Muskego moves to ensure gun club safety after incident

With a resident saying that he and his children hit the dirt in their backyard one afternoon due to gunfire believed to have come from a nearby gun club, the Muskego Common Council decided last week to try to set safety standards for gun ranges.

The incident that happened Nov. 18 was only the latest of 11 years of complaints claiming that bullets have flown off the range and toward three homes, Muskego Police Capt. John LaTour said. The club has promised to do something about it, but complaints haven't stopped, he said.

An official of the Schultz Resort Rod and Gun Club, S8025 Schultz Lane, said people routinely hunt in the area but the gun club gets blamed for any time there is a problem. The club also has instituted internal reforms since 2010 such as required safety training, testing, access control system and video surveillance.

The club has berms and a baffle to catch the flying bullets, but city officials plan to get expert help to write an ordinance embodying up-to-date safety standards. Then when the gun club asks to renew its annual permit, the city will see if the club's safety arrangements meet those new standards, Mayor Cathy Chiaverotti said. The Schultz Resort Rod and Gun Club is the only private outdoor shooting range in the city, she said.

Within a month, she will have more information on the city's options and on cost, Chiaverotti said. She and the Finance Committee hoped to tap into free assistance from the National Rifle Association that has gun range standards.