ON-TARGET NEWS

Who are we?

My name is Lou Phillippe, and I’ve been a member of the FCAA since the early ‘90s. I served as the Newsletter Editor for many years, but had the good sense to relinquish that duty to someone far more capable. Since then I’ve served on the Board as “Director at Large�?. This year I was mysteriously elected as one of the Wednesday Night League Directors. I’m still not quite sure how that came about.

I’ve been shooting some sort of a bow for as long as I can remember. As a kid, we made bows from willow and elm. My parents eventually bought my first fiberglass bow as a birthday present. I later obtained a maple recurve by swapping a belt buckle, supposedly worn by Annie Oakley’s brother, that I’d acquired by trading some fishing flies.

This will be my 35th season of hunting big game with a bow. I manage to occasionally have some luck, when fortunate enough to stumble onto a critter that is both blind and has sinus problems. Though I now shoot and hunt with one of Tom Kelley’s takedown longbows, I dabbled with a compound for a few years back in the early 80’s. As a lifelong instinctive shooter, the compound didn’t suit my shooting style, so I switched back to traditional.

I have a degree from C.S.U. and once worked as a Park Ranger and Naturalist in several different park systems. You may have read some of my nature trail booklets or interpretive trail signs in the Big Thompson Canyon. I’m currently employed in corporate sales and business development for a cable TV technology company. The job requires travel nearly every week, but I try to make at least half of the Wednesday leagues. I also dabble at writing when I have time, sometimes publishing in periodicals such as Bowhunter, Bugle, Colorado Bowhunter, Wapiti Bugle and others.

My wife, Gail, is an enabler of my hunting problem. Besides customizing my hunting trailer, and she often packs supplies and food so I can quickly leave to hunt when returning from business trips. We have a fifteen year old daughter, Talley, who sometimes shoots with me but is more involved in music, art, and studying. She also ties excellent flies and crafts custom fly rods.

We own weekend cabin in Crystal Lakes, in the Red Feather area, overlooking Panhandle Creek, where we see moose nearly every day. I serve as the Stream Corridor Chairman on the Fishing Board. In that role I can help improve the stream fishing, which is another of my life’s passions.

I’ve known about the FCAA since its inception, but didn’t join because I always viewed it as a “good old boys�? club. I now know that was wrong. I count the people in the FCAA as among my very closest friends and have structured my life and career to stay in Fort Collins, largely to enjoy the camaraderie of the FCAA.

FCAA Jamboree

It’s about time for the annual FCAA Jamboree! It will be held June 16-18 at the Jack’s Gulch Campground on the way to Pingree Park. Check out our web site for directions. We have the group camping area reserved so bring your family. There is room for 28 vehicles with a 30-foot maximum length.

The club will provide dinner Saturday night and a 3D range will be set up nearby. It will be a fun shoot with no fees, no scores and no payback. Check in time is 2:00 pm, Friday, June 18 and checkout time is 1:00 pm, Sunday, June 20. Bring your own food for all other meals. It is a LOT of fun so plan on camping out, shooting 3Ds and swapping tall tales (I mean true stories) around the campfire.

Wednesday Night Leagues

Wednesday Night Leagues are going strong. You can check out the latest scores on the FCAA web site. The second session is under way and the third will start on June 28. Starting time for the second and third sessions is 6:30 pm. Starting time for the 4th session will be announced later.

Leagues are for members only and cost $5 a night. The best 3 out of 4 scores will be counted and cash prizes awarded to the top shooters each session. Classifications include youth, limited, unlimited and open. It’s a great way to keep in practice for fall hunting. Bring your mosquito repellent and join us for a great time!

Family Archery Day

The FCAA and Arrow Dynamics are sponsoring the first annual Archery Day on Saturday, June 24 at the FCAA Range. It is open from 8:00 am to 4:00 pm and people can come any time they like and stay as long as they want. There will be instruction in shooting with equipment provided or bring your own. It is free, open to the public and for adults and children alike. It should be a lot of fun so tell anyone you know who is interested in archery to come on out!

Range Work Days Underway

Work days at the range are off to a great start. The first Saturday of each month, members are asked to come and help keep the range in shape. This can include replacing target faces, replacing bails and other things necessary to keep the range in top shape. As the summer goes on, the range gets more and more use. Occasionally we have vandalism as well, so constant work is needed.

If you can help out, show up at the club house at 8:00 am the first Saturday of the month and bring your gloves. If we get a good size crew, we are usually done by noon. This is a chance to give back to the club and keep our range one of the best in the area!

Get Involved!

You are a member of our club, but are your ideas getting heard?? The FCAA Board of Directors meet the first Tuesday of each month at 7:00 pm at the club house. We would LOVE to have more members come and get involved in the operation of the club. You will not be drafted for work unless you wish to be, but we would greatly appreciate any input you might have in making the range or other activities the FCAA is involved in work better. Many decisions are made that affect you and your input would help us make the best ones. If you can’t make it to a Board meeting, please feel free to email any of the members of the Board with your suggestions. Constructive criticism is always welcome and new ideas keep the club fresh. We may not always be able to implement them, but we always appreciate them. Thanks!