Halter Center exterior

John Anthony Halter Shooting Sports Education Center

About

Through the Halter Shooting Sports Education Center, Hillsdale College promotes the responsible and disciplined use of firearms in shooting sports for all ages by teaching fundamental safety and marksmanship; trains youth and collegiate athletes to compete at the highest levels; fosters intelligent patriotism, self-governance, and citizenship through teaching the U.S. Constitution; and supports American shooting sport success on the world stage in partnership with USA Shooting.

Go to the Shooting Sports Website

 

Mission

Through the Halter Shooting Sports Education Center, Hillsdale College promotes the responsible and disciplined use of firearms in shooting sports for all ages by teaching fundamental safety and marksmanship; trains youth and collegiate athletes to compete at the highest levels; advances conservation; fosters intelligent patriotism, self-governance, and citizenship through teaching the U.S. Constitution; and supports American shooting sport success on the world stage in partnership with USA Shooting.

History

Shooting Sports Center ribbon cutting.

In 2008, with a generous estate gift from Roland L. Ebersole, Hillsdale College purchased land located five miles south of the main campus for the development of a shooting range.

That fall, the range opened, and the College added the first basic shotgun class to its course roster. A few years later, John A. Halter made a leadership gift toward the shooting range, and the John Anthony Halter Shooting Sports Education Center was established. Additional leadership gifts from benefactors including AcuSport Corporation, the William S. and Ann Atherton Foundation, the Herbert H. and Barbara C. Dow Foundation, the Hal and Jean Glassen Memorial Foundation, Elizabeth A. Ailes, and Alan N. Taylor have paved the way for continued expansion of the facility, including the construction of the AcuSport Lodge and International/Olympic bunker field, the Glassen International Skeet Field, the Ailes Action Shooting Range, and the David N. Taylor Nimrod E.C. Rifle Range and H.W. “Bing” Carlson Nimrod E.C. Archery Range within our future indoor/outdoor facility.

Facilities

Aerial view of the Halter Shooting Sports Center shooting range.

Hillsdale College’s John Anthony Halter Shooting Sports Education Center is located five miles from campus. The 113-acre facility features:

  • AcuSport Lodge
  • Trap Field
  • Sporting Clays Course
  • Indoor and Outdoor Pistol and Rifle Range
  • Archery Range

Team & Club

Hillsdale College Shotgun Team group photo.

Hillsdale College’s shotgun team is a co-ed varsity athletic program that started during the 2011-2012 school year. In that first year, the team won the Association of College Unions International Collegiate Clay (ACUI) Target Division III National Championship. It repeated this accomplishment in 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, and 2021. The team now competes at the Division II level and continues to see success. The team is coached by Jordan Hintz.

The Hillsdale College Action Shooting Team was founded as a club team several years ago and achieved varsity status in 2021. The team competes shooting 9mm handguns at steel targets in competitions of speed and accuracy. The team earned its second consecutive national championship at the Scholastic Action Shooting Program’s College Nationals. The team is coached by Adam Burlew.

Hillsdale’s co-ed air rifle and pistol team meets two to three times per week for practice and competes monthly. The team’s coach is Andre Renier who also serves as an instructor for the Halter Center’s academic shooting sports course. The club team is a part of the Western Intercollegiate Rifle Conference (WRIC).