By Jack McShane

The Hunting and Fishing Club on Tremperskill Road.

How many out there know of the Tremperskill Hunting & Fishing Club? All locals and those who use it as their polling place know of it or at least are aware of the club’s quarters located on the Tremperskill Road at the foot of Bussey Hollow Road. The club was formed back in 1953 and met monthly in what was then Joe Holholster’s garage on the Tremperskill, (a building now made up of multiple apartments) or in various members’ homes. To be a member you had to live on or own land on the Tremperskill Road.  If you did not you were barred from membership as a number of non-Tremperskill folks learned to their dismay. Living on Shaver Hollow, or Wolf Hollow or any other Hollow with water flowing into the Tremperskill, was not enough to permit you to join the club. According to Bill Elwood, a lifelong member of the club, some of the original members were: Don Elwood, Andrew and Russell Dowie, Floyd Woodin, Don Liddle Sr., Joe Holholster, Thomas Liddle, and Ray Ackerly. You might note that most of these names are very familiar Andes names, with descendants scattered about Andes and its environs. All members were issued a certificate of membership which was lifetime if you kept up with your dues, and a button denoting membership on an annual basis. The buttons depict various game species in various poses and colors. There is a display of these buttons going back to the beginning of the club on the interior wall of the clubhouse. The display was the idea of one of the past presidents, George Wright. The club, back in the early days, was renowned for its community clambakes, which I presume included much revelry and celebration of big bucks taken, many of which are on display in the clubhouse.

Buttons adorn the interior of the clubhouse.

One of the many trophies.

Eventually the club purchased some land where the clubhouse is now situated from “Spic” Tuttle. A “shanty” was erected that was used for all meetings and affairs. More land was purchased from Andrew Dowie, completing the present parcel located on the south side of the Tremperskill Road between Bussey Hollow and the country store. The present clubhouse, along with the outside open picnic facility and large barbecue pit, were constructed and completed over time by the membership. Presently the clubhouse is also used by the local board of elections as one of two polling stations in Andes. As a service to the community they offer rentals of the whole facility for weddings, anniversaries and other special occasions at very low rates.

Some of the events and undertakings by the club in the past year are as follows:

• spaghetti dinner prepared and served by members and spouses with the profits used to purchase 23 turkeys that were taken to the 3 local churches, Catholic, Methodist and Presbyterian, for distribution to local folks in need for the Christmas holidays.
• chicken barbecue held at the clubhouse and the firehall, the profit to help with club taxes and other expenses.
• Memorial Day lawn sale. Profits will be used to purchase Christmas toys for children in need.
• $200 donated to the school for a scholarship fund.
• Donation to a local Cub Scout master for the purchase of archery equipment for a local Cub Scout troop. At summer camp the Cub Scouts learned the basics: the stance, how to knock an arrow, parts of the bow, how to draw, aim, release, follow through and retrieve arrows. As they shot targets while standing and kneeling, they learned of eye dominance, fitness training and the physics behind the arrows’ flight.
• Sponsored the well-attended, annual sportsman’s show, held at the fire hall.
• This fall members worked with youth and interested adults on bow shooting and archery safety. A check is about to be issued for bows and other archery equipment for further use at the Andes School.
• November spaghetti dinner prepared and served by members and spouses, the profit to be used for charitable purposes.

Let it be said that the Tremperskill Hunting & Fishing Club, under the guidance of our president Toby Titch, has as guiding principals; helping those in need, supporting further environmental conservation education of our youth, and connecting our kids with the outdoors. The club also supports new laws protecting yearling bucks that would require that a deer, to be legally shot, would have to have at least 3 points on one side. This would give our deer herd a more natural balance and enhance herd health.

The club meets the second Thursday of the month at 7pm at the clubhouse where hunting and fishing is discussed, tales of big ones taken, and big ones missed. Future club events are planned and allocations of donated funds are discussed. We welcome all newcomers. Please call President Toby Titch 676 3439 or myself at 676 3534 for more information about our club. You do not have to live on the Tremperskill!  ~