There’s a lot that goes into making the Spanish Fork Gun Club a must-visit among trap shooters.
The shooting facility sits along the slopes of the mountains at the mouth of Spanish Fork Canyon, providing large views of Utah Valley and Utah Lake. Furthermore, its weather and backdrop make it a popular destination for shooters both in and out of Utah County.
Jenny McGowan has been trapshooting for over a decade and has worked with the gun club for several years, taking over as manager this past May. She said she loves managing the gun club because of the people she get to meet, as well as its prime location.
“If you’re a trap shooter, you want to come to Spanish Fork. It’s people’s dream location,” she said.
Due to the club’s location, shooters are aiming at clay pigeons with a blue-sky backdrop, preventing it from getting lost easily. Elevation and low humidity also allow the clay pigeons to come out at its initial speed and stay at that speed for longer, eliminating a guessing factor for shooters at the target’s speed.
The gun club was initially opened by a small group of volunteers in 1973, but it wasn’t until about 10 years ago, when Spanish Fork City partnered with the club to create a “cohesive symbiotic relationship.”
McGowan, who is independently running the facility, said that the city provides support through maintenance, and that the facility doesn’t draw finances from other city departments.
The Spanish Fork Gun Club offers 13 shotgun courses geared toward trapshooters as well as a rifle range, which is slated for renovation. That renovation will include the addition of pistol and rifle bays as well as archery classes.
While many skilled trap shooters make up the club’s patrons, McGowan said people of all levels are welcome. The club also has what’s called a “First Shot” program which is a professional class that provides attendees with the materials they need to learn about the sport along with targets for practicing. McGowan said that there are no set times for these classes, making it so that visitors can take part in them whenever they come to visit.
“(Having classes open to visitors) takes away the nerves,” she said. “It takes away the stress and it brings the fun back within the First Shots program.”
The Spanish Fork Gun Club, 2912 S. Spanish Oaks Drive, has seasonal hours throughout the year as it is open less during the winter.
The facility hosts numerous events throughout the year and a detailed calendar is on the facility’s website spanishfork.org/departments/parkrec/gunclub/and its Facebook page.
