When I first moved to the area, I drove by this area several times wondering why a public access to Lake Ocheda would have such a big parking area and the remains of a sign. I finally asked one of my coworkers who grew up in the area, and he told me that this used to be the shooting range for Nobles County. Several decades ago, the local gun club built a new range on the north side of Worthington and donated this land to the county, creating a mostly undeveloped park.
If you have never shot trap or skeet before, you use the word "pull" to signal the release of a clay pigeon. This is a hold over from the days when sport shooting was conducted with live birds in traps. The shooter would yell "Pull!" when he was ready for the bird to be released, letting his helper know to pull away part of the trap and set the bird free.
In a modern trap range, small concrete bunkers are built to house a clay pigeon thrower (still called a "trap"). Originally, a person sat inside the bunker to load and fire the clay pigeons into the air. Most ranges now have automated throwers.
Sportsman County Park is now one developed acre and six undeveloped acres. Not all of the old structures are gone, and you can still see signs of the old range. Feel free to wander the trails. Wildlife abounds here on the north shore of Lake Ocheda. Some of the area is wetland, so watch your footing in wet times.
There is no room in the cache for a pen, so please bring your own writing device. The difficulty may increase considerably in the winter.