History Continues.....

In those early years, meetings were held in member’s homes. As membership grew larger the meetings shifted to churches and to schools.

The founders of the Association were mostly businessmen/farmers. Using their lands and ponds the members, using practices thought to be proper at the time, raised thousands of Quail, Pheasants, Ducks, and Rabbits plus tens of thousands of fingerling Trout, Bass, Catfish, and Sunfish that were released into suitable habitat.

In direct support of habitat improvement, the membership engaged in planting feed patches, and hedgerows and also cleaning up many creeks and streams. The Department of Natural Resources credited the Association with recovering several streams and for saving a natural Trout stream.

While the ‘working’ membership probably never exceeded a few hundred members, at one point, supporting membership reached 5,000 strong.

After World War II, wildlife research demonstrated that for most birds and animals, pen raising and releasing in to the wild was not good practice. The members continued to hatch and release fish for several years until State hatcheries completely took over the task.

In the summer of 1950 three of members leased to the Association a location located just off Woodmore Road in Michellville, Maryland, for $1.00/year. This land was for the construction of a permanent meeting house and shooting range. That fall the Association began construction on the newly leased land.

Using membership labor and materials donated by a large number of civic minded businesses, construction took place through the winter and the club house officially opened in summer of 1951. On June 11, 1951, just prior to completing construction, the organization was incorporated as the Prince George’s Fish and Game Club.

In 1965 a member of the club, a Professional Educator, was asked to develop a Hunter Safety Education Program on behalf of the State Department of Natural Resources. In early 1966 the first official State hunter safety course was conducted at the Prince George’s Fish and Game Club.  Club members were instrumental in assisting other organizations to set-up and conduct their own courses. PGF&G continues to be active in the Hunter Safety Education Program.

At least twice in the 1970’s and 80’s PGF&G was instrumental in saving the last "Old Growth" stand of forest remaining in Prince George’s County.

PGF&G became one of the first organizations to teach the Maryland boating safety course.

In 2001, after 50 years the lease expired and do to the value of land plus the encroachment of housing it could not be renewed, which resulted in the move to the current location.

Over the years Princes George’s Fish and Game has received dozens of accommodations from a number of Federal, State, and County, agencies for their efforts in Conservation and Education.