Welcome to the Michigan Trapshooting Association. Located in Mason, Michigan in the heart of the beautiful Great Lakes State, the MTA home grounds are easily accessible on a major highway, with restaurants, motels, airports, stores, and a wide variety of cultural and recreational opportunities nearby. The MTA hosts 4 major trap shoots per year with a facility that includes 44 trap fields, over 150 campsites, and over 300 acres of gorgeous Michigan landscape. The MTA also hosts A.I.M., S.C.T.P., & High School events including State and Regional Competitions. MAP

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Board of Directors Corner
May 2019 Edition

Your Board of Directors met on April 13, after the Work Day. The Work Day was very successful, with many projects getting done and lots of folks attending. As there were many questions, a mini business meeting was held. The Board Members noted that we sold 27 acres of mostly swampland to the owner of the brine well north of Bank 1. The sold property is North of Banks 2 and 3 and abuts the South side of the golf course. This chunk of property cannot be seen from the trapline. I’ve been told it is good deer habitat. All the proceeds from this sale went directly to Dart Bank and almost paid off the long-standing loan. Thanks to past MTA President Larry Telfer who did the negotiations with the purchaser. In accordance with the Board’s plan, our Secretary-Treasurer, Jeff Russell then paid off the loan completely!

The process to get the MTA’s Special Land Use Permit (SLUP) changed is complete. At times, this process really dragged on, with questions such as “What’s a clay target made of?”, “How do you know when a clay target breaks?”, and “Lead can be bad for the environment, shouldn’t you switch to copper, steel or some other metal?” (I refrained from suggesting Depleted Uranium). After several more public meetings, and informational sessions with a few of the planning commission members and township trustees, the new approved SLUP allows the MTA to have 46 competition shooting days (vs. 26 in the old SLUP), and be open for practice two days per week between April and October (this was not allowed in the old SLUP). The practice days are important so that local High Schools who are forming teams can have a nearby place to shoot. There were a few conditions, The MTA agreed to do some environmental testing, looking for lead in the creek sediment, in the groundwater, and in the well water. These tests are complete, and low levels of lead were found in the sediment, both North and South of the trapline. There is no detectable lead in either groundwater or well water.

The second ever USA Clay Target League National High School Championship Shoot will be held at Mason July 10-14, 2019. We expect about 1400-1600 young shooters. Practice will start at noon on July 10 and continue on July 11. We’re expecting to have to use 40 fields for practice! We need volunteers for this shoot. People to help with parking, Range Safety Officers, and score sheet runners (no, you don’t have to run, you use a golf cart…) are all needed.
Registered Trapshooting is in full swing in Michigan. The shoots at Mason in May are the Spring Team Shoot and the Great Lakes Grand. With the much-needed better weather, get to a club, have some fun, and shoot safely.

JB