The Tioga County Women’s Shooting Society is meeting from 5 p.m. until dusk next Thursday, Aug. 24 at the Hillside Rod and Gun Club’s pistol range, weather permitting. 

“Women interested in joining our organization and attending the Aug. 24 meeting can call me for directions to the Hillside Rod and Gun Club in Blossburg. I will give them directions to the club and the pistol range, which is just a few tenths of a mile further down the road,” said Marilyn Jones, president. 

“Our six-month outdoor season at the Hillside Rod and Gun Club’s pistol range will end in October. Our last two meetings at the pistol range will be from 5 p.m. until dusk on Thursday, Sept. 28 and from 4 p.m. until dusk on Thursday, Oct. 26, weather permitting,” Jones said. Members and guests are required to sign one hold harmless waiver for the outdoor season and pay a $10 range fee each time they attend a practice.

“If the weather is bad, the Oct. 26 pistol range meeting will be canceled and we will carpool to the National Range and Armory on Saturday, Oct. 28 as planned,” said Jones.

Carpooling to The National Range

“Starting this October and continuing through April for the indoor season, we will return to carpooling once a month to the National Range and Armory at 31 Washington Boulevard, Williamsport, PA 17701,” said Jones. “We will meet at 9:45 a.m. at the CVS Plaza parking lot at 197 North Main Street in Mansfield on Saturdays, Oct. 28, Nov. 25 and Dec. 16. We will leave the CVS Plaza parking lot promptly at 10 a.m., carpool to Williamsport and be at the National Range by 11 a.m.,” Jones said.  Dates for practice at the National Range for January through April 2024 will be announced in December. Those attending National Range shooting practices will pay a lane rental fee and for anything they buy, such as ammunition, targets and rental of firearms. Carpool riders are asked to assist drivers with gasoline costs.

Shooting Contest is Announced

TCWSS is hosting a shooting contest for members from October 2023 through September 2024 at monthly practice shoots. Women can get a full set of contest rules from Jones at the August meeting. Contest Guidelines: Each contestant must submit a target received from Marilyn Jones at each month’s TCWSS practice shoot and place her best 20-round grouping in the middle of the target or the 10-ring; Shoot 20 rounds total at any contest target using only a pistol or revolver of any caliber at a distance of 10 yards or more with the distance verified in writing on the target by a Range Safety Officer (RSO) or a Leadership 

Committee Member (Leader); Judging on distance level of difficulty is based on the farthest the contestant can shoot with accuracy; Judging on 10-ring accuracy is based on the grouping and grouping size; Each contestant is asked by the TCWSS Leadership Committee to submit one target per month to Marilyn Jones if the contestant believes it to be one of her best. Jones will compile all of the targets submitted over the next year and present them to the Leadership Committee in October 2024 to determine the winners. The Committee will select the 1st, 2nd and 3rd Place Best Target winners. The awards will be presented to the winners at the group’s annual Christmas party in December 2024.

How to Become A Member

Women who want to become a member of the Tioga County Women’s Shooting Society can attend two meetings without joining but are required to become a member before attending a third time. They must fill out a hold harmless waiver and a membership and medical form and pay dues of $15 once per year in addition to the range fee. For more information, contact Marilyn Jones at 570-244-7989 or at jones_mk@yahoo.com.