The Quesnel Rod and Gun Club originally known as a rifle club, was formed before the Second World War. The bylaws were put together in 1954 by Tom Moffat, who was President at the time. The first trap machine was purchased in 1954. That same year a high school student won a prize for designing the club crest. That was the beginning of what we have today.
In 1956 the property was leased on the Six Mile road and a clubhouse was built. The building was originally a 24ft X 30ft frame structure and was officially opened February 21, 1957. In 1958 pistol shooters joined the club and the outdoor range was built. Through the years the club has expanded to include a kitchen and outdoor range to accommodate .22 rifle and pistol shooters. By 1980, it was apparent that our facilities were becoming too crowded and unsafe to continue with the club in it’s present location. The search began for new property.
In 1986 a lease was filed on property 20 kilometers west on the Nazko road. It was a little used Department of Highways gravel pit. The Department was convinced to give up the property. When our lease came through, it was for a piece of property which was 720 meters on the west side, 400 meters on the north side, 530 meters on the east side and 350 meters on the south side.
THEN THE WORK BEGAN
Dale Attwood was President at the time and was adept at acquiring grants and donations of machine labour. Many contractors and businesses supplied machine time and materials to build the new club. A great many member-hours of labour were also donated. The old clubhouse was dismantled and rebuilt on the new property for use by the Black Powder section as a primitive clubhouse. It was burned by arsonists on March 25, 1998.
In October 1993, we again expanded the property lease up to the current 147 acres. Our clubhouse consists of a meeting room, kitchen, two indoor bathrooms and a fifteen bay indoor range.
On the property we have a five hundred meter rifle range, a one hundred meter pistol range, a twenty-five meter turning target pistol range and two three-bay IPSC ranges. Our trap range consists of four trap houses and a small clubhouse to run shoots from.
There is also a Black Powder rifle trail, a Black Powder pistol trail and a tomahawk and knife trail. All ranges can be safely operated at the same time.
Over the years the club has been involved in many community projects. Picnic tables were built for eight different picnic sites. A boat launch was built on Bouchie Lake, and a camp site was built at Fish Lake (now gone). The club has participated in the restocking of fish in Dragon and Horsefly lakes, the cleanup of Holly, Dragon and Hallis creeks for fish spawning, the rehabilitation of moose habitat and many other projects. More recently we have taken over looking after the fishing docks at Ten Mile Lake and Hush Lake.
We also train junior shooters and offer the C.O.R.E. program. The club is registered under the Societies Act and is a non-profit organization. Meetings are held at the clubhouse at 3398 Nazko Road on the second Thursday of every month.
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