The Trap Range building located at 214 N. 21st Street is over 50 years old and will be replaced within the next year. New Ulm was awarded a Large Shooting Rang grant from Minnesota DNR that will be used to replace building with a newer and larger facility.

NEW ULM – New Ulm’s trap shooting range will soon see a long overdue improvement thanks to a $100,000 grant from the Minnesota Department of National Resources (DNR).

Tuesday, the New Ulm City Council accepted a Large Shooting Rang grant from Minnesota DNR that will be used to replace the Trap Range Building at 214 N. 21st Street. The council had apply for the grant two weeks earlier

Park and Recreation Director Joey Schugel said this $100,000 grant does require a matching fund. Sioux Valley Gun Club has funds available to help with the matching cost and New Ulm Park and Recreation has some addition funds set aside for the project.

The currently Trap Range Building is at least 50 years old. Sioux Valley Gun Club president Jim Arndt said the building was constructed in 1972 or 1973. It has aged beyond repair and is undersized compared to the recent growth in the use of the trap and skeet range.

Arndt said all three New Ulm High Schools participate on trap shooting teams. He said there is around 140 high school students using the range and around 70 students are part of Sioux Valley Gun Clubs youth program.

Arndt said the new trap range building would be larger structure at 80 feet by 30 feet. The hope is to start construction on the new building this fall.

Schugel said the project needed to be completed by the end of June 2026 to meet grant requirements.

Councilor David Christian made the motion to accept the grant with a second from Councilor Eric Warmka and was unanimously accepted by the council.