River Ridge Shooting Club

River Ridge Shooting Club sits on the grounds of the former River Ridge Gun Club in Courtland, Minnesota—a property with deep roots in southern Minnesota's hunting and shooting culture. When owners Christine and Joseph G. Michaletz purchased the land, they saw the opportunity to honor that tradition while dramatically expanding what shooters in the region could access.

Joseph, a seasoned outdoorsman and hunter, prioritized building a long-range rifle facility where hunters could properly sight in firearms before the season. Christine, a certified firearms instructor who developed her passion after her first bird hunt in 2015, focused on building programs that welcome new shooters—especially women and youth—into the sport.

Rifle Range - 1,000-yard rifle range with enclosed shelter - Concrete benches flanked by separation walls - State-of-the-art sound mitigation treatment throughout the building - Hourly rental availability for exclusive use

Pistol Shooting - Multiple bays available for exclusive rental - Fixed target line for training and practice - One dedicated bay with steel targets at varying distances - Enclosed shelter with fixed firing line

Shotgun Sports - 4 trap fields - 14-station sporting clays course (recently upgraded) - Eco-friendly shot materials

Archery - 3 spacious outdoor lanes - Large, well-marked targets out to 100 yards - North-facing for optimal sun angles - Designed for youth instruction, birthday parties, and league shooting

River Ridge employs on-staff instructors and collaborates with reputable outside instructors for:

• •Minnesota Permit to Carry licensing
• •Youth Firearms Safety courses
• •Home defense training
• •Long-range shooting clinics
• •Archery instruction and bow services
• •Defensive handgun proficiency
• •Hunter preparation courses

The clubhouse includes comfortable classroom facilities and a high-resolution shooting simulator for virtual training—useful for teaching marksmanship technique and situational awareness ("shoot, don't shoot" scenarios) before live-fire practice.

The facility also welcomes corporate events and tournaments. Patriot discounts are available for active law enforcement, first responders, and active/veteran military service members.

Before opening, the Michaletz team spent over two years researching, educating themselves, and performing due diligence with an emphasis on safety and environmental respect. That commitment is visible in the state-of-the-art sound mitigation in the rifle shelter, eco-friendly sporting clays materials, and comprehensive range rules.

In 2021, River Ridge was named a recipient of a $25,000 MN DNR Range Grant—one of only five shooting ranges across Minnesota selected that year.

"Our passion for the outdoors, firearms and archery, along with fond memories of coming to River Ridge Gun Club for pheasant hunts, sporting clays and events with our friends and family, was the driving force behind purchasing this magnificent piece of property." — Christine and Joseph G. Michaletz

Location: 47028 547th Lane, Courtland, MN 56021 | Phone: 507.359.5770 | Email: [email protected]