Saturday, January 16, 2027 · Sanilac Sportsman's Club
Trail & Targets
Outdoor Adventure Series
5K+ raceTarget shooting
Run the loop. Hit your targets. Beat the clock.
Six kilometres of winter air. Five trips to the firing line. Twenty-five 4-inch steel targets. Come in with your heart pounding, slow your breathing, and hit all five - or pay for the miss with a penalty loop before you're allowed back out. Fast legs get you to the line. A steady trigger gets you home.
Date, entry fee and details are provisional while the first event is being planned.
The race
How race day runs.
The safety briefing
There is one safety briefing for all athletes. Anyone who arrives after the safety briefing will not be allowed to compete.
Stage your rifle at the range
After the briefing, every athlete stages their rifle at the shooting range. All firearms must be unloaded and have a chamber flag in. Failure to do so is a disqualification. No ammunition goes into any firearm until the range officer expressly gives permission.
Assemble at the start/finish line
Athletes are assigned a wave and line up accordingly. Waves are 4 athletes, assigned at random.
Wave start
The first wave goes, and each wave after it starts 1 minute after the one before. Your clock runs from your wave's start until you cross the finish.
The first kilometre
Travel the one-kilometre loop, then enter the shooting staging area. Eye and ear protection go on at the staging-area entrance.
In the staging area
You may load your magazines here, but you may not touch your rifle. Athletes are let into the firing range 4 at a time, in the order they entered the staging area.
On the firing line
Follow the range officer's commands: get your rifle, lie prone, remove the chamber flag, load and make ready, and fire at will at your 5 targets - 4" metal targets at 50 yards.
Flag in, cleared to go
When you are done firing, put your chamber flag back in. The range officer clears you to leave the line.
Missed any? Penalty loop
If you missed any targets you run the penalty loop, then go directly back onto the one-kilometre loop. It is only ever one penalty loop per circuit, no matter how many targets you missed - but every miss is recorded and costs you 5 seconds on top of the penalty loop.
5 times round, then the finish
Loop and shoot 5 times, then cover the final loop to the finish line. The winner is the fastest overall time, including penalty time for misses.
Pick how you travel
Each is ranked on its own, so runners race runners and skiers race skiers.
The range
This is where the race is won.
The rifle range at Sanilac Sportsman's Club, the way it will look in January. Five 4-inch metal targets on your rack, 50 yards out, and they don't care how fast you ran to get there.
Safety first, clock second
The clock never overrides firearm safety.
Eye and ear protection
Required for every athlete from the moment you cross the staging-area entrance until you leave the range. You don't have to wear them out on the course, but have them on you. Renting a rifle? Eye and ear protection come with it.
Range officers run the line
No ammunition goes into any firearm until the range officer expressly gives permission. Nobody picks up a rifle, fires or leaves the line without the range officer's command. Stop means stop.
Unloaded, with a chamber flag
Rifles are staged at the range before the start, unloaded and with a chamber flag in. They stay there for the whole race - nobody carries a firearm on the course. A rifle staged loaded or without its flag means disqualification.
Mandatory briefing
There is one safety briefing for all athletes. Anyone who arrives after the safety briefing will not be allowed to compete.
Details
What to bring
- Eye protection and ear protection (required) - provided if you rent a rifle
- Your own .22 rifle, or rent one when you sign up (+$10)
- Footwear and layers for a Michigan winter course
- Your own snowshoes or skis if that's your division - there are none to rent yet
- Water, and something warm for afterwards
January 16, 2027
Sanilac Sportsman's Club
3200 Goetze Road, Deckerville, MI 48427
$45 with your own rifle
$55 with a rental rifle, eye and ear protection included
The grounds
See it from above.
Sanilac Sportsman's Club, 3200 Goetze Road, Deckerville, MI 48427. Drag and zoom to look around the property.
The series
12 races. One series champion.
Race once or race them all. Every race stands on its own, and your times add up across the series: the best combined time over the whole series takes the overall title.
Dates are provisional while the first season is being planned.
Spectators
Bring a crowd. Stay warm.
Heated clubhouse
Come in out of the cold between laps. Soft drinks, hot dogs, hot chocolate and candy bars are for sale inside.
Fire pit
A fire will be going outside all day for anyone who'd rather warm up in the open air.
Spectators keep to the marked viewing areas and stay clear of the course and the firing line.