wELCOME TO the oLD nEWGATE cOON cLUB
A great club with lots of land and amenities for fishing, shooting sports, and social gatherings
Welcome to ONCC
Our Story
The Old Newgate Coon Club(ONCC), organized in 1897, is the oldest continuously active hunting club in Connecticut and among the oldest sporting clubs in the great United States of America.
The club was originally located in Hartland Hollow, incorporated in 1910 and remained there until the Norfolk property purchase in 1937. The Old Newgate Coon Club owes its name to the group of men who started the club in 1897 doing nighttime raccoon hunts on the Newgate Ridge near the Newgate Prison in Granby, CT.
Although the club has come a long way since the days of three day coon hunts, salt pork, black powder and moonshine, the basic purpose of the club has never changed.
Our 1910 certificate of incorporation states the purpose of the club is "for the promotion of social intercourse, recreation, and mental improvement by such means as shall be expedited and proper for that purpose."
Available to it's members are Rifle and Pistol Range, Fishing in two stocked ponds, Hunting on 630 acres of land, Camping and picnicking, Trap shooting, Archery range, Social activities, Party and dining facilities and a clubhouse consisting of 25 rooms, overnight accommodations, a card room, a well stocked bar, and delicious meals prepared by our club steward.
Our membership meets monthly and the monthly meetings are open to all members. The meetings are typically held the third Tuesday of each month. Dinner is available before each meeting, and reservations are required. Please verify meeting dates with our club steward.
Our entire club, including the clubhouse and the 630 acres of club property, is owned solely by the stock holding members of our organization. Your share of stock comes with becoming a member.
Annual events are: Hunt Week, Game Dinner, Beef BBQ, Steak Bake, and Pig Roast. ONCC is a a group of friends who wanted to create a space where people could come together and enjoy their shared interests.
Our Values
At ONCC, we believe in promoting enjoyment of the outdoors, fishing, hunting, and shooting sports. We have fishing ponds, a rifle/pistol range, and a regulated shooting preserve. We also have a regulated hunting dog training area for members to enjoy with their dogs to train them as bird dogs. The club works with the State of Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP) to provide firearms hunting courses, archery hunting courses, and we have a certified trainer for the pistol course necessary to obtain a permit to carry a handgun in Connecticut. Safety is always our main concern and the courses provide a foundation in safety for hunting. We encourage youth activities and have supervised shooting opportunities as well as an annual fishing derby. We have conducted several habitat improvement projects in cooperation with the USDA, the Natural Resource Conservation Service (NRCS), and the Wildlife division of DEEP. We continue to be stewards of our land and apply practices to improve our acreage. All are welcome to apply for membership. Each potential member is sponsored by two members. Tours of our land and clubhouse are part of the application process. We have miles of walking trails and picnic areas for those who wish to get away to the peace and quiet of the Northwest hills of Connecticut.
Membership Benefits
When you join ONCC, you'll gain access to a variety of exclusive benefits. Our land covers 630 acres and has a variety of habitats from meadows to swamps to hardwood and evergreen woodlands. Our wildlife includes turkeys, moose, white tail deer, fox, coyote, bear, beaver, fisher, grouse, woodcock, and more. We have monthly meetings and periodic social events including a steak bake, pig roast, turkey shoot, and trap shooting on Sundays. There are often picnics at the lean-to buildings at our trout and bass ponds. Our Trout pond is regularly stocked and the bass pond is a great place to go for a some quiet fishing. Boats are available free of charge at each of the ponds. The club stocks pheasants each Fall for members to hunt. Deer hunting and small game hunting is permitted in accordance with the laws of the State of Connecticut.
Woodlands and Wildlife
Field Development
The Old Newgate Coon Club is located in the Northwest hills of Connecticut. There are over 630 acres with a variety of habitats including swamp, hardwood forests, hemlock stands, meadows, streams, ponds, and dense stands of pine. Trees grow remarkably well in Connecticut. Cherry, Ash, Beech, yellow and black birch, and a variety of Maples and Oaks are abundant. The elevation of the property goes from approximately 600 feet to nearly 1600ft above sea level. We maintain some roads and fields as well as some transitional areas known as early successional habitat. This occurs when a field is in the process of reverting back to forest. All the land in the area of the club was used for farming or coal harvest at some point in recent history. There are many stone walls that bear evidence to this. There are even some old foundations and wells that indicate old homesteads.
In 2013, several members of the club attended a workshop about the initiatives to increase the numbers of New England Cottontail rabbit through habitat management and other methods. Grants were available to increase suitable habitat for this rabbit which is experiencing decreasing numbers.
The Club embarked on a New England Cottontail grant in 2014 that cleared 21 acres of land and established three brush piles per acre for New England Cottontail habitat. Deer, bear, woodcock, and grouse also benefit from the new early successional habitat. A wide variety of birds including many warblers enjoy the new habitat. The clearing helps to balance the amount of land that is forested with the open spaces that many animals need to thrive.
In late 2018 and into 2019, another New England Cottontail initiative was completed which provided more early successional habitat. The deer, moose, songbirds, and most importantly, the New England Cottontail have benefitted.
Recently, in May of 2021, a monitoring device was placed at the latest New England Cottontail clearing in cooperation with the Connecticut Department of Energy and Protection Wildlife Division to monitor whippoorwill activity. The club continues to support a great diversity of wildlife and serve as a haven for the local flora and fauna.
In February of 2024, the club received a contract for a Forest Management Plan that will serve as the foundation for future land improvement activities. ONCC was founded in 1910 by a group of friends who wanted to create a space where people could come together and enjoy their shared interests. Since then, we've grown into a community of over 100 members who regularly participate in our events and activities. We're proud of what we've accomplished so far and excited for what's to come!
Our Diverse Habitats
Pictured is a Sundew carnivorous plant that was spotted at the lower pond AKA The trout pond. There are also at least two different species of orchids on the club property.
Orchids at the Club
On a Knoll heading down toward the Trout Pond, there is a stand of Pink Lady Slippers that come out each May. There is another stand of Rattlesnake plantians nearby.
Contact Us
You can call the club at 860-542-5028
If you are interested in joining our membership, give us a call and we will get you in contact with someone that can give you a tour of our amazing property.
ONCC
Hours
Open today | 08:00 am – 07:00 pm |
