New Antelope County Archery Range To Be 'Top Notch'

Antelope County Shooters Club will be debuting their new range and targets this Independence Day. 

The group has leased Russell Park from the City of Neligh and are using the location to hone the skills of archers with their new targets. The course will have permanent outdoor bullseye weather targets and will use 40 three dimensional targets as well.

The practice range is in place and is currently being used by the Antelope Archery 4-H Shooting Sports Club. Antelope County 4-H has over 70 kids enrolled in shooting sports, who will benefit from this new range. When complete, it will be one of the best archery ranges in the state. 

Only members of the club will have access to the range. The range will be locked with a combination lock that only members will have. Members can visit the range at any time, and they may bring a guest, but they must be present while the guest is shooting. Membership is $25 a year, and after the first year the renewal drops to $15. To become a member you can contact the treasurer, Boyd Pedersen (402) 887-4653.

They ask that only field point arrows are used, and not broadheads because they tear up the targets too much. Also no combination bows will be allowed, unless you bring your own targets.

According to Lyle Juracek of the Antelope County Shooters Club, the range will be "top notch" and “the 4-H archery program is excellent in Antelope County.”

In early April, when the lease for the course was granted by the city council, the course was estimated to cost $17,000.

The goal of this new archery program is to motivate more kids to get involved outdoors and improve their shooting skills. They plan to join the Nebraska State Archery Association and begin going to tournaments across the state. The profits of these tournaments will go to improvements to the range.

They will be setting up the 3-D target course for their Old Mill Days Shoot. This will be held on Saturday, July 4th and Sunday, July 5th. The range is located at Russell Park, half a mile south of the Old Mill on the East side of the road. Registration will be held both days from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. Prices are $15.00 for adults and $8.00 for children.

For more information contact chairman, Mark Eggers (402) 750-0005, or other members of the shooters club, Rod Christiansen (402) 887-7791 or Lyle Juracek (402) 640-6552.