SEPT, 2011
C h a l l e n g e T h e Ou t d o o r s , I n c .
A NOT-FOR-PROFIT ORGANIZATION DEDICATED TO SERVING THE RECREATIONAL NEEDS AND DESIRES OF THE PHYSICALLY CHALLENGED SPORTSPERSON
Reflections of the President—Steve Lang
During the last year as serving as your President, I have learned more about people than I thought was ever even possible. I can say with certainty that most of it was, and is, a great experience. BUT…there are some things that I wish could be changed faster, or even at all.
I look around our organizations and I see so many great events going on. Heck, there is one almost every week, or weekend. But then I see the same people organizing them and I see the strain that it is putting on them. I can tell everyone, that the joy and smiles that I see looking around on everyone’s faces are well worth it, but I also understand that these same volunteers can’t do this forever. I’m not sure what we as an organization need to do to get others to help with setting up, or running an event. If you have an idea, please let me know…please.
I would like to take a moment and thank the members and volunteers that took over different events this year to help lighten the load on some of our other members. I would list your names, but I don’t want to leave anybody out…but again, from me to you, a huge thank you! I encourage others to give it a try also, we have people that are willing to help you and walk you through the process as well.
Overall, I can’t thank you enough for allowing me to serve all of you. I know that the organization is in a good place and we will keep this organization going forward with our membership’s help. I, after just being elected to 3 more years of service to your Board of Directors, by you, the members, look forward to serving you and continuing to improve our events and hearing from all of you.
CALENDAR OF EVENTS
September 10, 2011
Youth & Ladies Day, J&H Game Farm—Page 3
September 17, 2011
Trout O Rama—Page 3
September 20, 2011
Board of Directors Meeting—Page 8
September 27, 2011
Muskie Fishing—Page 5
October 1-9, 2011
Special Deer Hunt—Page 4
October 8-9, 2011
Goose Hunt—Page 5
October 11, 2011
Shoot Til You Drop—Page 4
October 18, 2011
Board of Directors Meeting—Page 8
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J&H GAME FARM ANNUAL YOUTH AND LADIES DAY CTO VOLUNTEERS NEEDED TO MANAGE TROUT POND SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 10, 2011
We need CTO Members to volunteer to help manage the trout pond and clean trout at this event. For quite a few years now, CTO has funded and managed this trout pond to give back to the community and J&H for all the things done to make CTO a prosperous organization. Both able and disabled members are needed to help the ladies and youngsters bait hooks, net fish, clean and package the fish and otherwise help out.
Plan to be at J&H by 8:00 am or if not that early anytime to jump in and help out. It would be nice to 15-20 helpers on hand.
Remember this adage: ―If you think it’s fun to catch a fish, just wait until you help someone else catch a fish!‖
If you have any questions, please contact Jeff Pagels at 920-366-5731 or jcpagels@att.net or Diane Redmann at 715-758-8134 or jhclub@ezwebtech.com
16th Trout O Rama Sept 17, 2011 8:30 am to ??
The pond will be restocked with plenty of dummy trout that have not learned what a hook is and are the kind that we all can catch. If you can bring coolers to take your cleaned catch home. Also bring your appetite as CTO and Karen Baehr will take care of the meat, rolls and beverage. We ask that, if you can, that you bring a dish to pass. It is also a good idea to bring your own lawn chairs. We have shelter if the weather is bad but IT WON’T BE!!
We also need plenty of volunteers. When you get there look for the registration table before you do anything. Fishing will be a SHOTGUN START AT 8:45 AM. It’s time to call it a day when you’ve caught your trout, eaten your fill of the good food and finished telling all who would listen your fishing stories, being true or made up. If you have any questions contact Jeff Pagels at (920) 366-5731 or jcpagels@att.net
REMEMBER—THE TROUT POND RULES
MEMBERS WITH A DISABILITY:
Up to 5 trout per day—10 per month. This means 5 trout per membership not 5 for everyone in the family. You may fish anytime during the summer and fall—10 Trout per month total.
NONDISABLED MEMBERS:
3 trout per day—6 per month
BE SURE TO RECORD YOUR NAME AND THE NUMBER OF FISH TAKEN IN THE BOOK ON THE TABLE—ENJOY YOUR DAY!!
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CTO ANNUAL “SHOOT TIL YOU DROP” EVENT TUESDAY, OCTOBER 11, 2011
9:00 AM TO 4:00 PM @ J&H GAME FARM
This annual event will attempt to satisfy even the most ardent shooters with the toughest shoulders. CTO will pick up the cost of the clay birds and ammunition for this daylong event. You can choose from the traditional sporting clays courses, to wobble flurry, skeet and 5-stand events. You can try to reach each event or just concentrate on one area of expertise.
The noon lunch will feature a fish fry with fish provided by Steve Redmann and Jeff Pagels. Everyone attending is asked to bring a dish to pass.
Volunteers who attend and assist the disabled shooters will also be able to shoot as much as they want. No pre-sign up is necessary. If you have questions, need a suggestion on what to bring or concerns, contact event manager, Keith Pamperin at 920-494-3990 or email at kjpam- perin@aol.com
SPECIAL DEER HUNT OCT. 1-9, 2011
We will be having a Pre-Hunt meeting again this year similar to the past couple years. The meeting will be on Saturday, Oct.1, 2011 at 10:00 am. This is the first day of the hunt. Lunch will be served and we will get you out for the afternoon/evening hunt.
This year’s hunt will once again be head-quartered at the Lessor Town Hall in Landstad. To reach the Town Hall from the South, take Hwy 47 out of Black Creek for about 13miles to Landstad Rd (Ye Old Plow Shop) and turn right or to the east. If coming from the North take Hwy 47 and head South about 5 miles to Landstad Rd and turn left. The Town Hall is less than a quarter mile and will be on the right side of the road.
If you are reading this and have not yet talked to Pat Nieuwenhuis (920) 687-8707 about signing up to hunt, please do so NOW! The dead-line for contacting Pat is Aug 30, 2010 – No Exceptions Please!! He has to get all the names sent in to the DNR by their dead-line of September 1, 2011.
Starting in early September, we will be once again be needing help with inspection and repairing blinds, setting them out and taking them down after the hunt. Volunteers are also always welcome and needed to assist with the actual hunt. Help is needed with getting some of our hunters in and out of their blinds or possibly even sitting with them once you get there, helping to take aim, track- ing the deer, field dressing, dragging, hauling – you get the picture……. We have had great helpers in the past. Remember, we can’t pull this off without you. Please call Rod Barkhaus (715) 758- 8217 or Patrick Nieuwenhuis (ab0ve) if you can help in any way. For those of you who would rather stay indoors, Karen Baehr (920-766-9218) and her crew can always use help preparing all the great food they serve us down at the Lessor Town Hall.
If you are willing to help, we’ll sure try to find something for you to do.
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4th ANNUAL CHALLENGE THE OUTDOORS MUSKIE HUNTING/FISHING EVENT
TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 27TH 2011
By: Tom Gagnon, CTO Muskie Event Manager
Last year, our 3rd annual event did not prove to be the charmed year for a CTO member to finally catch a Muskie. High winds and very cold temperatures put yet another damper on our efforts to catch the king of game fish.
This year, we hope to capitalize on past knowledge, fishing guides and solunar tables to enhance our chances of bagging a big one. According to Mark Baehr, who studies the sun and moon, Tuesday, Septem- ber 27th is going to be one of the best days to bring Ol’Esox to the net.
The day again will start officially at 9:00 am for those booking passage on the CTO Pontoon Boat, "Challenger" or other boats we hope volunteers will provide. As with any CTO event, we can always use volunteers to help us get CTO members out there under the assumption that the Challenger will have a full load.
Our headquarters will be the same as last year at the Green Boat Landing on the east side of the Fox River at the mouth of the Fox River in Green Bay. (By the way, if you bring a boat, the launch has a $5 fee.) In order to make sure we have enough food, boats, gear, How To Catch a Musky Handbooks and bleachers for the hundreds of spectators anticipated to be watching this exciting event please let one me know your plans about attending. Please contact me, Tom Gagnon at tom.ilbcnu@gmail.com or 920-373-3796.
When you contact me back, please give me your phone number, email address and advise if you might have a life jacket, and Musky fishing gear that you could bring along. Depending on conditions, we should be heading back to shore by 11:30, if the conditions are poor, we might stop early and if conditions are fantastic...lunch (free) can wait awhile. All for now, but you might see some email updates if deemed needed.
Goose Hunt 2011
By: Steve Lang
The 6th Annual Goose Hunt is being held on Oct. 8-9. It is too late to get your tags for goose hunting in, but as always, if anyone would like to come by and visit, you are more than welcome. There is also a chance this ear to shoot waterfowl (ducks). If you just wanted to have an opportunity to shoot ducks, there is some room available for you also. The hunt is held near Waupun, WI. If you would like more information about visiting, or anything, contact Steve Lang at steve71099@yahoo.com or 920-948-4847.
CTO Officers for 2011-2012
The officers for the 2011-2012 year for CTO will be elected at the Board of Directors meeting on August 15, 2011. They will be listed on the last page of this newsletter when it appears on the website after the meeting.
The officers of CTO for the 2010-2011 year were re-elected for 2011-2012. (added after meeting of 8/15/2011)
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Challenge The Outdoors Shooting Opportunities
Sporting Clays:
If you are a disabled sportsperson and would like to try your hand at shooting Sporting Clays do we have a deal for you! Every second Tuesday of the month at 11:00 am shooters meet up at J&H Game Farm in Navarino, WI. What you will need to bring is a shotgun, Ear and Eye protection. CTO will pro- vide ammunition and the cost of shooting one round of sporting clays. Due to the extra cost of some shells we are currently only providing 12 and 20 Gauge shells. If you shoot a different Gauge you will be asked to provide your own ammunition. Note: When we shoot Sporting Clays at J&H. most of us come early (around 11:00 am) and enjoy a casual lunch at our own expense from the great J&H menu. We start gathering our equipment and loading up around 12:45 to 1:00 pm for a great afternoon of shooting. It takes each group of shooters about 2 1/2 to 3 hours to finish the course. In the summer months be sure to bring water and skeeter spray!!
Trap or Skeet Organized League Shooting Teams.
If you think you might be interested in becoming a member of a shooting team or starting your own team and would like to apply for CTO funding for yourself or your team. Please contact or e-mail Keith Pamperin at (920) 494-3990 or kjpamperin@aol.com
Pontoon Boat Updates
The CTO owned and operated ―Challenger‖ is open for use by the CTO membership. Reservations should be made with Gary Thyse by calling him at 715-584-7700.
In the Fishing Section of the CTO WEB site you can find a copy of the operations manual/directions for the Challenger. There is also a copy of that document on board the Challenger. For your enjoyment, become familiar with the manual before venturing out on Shawano Lake.
There is one hopefully temporary change to the manual concerning fuel. The manual indicates that the marina staff will assist in refilling the tanks and that fuel is obtained at no user charge from the marina. Regrettably, for the time being, the marina owner is NOT providing fuel due to his high cost of providing fuel to any of his clients. Thus, it will be individual user’s responsibility to re-fuel the Challenger when using it.
The nearest gas station is to the south near the junction of Business Highway 29 and Airport Road. We recommend ―High‖ test gasoline. If you wish to be reimbursed for your fuel purchase, save the receipt and send to CTO Treasurer, Jean Chapman N8154 Cty Rd M Shiocton, WI 54170
Also, regrettably not all users will follow these guidelines and leave the boat low on fuel, so don’t forget to check and fuel up before leaving the dock and when you return IF the supply looks low.
Below follows a listing of the latest CTO award winners that were announced at the Annual Banquet
Highlights of Board of Directors Meetings
. June
· The Seymour school kids with special needs enjoyed the fishing and picnic event in May. The big surprise was an artist who drew cartoon renditions of the kids. This event is sponsored by CTO.
· The Spring Trout-O-Rama, Shawano Lake Fishery, & Green Bay Blizzard arena football game were all a success!
· The Board gave Jeff Pagels approval to try and establish the CTO Outdoor Buddies. The Outdoor Buddies will be volunteers that could take members hunting or fishing throughout the year.
July
· $785 was spent on gift cards from Gander Mountain for this year’s award winners.
· The events Lake Michigan Fishing & Music in the Seymour Park went well.
· There was a presentation by Wisconsin Waterfowl Association of the Abrams Property Project. The Board then approved $4,000 expenditure to the Wisconsin Waterfowl Association to develop the Abrams project into an accessible waterfowl hunting and nature study area. The project is located at the junction of Highways 41 and 141 in Oconto County.
CTO MEMBERSHIP & AWARDS BANQUET
At the banquet on July 30, 2011 at the River Rail in Shiocton there were 150 members and guests present. All that attended took home a door prize to remember the day. The most important part of the program was honoring those generous people who help make possible all of the CTO events. The landowners, donors and the volunteers that help with the events. Remember to thank them when you get the chance. Also the awards were presented to the members for the Awards Program (see the results on Page 7).
At the membership meeting preceding the banquet we had the election of our directors.
Three Year Term
James Adamovich Harland Chapman Steve Lang
Bill Mayville Jeff Pagels
Two Year Term Mike Peters One Year Term Steve Pemberton
PLEASE COME!!
NEW MEMBERS JULY--AUGUST 2011
SANDRA/GUSTAV LOCKSTEIN MATT/RACHEL LAEHN MARY LOU FISCHER MELLISA TOVAR FAMILY MIKE DUFFEY
LAKE MICHIGAN SALMON AND TROUT FISHING EVENT- 2011
By: Judy Paluch
Friday June 24th, five boats headed out from The Algoma Marina, and five boats headed out from the Sea Gull Marina in Two Rivers with our disabled members for a great morning of fishing for King Salmon and Lake Trout. This is Challenge The Outdoors' third year of setting up a fishing event on Lake Michigan. Our disabled members enjoy this event so much that they start signing up in February to make sure they get on one of the boats.
Two River's boats headed out at 4:30 a.m. and Algoma boats headed out at 3:30 a.m. The wind at Algoma was quite a bit stronger than Two River's this year. The cold wind made winter coats, layers of clothing and a hat a must. But true fishing people don't let a little cold stop them.
Between the two marinas, we had 28 people out for a half day of fun. The fishing rods were set out with flashy lures and the line was then attached to down riggers, out on skis, and out farther with dipsy divers. (I think that is what they are called). Before all gear was set in place, we had our first strike. The excitement of reeling in a big fighting fish is awesome.
In Two Rivers they caught 35 fish between 14 people, and Algoma caught 22 fish between 14 people. Everyone had a wonderful time and can't wait till next year.
We headed back in around 9:30 - 10:00a.m. when the fish stopped biting. Of course, the sun finally started to peek through the slowly thinning clouds as we were coming in.
After pictures were taken and fish all cleaned, the captains, first mates and our members drove over to Caffe'Tlazo in Algoma for a breakfast/lunch. Two Rivers group went to M&M Lunch and Catering for their breakfast/lunch. Both restaurants had delicious meals for us, as they have in the past years.
Thanks to our boats captains, crew and the our two restaurants for all their help in making our day so wonderful. The hardest part of the day was heading home. We had such a great day, and it went by so fast.
If you are disabled, and interested in assisted hunting and fishing, you can send an e-mail to cto- forme@yahoo.com for more information. You can also check out our web site at www.ctoforme.org. We have about 30 or more assorted events in a year's time.
CTO 2011-2012 AWARD CONTEST IS UNDERWAY
By: Jeff Pagels, Director
A new year for entries into the fishing, hunting and shooting awards competition is now underway. As the following spreadsheet shows, not a lot of activity has shown up yet except in the shooting categories where the competition is fast and furious. After two months of shooting sporting clays Aaron Powless and Jeff Pagels share the lead but not by much over the rest of the field.
Remember, even small fish can win big prizes as a member can only win in one category for the year. Don’t be dismayed if your fish is small, send it in! For answers to your questions, contact Jeff Pagels at 920-366-5731 or jcpagels@att.net