Humboldt Rifle & Pistol

The Humboldt Rifle and Pistol Club was formed in 1958, by a group of people that included hunters, collectors, target shooters and military veterans. The main focus at that time was high power matches fired at 200 yards at the current outdoor range, 2 miles northwest of Humboldt. As the years passed, more interest was shown in other shooting sports as well and a mechanical trap was installed out at the range for shotgun shooters. In the 1960's the Humboldt club shared an indoor range with the Fort Dodge club on main street in Badger, in a basement of one of the stores. It is believed that at this time the Two Rivers league started.

In the mid 1970's the club members wanted an indoor range of their own and a place to have club meetings other than the basement of the old post office building. A committee was formed, and a suitable location was found in the basement of the Village Cobbler, a shoe store on Main Street, Humboldt. Much work had to be done to convert the basement into a shooting range. Backstop steel was acquired and installed, as well as all the other range equipment, including a rest room. The range got its first use in the fall of 1977 and winter 1978.

In the winter of 1986, the club stopped using the indoor range because of a large increase in rent dictated by insurance costs, and set out to purchase a building. The Humboldt pistol teams had to shoot 7 away matches that year to finish the 85-86 league season. The summer of 1986 the club was able to purchase the present indoor range building from Jean Kleve, which is, located half a block south of Main Street. With very little money in the treasury, members passed the hat and members that were able donated $100 to the club, to convert the building from an old blacksmith shop, to a functioning range. The backstop steel and range equipment was moved from the old building. It took some time, but by the 1986-87 league season, we had a workable range to shoot and host matches as well as have our club meetings in the winter.

Over the years the current indoor range has had many updates such as: a steel roof, electric return target carriers, modern bullet trap, the center support beam replaced, roof supports reinforced and security cameras.

Club membership has remained fairly constant over the years with approximately 60 to 70 members. One thing that makes membership stand out from other clubs is that all members of law enforcement in Humboldt County (Humboldt County Sheriffs Dept. and the Humboldt Police Dept.) have been members since the mid 90s.

The club has had a junior program that started at the first indoor range in 1977. There have been many successes with our junior team and more than once they were the state champions. Our junior club is still active today, and has transitioned from position rifle discipline to handgun such as Scholastic Action Shooting. Our club also supports community youth shooting sports including 4H shotgun and silhouette.

Over the years, there have been various shooting sports that the club has been involved with. High power rifle matches were the start. Then other interests began for rimfire rifle, shotgun, black powder, various forms of pistol shooting which included, bullseye, action pistol, and three gun which includes rifle, pistol and shotgun in one match.

That the club survived more than 60 years is testament to the adjustments to what club members were interested in, but it's the people who did the work that has made the difference. It is to the credit of all the hard working people who did the work to get it started, keep it running, and mai