Homegrounds History

Before moving the state shoot back to the grounds, we needed to a way to inform shooters of squads that are shooting and any possible holes. We moved the board from Thurmont Conservation & Sportsman's Club (TCSC) "up the hill" to behind our clubhouse. It was sandblasted and painted before installing flag poles and a live-view to the office. The live-view allows the Office to see what is shooting to prevent placing shooters on next-up squads.

In December 2022, the MSSA Executive Board decided to install steps into the traphouses to make them more accessible. All traps have been rebuilt since 2008.

Made possible by generous donations, Dave Feaga and crew were able to start and complete install in January 2023.

After the 2025 State Shoot, the Board of Directors approved the $20k+ purchase of BRB voice releases for all 16 program fields plus spares. The Executive Committee sold the Canterbury sets in inventory and assembled the new voice releases.

To protect the new investment, we built wagons to minimize the handling of the new calls. This will help with their longevity and to speed up set-up and tear-down at tournaments.

Since 2022, all MSSA shoots are run off member clubs. Local clubs sign up to score and load houses. MSSA donates back to the clubs who support us throughout the year. This has worked well because MSSA does not need to train anyone and they all know the rules, as most are shooters. We cannot be more proud than the Maryland pride on display at any of our shoots!

We built the chairs and have made the modifications (below) for the ease everyone working the shoot.

Umbrellas for shade and rain protection

Wheels in the front and back for rolling forward and back

Additional steps to make it easier to get in the chairs

"Cup" holders for drinks, extra pencils, and the "button"

All banks have rebuilt pavilions, complete with water coolers, picnic benches, and public address system speakers.

We have two fields, directly behind the club house, that are LED lighted for shoot-offs.

In 2025, the Board of Directors authorized a $3,000+ upgrade to the Public Address system. The goal was to increase sound- coverage (reducing dead-zones), decrease the system from "cutting-out" from overload, making the system more user-friendly, and the ability to call from out-side of the office.

There are plans to incorporate a TV-broadcast system in the future.

Our lower line can get muddy when Mother Nature does not cooperate. We've laid a road in the high-traffic area. Also, we put French Drains on the fields to pull water off the concrete.

MSSA owns 18 Pat-Traps and BRB voice calls for all fields. We have also purchased gun racks.

We have 16 fields and an agreement with TCSC for another two fields. Four fields were newly poured when we moved back to the Homegrounds. All fields are set with 9'-6" T-bar stakes.

MSSA has built bathrooms and showers on the grounds, attached to the club house.

After over twelve years back at our grounds, we decided the bathrooms (specifically the floors) needed a facelift. With a little bit of elbow grease and a lot of painting skills, the floors look brand new and have a much more "finished" look.

We build a porch off the rear of the club house to pull people outside during the shoots. This is a great gathering location for shooters during the day.

We post event results on the boards outside and have additional boards inside for flyers and announcements.

Trophy winners are written on the dry-erase boards inside for easy re-use.

Office staff needed their own space when we moved back so, the main office was sectioned off the clubhouse and is now a private area. Classification also doubles as voice-call repair.

MSSA installed heat and air conditioning in the club house.

We have also bought three chest freezers and an ice machine to sell ice during the shoots.

With the inception of the Maryland Trapshooting Hall of Fame, MSSA thought it needed a nice display. The wall displays our Hall of Fame in addition to the High All Around trophies (hand-painted turkey feathers).

We also needed a better way to display trophies so a matching counter was built to display the excellent trophies.

We have two TV's mounted for a rolling scoreboard inside and outside the club house.

MSSA has purchased folding tables and chairs to scatter around the grounds.

All electric was re-run and improved when we came back

Since moving back, MSSA has identified some key improvements to shoot operations.

Radios for banks and shoot management for quick communication.

New computers to support evolving software.

Multiple software upgrades.

Hard-wired internet into club-house to support web-based shoot management software

Should the need ever arise, MSSA owns a generator large enough to power the grounds.

With the old target building becoming the club house, MSSA needed a maintenance and storage facility. We have purchased and re-covered three sea containers to store targets, traps, signage, tools, and everything else needed to run a shoot.

MSSA needed a way to transport shooters up and down the line. Also, our squad-hustlers need to have vehicles so we purchased four golf-carts.

We also have bought a tractor, bush-hog, and zero-turn. The tractor loads targets at the end of every day and general maintenance around the grounds.

No state shoot is complete without a campground. MSSA installed upper and lower camp sites, in addition to some vendor sites in front of the Event Building. Each site has 30 and 50 amp service and water. We also installed a dump station.