Formed in 1940
The Hamden Fish and Game Protective Association Inc. was formed in 1940 by 8 men steeped in the shooting and firearms manufacturing culture of South Central Connecticut. Their names were Jim Kennedy, Frank Tirone, Don Maturo, Byron Catlin, Earl Brunsmade, Jim Clement, Anthony Masselli and Al Arrigoni.
In 1945 the Club property was purchased from the CT Light and Power Company. By 1950 skeet field, a rifle range and pheasant pens were built, an electrical service was installed and two wells were drilled. The last improvement before the dawn of the new decade was the construction of a rearing pond in which to raise trout.
Clubhouse Built
During the next ten years a clubhouse was built, the skeet fields and ranges were improved, the ham and turkey shoots were organized and the club settled down to a quiet routine. From 1960-1970 the club was an island of stability for the members in the face of tumultuous change. Dom Piscitelli becomes the first CT shooter to break 100 straight with the 410 and is the decade’s finest skeet shooter. The Dutch Amendola winter skeet league begins, Ryan’s Pond is excavated but Hamden is growing and the club is no longer at the end of the line.
During the 1980’s the clubhouse was expanded, the archery range was established, Dom Piscitelli is inducted into the CT Skeet Shooters Hall of Fame, the road is improved, drainage installed, and youth groups are encouraged to use the club’s facilities. There is less and less land available for hunting and the skeet and trap fields are dramatically expanded to meet growing demand from shooters. The club celebrates its 50th birthday.
The 90's
The 90’s are characterized by growth in the quality of the club’s skeet shooters; sadly, Dom Piscitelli passes away but his legacy is the induction of Mary Alice and Bob DeFrancesco and Jerry Mastrianno into the CT Skeet Shooter’s Hall of Fame. Dan Prince and Joe Ivan keep the Amendola Winter League on its feet and Bob DeFrancesco sets a record in 12 GA by breaking 2402 registered targets in a row. New target machines are purchased for the new trap and skeet houses and Joe Ruggiero is named Man of the Decade for all of his hard work.
As a new millennium dawns the club has reached its 75th birthday, the membership, as always, is evolving and the world, post 9/11, has become a scarier place.
