Montana Woods N Water May 2016 Print Edition | Page 33

SHOOTING SPORTS CONTINUED
Bill Eds is the on site caretaker. It is open to the public and the ranges can be
used at no charge. The skeet field and two trap ranges are open Wednesday &
Saturdays from 10 AM -2PM. The 500 yard rifle range and pistol range are open
from 8:00 AM until 6:00 PM seven days a week. The range was established in
1946 for use by the Montana National Guard. It was originally a 600 yard range.
Initially the Scattergunners built and managed the range. Today they now have
not only the Scattergunners Group but the Rifle Group, the Pistol Group and the
Archery Group to facilitate better management of resources and objectives.
As a former skeet
shooter myself I can
tell you this is a very
classy and well organized skeet and trap club. They even have what is known as
“Poorman’s Sporting Clay” area. For you bird and waterfowl hunters this will
surely test your shooting skills with five different presentations and get you
ready for opening day. State of the art throwing equipment is in each house.
The club house which is named after Jim Williams who was a longtime Hunter
Education Instructor. Mr. Williams was killed in a auto accident about six
months
before
the
building
was
erected. The facility is ~1430 square feet with plenty of room for
meetings and socializing with big windows to watch the trap
shooting action. All the mounts that adorn the walls were
donated. The day I was there you could smell the food coming

from the kitchen as they were getting ready for lunch...wow did it smell
good. As shooters moved around the club house socializing a friendly
jab would fly about someone’s shooting. Visitors were stopping by to
checkout the operation and socialize with the shoot participants.

That is hog wire/American wire
twisted around the antlers.
So what does it cost to become a member. First off, you don’t have to be
a member to use the facilities within the hours posted. Just bring your
own targets and clean up behind yourself. However, if you would like to
support the club with a membership...continued on page 32
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