Posted: 5/1/2005 8:10:11 PM EDT
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Greetings, We have been looking for a piece of land that we could call our own range, as discussed in previous topics. I just recently stubmbled across a reasonable priced 40acre parcel that is about 20-minutes from the I-94 area/Menomonie WI area. Does this seem like a resonable location that could suffice and be enjoyed by shooters from Wisconsin and Minnesota alike??? Cy6, Greg Sullivan "Sully" Chief Instructor TheDefensiveEdge.com |
| Seems like a great idea to me. WI students save a fair amount of drive time, MN students only have to drive a short distance further. DE having it's own chunk of land provides a lot more opportunities in the future. In that location growth and development are less of an issue than areas around the TC. |
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40 acres is a nice chunk of land, and if the price is right (and they'll allow you to build a range), this should be an easy question. For me, that's a bit more than I like to travel (from W. St. Paul), unless it's a damned-nice range, and even then you probably wouldn't make a whole lot of money off me. I'm not thrilled about not being able to carry, either. You would think there'd be something in the near-metro, like in Rosemount around the refinery. Hell, nobody want's to live down there, you could make all the noise you wanted. |
225 mile round trip for me.  And that's just to Menomonie, if the "20 minutes from" is further yet from the TC area, you can probably add another 40 miles to the round trip.So you're looking at about 100-140 mile round trip from the eastern side of the TC area. That would probably be too much of a stretch for a lot of people. |
It's more about the classes than the range. Having a dedicated range for DE allows Sully to teach things that a typical range does not allow (and not have people mess with his stuff) If people are serious about training then a slightly longer drive will not be much of a factor IMO. From where I am it's a 1.5 hour drive either way  People fly out to Gunsite and Thunder Ranch and the like, why would anyone not be willing to drive a few more miles to get the same quality training at a fraction of the cost? No matter where DE puts a range someone is going to be inconvenienced by it's location. ETA: I have made the drive to Menomonie more times than I can say. Once you are on the super slab it's a real fast and easy drive. |
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Defensive Edge has been looking for its own facility for some time. We have asked everyone on this board to assist in finding a suitable location that they would feel would be a good location. So far nobody has found anything that would work. We stumbled across the land, site un-seen for now. This land sounds like it would offer the space needed, and then some. Space needs are room for multiple ranges, so we can have more than one group shooting at once and not disturb eachother with the noise. We also need enough space to do some distance rifle work. I have been wanting enough area to allow us to have a large maze shoot house complex, and this size of land would offer some great opportunities for this, as we cannot do this where we are currently based. A few jungle walks would be nice as well. We also would like the facility to allow for those that wish to camp. The other issue is that we are tired of having people destroy our stuff, as well as show up at the range only to find someones junk pile left in our way. I have lots of steel, moving targets, multiple hostage mover, etc, and I would love to have a place to be able to use these without having to haul them around for each shoot. Keep in mind that I have so many steel targets, that you would probably need a semi to haul it due to the weight issues. Thus I stumbled across this piece of property. It meets our current wants and allows for future expansion. For distance, I did mapquest from our current office in Anoka, and the distance is 84miles one way. We figure that is about 1.5 hours of highway driving minimum, of which many of those in the south metro drive that now to our stuff in Princeton. With us doing at least one 2-day weekend course a month, this should allow people to travel and get 2-days training, thus a better value for those that travel. I am willing to listen to everyones thoughts on drive distance. Keep in mind that we will probably not acquire something that is right in somebody's metro based back yard. You will not find a place in the TwinCities metro, and if you are thinking close to the metro then remember that with all the buildings going up that it would be hard pressed to find a place that we can use a range for the next 10-20 years and not worry about having someone build a house next to it. So far we have looked at properties near MilleLacs, Isle, Paynesville, and Little Falls, of which these would also be about the same drive time. So please give us your thoughts. If you wish it in your back yard, then find the right place and we will consider it. Remember if you are serious about training or practicing with us, then you will probably make the drive. CY6, Greg Sullivan "Sully" Chief Instructor TheDefensiveEdge.com |
| Sully and Fritz provide world class training in our own back yard, and at a very reasonable cost. What fascinates me is the people dare to whine about a few more miles. Taking into consideration that land is a premium comodity and efforts that go into locating land takes time, too. To the naysayers I say quit your bitching about the small stuff. Embrace the opportunity to have a place to get even more training with an increased level of safety. Look at other training facilities, none seem to be located directly in an urban area, ie Front Sight, Thunder Ranch old and new, Gunsite, and Blackwater. Be even more aware that you do not have to fund an out of state trip to get training. |
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I'd drive at least an hour outside the Metro for training. I think most people who have taken DE classes would, because they know what it is worth. If you get more than 1.5 hours, it gets to weed out a lot of people, IMO. I'm attending Alum. HG this weekend, but if I were busier, I might have a harder time scheduling the 2.5 hour round trip in for a half day of classes. Just something to keep in mind. Generally, it's not the COST of the classes or the CONTENT, it's the TIME commitment. Travel time eats into that a lot. |
2.5 Hours??? Do you drive like your driving Miss Daisy??? I have mapquested it from our office and it is roughly 80-miles. Now this would be Interstate 94 driving. I posted this concept of looking for our own facility a while back, and offered to give the finder of such land 5-years of free tuition to our courses. So if you have something that fits better let us know. We already have a privete land facility to use several times year at our disposal by Wisconsin Dells, so we are open to suggestions. CY6, Greg Sullivan "Sully" Chief Instructor TheDefensiveEdge.com |
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Sully, Here's a couple of chunks of land I found near Little Falls. Little Falls 80 Acres Little Falls 40 Acres It might be a little too far North, but I though I'd throw it out there. One of them might be the same one that I sent you earlier. My wife works in real estate, and can search from around Cass Lake to St Cloud, or maybe even a little farther South depending on whose MLS they're hooked up with. If you want, I can have her keep an eye out for Property in that area. Later, Jay |
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Hey, I think 80 miles is doable, IMHO! That's not bad at all!!! I say go for it. If it's in I think the location isn't bad... |
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I think most people realize you can't build a range anywhere near the metro area. We hashed that out six months ago when this first came up. Sully asked for comments, and comments are being provided...For third parties to jump in and make fun of them is totally uncalled for. It puts an unwelcome face on the group, I don't think we want that. mcnielsen raises good points. Time is not an infinite resource. Somewhere along the road from home to the range there's this bump in the road called Life, that some people can not navigate. I do try and sell people I know on DE classes, I have yet to be successful (I'll keep my non-sales related day job). If I were to have to pitch overnight camping, etc, I wouldn't even make an attempt to sell others, it just ain't gonna happen for anyone I know.
I thought this was limited to 10 acres and a gravel pit...If the parameters have changed, I can resume my efforts. I live in a rural area, and most of the land is sold from a home made sign instead of a realtor, so I can start looking again. I know of a Golf Course for sale, already has a little country club. |
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Also, +1000 I'd like to have camping on site... I could put up a tent for overnighting, camp fire pit for cooking food, we could pack in water if necessary or something... (though a well or good water access on site would be preferred). Electricity for camping isn't really a necessity. I also see the 'camping' as a good opportunity for attendees to further bond as friends by allowing us to clean our weapons together after a day of shooting, cooking, camping, shooting the B.S., etc... Heck, if it were purchased in the summer time, I'd help Sully build the range or facilities. (Sully, Email me, & I'll get back to U this weekend...) Depending upon how things are going for Sully & his search for land he could have his own GOOD and WORKING range as soon as mid-summer 2006 or early 2007 provided the site already has electrical (and ideally water) access. I find this to be a pretty good thing, IMHO. 
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80 miles would be fine... 
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Yer missing a lil something aobut or transportation laws, in the glove box would be considered CCW. Sully I posted in the thread yoyu put up in the wisconsin hometown. I don't that would be that far o a drive for folks from my area, Hell I drive that to hunt and camp pretty much (the LaCrosse area) so the drive is not that big a deal to me, especially if it means taking a class, it still beats a trip to arizona or texas for a class..... |
Sounds good to me. I-94 to Menomonie, WI is an easy drive from West St. Paul. Mark |
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We are still considering this location. But are open to others. We have had a suggestion to look in the Wabasha area as well. CY6, Greg Sullivan "Sully" Chief Instructor TheDefensiveEdge.com |
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Any objections to the Hinckley area??? CY6, Greg Sullivan "Sully" Chief Instructor TheDefensiveEdge.com |
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I have passed info along to our other counterparts, and will keep everyone updated!!! CY6, Greg Sullivan "Sully" Chief Instructor TheDefensiveEdge.com |
That area would work for me, if I ever get the chance to attend a class on my personal time. It just seems to be a lot more fun to shoot ammo that the boss pays for. I've got family near Mantorville, and the wife's grandparents live near Elgin. So, I'd have a couple options of places to stay. I love the bluff country down there, but you got to watch out for the migrating Moose in the area. |