Steel Target Challenge misses mark on first attempt

A request from the Prairie Farm Sportsman Club to establish a Steel Target Challenge Area at the Arland range was put on hold by the Barron County Property Committee at its meeting Monday until it gets answers regarding frequency of use, noise and other concerns.

A steel target challenge is a firearm sporting event that uses five steel targets with the object to shoot at the five targets as quickly and accurately as possible.

The committee was informed that the Prairie Farm Sportsman Club approached the Prairie Farm Trap Club about installing one of these ranges at their facility. Unfortunately the neighbors in the area only agreed to allow the club to have a trap range and .22s can only be used for Hunter Safety classes.

Putting bunkers in to block the sound would be expensive, so the trap club advised the sportsman club to ask about trying it out at the public range in Arland. With the bunkers already installed, it could easily be set up to run the steel target challenges. The closest other range would be the Colfax Gun Club.

The Scholastic Action Shooting Program would be a governing body to follow for rules and expectation, and the Prairie Farm Sportsman Club would be the managing entity.

The sportsman club informed the committee that this sporting event can run year-round, practice would be during the week with events on weekends and there would be a fee to participate.

It suggested that structured activity at the range, such as the Steel Target Challenge, would help reduce the amount of unwanted activity there.

If approved, the club would get the steel plates and stands for the challenge, but four lanes would have to be shut down to the general public for its practices and events.

Eventually a storage building to house the targets, tables and shooting positions would be desirable along with a shelter where participants would get food and drinks.

It informed the Property Committee that the Colfax Gun Club has 10 bunkers available for this type of shooting with events almost every weekend. As the sport grows, the sportsman club suggested that Barron County may want to look at expanding its bunkers or dedicate an area of the range just to the Steel Target Challenge.

The sportsman club noted it looks forward to working with the county on this project.

However, the consensus of the Property Committee was hold your fire, not so fast.

County Administrator Jeff French told the committee the sportsman club has the support of the Prairie Farm Lions Club, but they might want to ask for a detailed analysis of how it would work, maybe even a demonstration at the range.

Committee Member Bill Schradle said there should be a trial period to see how it goes and how many complaints it causes.

"I'm not backing it, but this is a good program for kids," Sheriff Chris Fitzgerald said.

Committee Members Craig Fowler, Dana Heller and Karolyn Bartlett all said they wanted more details before making a decision, with Bartlett asking for a Sportsman member to come to a meeting.

Supervisor Bob Rogers had a lot of concerns.

"I'm concerned about the noise, but not only the noise but use," he said. "If it goes on for every week it would deny use by the general public. Colfax holds events nearly every weekend. May need to expand bunkers, more noise, denying public use, I'm really hesitant on this."

Schradle said he would say no to every weekend.

"You can put parameters on it," Heller suggested.

"All these things need to be ironed out," agreed French, who said he will reach out to the club for answers and bring it back as a future agenda item.