The Scouting Report: A weekly digest

Outdoor Campus expansion, tapping maple trees, lobster hauls, Aberdeen’s dominant debaters

Loyal readers of The Dakota Scout might recall a story we brought you last summer about an expansion of the Outdoor Campus in Sioux Falls. The expansion includes a 5,000 square-foot indoor range for BB guns and archery, which includes 12 lanes and a balcony spectator area. There will be more game processing space, a walk-in cooler, two additional classrooms and restroom upgrades.

Outdoors, there will be a 60-yard range complete with canopies.

Money was the one wildcard. The expansion is expected to cost about $7 million. Game Fish & Parks agreed to contribute $4 million. The South Dakota Parks and Wildlife Foundation, a nonprofit arm of GF&P, agreed to raise the additional $3 million.

South Dakota ends college reciprocity with Minnesota

In its update published March 4, GF&P said the expansion is on track. Work on the outdoor range begins late spring, early summer, and construction on the indoor facilities starts later this fall.

The project is almost – almost – fully funded. Of the $3 million pledged by the foundation, $2.5 million has been raised. Naturally, the group is still looking for the remaining $500,000 and would be happy for your support.