Heffley Creek club gunning for growth

KAMLOOPS – A local gun club is aiming to meet the new needs of its members as interest in gun sports in the region continues to grow.

The Heffley Creek Gun Club is growing in an attempt to keep up with the new needs of the club by reconfiguring its space to better accomodate members and the various events it hosts every year.

“It’s as active as it’s ever been. There is interest all the time, (membership has seen) a steady incline,” President Rick Totten says of the growing club, which currently has 400 members. “Our club is growing every year, we’re not losing anyone.”

The target shooting facility has a shotgun tower and trap house that launches clay pigeons for moving target practice as well as two covered ranges, a black powder range with several trails and 'cowboy action' shooting facilities, which are based on Western Canadian frontier history.

The planned reconfigurations will allow more members to be able to use the club’s facilities at a time by changing the footprint of the facility, which will also make it safer to use.

Currently if the action shooters are shooting the rifle range has to be shut down. Totten says the renovations will place all shooters on one firing line, which will allow more shooters while still being safe.

In addition to the actual firing range, renovations will include relocating a plot of land meant for campers. This year the gun club is running four special events and multiple fun days of target specific competition. Participants and spectators will often camp at the range during events and the new camping area will allow for more campers.

Totten says the last event drew 100 participants. The Palmer’s Gulch, which took place at the beginning of July, was a cowboy action shooting event which included a best costume element to the competition.

The Black Powder Rendezvous, scheduled to begin Aug. 28, is a week-long event featuring single-shot firearms that use cartridges containing black powder. Along with actual shooting, these competitors will also throw knives or tomahawks at targets.

Located roughly 25 kilometres north of Kamloops, the Heffley Creek Gun Club has been part of the community for over 30 years.

To contact a reporter for this story, email Dana Reynolds at dreynolds@infonews.ca or call 250-819-6089. To contact an editor, email mjones@infonews.ca or call 250-718-2724.