Garretson Sportsmen’s Club to mark 100 years Saturday

The Garretson Sportsmen’s Club, 480606 255th St., will be turning 100 years old this year, and to celebrate they will host an open house with a trick shooter and live music beginning at 11 a.m. this Saturday, Aug. 8. 

At 11 a.m., there will be open trapshooting with clay pigeons provided by the Club. Shooters, however, must provide their own guns and ammo.

At 4 p.m., Steve Gould, a world-renowned trick shooter will perform with his son, entertaining the crowd with tricks beyond belief.

That evening, Weston Frank brings his country music to the stage.

Berkes BBQ food truck will be onsite throughout the day, and beverages will be available from the clubhouse bar. The event is open to the public.

While there have been several sportsmen’s clubs in the area over the years, the Garretson Sportsmen’s Club started as a Eminija Sportsmen’s Club and was located on land just north of Split Rock Park in Garretson, as documented in the Garretson Centennial book. The clubhouse was relocated to is current site in the 1940s after the club purchased two acres of land from Art Johnson. The name was officially changed to the Garretson Sportsmen’s Club in 1948, and an emphasis on trap shooting began.

“This didn’t mean, however, that the club wasn’t involved in other game and conservation projects, but the main thrust of the club was trapshooting from 1948 until the present time,” shared Bob Nelson

Today, the club continues to host trap shooting contests, and is a larger supporter of the Garretson, Brandon Valley and Hills-Beaver Creek (Minn.) trapshooting teams. 

The club has options for indoor and outdoor ranges, an archery range, and the trap range. Throughout the year, enhanced permit courses are offered, and each summer, a hunter safety course is offered to youth ages 12 and up through the south Dakota Fame, Fish and Parks.