Community Corner

Gun Club Comes Under Fire for Safety

Neighbors' concerns over where bullets are going has city revisiting what changes can be enforced at longtime shooting range on Big Muskego Lake.

Neighbors of the Schultz Resort Rod and Gun Club on the east side of Big Muskego Lake are tired of hearing stray bullets fly overhead, and fear a tragedy isn't far off.

What to do with the longstanding gun club will therefore be the target of discussion Tuesday night at the Common Council's Finance Committee meeting.

An email sent to Mayor Kathy Chiaverotti from one resident who lives on Mystic Drive, west of the gun range, described a scary circumstance in which he heard two bullets fly overhead while he and his young children were outside playing.Β 

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"I am an avid hunter and have heard rounds 'whizz' by before," wrote Greg Schmidt. "I hope it doesn't take someone being killed to take action... I don't think it's fair that my kids are now afraid to play in their own yard."

Capt. John La Tour confirmed that there was a similar concern raised several years before at the club, which was founded in 1937, and ballistic tracing determined there was a "serious concern regarding live rounds leaving the range." He thought there was a promise made by the gun club to redirect their range south over the lake, however, that never happened.

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The committee may look into licensing to force the issue, as Director of Community Development Jeff Muenkel explained that "this isn't a zoning issue, as the club existed before our codes were in place."

The Finance Committee will meet in the Alderman's room at 6 p.m. at City Hall.


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