Dear Editor,

On behalf of the Deer Creek Sport & Conservation Club, I want to correct some misinformation. Deer Creek operates a facility south of Mount Horeb, off of Hwy U, which includes a shooting range and a clubhouse. The clubhouse is used for club meetings as well as by groups such as the Boy Scouts, the Cub Scouts, the Friends of Donald Park, 4-H, FFA, and even the DNR. We teach hunter’s safety courses and other educational events which are open to the public. We also permit the clubhouse to be used for fundraising events, memorial services and even an occasional wedding reception.

In July, we received notice from Dane County Zoning advising us that use of the clubhouse for activities other than membership meetings and instructional courses was interpreted to be inconsistent with our RE-1 zoning. We immediately ceased all events and notified all groups who had scheduled events with us.

We have had very constructive dialogue with Dane County Zoning and the Town of Primrose regarding this matter. The County has confirmed for us that all of the Club’s currently-scheduled activities may proceed as planned while we work toward obtaining the clarification and approvals necessary for us to engage in our full range of Club activities over the long term. This includes scheduled events, as well as regularly occurring club activities.

In short, the club is not closed, and it is not “being shut down by Dane County.”

We have educated thousands of kids through our Hunter Educations Program, we have improved 22+ miles of trout stream bank, we have donated hundreds of man-hours and thousands of dollars to conservation efforts, and we’ve created a meeting place for other natural resource groups to meet. We intend to continue doing each of these tasks.

How can you help? First, consider joining the club, or attending some of our fundraising events. You can find more information by searching for our Facebook page, or going to our website http://www.deercreeksportsconservation.com. You are welcome to call Ray Gilden at (608) 832-6272, or any other board member for information. Second, when you see us on the agenda for a Town or County public meeting, please attend to offer your support. Finally, if you hear someone spreading misinformation about who we are, what we do, or what is happening, please correct them. We consider hunting and shooting sports, land and water conservation efforts, and outdoor education to be critically important, and we have every intention of continuing to support those objectives.

Thank You,

Deer Creek Sports & Conservation Club President, Ray Gilden