Clinton Fish and Game?

[tele_mark]

Does anyone know anything about this club? I just realized today that I drive by it to and from work everyday. It would be a pretty good place to be able to stop in for a few magazines worth on the way home. Here's the description I found in a web search:

Clinton Fish and Game

185 Lancaster Rd.

Berlin, MA 01503
Contact: Club Phone: 978-838-2047, Email:[email protected]
Facilities: Small club with 7 acres of land and an indoor 50' pistol range, open from 10 AM - 10PM. Any pistol w/lead ammo & .22 rifles. Archery practice area.
Meetings: 1st Tuesday of each month
Membership: First year dues = $20, $20 range fee, 2nd year $40
Directions: Rte. 495 to Exit #26. West on Rte. 62 thru Berlin Center to West St. to Randall Rd. then left on Lancaster Rd.

 

[pcg]

I'm going to refresh this one, seven years after the OP.

Any one with experience at this club? I'm interested in indoor & outdoor pistol ranges. Comments appreciated!

 

[pcg]

Giving this a bump. Surely someone's familiar with this club?

 

[BaldAssCat]

I'm a member but not the most active one. I work just up the road from the club and they let me use the range at lunch for the cost of membership and range fees but I haven't attended any meetings or done anything else regarding the club since I was a kid helping some friends. I have a few friends who are active members and I understand from them that there are a lot of members who are only there because there is or was a chief in the area that required club membership as part of getting an LTC and the club is open to letting them just pay dues and put them on the books.

The club has 2 ranges although only one is in really use. There is a 50 foot range in the basement with 4 lanes that has a mild steel backstop so you can only use unjacketed handgun or .22 rifle. No magnum handguns or any other rifle. During lunch I have the place to myself but they have .22 leagues on Wednesday nights and I think there may be some other leagues but I’m not sure. Range fees are $20 per year on top of membership of $20 per year. To get the range key you need to go there on a meeting night and shoot 10 rounds from a handgun of your choice and hit the paper. This is so they know you’re not going to be shooting into the floor above you.

The other range is across town near the Clinton dump. There was some trouble with it and a land association near South Meadow. I’ll see if I can find the story written down somewhere but there were legal battles, elections and other towns getting involved. The end result is the Clinton Fish and Game is now an educational club so they association can’t screw with them anymore and they don’t use the range itself but they use the sandpits right next to the range with the blessing of the owner of the sand pits. Speaking only for myself and in no way representing the club I encouraged to be a loud as you like there.

The club meets on the first Tuesday of the month. I understand there are maybe 40 regulars that usually attend those. They have Friday night dinners from fall to spring. They do Easter egg hunts and a few other activities through the year. I believe they’re trying to bring back hunters education and shooter safety courses but I’m not sure where that stands.

 

[pcg]

BaldAssCat, many thanks. The detail was exactly what I was seeking. I think based on your comments I'll attend the next meeting (Aug 12) and sign up. I'd be happier to hear there was a bit more variety in the ranges, but CFG is about 15 minutes from where I live, so convenience trumps variety. Sounds like a good & inexpensive place to practice. And unjacketed ammo is cheaper than jacketed. Again, many thanks.
-pcg

 

[pcg]

BaldAssCat, many thanks. The detail was exactly what I was seeking. I think based on you comments I'll attend the next meeting (Aug 12) and sign up. I'd be happier to hear there was a bit more variety in the ranges, but CFG is about 15 minutes from where I live, so convenience trumps variety. Sounds like a good place to practice. And unjacketed ammo is cheaper than jacketed. Again, many thanks.
-pcg

- - - Updated - - -

Here's the only link to the dump-area firing range controversy. Couldn't find a follow up.

http://www.topix.com/forum/city/clinton-ma/TJLO8B7LO1AFJCH1I

 

[Len-2A Training]

I taught my MA Gun Law Seminar at that club in May. Seemed like a nice bunch of people. I didn't take a tour of the place but from above the dues seem so cheap that if you live nearby "why not" join it?

If someone needs a contact person at that club, just ping me with EMAIL and I'll forward your Email address to my contact to get in touch with you.

 

[pcg]

Len, good to hear.

CFG's website is here, not as informative as it could be, but could be they are purposely vague:

http://clintonfishandgame.org/

 

[Len-2A Training]

Len, good to hear.

CFG's website is here, not as informative as it could be, but could be they are purposely vague:

http://clintonfishandgame.org/

I can tell you that the Bolton Police Chief is a member there and a really nice guy. If you stop in their PD and ask for Vince, I'm sure that he'll be happy to provide what info he can . . . it seemed to me that he was an active member of that club. Feel free to drop my name when you speak with him.

 

[pcg]

Many thanks. I drive through Bolton weekly.

 

[hondarider102]

I am a member, have been for about 2 years now, for the $40 a year its well worth it, Friday nights they have dinners, people are nice and its very relaxed. I think i have only ever seen 1 other person at the range the same time i was. Its nice being able to stop in at any time as its about 5 minutes from my house and extremely cheap!