The Wyoming State Shooting Complex has its first event on the books. 

CEO Patrick Giles announced at the Aug. 13 meeting he has secured the National Rifle League (NRL) Hunter Grand Slam season championship event for September 2027. In the past, Gunwerks has hosted a spring NRL event — though the Cody gunmaker didn’t host one this spring — so the organizers are familiar with the area, Giles said. 

“This is definitely going to be a huge first big event for the complex,” Giles said. “So thrilled to have it. Thrilled to bring these shooters back to Cody.”

The event will actually occur prior to the completion of the events center. Board member and Cody Mayor Lee Ann Reiter said the complex should try and book more such events that don’t require the events center. 

“If we can come across any other events that aren't going to require a conference center, I’d like to just start booking without the event center,” she said. “I’d like to start booking the events if we can start filling the calendar. This is excellent news.”

According to the NRL Hunter website, the competition is a field-shooting sport built around realistic hunting scenarios. Competitors engage steel targets at unknown distances from natural field positions, using the same skills that make a capable, ethical hunter.

Giles said match director Landon Michaels is a local resident and a seasoned match director. The match is invitation-only and, as the season championship, brings in the competition’s top shooters. 

“I think they're very eager to come back after this year's hiatus,” Giles said. 

Long Range University

Gunwerks started a “Long Range University” in 2007, soon after producing its first long range rifle. The university is a three level course for new Gunwerks rifle system owners to get acquainted with their new rifles and become able to shoot game at distance. Students learn how to hit a target out to 1,000 yards, deal with wind and other environmental changes, make ethical shot decisions and more.

Much of the training has occurred at the company’s Burlington range, but now, complex board member Bryan Mick said at the meeting, he’s in advanced talks with Gunwerks to have the university operate at the shooting complex. 

“That'll bring roughly 1,000 people to Cody over the course of a year to see the Gunwerks facility, grab their gun and get some instruction on some of these higher-end guns,” Mick said. “So we're pretty excited about that … We think the synergy with the weekend events and our optionality to move around some weeks should not hamper the rest of our efforts in terms of attracting the long-range and fixed distance to the facility.”

Giles, a former Gunwerks employee, said it could be a mutually beneficial agreement and the complex would be a great experience for those who do the Long Range University.

“I’m excited about the opportunity,” he said.