16-year-old Lucas Hoffman, of Germantown, won a ham and a turkey in the birdshot event. His grandfather is a member of the club. Photo by David Lee

LIVINGSTON – The Kalikoontie Rod and Gun Club held the first ham shoot of the season. Sportsmen gather and for $3 per target, compete for prizes including ham, turkey or pork loin kielbasa or other non-food sorts of prizes. The categories are shotgun birdshot, shotgun slug, 22 rim-fire, and center-fire rifle and pistol.
According to club President Joe DiStefano, “Safety is the main goal here. We want to break the stigma that guns are bad.”
“And we try to give back to the community,” he added.
He listed some of the club’s causes including the maintenance of a portion of Route 9 in the Adopt-a-Highway program, contribution to veterans programs, making contributions to the Sheriff’s Department, and sending kids to the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation Camp. The club also conducts pistol permit re-certification which must be done every 5 years according to state law.
The club hosts two ham shoots in the spring and two in the fall.
“Covid put a damper on these activities but we are looking forward to a return,” Mr. DiStefano said.
The Kalicoontie Rod and Gun Club has 225 members of which about 50 attend regular monthly meetings. It is affiliated with the New York State Rifle and Pistol Association, the New York State Conservation Council and the Columbia County Sportsmen Federation and has been recognized for its 100% NRA membership.