Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...

By Ayanna Eckblad

Since opening to the public three years ago, Good Shot Golf and Sporting Clays in Emmons has become known as a fun place for outdoor enthusiasts to play a round of golf or spend time shooting clay targets. This year, two new activities have been added: pheasant hunting and five stand shooting.

The new additions have helped make Good Shot a one-of-a-kind space.

“We’re the only ones that have golf, sporting clays, five stand and pheasant hunting all on essentially the same site,” Lucas Kreuscher said. Kreuscher owns Good Shot with his wife, Devan, and daughter, Autumn. “One thing led to another and we just thought it would provide a better experience for the customers. That’s truly what we try to do, is create an experience for everyone.”
Good Shot is one of only a few five stand shooting areas in the Midwest. Five stand shooting is a sport in which five stations or stands are set up, and shooters rotate through these stations to shoot at clay targets.

Kreuscher said Good Shot has hundreds of acres of land for pheasant hunting, which started this month with the Minnesota season opener. He added it is a great team-building activity for businesses and companies to do with their employees or to show appreciation to customers. During corporate events, Kreuscher said, there will be special dishes prepared that are not available on Good Shot’s typical menu.

People don’t need a special license as Good Shot will carry the necessary license. There must be a minimum of four hunters participating. Hunters can bring their own dogs, but Good Shot partners with guide services that can also provide dogs. Kreuscher said all levels of pheasant hunting experience are welcome to these events.

“The cool thing about it is we’re going to put people on a true pheasant hunt,” Kreuscher said. “We want people to experience that South Dakota hunt that everybody goes to South Dakota to get. That’s what we’re creating here.”

The second new activity is five stand shooting. This project has been in the works at Good Shot for several months.

The idea began last winter, when mild temperatures made it possible for people to spend time outdoors into the months of January and February. Good Shot took this opportunity to set up temporary pop-up stands for people to try. Kreuscher said they received a lot of good feedback, which got the wheels turning to set up a permanent five stand shooting area.

Good Shot recently set up a specially designated shack for five stand shooting. Before the activity officially opens in December, a wood stove will be installed to keep the building warm.

“We all get kind of cabin fever, where we’re bored and we don’t have stuff to do,” he said. “Now with having that five stand shack, you can come out here in January and shoot sporting clays.”

Kreuscher said five stand shooting will most likely have an hourly renting fee charged, and participants will shoot as many targets as they can during their allotted time.

Because Good Shot partners with Diamond Jo Casino, its previous owners, he said card holder members at Diamond Jo can get discounts at Good Shot for these types of activities.

Kreuscher said he hopes these two new activities not only provide a fun experience for customers, but also help strengthen local businesses. He anticipates Good Shot will be used for corporate events like office Christmas parties and as benefits for loyal customers.

“If we can partner with these companies to provide fun opportunities, memorable opportunities, that’s what we love … ” he said. “If we can provide more stuff for them to keep customers, to keep workers in the area, then that’s what we want to do and try and help with.”

More information on Good Shot and the activities they offer can be found at goodshotemmons.com.