Outdoor Recreation

From gazing at eagles and herons, to snowmobiling down a wintry trail, to kayaking a forest stream or paddling a placid lake, you’ll find abundant opportunities to enjoy the great outdoors at the Hiawatha Sportsman’s Club. Here’s a bit of what you’ll find.

Shooting

If you love shooting sports, you’ll be right on target at the HSC. Our facilities include a trap shooting range, a firearms range and two archery ranges. All cater to your specific needs, whether that’s a love of shooting trap, sighting in your rifle or practicing your archery skills.

Our trap range, which is also open the public, has regularly scheduled shooting events, is available by appointment for family or special occasions, and offers lessons. The firearms and archery ranges provide targets at a variety of distances, while the latter also holds special family and archery events.

Trap Range Opens for the 2024 Season on Saturday, May 25
Open Saturdays at 10 AM / Wednesdays at 4 PM

For more information, please call Jude or Terry Hamilton.
Phone: 906-477-6067

Water Sports

Whatever your pleasure – Great Lake, inland lake, pond, river or stream – the HSC has you covered. The club owns about two-thirds of the shoreline of Lake Millecoquins, a 1,000-acre body of water in the heart of the HSC. You’ll find a members-only boat launch and docks, plus you can rent kayaks, paddle boats and row boats, if you don’t have your own.

In addition, the HSC boasts three lakes and two ponds fully within club property, all managed with an extensive fish planting program. You’ll also find 35 miles of rivers and streams at the HSC, including the Lower Millecoquins River, which members voluntarily maintain for clear passage. Lest we not forget, Lake Michigan forms the roughly 5-mile southern boundary of the club. Members can enjoy the big lake from our own half-mile private beach.

Watercraft Use Waiver

Winter Sports

The HSC doesn’t shut down in winter. Not hardly! The club offers its members wonderful opportunities to cross-country ski, snowmobile, snowshoe, ice fish, and more. The HSC maintains a 2.5-mile groomed cross-country trail, as well as snowmobile trails. You can enjoy the grandeur of our deep woods or get access to state-groomed trails.

If you want to mix the quiet and beauty of a winter escape with some social fun, the HSC also puts on an annual winter carnival at Lake Millecoquins and participates in other local communities’ winter festivities.

Bird Watching

More than 200 species of birds have been recorded in or near the HSC, everything from snowy owls to sandhill cranes and pelicans. Yes, pelicans! The club is part of the Northern-Hardwoods-Conifer region, with habitats that include Lake Michigan shoreline, inland lakes, marsh, mature hardwoods and conifers, and fields with shrubs and tall grasses. In short, varied habitats lead to highly varied species.

Experienced birders are happy to share their expertise with other club members, and additional resources and field guides are available at the HSC Museum Library and the club office.

Nature's Bounty

We’re not saying you should eat your way across the HSC’s 35,000 acres. But each spring, summer and fall, you could. Our property produces a wide variety of mushrooms, berries and other natural foods that delight club foragers.

Mushrooms include highly prized morels, plus puffballs, oyster and “chicken of the woods.” (We recommend a good guidebook, of course, to properly identify the mushroom.) In addition, the club teems with blueberries in summer, along with blackberries, raspberries, elderberries and nannyberries. Hardcore foragers can seek mountain ash berries, choke cherries, and even cattails, acorns, beech nuts and red clover.