Grounded in Sound Principles

WFCCC Club Owned Land:

Frederick Co. Virginia Parcels by Tax Map ID

29 A 38 -  41.24 ACRES

29 A 43B - 0.88 ACRE

29 A 37B - 112.27 ACRES

19 A 53A - 21.5 ACRES

19 A 81A - 7.3 ACRES

19 A 52E - 54.32 ACRES

19 A 51 -   29 ACRES

19 A 50 -  5.5 ACRES

19 A 27 -  138.19 ACRES

19 A 49 -  50 ACRES

Shenandoah Co. Virginia Parcels by Tax Map ID

40 A 20 - 97 ACRES

40 A 19 - 43 ACRES

Meetings are held monthly on the 3rd Wednesday of each month at 6:30 pm in the Clifton Arnold enclosed shelter at the main club property off 522 North of Winchester on Siler Road/Route 600. September meeting at 6:30 pm and Conservation Officers on hand to explain any new game and fish regulations as well as answer questions from the members. Rifle and Pistol Ranges are closed from 6 pm to the end of the meeting each month.

It is important for members to attend monthly meetings, as it is your opportunity to present suggestions to the club, vote on changes, additions, and improvements to our club's operation, and give input on any club issues that arise. This is a MEMBER operated Club and decisions made to Policies, Procedures, Rules, Constitution or By-Laws are by 2/3 approval vote by the Members, not the elected Board of Directors or Officers.

If you want to see changes in the Club whether in how it operates or the facilities that we have, you must attend a meeting, make the motion, have it seconded, and then voted on by the membership. Voicing opinions with dues renewal letters, verbal conversations, website messages, e-mails or phone calls will not allow your suggested changes to occur. The Membership must vote 2/3 in favor of it at a meeting to make it happen. You make the motion at the meeting to initiate a change and if seconded, then it is voted on. A 2/3 Majority vote of members at a meeting rules for changes in the operation of our club.

In the Spring of 1968, Dave Fahnestock, then President of the local Izaak Walton chapter, left the chapter with the vision of starting a club in the area at which members could both fish and hunt on the property as well as provide land for the members and their families to enjoy. Dave was running the Sports Center in Winchester at the time and as patrons came into the store, he asked them to sign up to join the new club being formed. The interest was overwhelming and the first meeting was held at the Round Hill store owned by George Kelchner. The attendance by local sportsmen was so large that many could not even enter the building. George Kelchner then became the first President of the WFCCC. Numerous people joined that first night and the dues were set at $5.00 per year. The membership fees were used to buy trout for stocking a farm pond for member fishing on the property of Thurman Perry at Whitacre, Va.. Even with the few fish stocked, lots of new members continued to join and the success of the new club continued to flourish since the first meeting. The next endeavor was the purchase of 16 acres of property on Route 259 in western Frederick Co., which had an old cabin on it. The club members fixed up the Old Red Cabin with a bathroom and it became the new WFCCC clubhouse. Cliff Arnold had an idea to have clay bird shoots and with his guidance at making it work, additional funding was made to help pay the club's bills. As years went by with membership growing, the general feeling of the club members was that a larger property was needed. Carlton Ramey Sr., knowing of a piece of property owned by the Adams family in Gainsboro proposed approaching the family and the first 50 acres of land with Back Creek flowing through it as it is today, was purchased in 1972. The Gore property with the Old Red Cabin was then sold and some profit from it was used to help offset the new property purchase. Once purchased, the brushy property was further cleared and a new clubhouse building erection was underway, led by Buddy Marple with help from the members of the club for both labor and materials. The next undertaking was the building of a lake for the members who enjoyed fishing. The water for filling the lake was originally pumped from Back Creek and the spring seepages from the hillside above as well as below water level today continue to keep it filled year-round. The Perry family which owned Stuart Perry Rock Quarry continued to help and support the club over the years.

Thurman and Mickey Perry farms would give a calf each year to the club to auction off to raise money to support the club. Shorty Billmeyer, who was club treasurer at the time, worked at Glaize and Bros. Lumber in Winchester and was an immense help in securing supplies and lumber for the club's building projects. After the Main Clubhouse was built, shelters were the next projects and major contributors were Dorsett Russell of Russell Roofing Co., and Jim Wilson from Valley Redi-mix Concrete. Donnie Arnold and Mac Tlumach started gun shooting competitions at this time raising money and contributing their time for the benefit of the club. The success of the club continued to come about by faithful members of the club and the good ideas and sound judgment of its members and board of directors. The numerous contributions of time and materials by both membership and local businesses have been built upon to produce the buildings and pristine property you enjoy today. Other members who contributed greatly to the club are Carlton Ramey Jr., Dr. Victor Albright, George Quarles, Paul Fahnestock, and Dottie Fahnestock. While there are many members who contributed time, energy, and materials over the years and not enough space to list them all, they are also important to this club and thanked for their generosity in making this club successful today and set up for future generations to enjoy. A Quote from Dave Fahnestock, "It is rewarding to look back at our humble beginning in 1968 and to look forward to what we have been blessed by God Almighty as we enjoy a part of his great creation". Dave's hope and wish for members and their families is that the club will cherish, enjoy, and care for the property that so many have made possible through hard work so that future generations can enjoy the great outdoors.

The properties today after numerous purchases during 51 years encompass 460 joined acres where our Clubhouse, Shooting ranges, Pavilions, and Lake are today, as well as 97 Acres purchased in September 2015 and 43 Acres adjacent to it in March 2017 for Club use in Shenandoah County, with all being used for a broad variety of conservation & outdoor recreational activities by our members and families. The Club membership now encompasses Four Virginia counties - Frederick, Clarke, Warren, and Shenandoah and all cities and towns within those counties and is said to be the largest Conservation Club based on total membership in the state of Virginia.