For many years the Grants Pass Rod & Gun Club had a range south of Grants Pass.  In 1963 the Board of County Commissioners began getting complaints from landowners building homes near the gun range.  The Board of County Commissioners was contacted by the Board of the Grants Pass Rod & Gun Club.  They recognized the problem of encroaching houses to their range and asked the BCC for help.  If the County could find a piece of County land suitable for a gun range, the GPR&GC  would abandon their present site and move to the County land. 
         Later in 1963 Dick Templin, County Engineer, recommended to the Board of Commissioners that land northeast of Grants Pass could be suitable for a gun range.  BCC Chairman looked at property and agreed with Templin.
        Obtaining a map of the area (an abandoned home site) it became obvious that within the area the State of Oregon owned 40 acres.  This piece of land would be needed to develop the area for public shooting.  Commissioner Davidson contacted the State Land Board and requested the State to give, sell or trade the 40 acres to Josephine County.  The answer was NO. 
        In 1964, 1965 and 1966 the same request was made to the State.  The answer was always NO. 
        In 1967 the State requested Josephine County to assume responsibility for maintenance of Williams Secondary Highway from Grants Pass to Murphy.  Board of County Commissioners and County Engineer agreed to this proposal, providing the State then deeded the 40 acres they had repeatedly refused to deed to the County. 
        The State now agreed.  Paper work began.  Board of County Commissioners informed the Grants Pass Rod & Gun Club that they had a potential site for a gun range and if GPR&GC approved the site the County was ready to enter into an agreement with them for its use.
        March 22, 1968, an organizational meeting was called for anyone interested in forming a new shooting club.  This would include any and all types of gun ranges and archery ranges.
May 1968, Sportsman’s Association incorporated as a ‘non-profit” organization with the State of Oregon.
        July 1968, Board of County Commissioners made County Parks Department the official representative of the County to meet with Sportsman’s Association: they felt too many different people were talking to different Commissioners and getting different answers about operation and construction possibilities.  The Master Plan should have priority and be developed first.  The Plan should also determine priority of construction since all facilities would not be built in one budget year.
        Josephine Sportsman’s Association would be responsible for design of all ranges; Parks Department would construct them. 
        August 1968, Josephine County Road Department began building a road into the area.  Road was completed September 1968. 
        August 1968, Josephine County Sportsman’s Association purchased 22.55 acres of land from Foster.  This land was located between the County land and Highway I-5.  Having gone through one problem with “encroachment of houses,” they did not want another.  At this time the Board of Directors consisted of 10 shooters.  They had no treasury since the organization was only three months old.  Each director put up $1000.00 toward the purchase price of the property.  They then segregated 3.55 acres from the original 22.55.  this plat was to be used for a clubhouse and for the Range Master’s house. 
        September 9, 1968. Sportsman’s Association sold 19 acres of land to Josephine County.  This was the remainder of the 22.55 acres Sportsman’s Association purchased from Foster.  The deed contains the following: “to be used only for the use of the public as a shooting range because of the need in the County for such a facility.”
        The Park Director discussed a “Land Use Agreement” with the Sportsman's Board.  He was told a local attorney had volunteered to draw up a legal document between the County and the Association.  The Sportsman’s Association was now legally “Josephine County Sportsman Association.”
Don McGregor, County Commissioner, became very sick and decided he would not run in November 1968 for reelection.  Bruce Davidson, County Commissioner, also became ill.  He filed for reelection but was too sick to campaign.  The end result was the two men who favored and pushed for a safe shooting range would not be in office after December 31, 1968.
        Having no knowledge as to the feelings of the two newly-elected Commissioners toward a shooting range, the Park Board believed it important that the “Land Use Agreement “  be approved and signed prior to December 31, 1968. 
        He contacted the attorney (who had said in September he would write the document) four or five times with the same result: “He was too busy to get to it.”  Finally, near the end of November the Park director took it upon himself to write a “land Use Agreement.”  It was reviewed and changed several times and finally sent to the district Attorney who checked it. 
        The Board of County Commissioners and the president of the Josephine County Sportsman’s Association, Don Dillingham, signed the agreement on December 27, 1968.
        Jan. 13, 1969, The Josephine County Park Board and the Josephine County Sportsman’s Association Board met to discuss the developlment of Sportsman’s Park.  The first order of business was a “Master Plan” approved by the boards of all the various types of shooters.  The various clubs formed under the umbrella of the Josephine County Sportsman’s Association were; Shotgun (Trap & Skeet), Black Powder (round ball & slug gun), Pistol, Rifle (Bigbore), and Archery. 
        These clubs were to determine their needs and incorporate them into a “Master Plan.”  The Park department was not about to construct a haphazard range which would not meet the needs of the public.
The final Master Plan would then be approved by both the Josephine County Sportsman’s Association  Board and the Park Board. 
        The next order of business was budgeting.  No money was going to be spent by the Park Department unless it was budgeted by the Board of County Commissioners.  Josephine County Sportsman’s Association would be responsible for design and location (Master Plan) of all ranges; Park Department would contract construction to build it with force Account labor.  Rome was not built in a day and neither would be Sportsman’s Park.  Priority of construction would depend on money available and JCSA preference. 
        March 19, 1969, the preliminary Park Budget containing $50,000 from the Park Budget and placed $5,000 in Board of County Commissioners budget.  The new Commissioners were not sure if they wanted Sportsman’s Park, but they definitely wanted control.  The two new Commissioners thus rescinded the action of the previous Board which had designated the Park Department as the official representative of the County. 
        The $5,000 was soon spent by the JCSA Board and they came back to the Board of County Commissioners for more money.  A supplementary budget of $39,000 was approved.  This budget was in the Board of County Commissioners budget.  It was overspent.
        The Board of County Commissioners returned Sportsman’s Park budget to the Parks Department.  No item would appear on the 1970-71 budget without their prior approval before being presented to the Budget Committee.  The Park Department was once more in charge of construction.  As of March 1972, the County had spent $127,036 for Capital Improvements.
        The volunteers from JCSA had spent thousands of hours on the property.  They cut all trees, where needed, cleared the brush and stumps and leveled the ground.  One contractor brought out a D-7 Cat whenever needed.  They built berms on the Big Bore Range and Black Powder Ranges and dug out and buried stumps. 
        The target house on Big Bore was built by volunteer labor using materials donated by several merchants in Grants Pass.
        Big Bore now had a Target House, 100 yd. pull targets behind concrete walls, a running deer target, and shooting benches under a shelter to protect shooters from the weather.  The pistol range was complete with 25 yd. and 50 yd. targets; the 25 yd. targets were remote control ‘turning’ and had a shelter over the shooting line.
        “Slug Alley” was complete with concrete target bases at 50, 100 and 200 yards.  Twelve shooting benches were constructed by volunteer labor along with a reloading stand and 10X16 feet target house.  Slug guns were considered ‘black powder’ weapons and the shooters wanted to build their own shooting benches (concrete) and reloading stand.  All this is covered by a shelter as on Big Bore.
        Black Powder Round Ball range was complete for 25 and 50 yard shooting.  Kenn Carrell, a Black Powder shooter, built a rustic Blacksmith Shop and office with logs and local rock.  Each structure had a working fireplace built from local rock.  He also built a running buffalo target. 
       Trap and Skeet: The land had been cleared and leveled by volunteer labor.  Five trap fields were built.  A trap house for office and storage was built.  Lights were constructed on two of the trap fields for night shooting. 
Playground equipment was placed in picnic area next to pond. 
        Archery had two ranges, one for target arrow shooting and one for hunting arrows.  A field house was built for storage and meetings. 
        The Local and State police asked for materials to build a Police Combat Range; they would do the work.  This was a temporary situation, but it filled an immediate need.  It was superimposed on the Big Bore Range. 
The 1972-73 budget contained $26,441 for new construction at Sportsman’s Park. 
        Pistol Range: lights for night shooting.  Materials for a 16X24 feet target house-volunteers built the structure. 
        Big Bore: 300 yard pull targets behind concrete wall.
        Shotgun: Parking area, new skeet field, double size of trap house (County buys the materials-volunteers do the construction).  Two additional electric traps for trap house back-up. Black Powder: Underground electric service into office and blacksmith shop.  Picnic area: additional picnic tables.
1973-74-no capital improvements.
        1973-74: December 74, JCSA Board of Directors asked Board of County Commissioners to amend Land Use Agreement.  They wished to increase liability insurance JCSA carried on park.  They wished to have $500,000 General Liability Insurance, $50,000 progerty damage insurance and $250,000/500,000 auto liability insurance. 
        Board of County Commissioners sent letter to JCSA authorizing Park Dept. as legal representative of County to JCSA that if individuals or groups of members have problems to come to the Board of County Commissioners with them. 
        The Park Director pointed out to JCSA Board that insurance values as shown in Land Use Agreement were minimums, and JCSA could contract for any amount over the minimum they desired.  The JCSA Board thanked the Park Dept. and increased their insurance coverage.
        JCSA assumed the cost of propane gas at Range House and cost of light usage for Trap and Skeet. 
        JCSA keeps talking about building restaurant at park.  Health Dept. requires toilets in or immediately adjacent to restaurant building. 
        1974/75 Budget has item of $5000 to construct toilet for restaurant when built.  Nothing built by JCSA; $5000 not spent.
        1975/76 No Capital Improvements in Park Budget. 
        Sept 27, 1976: Archery building at Sportsman’s Park burned to ground.  Archers had constructed wooden patio. Local church group rented building from Archery Club for picnic.  Barbecues were placed on wooden patio floor.  After picnic when everyone had gone home, hot coals from barbecue started fire.  County received payment from their insurance Company for value of building.  Little or no activity by archery club.  Building not replaced  picnic shelter built on old slab. 
        Oct 14 1976: Josephine County, through its Board of County Commissioners, George Calvert, chairman, amended the land Use Agreement of Dec 27, 1968.  The new land Use Agreement was probably written by the County’s legal council.  This is only conjecture since the Park Dept was unaware the proceedings were taking place.  It was not until 1979 the Park Dept became aware of the new Land Use Agreement. 
        1976/77 : Powder House constructed in woods north of Trap Range. 
        Rumors are flying that JCSA is having financial problems.  May have to close due to lack of insurance.   Feb 1978: JCSA obtained required insurance and is open again
        Nov 1978: Board of County Commissioners and Park Board met with representatives of State, County, and City Police.  The police departments need pistol range to qualify each year with their weapons.  All agreed such a range was desirable.  Commissioner Kilpatrick stated County in process of putting together a Supplemental Budget and money needed to develop range will be placed in Supplemental Budget.  Commissioner Calvert said this could not be because Supplemental Budgets are just for some type of emergency.  He sees no emergency in this case.  Request for range should be placed in the 1979/80 Budget.  The request will be part of the Park Dept budget. 
        Park Dept will request help from Road Dept.  If they could excavate the site in Winter 1978, the cost would be lowered and Park Dept could take over and construct F.B.I. range under 79/80 Budget.
        No yearly report from JCSA and no payment of 10% of revenues received for years 1977/78.
        July 1979: Owner of land north of Sportsman’s Park died; estate wants to sell land.  Park Board wants a portion or all (103 acres) be purchased as “Buffer Strip” to prevent encroachment by houses which could create problems  letter written to Board of County Commissioners asking to acquire property. 
        Practical Police Combat range completed Oct 1979 at cost of $12,055 plus Road  Dept expense to excavate site. 
        Nov 1979: Park Board received word that current officers of JCSA going to disband due to lack of funds.  Dec 1979 new set of JCSA officers elected; Ken Carrell elected president.  JCSA is $3000 in debt.  New officers pledge to reduce debt and continue operations.  Herman Trott retired as Range Manager New president, Ken Carrel, appeared at Feb 1980 Park Board meeting to explain situation and plans for getting back on their feet.  one matter was the cost of liability insurance (1979 was $2700).  The new Board has requested the Board of County Commissioners to either let JCSA forgo insurance for 1980 or pay the premiums.  The Board of County Commissioners agreed to pay insurance premiums for 1980.
         The single membership will cost $11, (a $1. increase) and family memberships $16.50 per year.  A new advertising program has started to attract new members.  A new Range Master has been hired, a local man named Clay Dean.
        March 5, 1980: Park Board met with Board of County Commissioners again requesting County purchase the Foster property north of park.  Commissioners approved purchase of 45 acres for $55,000; land to be kept vacant and used as a buffer strip.  Purchase will have to wait until July 1 when new Budget year begins.  Purchased July 28, 1980.
        JCSA asked each associated club to contribute towards reducing the deficit. 
Shotgun group will not stand for a one cent per-bird-thrown levy placed on their operation. 
        Jan 1982: Sheriff’s office informed JCSA Board that Police Range was for their use whenever they wanted to use it and no one was going to collect fees for this use.  Park Board felt range built with public funds budgeted in Park Budgets as such came under the Land Use Agreement between County and JCSA.
        1983:  JCSA purchased 10,000 gallon redwood tank for Sportsman Park water system.  Park crew installed tank. 
        Much talk about receiving bank balance from old Rod & Gun Club.  If this comes about, money will be used to construct  indoor pistol and archery range house. 
        Oct 1983:  Volunteer group headed up by Roger Olsen took on the job of building indoor range.  Building permit issued by Josephine County Building and Safety Dept. for a concrete block building … 60 feet by 120 feet.   Construction will be done by paid contractors and volunteers.  Work will be done as money becomes available. 
        Over a period of four years the committee worked on this project.  Finally (with the promise of sale of land owned by Rod & Gun Club) a bank loan of $20,000 was obtained in May 1987 to finish the job.  Josephine County Board of County Commissioners co-signed the note. 
        On November 3, 1987, Roger Olson presented a letter to JCSA stating that the “Indoor Range’ had passed inspection by County Building and Safety Dept. and State Fire Marshal, and for all practical purposes was ready for use.