ROOTED IN COMMUNITY SINCE 1945
The North Peace Rod & Gun Club has been part of the Fort St. John and Peace Region community since 1945.
For more than seven decades, the club has brought together hunters, anglers, sport shooters, families, volunteers, conservationists, and outdoor enthusiasts who believe in safety, responsibility, education, and stewardship.
The club’s history reflects the story of the region itself. It was built by people who cared about the land, the wildlife, the outdoor traditions of the North Peace, and the importance of creating something lasting for future generations.
Our Beginnings
The club was officially formed in April 1945, following a notice published in the Alaska Hi-Way News.
At the first meeting in Fort St. John, local residents came together to form what was then known as the North of the Peace Rod and Gun Club. Officers were elected, and annual membership dues were set at $1.
From the beginning, the club’s purpose reached beyond shooting sports. Early members were interested in wildlife conservation, fish stocking, pheasant raising, and creating a stronger outdoor recreation community in the district.
Meetings were held on the last Monday of each month at Walter Weldon’s implement shop, creating an early gathering place for members and residents who shared an interest in hunting, fishing, conservation, and the outdoors.
CONSERVATION FROM THE START
The club’s original objectives included encouraging local farmers to raise pheasants and exploring the possibility of stocking Charlie Lake with a sport fish that could thrive in the area.
A committee was appointed to gather information from provincial hatcheries about suitable fish species and the availability of pheasant eggs.
That early focus matters.
It shows that conservation, wildlife management, and outdoor stewardship were part of the club’s identity from day one.
The North Peace Rod & Gun Club was never just about having a place to shoot. It was about protecting outdoor traditions and supporting responsible use of the land and wildlife resources that define this region.
GROWTH AND RANGE DEVELOPMENT
As membership grew, so did the club’s vision.
In the mid-1960s, the club began purchasing the current range property from Walter Weldon. The first purchase was 10 acres at $100 per acre. Additional land was purchased over time, often 10 acres at a time, under practical terms that reflected the trust and community spirit of the era.
The club eventually grew to 37 acres, forming the foundation of the facilities members use today.
Those early years required hard work. Members organized work bees, cleared land, picked roots, donated equipment, volunteered labour, and built the range piece by piece.
Pat Preston, who served as President, donated equipment and time for clearing and range improvements. Vic Brandl also contributed equipment time and support during the early development of the range.
The club’s facilities were not built overnight. They were built by people who showed up.
THE CLUBHOUSE
The original Clubhouse has had many roles over the years – meeting facility, storage facility, and now the Office! It has been a fixture on the property since the early days. In the spring of 1981, the current clubhouse was constructed.
At approximately 2,500 square feet, the clubhouse includes kitchen facilities and was built at a cost of approximately $185,000, funded largely through donations.
Today, the clubhouse remains an important part of club life. It supports meetings, events, education, social gatherings, rentals, and the many volunteers who continue to keep the club active.
TRAP SHOOTING HISTORY
Trap shooting became a major part of club activity in the late 1960s.
Early trap shooting began with a manual trap system, operated by hand with a cable running from the 27-yard line to the trap house.
Around 1970, members decided to purchase the club’s first electric trap. At the time, the club did not have the funds available. Gord Gosling, Walter Smetaniuk, Rich Peterson, and Foxxy Wolfe personally guaranteed the loan through the North Peace Savings & Credit Union.
The electric trap quickly proved to be a success and the loan was paid off in approximately 60 days.
There was no power at the range at the time, so the trap was run by a small Honda generator. According to club history, the generator had a habit of running out of gas right when a shooter was nearing a perfect round.
That is the kind of detail that makes club history worth preserving.
Since those early days, trap shooting has become one of the club’s strongest and most active disciplines.
EVENTS THAT BUILT TRADITION
Over the years, the North Peace Rod & Gun Club has hosted a wide variety of shoots, events, competitions, and community activities.
These events have helped build the club’s reputation across the region and have brought together members, visitors, volunteers, families, and competitors from Northern British Columbia, Alberta, and beyond.
Club events have included:
- Trap shoots
- PITA registered shoots
- Ram Buckle Shoots
- Oilmen’s Trap Shoots
- Black Powder Muzzle Loading
- Sporting clay events
- ORPS events
- IPSC events
- Project Mapleseed training
- Youth hunting awards
- Wildlife and conservation education events
- Family-friendly public range days
- Club meetings and social events
These events are part of the club’s legacy. They also help introduce new people to safe and responsible shooting sports.
OILMEN’S TRAP SHOOT
The Oilmen’s Trap Shoot has been one of the club’s long-running signature events.
The event has brought together members of the petroleum industry for friendly competition, prizes, trophies, and community connection.
Records show the event has been running for decades, with references to the 32nd annual Oilmen’s Trap Shoot in 2015 and later events continuing in the years that followed.
Events like this helped connect the club with the working industries and families that have shaped Fort St. John and the wider Peace Region.
YOUTH PROGRAMS AND RECOGNITION
Youth involvement has been an important part of the club’s work for many years.
The Rich Petersen Youth Memorial White-Tail, Mule Deer & Big Game Recognition Awards as part of the Youth Celebration of Hunting recognizes those young hunters who successfully harvested a legal animal in the preceding hunting season. Their success is the result of education, mentorship, outdoor skills and conservation ethics.
EDUCATION AND TRAINING
Education has remained one of the club’s most important roles.
Through firearm safety, range instruction, introductory programs, youth opportunities, women’s programs, and structured events like Project Mapleseed, the club helps participants build confidence, knowledge, and safe habits.
Programs may include:
- Ladies Intro to Trap
- Intro to Marksmanship
- Youth Intro to Marksmanship
- Project Mapleseed
- Firearms safety education
- Range orientation
- Mentorship from experienced members
- Competitive shooting development
These programs ensure the next generation is not only participating, but learning properly.
That is how responsible outdoor traditions survive.
CONSERVATION AND WILDLIFE ADVOCACY
The club’s conservation roots remain active today.
Over the years, the North Peace Rod & Gun Club has supported wildlife-related fundraising, habitat and eco-restoration projects, youth hunting recognition, and public education around wildlife management.
The club has also worked alongside organizations such as the BC Wildlife Federation to bring attention to wildlife management, habitat protection, public access, science-based decision-making, and the long-term health of fish and wildlife populations in British Columbia.
This reflects the same priorities the club had in 1945: responsible use, stewardship, and respect for the outdoors.
BUILT BY VOLUNTEERS
The North Peace Rod & Gun Club exists because volunteers built it, maintained it, improved it, and kept showing up.
From the earliest meetings at Walter Weldon’s shop to modern competitions, youth programs, range upgrades, events, and facility maintenance, volunteers have been the backbone of the club.
They have cleared land, built facilities, maintained ranges, organized shoots, scored events, mentored new shooters, cooked meals, handled registrations, supported fundraising, and kept the club moving forward.
The club’s history is not just a timeline of buildings and events.
It is the story of people who cared enough to put their time, equipment, money, and energy into something bigger than themselves.
THE CLUB TODAY
Today, the North Peace Rod & Gun Club continues to serve the Peace Region as a multi-discipline facility for members, guests, competitors, families, and community groups.
The club offers access to shooting sports, training opportunities, competitions, social events, youth programs, conservation initiatives, and outdoor recreation activities throughout the year.
Facilities and programs continue to evolve, but the foundation remains the same:
Safety.
Responsibility.
Community.
Education.
Conservation.
Volunteerism.
PRESERVING OUR HISTORY
The North Peace Rod & Gun Club is continuing to gather and preserve its history.
Members, past members, families, and community residents are encouraged to share photographs, stories, trophies, buckles, newspaper clippings, event programs, records, and memories connected to the club.
Every piece helps tell the story of a club that has helped shape outdoor recreation, conservation, and shooting sports in the North Peace for generations.
If you have historical information to share, please contact the club.
1945: Club formed.
1964: Current range property purchase begins.
1967: Early work bees and range development.
1968 to 1969: Trap shooting becomes active.
1970: First electric trap purchased.
1981: Current clubhouse built.
2015: 32nd Annual Oilmen’s Trap Shoot referenced.
2023: National Range Day hosted at the club.
2024: BCWF wildlife management town hall supported.
2025 to 2026: Continued expansion of youth, women’s, trap, ORPS, PITA, and training programs.