Opinions on the Izaak Walton League?

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  • Promarksman

    Member
    Feb 6, 2021
    1
    Izaak Walton League

    The Izaak Walton League was established by anglers in 1922 who were furious that the government wasn't doing anything to prevent water pollution, so it's no surprise they care about clean water. They've been behind most of the bedrock conservation laws passed over the past 100 years. It's a traditional hook and bullet conservation organization. Most chapters have shooting ranges and encourage good solid conservation policy. They probably have roughly equal numbers of Republicans, Democrats, Independent because conservation is really a nonpartisan cause where we should all be on the same page anyway. There are plenty of Republicans who support our basic environmental laws.
     

    outrider58

    Eats Bacon Raw
    MDS Supporter
    Jul 29, 2014
    49,815
    When I was in Monkey county I looked into BCC and Rockville but didn’t pursue it. Now that I live in Coward county, I’ve thought of joining Damascus as it’s not too far and a nice drive. This was after attending the Veteran’s Day shoot they did several years ago. That was awesome! Great time. My only reservation was volunteer hours. I don’t have an issue with that but my job demands too much. No extra time.
    Once a month, Sunday morning they do a range maintenance/cleanup. It never goes past noon and off season ends before that. One (or two?) of those should take care of your yearly obligations I believe. Max VO2 will be along to tell me I'm full of crap...:lol2:
     

    outrider58

    Eats Bacon Raw
    MDS Supporter
    Jul 29, 2014
    49,815
    is it worth joining if all you are interested in is the shooting range?
    That's probably why 90% of the people join. That and the socializing. WAC chapter has a full dinner and bar at their monthly meetings. Pretty good time and pretty good people to associate with.
     

    Cochise

    Ultimate Member
    Sep 5, 2008
    1,383
    Rockville
    BCC's dinner meetings are all virtual now and you need to attend 3 to join. after that it is money to join and some fun slave labor.
     

    MaxVO2

    Ultimate Member
    MDS Supporter
    Once a month, Sunday morning they do a range maintenance/cleanup. It never goes past noon and off season ends before that. One (or two?) of those should take care of your yearly obligations I believe. Max VO2 will be along to tell me I'm full of crap...:lol2:

    *****All new members must serve a two-year probationary period. During your first two years, you must help with four authorized work projects. Anytime within your first two years, you must volunteer for a minimum of two conservation projects and two additional work projects that can be conservation based or a regular work detail. Your two year probationary period begins once you have been sworn in at a membership meeting. Failure to complete your required work projects after 24 months, will result in an additional fee ($60) in order to renew. There are many work projects to choose from. Most are listed on the chapter calendar located on our website. Each event has a contact person for additional information.

    It's *really* not a big deal. It's often just changing target backers, perhaps raking some leaves, and emptying trash cans, etc.. for range maintenance... The conservation projects are usually things like weeding, or helping keep the grounds clean and pretty for members, etc.. If you are old, decrepit, have bad knees, male pattern baldness or whatever - we won't have you doing anything that is all that physically demanding. We have had folks fulfill their requirements during the probationary period basically just walking around and helping to sweep out the trap and skeet houses, or even stuffing envelopes to send out new range cards to members, or helping out at range orientation by signing in members, etc...

    It's a great organization, and the ranges are very nice and well kept. It's rare in MoCo to find so many groups of people into guns and the outdoors, and there's lots to do besides shooting: lots of clubs within the club (archery, air guns, blacksmithing, boy scouts, rain barrel workshops, BBQ, Astronomy, fishing, etc..). It's a very family friendly environment and I've met some *great* people there I would otherwise never have met.. We have gunsmiths, FFL's, dealers, and folks with significant firearm, primitive archery, and other collections, etc.. as our members.

    There is a tremendous knowledge base at our chapter if you are into C&R type firearms, shotguns, etc... I've learned a lot from some of our more seasoned members (read: old as dirt!) - many of whom are former LEO, military, etc.. Really really nice people.

    Check out the site if you like:

    http://damascusiwla.org/#membership
     

    JohnnyE

    Ultimate Member
    MDS Supporter
    Jan 18, 2013
    9,462
    MoCo
    That's probably why 90% of the people join. That and the socializing. WAC chapter has a full dinner and bar at their monthly meetings. Pretty good time and pretty good people to associate with.

    When we shoot at the Rockville pistol range, half our time is spent shooting the breeze. :blah: :blah: :blah: :blah:
     

    outrider58

    Eats Bacon Raw
    MDS Supporter
    Jul 29, 2014
    49,815
    *****All new members must serve a two-year probationary period. During your first two years, you must help with four authorized work projects. Anytime within your first two years, you must volunteer for a minimum of two conservation projects and two additional work projects that can be conservation based or a regular work detail. Your two year probationary period begins once you have been sworn in at a membership meeting. Failure to complete your required work projects after 24 months, will result in an additional fee ($60) in order to renew. There are many work projects to choose from. Most are listed on the chapter calendar located on our website. Each event has a contact person for additional information.

    It's *really* not a big deal. It's often just changing target backers, perhaps raking some leaves, and emptying trash cans, etc.. for range maintenance... The conservation projects are usually things like weeding, or helping keep the grounds clean and pretty for members, etc.. If you are old, decrepit, have bad knees, male pattern baldness or whatever - we won't have you doing anything that is all that physically demanding. We have had folks fulfill their requirements during the probationary period basically just walking around and helping to sweep out the trap and skeet houses, or even stuffing envelopes to send out new range cards to members, or helping out at range orientation by signing in members, etc...

    It's a great organization, and the ranges are very nice and well kept. It's rare in MoCo to find so many groups of people into guns and the outdoors, and there's lots to do besides shooting: lots of clubs within the club (archery, air guns, blacksmithing, boy scouts, rain barrel workshops, BBQ, Astronomy, fishing, etc..). It's a very family friendly environment and I've met some *great* people there I would otherwise never have met.. We have gunsmiths, FFL's, dealers, and folks with significant firearm, primitive archery, and other collections, etc.. as our members.

    There is a tremendous knowledge base at our chapter if you are into C&R type firearms, shotguns, etc... I've learned a lot from some of our more seasoned members (read: old as dirt!) - many of whom are former LEO, military, etc.. Really really nice people.

    Check out the site if you like:

    http://damascusiwla.org/#membership
    Yeah, it's been a while since I joined. I think I put in a couple evenings working on the BBQ house when it was being built(that's how long ago...). I did very little work in there but it was work no one else could figure out how to do, so they said that covered my work responsibilities for my probation period.



    And yes, I've met so many nice people there through the years.


    I try to put in a range cleanup day every year except last year I had a pretty gimped up leg so I missed one. I figure, since I shoot a lot, I should be out there cleaning it up.
     

    outrider58

    Eats Bacon Raw
    MDS Supporter
    Jul 29, 2014
    49,815
    When we shoot at the Rockville pistol range, half our time is spent shooting the breeze. :blah: :blah: :blah: :blah:
    I was a member there back in the late '70s. I left after our rifle range was shut down(it opened back up with the aid of the NRA a year later).
     

    JohnnyE

    Ultimate Member
    MDS Supporter
    Jan 18, 2013
    9,462
    MoCo
    I was a member there back in the late '70s. I left after our rifle range was shut down(it opened back up with the aid of the NRA a year later).

    Yeah, the M1 slam fire incident predates my arrival at the chapter by only a couple of decades, but I heard about it from George, who is a real long timer there. Even the trap field was shuttered a few years back, although I am not sure why or of its future. Happily the pistol range is going gangbusters, and with the trap field shuttered, we now allow shotgun patterning at the pistol range. It's something.
     

    jef955

    Active Member
    MDS Supporter
    Feb 26, 2011
    758
    Maryland
    I joined IWLA WAC about 3 years ago, me and my wife shoot regularly. We have been happier there than ANY of the other clubs or places we have been members of or places we been shooting.

    Recommend highly !
     

    kool361

    Active Member
    Apr 16, 2020
    133
    Damascus
    Hey I would like to join the Damascus Chapter as I live so close to it. It would be greatly appreciated to get a sponsor from that chapter as that is one of the requirements.
     

    CrabbyTurtle

    Member
    Dec 23, 2020
    82
    2A First
    Thanks for all the opinions. I just toured the rockville chapter in Germantown this past weekend. Seems smaller than the other facilities but it's so close. Planning to check out the BCC as well before deciding.
     

    SPQM

    Active Member
    May 21, 2014
    302
    I'd also like to join the WAC/Damascus chapter, but I'm stumped as to how to get a sponsor.
     

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