I wanted to attend a Classic Car Exhibit in Farmington, about 12 miles from the house. The two activities had to merge into the span of a few short hours of time, and that is what we did. At 9:30am we walked the grounds at the Farmington Fair Grounds looking at Classic Cars in the light rain spending about 45 minutes; enough for me to take pictures, and we climbed into the SUV for Canaan so John could shoot some 'games' and 5-Stand at the Maine State Shoot.
It was our first visit at Silverton, and we did not know what to expect. Silverton is a fairly new addition to the Sporting Clays arena. We have been to quite a few Clubs; some 'elegant' and some 'meager.' Silverton has a website, but nothing beats visiting in person. It allows you to see things for yourself, and John and I are glad we went.
Of the upper east-coast Clubs, Silverton is on on par with Addieville-East in Rhode Island, and M & M's in New Jersey. Silverton Sporting Ranch is owned and operated by Denise Murchinson, a highly vibrant middle-aged young woman. This made my head do a 'double-take' and was a welcomed surprise! Since practically all Sporting Clay clubs are male-owned, I had to find out more about Denise Murchinson. Before I get deeper let me comment on a few things.
Silverton is a 400-plus acre Preserve with a wonderful Lodge/Clubhouse. The decor is a rare blend of masculinity and femininity. You feel as if you are in someones home. The targets are set up by Richie Frisella of PeaceDale Sporting Clays in Rhode Island.
John shot 5-Stand. I am no expert (because I don't shoot) but John seemed VERY excited with the presentation level at Silverton! I saw grins on this man's face I have never seen before because he felt "challenged" by each presentation: report pairs and simo-pairs, all thrown with speed and distance, and ALL HITTABLE which is what he did!!
I spoke briefly with Denise asking how many registrations did she have for the Maine State Shoot and she said about 74 with shooters from 8 states. The furthest from Texas; which promptly won him a 'State of Maine' basket, filled with products made in Maine.
I took photos to place into my collection; some of which you will see below. After arriving home, I wanted to learn more about Denise so I emailed her asking to share what gave her motivation to move into a practically all-male territorial business. That takes a lot of 'meat-balls' (if you know what I mean).
Denise Murchison grew up in Presque Isle, Maine, where it was nothing for winters to dip into the below-zero range on some days. Loving animals as a child, she attended the University of Massachusetts at Amherst where she earned a BS in Animal Science. In college Denise became a member of the Collegiate Riding Team competing in Hunt Seat Equitation at various colleges on their horses. It was a great experience for her and one year she qualified for the Regionals.
In her junior and senior years she spent summers working with veterinarians at racetracks in New Jersey and became hooked! She also spent one winter break as a riding student for a retired Chilean Army General.
After graduation Denise headed back to New Jersey and was encouraged to open a Veterinary Laboratory by veterinarians because they lacked local services they could rely upon. At 25 years of age, Denise leased and later purchased $30,000 worth of equipment and found herself in business! She also built a horse farm and took in boarders and racehorses that needed rest. Wanting to expand creatively Denise began breeding Labrador Retrievers and trained them to hunt. Although the laboratory was doing well, she began to feel bored and needed a new challenge. She missed the lakes, rivers and streams of Maine, its woods and the entire outdoor way of life. While on a horseback trip to Montana, Denise thought about new possibilities and decided it was time to head back to Maine but she needed a way to make a living (which is not an easy in this state). With the huge availability of open land in Maine, Denise wanted to purchase the largest piece of property she could afford with visions of a facility that would cater to the upland hunter, dog owner and trainer, shooter, horseback riders, and the general outdoor enthusiast. She wanted to provide an environment that folks could think of as their own personal getaway. A place to learn new skills, or just relax. She found the perfect property containing 400 acres with a good mixture of fields, hardwoods, young growth, and small ponds backed up to a bog. These were all great hunting possibilities. Denise sold her farm and business in New Jersey and moved back to Maine.
The property had a cabin which needed extensive work to turn it into the beautiful Lodge it is today! Denise's grandmother painted a mural on the dining room wall. Denise cleared trees, built roads, cabins, a small 24 run boarding and training kennel, and two small barns. Although most of her family is in some form of the construction business, Denise did most of the work herself, using family to answer questions on "how-to's" ... Her Dad gives her tools as gifts (such as: a compressor, band saw, pressure washer, table saw, etc) and she gratefully uses them!
In the 18 months that Silverton has been opened for business, Denise has been asked to do TV Shows, several interviews for speciality publications, and asked to do seminars. This year Denise was asked to host the Maine State Shoot because she has the room for parking and beautiful facilities (my wording on "beautiful facilities"_). She is one step away from getting her Maine Guide Hunting License and is the president of the local ATV Club in an effort to increase ATV trails in the area.
While a guest at Silverton, you can choose to enjoy Shooting: Sporting Clays, 5 Stand and Trap; Upland hunting 365 days a year: hunt deer, duck, and goose during the regular season; go fishing on the Kennebec River, enjoy ATV and Snowmobile trails; hike local trails, kayak, go antiquing and so much more.
Future plans for Silverton includes offering trail rides and an opportunity for people to bring their own horse. If you have never tried bird hunting, Denise can provide you with birds, dogs, and gun rental.
Silverton is open 7 days a week and there are cabins for rent on the property. If you would rather stay at a motel, there are 5 in the nearby area: The Canaan Motel and the Pinewood Motel are in Canaan; In nearby Waterville there is the: Comfort Inn, Econo Lodge, and the Best Western. Silverton is approximately a 3.5 hour drive from Boston.
Contact Information: 51 Webb Rd, Canaan, ME, 207.399.3647
Now; here are some photos. Primarily these pictures are of the Lodge. After looking at many Shooting Grounds, they basically all look the same. The setting might be a tad different as far as types of trees; but they all have the basic setup. And to be honest, I did not venture to the shooting stations because we did not have our golf cart, and walking to stations without having any place to sit is not my 'cup of tea.'
More shooting clubs would be wise to start putting benches for people to rest. The Shooters are climbing in age and not all have, or can afford golf carts. Addieville does have benches at most stations, and for this, I commend them! So in my very humble opinion, the Clubhouse or Lodge is what makes a Club 'stand out' from the rest!
Here is John previewing the 5-Stand with Thomas who works at Silverton
John taking his turn at 5-Stand
The gateway into 5-Stand area ......
Various views of the Lodge from the outside.....
Up on the Deck
This view shows you the Hot Tub (I forgot to mention this!)
This is the covered deck with tables and chairs.... quite nice!!!
Another view of the deck giving you more view of the surrounding grounds
Tent with picnic tables for eating meals and tables and chairs to just sit and relax...
5-Stand Station with John's Benelli
Hot Tub.......
Here we are inside the Lodge in the livingroom area.
This is another view of the Livingroom and the opening leads to the Bar
A second view of the Livingroom
Another view of the Livingroom
The Bar is furnished with a Woodstove and television
We're still in the Bar......
Another view of the room with the Bar....
I love the warmth of Silverton's rooms!
Natural pelts thrown over the backs of chairs in the Bar...
Another view of the Bar
We're still in the Bar... just wanted you to see this room at many angles.
Mounted Deer
The Bar
Mounted Trophies.......
Mounted Duck..... I love the creative pose
This print rests on the wall in the dining room
Here is the mural painted by Denise's grandmother..
A better view of the outdoor eating area...
So all in all; I hope I have provided you with a more detailed look at Silverton Sporting Ranch in Canaan, Maine. Denise is very accomodating and if you have any questions beyond what you see here and after visiting her website, just send her an email or pick up the phone and call.
There is a Shooting event coming up next month on August 18th & 19th. It is on a Saturday and Sunday and will feature Sub-guages, Pre-lim and open 5 Stand on Saturday; with a Maine 5 Stand Championship and Games played on Sunday. The targets will be registered and set by Richie Friscella and Buzz Mendozza. For more information go to the website and click on Events. I hope you will be inspired to take a ride to Maine and enjoy yourself. After all, we have what I would call a "Real" Shooting Club here now. If the ride is too long and you want to spend the night, accomodations are just around the corner!!
