffle will be postponed until the second Fun Day, September 7.

Well drilling will begin in mid to late June.

Respectfully submitted,

Steven Wiltgen,

Recording Secretary Pro tempore

President’s Message

(April 2024)

We now have running water in the club house bathrooms and kitchen coming ‘from a tank located in the parking lot near the club house. A deep well will be drilled mid to late June and will be our permanent source of supply of clean potable water.

As of May1 rounds for all of our venues has increased from $5 to $6 starting May 1

As previously reported, the board has approved and has purchased a target management system for all of our shotgun venues. Basically, credit or debit cards will be required to purchase rounds using a kiosk that is located in club house. Purchased rounds will be added to a rounds card that will be used to scan the receivers located on each field. The roll out date is scheduled for Saturday June 1. Therefore, the club will be closed on May 30 & 31 for transitioning to this system. Target cards will be loaded with each member’s prepaid rounds by members of the board and will be available starting on June 1. Training to use the system will also be held on June 1, 2, & 8. Please plan on being at the club on one of these dates to get your target card and to be trained.

Our annual club cleanup day is Saturday May 18 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.

Rockford Skeet Club will be hosting a club fun day on June 8, 2024 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.

Adjusting or repairing machines is not to be done by any member that has not been authorized. If any machine needs to be adjusted or repaired contact me at sam.valenza@att.net or any board member.

This is a reminder that club badges must be worn when on club property.

The Cathedral Baptist High School trap team will be shooting at our club on Tuesday’s starting April 2 through May 28 and on Thursdays starting April 18 through May 30 from 4 to 6 pm. Therefore, the trap fields will not be available to club members on these dates and times.

If anyone is interested in getting certified for the handgun range, please contact Milt Schwanke at

815-988-2278, George Ketter at 815-631-9366, Caleb Davis at 815-243-1483, or Dan Gengo at 815-572-1423. You will need to bring a handgun, ammo, eye and ear protection and a $25.00 annual fee.

 2024 Projects

• Install card readers
• Repair skeet houses

2024 Events

• Cleanup day – 5/18/2024
• Fun days – 6/8/2024, 9/7/2024
• Tutorial – trap 6/15/24, skeet 7/13/2024, 5 stand 8/17/24
• Landfill appreciation lunch – 9/20/24

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