The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources on Thursday announced awards of nearly $371,000 to 22 shooting range projects across the state through a shooting range grants initiative approved by the 2014 Legislature.
"The 22 projects provide safe and accessible recreational shooting opportunities throughout Minnesota, with an emphasis on enhancing youth participation opportunities," Chuck Niska, DNR shooting range program coordinator, said in a release.
Development of the grants program follows a significant rise in youth trap shooting, especially by high school students who are part of a statewide league. Existing trap ranges sometimes struggle to meet demand, the DNR said. The grants require a match of 50 percent non-state funds. The DNR has awarded funds to more than 80 projects over the last two years.
Shooting range grant recipients included:
Alexandria Shooting Park, Alexandria $6, 012
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American Heritage Hunting Club, Eagle Bend $16,875
Beaverbrook Tri-County Sportsmen, Cedar $17,625
Beste's Sporting Clays, Sauk Centre $25,000
Buffalo Lake Road & Gun Club, Hector $25,000
Crow River Sportsmen's Club, St. Michael $25,000
East Range Sportsman & Conservation Club, Aurora $2,539
Harmony Conservation Club, Harmony $11,062
Hunts Point, Pequot Lakes $17,275
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Kimball Rod & Gun Club, Kimball $17,375
Lakeshore Conservation Club, Nisswa $3,318
Leroy Rod & Gun Club, Leroy $6,245
Mabel Sportsmen's Park, Mabel $2,537
Minnetonka Sportsmen Inc., Minnetonka $23,500
Nicollet Conservation Club, Nicollet $2,600
Nine-F Sportsmens Club, Morris $3,970
North Beltrami Sportsmen's Club, Kelliher $75,335
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Oakdale Gun Club, Oakdale $40,000
Thief River Trap Club, Thief River Falls $5,000
Thief River Trap Club, Thief River Falls $5,000
Tri-County Rangers, Inc., Paynesville $4,075
Watonwan Game & Fish Club, St. James $15,650
Wing North, Inc. $25,000
The 2015 Minnesota Legislature provided an additional $1 million dollars in each of the next two years for a wider variety of shooting sports facility grants. The new grants will allow for shooting sports facilities in addition to trap shooting, including archery. The new matching grants will be open to local government as well as local recreational shooting clubs. Announcements about specific requests for proposals for these new grants under the new funding will be made later this winter, the DNR said.
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