February 6, 2015 at 4:23 p.m.
Hodag Sports Club celebrates 38th annual banquet
Hodag Sports Club celebrates 38th annual banquet
The Hodag Sports Club is a volunteer organization formed in 1948 to promote public fishing opportunities by securing access points on area lakes. The club currently has more than 800 members and has expanded its scope to include shooting sports and other outdoor pursuits.
The line to get into the banquet stretched from the banquet hall doors all the way to the hotel front door as people patiently waited to gain admittance to the annual must-attend event. There were so many in attendance, in fact, the Quality Inn parking lot overflowed with cars and attendees parked on the shoulder of U.S. Highway 8.
After making it through the line, attendees were welcomed by an impressive spread of gun raffles, door prizes, auction items, hors d'oeuvres and a cash bar.
The program began at 6:30 p.m. with an invocation from a retired pastor, Norman Peterson, before attendees were treated to a dinner of prime rib, stuffed pork or broiled salmon.
Gun raffle memorializes members
"This was our biggest year for guns," club vice president Tom O'Rourke said of the banquet. "We had more pistols now that we used to."
O'Rourke speculated that the increased interest in pistols may correlate to the growth of concealed carry permits in Wisconsin. It became legal to possess Concealed Carry Weapons (CCW) in Wisconsin in June 2013.
About 40 guns were raffled off at the banquet, including several donated in memory of past hunters and outdoorsmen. One such gun was donated in memory of Albert "Al" Cirilli by his sons Gary, John and Scott.
Albert Cirilli founded Cirilli Law Offices in Rhinelander in 1951. It is now run by his three sons.
The Cirilli brothers started the Cirilli memorial raffle board at the Hodag Sports Club Banquet in 1991 to honor their father's memory and have been donating guns to raffle off annually.
"He was a hunter, a sportsman," Gary Cirilli said. "He always loved the (Hodag) Sports Club."
John Cirilli said his father was an avid sportsman who raised his sons to appreciate hunting, fishing and spending time outdoors. He took them on fishing trips to Canada and hunting trips to a log cabin in Pine Lake.
"Hunting seasons were the center of our lives growing up," John Cirilli said.
The 2015 Al Cirilli memorial raffle gun, a Thompson/Center Venture .308, was won by Greg Strebig from Mosinee.
Hodag Sports Club range improvements
Banquet proceeds enabled the Hodag Sports Club to replace target bales at its archery range, put in a concrete sidewalk to the new entrance of the Steve Martin Training Center, construct a new storage building, and remove rocks from the bullet impact berms.
The Steve Martin Training Center was built in memory of the late Rhinelander police sergeant and Army reservist who died from wounds suffered from a bomb attack in Iraq. Martin served with Army Reserve 330th Military Police Detachment.
The club built the Steve Martin Training Center as a classroom to host things like hunter safety courses, concealed carry permit classes and youth education events.
"Lately, most of our efforts have been in improving our trap range and the rifle range," O'Rourke said. "We just put in two new ranges at the rifle range. They're used mostly by pistol shooters."
O'Rourke said the club recently purchased new steel targets for the rifle range. Steel targets often take the form of paddles hanging from a horizontal bar. The paddles flip from a hanging position to a standing position upon being accurately shot. Once all the paddles are flipped up, another shot to the target's lever knocks them all back down for another round of shooting. This style of target allows the shooter to practice without paper targets.
The club's rifle range is located at 5896 Sports Club Dr., Rhinelander and has five shooting bays including a 100/200-yard range, two 50-yard ranges and two cowboy ranges for Cowboy Action and Wild Bunch shooting.
The rifle range is also the home of the Steve Martin Training Center that offers classroom space for up to 20 students.
The club's shotgun range is located at 4480 County Rd. C, Rhinelander and features five trap fields, five stand sporting clay fields, a skeet field and archery targets.
The shotgun range club house offers patrons refreshments and food during open hours.
Membership to the club costs $30 per year or $200 for a lifetime membership. Members gain access to the club's rifle range and discounts at the shotgun facility.
The club petitioned its members for help in securing its bid for the Oneida County Heal Creek Property. Bid proposals for the property will be discussed by the Oneida County Land Records Committee Tuesday, Feb. 10, 12:30 p.m. at the Oneida County Courthouse, 1 S. Oneida Ave., Rhinelander.
Banquet attendees were able to purchase 2015 rifle range keys for $3 at the cashier's table. Club members who were unable to attend the event may purchase the 2015 key from DeByle's Office, Hodag Gun and Loan or Mel's Trading Post with proof of 2015 membership.
Ryan Matthews may be reached at [email protected].
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