Newsletter
FALL 2025
Each year, the Club sends our newsletter out to communicate information to the members to enhance member’s experiences at the club, announce new/updated things to do, as well as address safety issues. It also shares how your membership fees and other income is spent. Sometimes the same thing gets put in the newsletter every year because it is so important that every member needs to follow policy to stay safe and protect club property. Please refer to the “Club Rules” or “FAQ” section on our website. If you see something, say something by calling a board member or law enforcement. A license plate number or photos would be helpful.
The improvements to the club we did this year include:
Constructed gun racks and scorer’s chair, with the help of William Penn Shooting Team and Shaun Renard. A special thank you for Loren Van Wyk for donating the supplies.
Trap houses painted. Thank you to the William Penn shooting team
A new smartphone friendly website effective January 1st 2026 with new e-mail address and website
Gutter guards installed on clubhouse and storage shed
We gave back to the community this year by awarding two $500 scholarships to area High School seniors, donated $500 to English River Outfitters (a veteran’s support organization). We also hosted two DNR Hunter Education Seminars.
Please make certain your application is filled out legibly and completely. This includes your license plate numbers this year so you get your new membership card in a timely manner. The membership age has been decreased to 18 from 21 unless still a student to reflect the new Iowa law. Please see the Rules and FAQ pages.
When you shoot targets, please remember the ranges need to be mowed. Please don’t leave anything on the ranges that could damage our mowing equipment. The rifle and pistol ranges are closed while trap, skeet or 5-Stand shoots are taking place for safety reasons.
If you come across an open gate, please close and lock it by spinning the numbers and after entering and leaving the property unless a club activity is under way. Locking the gate protects your investment and helps ensure your safety by keeping unauthorized people out while using the club. This has been an ongoing problem for many years with the front gate being left wide open, both with and without people on the property. This is a private club and you folks have paid good money to be a member. Also, please remember not to drink alcohol while on club property.
If you expressed interest in helping on Wednesday shoots at the club on your application, don’t wait for us to call you, just show up when you can and leave when you need to. We especially need help in the spring during April and May We may need help with sweeping the floor, scoring or other things. Bring a friend, meet new people, learn to score, and shoot some trap/skeet! An activity at the Club on select Public Shoot Wednesday nights in addition to trap and skeet is 5-Stand. It is similar to trap and skeet using five stations, or stands and six strategically placed clay target throwers. Shooters shoot in turn at various combinations of clay birds coming from different directions and patterns. It is challenging and fun to watch! Check the calendar for 5-Stand dates.
Coming in January 2026, we will have a new smartphone friendly website. The website contains the activity calendar, membership application and rules to review before signing your application each year, FAQ’s (frequently asked questions) information about activities available at the club, our scholarship application and a copy of the latest newsletter, etc. The activity calendar changes about twice monthly. We also have a Facebook page. Please “Like” and “follow” us on Facebook if you have it to ensure you receive the Facebook posts. Check out the new website at www.mcsportsmen.com. There is also a new e-mail address: contact@mcsportsmen.com. Please post questions to the e-mail address, not the Facebook page. It is not monitored routinely for messages.
The annual Chili Feed for members is scheduled for Tuesday, November 11th with Social Hour & 2026 Membership sign up beginning at 5:30pm, a meal at 6pm and voting on board members following the meal. If you would like to run for the board and make a difference, please e-mail the club or contact a board member to have your name on the ballot. Come out and visit with friends while enjoying some awesome chili!
We get requests for memberships, tee shirts or hats as gifts around Christmas time. The chili feed would be a great time to purchase these gifts. If you mail in your gift application, please write “Gift” somewhere on the front of the envelope and a note on the inside so we make sure we open it and get it sent out to the right person and don’t spoil the gift!
Yearly dues are $80 if received by December 15th and will be mailed before Christmas. Dues received after December 15th but before January 1st will still be $80 and will be mailed sometime in January. Dues received after January 1st will be $105. We appreciate receiving membership application/renewals by December 15th so a large mass mailing to our 500+ members can be done early and let club volunteers enjoy the holiday season. Your check will be cashed in January 2026. Please send cash or check with your application to PO Box 172, Knoxville IA 50138. We do not accept credit/debit cards and please do not e-mail applications. Dues were raised after evaluation of operating costs and insurance rates.
Thank you to the board members and volunteers who run the shoots, do the paperwork, keep the grounds up, load the trap and skeet houses, clean the clubhouse, come out for clean-up day, keep the mowers maintained and running, and all the running and support stuff that keeps the club going and fun for us all.
Thanks,
Blaine Kussatz, President
Scott Marshall, Vice President
Julie Spowart, Secretary
David Spowart, Treasurer