Congressman Collin Peterson attends annual Fourtown/Grygla Sportsman’s Club picnic

The Fourtown/Grygla Sportsman’s Club held their annual picnic last Saturday following the youth firearm safety field day. Attending the picnic this year was Congressman Collin Peterson, who has been a big advocate of the club’s Northstar Trail Alliance and continued efforts to obtain more trails in the Beltrami Island Forest. “I am happy to say that we are moving ahead with things and have reached an agreement,” says Representative Peterson. The local Sportsman’s Club and the Roseau/LOW Sportsman’s Club joined forces to form the Northstar Trail Alliance and have worked together to put up signage and work on trails, creating friendlier trails that are safe to ride. The projected management plan has received joint DNR and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service approval. “By next spring, those trails will be connected and open,” assured Peterson. After some minor road repair and culvert repair, the new routes will provide a connection between northern parts of the forest and areas farther south near Fourtown. 

Representative Peterson explained that the DNR has essentially reached a land-trade agreement with the Fish and Wildlife Services in order to move forward.

Members of the Roseau/LOW Sportsman’s Club were present for the picnic, in addition to Roseau County Commissioners and Fourtown/Grygla Sportsman’s Club members.

New members are always welcome to join; the club holds a new membership supper every January with information coming out closer to that time. The club meets every 3rd Tuesday of the month switching between TRF, Grygla and Fourtown for meeting spots. 

2017 officers include: Jack Nelson, President; Donald Haack, Vice President; Tonia Haack, Secretary/Treasurer; Bob Thompson, Snowmobile Trail Admin.; Ryan Petersburg, ATV Trail Admin. 

Board members include: Loren Pittman, Jeremy Haack, Kyle Haack, Robby Anderson, Nick Harris, Jake Sundberg and Robert Sundberg.

President Jack Nelson says the Fourtown/Grygla Sportsman’s Club gives out approximately $10,000 each year towards the benefit of community projects, which include Fall Fest, school scholarships and Post-Prom parties, to name a few.

The Sportsman’s Club Fall Gun Raffle is currently going on. You can pick up your tickets from club members or at local businesses. See the raffle ticket photo on page 3 for this year’s prizes.

Youth firearm 

safety field day

The annual youth firearm safety field day was also held last Saturday at Grande Corner from 9am-1pm. This is the 7th year the range course has been held at the location 11 miles east of Grygla, along Highway 89. Numerous stations were set up for youth hunters to practice and get tested on their skills. Stations included visiting with landowners/gaining permission, safely hunting with a gun in a boat, shooting clay targets, safely climbing and being harnessed in a tree stand, compass work in the woods, and different scenarios on when it’s safe to shoot or not. Many Sportsman’s Club members and volunteers helped make the range course another successful one.