Welcome to your Langhorne Rod & Gun Club October 2026 Monthly Newsletter. Our focus remains on sharing club-related news, events, and activities, along with the experiences of our members.
This month’s newsletter includes coverage and photos from club matches and events in September. Scroll down to see some photos from the annual Club Picnic, and an upgrade to the lighting in the Trap Field. Photos for both provided by Ace Newsletter Investigative Reporter/Content Creator/Photographer/Good Guy Les Trzesniowski.
We have some important events coming up soon. In the month of November, we have the Annual Lions Shoot for Sight Trap Shooting event on Monday 11/1, and the next Blood Drive on Saturday 11/21.
More information about the Blood Drive, including the actual link for scheduling and a QR code you can scan if the button above doesn’t work for you, can be found by scrolling down to Blood Drive flyer in the “Special Announcements & Upcoming Events” section.
In December, there is the annual Food Drive & Action Pistol Shoot on Saturday 12/5. Please scroll down for more information, and please support these very important club activities that benefit our community.
The next in a series of Hunter-Trapper Education classes will be held at the club on Sunday October 11, with the final in-person class of the year occurring on Sunday November 8. More information about Hunter Trapper Education can be found by scrolling down, including options for online classes and information about becoming a Certified Hunter-Trapper Education (HTE) Instructor. This program, which is run by Frank Homer, has done an amazing job educating more than 1,200 students over the past 16 years.
Help Wanted: Newsletter Committee
Do you already attend club events, matches, meetings, or other LRGC activities? The newsletter is looking for members who can take a few photos and provide a short paragraph or two about what is happening around the club.
Newsletter committee work can count toward member work hours.
If interested, please contact us at editor@langhornerodandgun.com for more details.
We encourage all members to consider contributing to the newsletter. Whether it’s hunting, fishing, trapping, or experiences at matches and competitions—here or at other clubs—your stories and photos help make this newsletter more engaging for everyone.
To share your experiences, please contact us at editor@langhornerodandgun.com
📅**Upcoming Meetings & Special Events at the Club**
**General Membership Meeting**
Thursday, October 1 — 7:00 PM Tan Building
**Club Wide Work Party**
Saturday, October 10 — 8:00 AM-2:00 PM
**Hunter Trapper Education**
Sunday, October 11 — 8:00 AM-3:00 PM Green Building
**Mailing Committee**
Thursday, October 15 — 7:00 PM-8:00 PM Tan Building
**4H Meeting & Shooting**
Sunday, October 18 — Noon to 2:00 PM Tan Building & Short Range
**Fish & Game Committee Meeting**
Wednesday, October 21 — 7:00 PM Green Building
**Board of Trustees Meeting**
Tuesday, October 27 — 7:00 PM Green Building
⭐ **October 2026 Club Calendar**
by Vince Sullivan
Event dates and times may change for various reasons. Please check the calendar on the website for last minute changes.
⭐ **From President John Terrell**
Greetings LRGC Members,
As summer comes to an end, I hope everyone had an opportunity to enjoy some time with friends and family.
I want to thank everyone who came out to help at the recent work parties as we prepared the club for the annual picnic. The picnic is a major event here at LRGC, and we are grateful to all of the members and volunteers who helped make it possible.
Everything went smoothly, the weather was perfect, and we had a great turnout. Many thanks again to everyone who helped with this event. We had an awesome time, and I hope to see everyone again next year.
John Helstrom has started changing the outdoor lights at the trap range, and the improvement looks great. It makes a big difference. Thank you, John!
Please check the newsletter for all upcoming events through the fall season. This is one of the best times of year to get outside, enjoy the weather, and take part in club activities.
See you all soon.
Stay Well and Be Safe,
John Terrell
⭐ **September Events**
Annual Club Picnic, September 6th
We want to take a moment to thank all of the members, volunteers, and guests that make this picnic possible every year. Your hard work at the work party, setting up the day of, and all other tasks required for this picnic to move smoothly cannot be under appreciated. We thank you wholeheartedly, same time next year I hope!
To the members showing up with their families and guests it’s always a pleasure to see people enjoying our club and participating in its events. Please come around and see us more often, we hope you had an amazing day because we certainly did.
We hope to see more wonderful people next year for the next picnic, thank you for showing the beauty of this club and its members.
Thank you,
David Terrell – VP
Photos Submitted by All-Star Contributor Les Trzesniowski
New Trap Field Lights
Photos Submitted by All-Star Contributor Les Trzesniowski
📢 **Special Announcements & Upcoming Events**
Put the 24th Annual Lions Shoot for Sight on your Calendar.
A great time Trap shooting, supporting a really great cause.
Grab some raffle tickets for a Beretta A300 while you’re there and grab some awesome food too.
For information call: Paul Shanahan @ 215-801-5525 or EMAIL: paul.shanahan@verizon.net
November Blood Drive – Saturday November 21
Sign up early for the next Blood Drive at LRGC. Saturday, November 21. 8:30 AM – 1:30 PM
Follow the link below to make your appointment now.
https://www.redcrossblood.org/give.html/drive-results?zipSponsor=LRGC
Or Scan the QR Code Beneath the Banner
Scan the QR Code Above to Schedule Your Red Cross Donation at LRGC
Hunter Trapper Education
by Frank Homer
Why Teach Hunter-Trapper Education?
Since 1959, hunting-related shooting incidents have declined drastically. Hunting is safe and getting safer, thanks to hunter education. By law, all first-time hunters and trappers, regardless of age, must successfully complete a six-hour hunter-trapper education training before they can buy a Pennsylvania hunting or trapping license. Individuals may take hunter-trapper education either through an in-person class or by completing an online class.
Legacy and Tradition!
During the last 16 years, Langhorne Rod & Gun Club has held more than 50 classes and has graduated over 1,235 students. The most recent class at LRGC held on July 12 graduated 26 students! We are actively seeking new Certified Hunter-Trapper Education (HTE) Instructors to continue leading this important tradition of educating our future hunters and trappers. The Pennsylvania Game Commission is looking for knowledgeable and experienced hunters and trappers to teach both basic and advanced programs. Volunteer instructors receive certification training, all necessary teaching aids, and materials including the easy-to-use, standardized curriculum.
Instructors must be at least 18 years old and have a high school diploma or GED. If leaving a legacy of safe, responsible, ethical hunting is important to you, please consider becoming a Certified HTE Instructor. All applicants must pass a criminal background check and child abuse clearance check. Contact the Pennsylvania Game Commission HTE Team at 717-787-7015, or at pgchuntereducation@pa.gov for questions.
For more information about becoming a HTE instructor, click here.
In-Person Class Option
LRGC is hosting In-person classes this year When: October 11, & November 8 Where: Green Building Time: 8am to 3pm
For more information about In-Person classes and locations, click here.
Online Class Option
The PGC makes available several online Hunter Trapper Education courses for students who prefer to learn through an online format.
The following links provide more information:
Basic Hunter-Trapper Education Online Course
Online Hunter-Trapper Education for Ages 16 & Older in Spanish
NRA Hunter Education
Contact Frank Homer at 215-968-4202 x7052 or HTE@langhornerodandgunclub.com with questions or for additional information about Hunter Trapper Education at LRGC.
Important Information About Membership Renewal
LRGC members are required to pay membership dues annually. Your renewal month is based on the month you were accepted as a member of the club.
You can easily determine your renewal month by looking at your membership/access badge. The last four digits of your membership number on your badge indicate the month and year you were accepted as a member. In the badge example below, the last four digits are 0319, meaning this member’s anniversary month is March, and the member joined in 2019. In this example, renewal payment is due each year in March.
Every LRGC member is mailed a membership renewal form by USPS approximately one to two months before payment is due. As a real-world example, my membership anniversary is in August, and I became a member in 2017. The last four digits of my membership number are 0817. Last year, I received my renewal letter toward the end of June.
Annual dues can be paid through the club’s online renewal website. PayPal is the preferred method of payment. The membership renewal and payment link appears each month in the email announcing publication of the newsletter and is also included in the newsletter on the club website. Follow the link below to access the renewal website:
https://www.langhornerodandgun.com/lrgc.club/online-renewal-payment.html
Because renewal notices are sent by USPS mail, it is extremely important that the club has your current and accurate contact information, including your home address, email address, and phone number. If you have recently moved or changed your email address or phone number, please contact Christina Stone at christina.stone@lrgc.club with your updated information.
If you have not received your membership renewal notice by mail, an issue with your contact information should be one of the first things to check.
Please be aware that if you miss your renewal due date, you will receive a late notice by mail. If your renewal payment is more than 60 days late, your membership is terminated. You would then need to reapply for membership as a new applicant, following the same process as someone applying for the first time. The club would also need to be accepting new applicants at that time.
Please be proactive with your membership renewal. The club is in a constant cycle of membership expirations and renewals, and some members choose to let their memberships expire. As a result, a missed renewal payment does not stand out as anything unusual.
Please take a moment to look at your badge so you know which month your renewal is due, and watch for your renewal letter in the mail. If you believe your contact information may not be current or accurate in the club’s records, please contact Christina Stone as soon as possible.
Questions about membership renewal should be directed to Christina Stone at christina.stone@lrgc.club
⭐ **Monthly Columns & Member Submissions**
LRGC Trap Nights
In July, we highlighted LRGC’s Thursday Night Trap program and some of the people who have kept it running for decades. We learned that a busy evening can bring 40 to 50 shooters to the range and send thousands of clay targets into the air. This month, I returned earlier in the day to see what happens before the shooting starts.
From an empty field at 2:30 p.m. to the first call of “Pull!” at 5:00, a small group of volunteers makes Thursday Night Trap happen.
THE WORK STARTS EARLY
Thursday Night Trap opens to the public at 5:00 p.m. When I arrived at 3:00 p.m., Charlie Miller and Paul Shanahan were already at work.
Along with Scott Griffin and others, they were moving equipment from the Green Building to the range. Tom Weed and Matt Hornberger also regularly volunteer, and shooters themselves often arrive early and pitch in when needed. By the time the first squad steps to the line, much of the evening’s work has already been done.
By late afternoon, the range is ready: five voice-release stations at each field, scoring equipment in place, and the trap houses prepared for the first squad.
From “Pull!” to a Flying Target
LRGC has four trap houses, each containing a target launcher. At each field, microphone stands are positioned at the five shooting stations. These are part of the Canterbury Voice Release system that allows the shooters themselves to trigger the release of the target.
When a shooter calls “Pull,” the microphone detects the call and communicates wirelessly over the system’s 2.4 GHz radio link with a base-station transceiver at the trap house. That receiver is wired to the launcher, and the release command sends a clay target into the air. The scorekeeper has a wireless control unit as well. From the scoring position, the system can be enabled or disabled as necessary, and a target can be released manually when needed.
That wireless convenience creates another job for the setup crew. The components do not simply remain on the range all week. Before each shoot, the microphones, stands, scorekeeper controls and related equipment must be brought out of storage and placed at their respective fields. The correct components must be matched with the trap house to which they are configured, and everything has to be checked before shooting begins. Multiply that process across four trap houses, and it becomes clear why setup begins well before 5:00.
Inside the Trap House
While most shooters experience trap from the firing line, much of what makes the match possible is hidden inside the low concrete houses downrange.
Each house contains a hydraulically powered launcher capable of holding more than 500 clay targets. With the machine loaded, the crew can accommodate a substantial amount of shooting without constantly stopping to refill it.
Simply throwing a target is not enough, however. The machine has to throw the target in the right way. The launchers require periodic adjustment and maintenance so that target speed, height, angle, and distance remain within the specifications required for registered competition. Among the checks performed by the Trap Committee is target velocity.
For ATA shooting, singles targets are set to leave the trap at approximately 42 to 44 mph, with the resulting flight carrying them approximately 50 yards under the prescribed conditions. Committee members periodically measure target speed with a chronograph and make adjustments when necessary.
Keeping Score
Once shooting begins, attention shifts from the trap house to the scorekeeper. A standard round consists of 25 targets. As shooters rotate through the five stations, the scorer records each hit and miss and keeps the squad informed of its progress. At the completion of the round, each shooter receives a final score.
For shooters who want their performance officially recorded, the Trap Committee can facilitate submission of an ATA registered score for an additional $2. That turns an ordinary Thursday evening round into part of a shooter’s official competitive record.
It is another small part of the evening from the shooter’s perspective – but another responsibility for the volunteers making the program work.
More Than What Happens at 5:00
Watching the setup process reinforces something that is not obvious when you arrive with a shotgun and a box of shells shortly before shooting begins: Thursday Night Trap does not start at 5:00.
By then, hours of work have already gone into preparing the range. Equipment has been moved, microphones and wireless controls installed, trap machines and houses checked, targets loaded, and scoring stations prepared. Throughout the year, that weekly work is supplemented by equipment maintenance, repairs, target deliveries and improvements to the range itself.
Much of that work is performed by a relatively small group of volunteers, assisted by shooters willing to arrive early and pitch in. The result is something most of us probably take for granted: when the first squad steps to the line and someone calls “Pull,” a target appears. Making that seemingly simple moment happen is anything but simple!
Once the preparation is complete, the equipment, shooters and scorer come together for the part everyone sees: the round itself.
The People – The weekly program has become as much a community as a competition.
| DID YOU KNOW? LRGC’s trap range is wheelchair accessible. Shooters who use wheelchairs are welcome to participate and compete. Anyone interested in trying trap can speak with a member of the Trap Committee about getting started. | NOVEMBER 1: SHOOT FOR SIGHT On Sunday, November 1, 2026, LRGC will host the annual Shoot for Sight for the 24th consecutive year, supporting the Langhorne Lions Club’s efforts to help the blind. Registration: 8:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. Shooting Starts: 9:15 a.m. $65 entry + $6 ATA fees includes 200 ATA registered singles targets and lunch. Non-ATA shooters are welcome. Non-shooters can enjoy lunch and door prizes for $10. Information: Paul Shanahan • 215-801-5525 • paul.shanahan@verizon.net |
⭐**Matches and People**
MultiGun Shotgun Night, September 9
Steel Challenge, September 19
“Here are the results of 9/19/26 steel shoot. Thank you to everyone who came out and spent the morning with us. See you next month 10/17/26”
Photos Submitted by All-Star Contributor Les Trzesniowski, spotted below in his natural habitat. The club.
8-Plate Steel Challenge, September 24
Thanks for the great turnout and for all of the RSOs and Volunteers who came out to help make this event happen. This was sadly the last match of the year, so I hope to see everyone again next year!!
Practical Rifle, September 26
“I’m very proud of everyone who showed up yesterday. Despite the constant rain, we had a great turnout. You guys are all champs in my book! Thank you to everyone who helped with setup and teardown. Thank you to our RSOs for keeping the match safe, and thank you to all the participants for following the safety rules and making it a great match. I hope everyone had a good time!
Congratulations to Steve K. on an amazing performance and taking 1st place! Congratulations to Charles, one of our newest shooters — and hopefully a new regular — for taking 2nd place! Very smooth shooter with clean technique. Great job! And congratulations to Jay Lew for taking 3rd place!
Great shooting, everyone, especially under some pretty miserable weather conditions.” Mike
Photos Submitted by All-Star Contributor Les Trzesniowski
⭐**Monthly Work Party**
Pre-Picnic Work Party, Saturday September 5
Photos Submitted by Rob McHugh
⭐**Membership – Misc**
First Aid Boxes – Keeping Them Stocked
You’ve probably noticed the First Aid boxes at different locations throughout the club. Please use them if needed, but PLEASE reach out to Fred Olivari if you use a substantial amount of the supplies treating an injury, or if you notice supply levels are low. You can reach Fred at his cell number 215-559-1007.
Thank you Fred, for keeping these well stocked & maintained.
NOTE: The contact list seen below is maintained with privacy and accuracy in mind. If you are included in this list, and would like your contact information updated, please send an email to editor@langhornerodandgun.com
