Pennsylvania Federation of Sportsmen’s Clubs Spring Convention: Gas, Guns, Deer, and God
OutdoorHub 02.13.12
The PA Federation of Sportsmen’s Clubs brings their Spring Convention to the north east to be held March 23rd-25th at the Hilton Convention Center in Scranton, PA. We don’t normally come up with a theme for our conventions as the title to the article indicates but this spring the PFSC will be covering those subjects and a few more. If you have a love for the outdoors, hunting, fishing, trapping and conservation you are invited to attend, please go to www.pfsc.org for more information or to register for any of the events or for the entire weekend. A special rate has been arranged for overnight accommodations for a limited time so don’t delay.
Starting with Friday night’s presentation by Daniel E. Bright and Thomas S. Schrack of McQuaide Blasko, Inc., Attorneys at Law; they will be talking to landowners, specifically not-for-profit sportsmen’s clubs, with a program they call “Tax Traps and Tips for Non-Profit Hunting Clubs Engaged in Oil and Gas Leasing”. If your club has any amount of property in the Marcellus Gas Play you have no doubt entered into a lease with a gas company already. You may have received a healthy sign-on bonus and probably have lost a large portion of that to the “Tax Man”. Seems simple enough but as some clubs are finding out there are no clear answers to questions like how do we file in the future, do we retain our 501c7 status or are we now considered a for-profit corporation. Phone calls to the IRS are confusing at best and depending on who you talk to on any given day the answers you get can vary. The PFSC has arraigned for this presentation to hopefully educate and possibly help you in your club’s administration. Starting at 6pm on Friday, March 23rd, this presentation is only $10 to attend and open to the public, make sure you are in the audience with your notes and questions ready. Seating is limited so register early!
Saturday brings committee reports and discussions on many topics such as hunting/trapping, boating, fishing, conservation and of course our 2nd Amendment Rights. With a shift in majority leadership and the presidential elections coming in November we have to be ever more vigilant of our gun ownership rights and heritage. If you have been reading the PFSC News email blasts then you can appreciate the hard work and constant watch that your membership dues pay for. Not a member? YOU NEED TO BE!
Once the committee meetings are complete we move on to the Saturday Night Banquet. Beginning at 6pm, Saturday, March 24th, there is a fun filled evening with fellowship, food and of course fundraising. To top this evening our Keynote Speaker will be Certified Wildlife Biologist Kip Adams. Kip is the QDMA’s Director of Education and Outreach/Northern U.S., coordinating the REACH program in that region. Fresh off of his appearance at the Eastern Sports and Outdoor Show in Harrisburg, Kip will be giving a brand new presentation entitled “State of the Whitetail: Trends in Harvest and Current Management Issues”. Kip is a fun and dynamic speaker and will be sure to entertain as well as educate. This dinner is $35 per person and can be attended by itself for the evening and all are welcome to attend.
On Sunday before the county delegates head into the General Session we always take time to thank our Maker for the gifts bestowed upon us. As stewards of this great Earth we look for guidance and understanding from above and this convention is no different. Leading us in the Sunday Morning Prayer Breakfast will be special guest Pastor Gary Haskell. Pastor Haskell is not like most preachers that you will find as he is a Gun Totin’, Huntin’ and Fishin’ kind of guy. He is pastor of Jackson Baptist Church in Jackson, PA and spends as much of his free time outdoors as he can. The church is host to yearly Hunter/Trapper Education classes and even has their own Youth Air Rifle Team. Not too long ago the church held the areas first Cable Restraint Class to certify folks for cable restraint use during the special season. Sure to enlighten and empower you to go forward with God’s message, you don’t want to miss this highlight to the weekend. Starting at 7:15am Sunday morning, the breakfast is $16 and all are welcome.
The mission of the PFSC is to protect and promote hunting, fishing, trapping and related sportsmen’s rights and privileges, to secure and defend our 2nd Amendment Rights as guaranteed by the Constitution of the United States of America; to protect from degradation and waste the natural resources of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the United States of America; to encourage, advise, and assist other groups, organizations, elected officials, government agencies, private businesses and corporations to further sportsmen issues.
