Organized in 1939, The Robbinsdale Sportsmen’s Club officially adopted a constitution and by-laws on August 28th 1941. The first President was Rudolph Beck. Another original member, Jester “Mike” Banholzer was listed as the vice president of the organization. Shortly after World War II activity in sportsman and civic clubs swelled and the Robbinsdale Sportsman Club became a large and vibrant group . By the end of the forties were as many as 1,400 members. Many of the new members came from the Victory Neighborhood in North Minneapolis. Trap shooting was a popular activity. In the early years the club had a shooting range on Highway 81 by Twin Lake. In the 1950’s arrangements were made with the the St. Anthony Gun Club in Fridley. The Sportsmen became involved with conservation work early on and a dollar of every membership due went to Ducks Unlimited. Two Robbinsdale Sportsmen, Louis Thomas and George Nelson went to legislature and lobby for the club’s conservation causes on a regular basis. The club also managed fish rearing ponds, set up booths at the Sports Show and held picnic dances out at Eagle Lake in Plymouth. In the late 1950’s more members and more members were coming in from Elk River, Anoka and Zimmerman. In 1960 the the name was change to the Minnesota Sportsmen Club. Members continued to meet at Tally Ho Restaurant in Robbinsdale until the early 1980’s when most of the club’s activities were relocated to Zimmerman.
“CONSERVATION PLEDGE – I give my pledge as an American, to save and faithfully to defend from waste the natural resources of my country – it’s soil and minerals, it’s forests, waters and wildlife.”
-Robbinsdale Sportsman Club Bulletin