Beginning November 3, 2023, current-year members will be able to renew for 2024.

To renew, log into your member portal on the website via 'Log in' under the Members menu, then click the 'Renew Membership' button.

Historically, the SPFGA used a membership cap to manage growth. In 2019, we removed the then-existing cap following an analysis of the 2018 gate log data that demonstrated facility usage could support it. We presented the results of that analysis and additional discussion in the 2019 Spring issue of Range of Thoughts on page 10 and in the 2019 Summer issue on page 14.

The decision to lift the cap in 2019 was accompanied by the recognition of the need to regularly review facility usage to ensure sustainability. However, pandemic-related changes to usage made the 2020 and 2021 data difficult to analyze. It wasn't until the end of 2022 that the first clear set of data was available. As part of the preparations for reopening 2024 renewals, we analyzed those data, the findings of which are presented below.

Membership size has increased

2018 ended with a total of 2,926 memberships of all types. This increased essentially linearly over the next four years, reaching 4,830 memberships with the close of sales in 2022, a 65% increase over the intervening time period.

Monthly use has doubled

With more memberships, facility usage has also increased. Comparing 2022 gate log data to those of 2018, we observe that monthly usage has roughly doubled.

Daily usage has also doubled

Considering the average number of users accessing the property on a per-day basis throughout the year, this rough doubling trend was maintained.

Per-member usage is slightly higher

Looking at usage, we broke the data up into broad bands:

• 1 or more property accesses per year (i.e. at least annual access)
• 6 or more per year (access every other month on average)
• 12 or more per year (monthly access)
• 24 or more per year (every second week)
• 36 or more per year (three times a month)
• 48 or more per year (weekly access).

From this, we observed that usage on a per-member basis edged up somewhat, consistent with a 65% increase in number of memberships producing an observed doubling in use.

Connection to safety

Allowing the membership to increase was an important desired outcome, bringing more people within the sweep of our mission statement:

To promote through education, lobbying, and programs the conservation and utilization of fish and wildlife resources, the protection and enhancement of habitat, and the safe and responsible practice of the shooting sports.

We wanted growth, and removing the cap made room for that to occur. At this point however, the indications are that sufficient growth has occurred and a bit more deliberate management is needed, as unrestrained growth can bring its own problems. Signs of such problems began appearing with the increased note of concern from the membership in the Fall of 2022 regarding range safety. We heard that feedback clearly, as our own concern had been growing during that time as well. It was for this reason that we instituted the changes announced in the November 15, 2022 issue of Safe and Sound. The last of those promised changes – analysis and review – is what this issue of Safe and Sound is about.

We’ve made deliberate strides at increasing safety over the past year – physical changes to the range sheds, enhanced signage, increased monitoring, and mandatory completion of the updated Facility & Safety Orientation were all part of that. As noted above, facility usage has been increasing and its amenities becoming busier. Increased volume of use is a factor in safety as well, so managing use by managing growth will be a key step in managing safety.

Bringing back a membership cap in 2024 is how we'll be doing that. This not only manages safety, it also ensures our capacity to sustainably deliver services as well.

Connection to the Strategic Plan

Strategic Priority #2 of our Strategic Plan is centered on offering “safe, clean, and family-oriented facilities, an outdoor recreational property, and a well governed, resilient, service-driven Association, using sound business management processes.” Bringing back a cap to manage growth ensures we're meeting the elements of this priority.

(Unsure where to find the Strategic Plan? It's on the website under the Members menu.)

How will this membership cap work?

1. Each year after operational review, SPFGA will set the total number of memberships for the next year.
2. Current-year members will have the opportunity to renew until noon on December 31. Preferred pricing will be offered in this period.
3. Beginning in early January, the remaining pool of memberships will be made available to the general public. New members will have the opportunity at this point to sign up and lapsed past members will be able to renew.
4. New members and lapsed past members will share equal first come, first served access to this remaining pool of memberships.
5. When the total number of memberships set for the year has been reached, membership sales for the year will close.
6. SPFGA will not maintain a 'waiting list' for memberships.

What does this mean for you?

• To ensure your spot for the next year, you’ll want to renew prior to noon on December 31. This will also ensure your access to the best pricing.
• As the number of memberships will be limited, leaving renewal until the next year may not be successful.
• The later that you leave renewing, the higher your price will be. By arranging it this way, we've ensured you have the greatest degree of control over what you pay (see the next section).
• If you wait past the end of the year to renew, you will be required to repeat the Facility and Safety Orientation again before being able to do so. We’re not just being difficult with this. After December 31 each year, all unrenewed memberships conclude and, for the safety and security of all members and to preserve the integrity of our records, these lapsed memberships are reset on January 1. That means that gate access cards are deactivated and our communications lists are reset to ensure, per anti-spam legislation, that only active current-year members receive communications. Orientation data is also cleared for these lapsed memberships so, when a lapsed member chooses to renew, whenever that ends up being, repeating the orientation will be necessary to ensure their system, facility, and rule knowledge is up to date at that time.