About UsSituated on Dunbar Hollow Road atop the Helderberg escarpment (a short drive from anywhere in the Capital District) lies 200 plus acres of specially managed land including a hillside of huge red pines and a small stream winding its way along a valley floor ,through scattered groves of white birches. This beautiful setting is home for the Bethlehem Sportsmen's Club founded in 1946.
A magnificent clubhouse of trimmed, massive logs (harvested from the Club grounds) sits on a gentle slope alongside a pond. In the waters you may see reflected the distant Catskills at one end and the nearby Helderbergs on the other.
A unique and active organization, the Bethlehem Sportsmen's Club is environment oriented. For the most part , it's comprised of serious yet friendly outdoor types who enjoy involving themselves in all aspects of their calling: hunting, fishing, target shooting, archery, skiing, picnicking, conservation law, protection of endangered species, and, most of all, preserving the quality of life for those who enjoy the out-of-doors.
Toward this end, the club has sponsored educational projects such as a "Wildlife Habitat Improvement" program which won a national award, and a symposium on the conservation ethics of hunting, held at the Bethlehem Senior High School.
The Bethlehem Sportsmen's Club is one of the Few in the capital District which is primarily concerned with providing and maintaining an environment that fosters a sympathetic and understanding cooperation between man and nature; a relationship that enhances our quality of life. The activities described in this brochure serve to supplement this support. An active and involved membership is the key to success.
The Club's more popular offerings for members and their guests include trap shooting, archery, rifle and pistol shooting, hunting, cross-country skiing, hiking, fishing and picnicking.
The rifle range features covered bench rests and backstopped target butts for 50, 100, 200 and 300-yard shooting.
A 25-yard pistol range, well removed from the rifle range, also has covered shooting positions for the serious handgunner.
The pond, close by the clubhouse, exemplifies the environmental concerns of the club. Its water has tested to be virtually pure enough to drink! Often, this pond has yielded the first fish a youngster has thrilled to catch.
The trap range measures the shotgunning ability of novice and expert alike. Under the close supervision of experienced shooters, the club invites the general public to participate during regularly scheduled hours of the trap range's operation.
A covered, outdoor picnic pavilion, replete with barbeque hearth, ensures that a sudden rainstorm won't force a cancellation of that long-awaited outdoor feast!
The most highly valued resource of the club is its 200-plus acres of carefully managed woodlands. A hilly area, dotted with brooks and springs, it provides habitat for an abundance of wildlife, including deer, grouse, woodcock, rabbit, wild turkey, squirrels and an occasional duck or Canada goose on the pond.
