As a big bday gift, I took Pete to here for a clay shooting lesson. We both loved it and it was a great gift! We were a group of four and each couple had one instructor. Paula was incredible! So patient, clear, supportive and warm. She was the perfect instructor and we learned so much from her knowledge and approach. Speaking of warm, it was FREEZING when we went, snow on the ground, the whole 9. No problem for us because Orvis lights fire pits in winter right by your individual shooting sites! The clay shooting itself is very fun and challenging. Our instructor Paula gave us great tips on hitting the target, gun safety and usage. She was an outstanding teacher! We absolutely loved this entire experience and plan to go back once per season. read more

Orvis - Gun/Rifle Ranges Near Me - Millbrook, New York

Had a fantastic time clay shooting with 3 other friends. Our guide, Joe, was fantastic! Super helpful and generous with assistance and time. Really made it fun. The grounds are beautiful and the options at each stand are well thought through, ranging from relatively easy to difficult. Bit expensive but great experience overall. We went on a weekday, which was not busy and gave us plenty of time. Will definitely be back. read more

Orvis - Orvis logo - Gun/Rifle Ranges Near Me - Millbrook, New York

Amazing gun range! I went here with seven friends for my 35th birthday, and it was amazing. It was peak fall foliage, and the grounds were beautiful. Our instructor was really knowledgeable and helpful; in my group, we all were able to hit our shots! For some people, it was their very first time shooting, and they made more than 90% of their shots! We had lunch on the grounds, and the food was delicious. I would definitely come back here and urge my friends to come here if they want to learn how to clay shoot read more

Orvis - Gun/Rifle Ranges Near Me - Millbrook, New York

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THE UNOFFICIAL GUIDE TO ORVIS SANDANONA (Winter/Spring 2021) I'm fortunate to visit Orvis quite a bit, and thought it might be useful to answer a few questions regarding the experience. The first time I visited Sandanona I had never fired a shotgun in my life, and I gather many people reading this review might be in the same boat. In short: Sandanona is beautiful, impeccably run, and one of the best places in the country to learn to shoot or even just spend a nice day out of the city. Where is Orvis Sandanona? About 1.5 hours North of NYC in the Hudson Valley town of Millbrook. Millbrook is a really pretty town in and of itself and worth a trip even without visiting Orvis. "Downtown" Millbrook is about 10 minutes from Orvis and features plenty of nice restaurants and shops. How do I get to Sandanona? You will need to drive. If you live in the city you will likely need to rent a car, though it may be theoretically possible to get there via train and taxi. Who goes to Sandanona? One of the great things about Orvis is that it draws a pretty diverse crowd. Frequent guests include local Hudson Valley residents (many of whom are members), groups of friends coming up from NYC, or even experienced shooters driving in from out of state. They are highly welcoming to all experience levels and backgrounds, which isn't always the case for shooting facilities. In the parking lot you're likely to see everything from Range Rovers and Bentleys to beat up Jeeps. What is there to do at Sandanona? There is a full Orvis retail store on site as well as facilities for fly fishing instruction. However, the main activity here is shotgun shooting in the form of instruction and sporting clays. I've never shot a gun before. How does this work? Orvis is perhaps the best facility in the United States for those who are new to shooting. They have a large set of qualified instructors who are used to working with inexperienced shooters. There are multiple teaching areas designed for this exact purpose. For a new shooter it is a good idea to get a lesson before proceeding into the course (the main part of the shooting facility). You can book these directly or they usually have a Groupon type deal available designed for first time shooters! How do I book a lesson? It's just as simple as it sounds. Call them, and say "I've never done this before and want to book a lesson." They will ask you if you have your own gun or equipment. Assuming you don't, just say no. What do I need to bring? The short answer is that just about everything is provided. Orvis will provide you with a shotgun, ammo, hearing protection, and eye protection. They have nice rental shotguns that are generally either Orvis branded or made by Caesar Guerini. These rental shotguns retail for $3k-$5k+, and it's not uncommon for shooters on the course to be using guns that are worth $10k-$20k. What should I wear? There is no formal dress code, though now's a good time to break out your Barbour if you have one. You will be spending as much as several hours outdoors so dress appropriately for the season. A hat and sunglasses are a good idea as well. You may be walking up to a few miles if you don't rent a cart, so good outdoor boots or sneakers are the best footwear choice. This sounds a bit intimidating? What do I do when the get there? Almost everyone who works at Sandanona is super friendly. As mentioned above, this facility is particularly welcoming and safe for new shooters. If you're confused- just ask! (May vary during COVID) When you arrive go into the main clubhouse (up the steps from the parking lot) and head to the front desk/register to check in. Is shooting a shotgun scary? Not at all! You will be set up with a high-end rental gun that fits you, and you will have an experienced instructor guiding you every step of the way. Most people are able to break clays on their first lesson, even if they've never shot a gun before. Know Your Lingo: Trapper- similar to a caddie in golf. A person who will guide you around the sporting clays course and launch ("pull") targets for you. Always tip your trapper! Over/Under- the type of shotgun Orvis rents and the type used by most competitive sporting clays shooters. It literally has two barrels on top of each other, one over and one under. Bird- a clay pigeon, not a real bird in this case! Trap- the device/machine used to throw the clay. Eyes/Ears- short for eye and ear protection. A must when shooting at Orvis or anywhere else. Shell- a shotgun shoots a shell. Station- one of the shooting areas. Each one is different and there are 20+ on the old sporting clays course alone! Now get out there and enjoy! Spending a day at Orvis is an incredibly fun and unique experience. The facilities are top notch, the staff are amazing, and the surroundings are beautiful. Thanks for reading!!! read more

Orvis - A roaring fire in the beautiful clubhouse (parts of which date to the Jefferson administration!) - Gun/Rifle Ranges Near Me - Millbrook, New York

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My experience at Orvis Sandanona was many years ago and I found it to be superb. We had our own shotguns with us and the Sporting Clay course was impeccable. Another time we attended the Vintagers event. Another wonderful experience. If people are unaware of the protocols of this sort of place and this sport they shouldn't criticize due to their own shortcomings. read more

It was a very good lunch limited menu but fitting to a lodge outing. Local fair, hearty options and a definite stop by again and it's open to the public read more

An amazing experience with wonderful staff. Patty, Paula and Howard were great. Looking forward to coming back! read more

Orvis - Gun/Rifle Ranges Near Me - Millbrook, New York

Exceptional service and friendly staff. I booked my wife an upland school for Christmas. Sean has been an amazing instructor for her and the rest of the staff made me feel right at home. The sporting clays course (there are two) are well maintained and they even had fire pits to warm you up. Highly recommend! read more

The Bad - Salmon: Overcooked and under seasoned The Good - House Salad: Great portion for its price-- might have overdone it with the dressing though - Love the club house: Fire place and unlimited beverages as well as doughnuts yum - Cozy place that welcomes pets - Instructor was very friendly The Bottomline: I came here with the giltcity voucher for four. Totally worth it. Without the voucher, it may be a tad too expensive for some. I'll be back for their other levels. .. Not necessarily for their bird shooting. read more

Orvis - Inside club house - Gun/Rifle Ranges Near Me - Millbrook, New York

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The staff at Orvis is very friendly and extremely knowledgeable. There are not many places that have experts like Orvis. I'm always amazed by their knowledge and years of experience. read more

Orvis - Gun/Rifle Ranges Near Me - Millbrook, New York

So much fun! I took my boyfriend shooting for his birthday. Neither of us had shot before, but Henry explained everything in detail before we used the guns and gave us tips throughout the over two hours out. It was freezing cold today, but if you dress warm enough you won't have any problems doing this right through the winter. Definitely a must do! read more

The Good: Orvis Sandanona is a beautiful clays facility. It is nice having the well stocked store at your fingertips including the restaurant on the premises. The atmosphere is hard to beat as you feel like you have stepped into another world when you are there. The Bad: James Ross the head instructor at Orvis has the worst attitude among anyone in any customer oriented business I have ever seen!!! This guy has got to go... Too bad that one bad egg is allowed to continue to tarnish the Orvis name. I am a regular at Orvis but no longer bring clients or friends to the club because I do not want my guests to run into James and ruin their day. read more

What a beautiful place! I received a Groupon as a birthday gift for a shooting lesson and lunch for two. I personally have never been clay shooting before,but I will definitely be back! Our lunch was very yummy. It was all very fresh vegetables, great service, and such a clean dining room. The brownie dessert was delicious as well. After that, our lesson with Andy was a lot of fun. He definitely knows his stuff. Not only was he very informative for two first-time shooters, but he was able to guide us both based on where our eye drifted and was able to identify our hesitations. He definitely helped me shake off the nerves and enjoy the rest of our lesson. My Groupon was for an hour lesson for two people, but I can't imagine using the 4 person voucher in an hour. It would probably be a bit tight on time. Top notch lesson and I will certainly be back. Definitely not your average experience, I would recommend especially for couples/friends looking for something fun to do! read more

This was my first time ever going clay shooting and we had a really great time. We also purchased the voucher on giltcity, which included an hour lesson for two and a "3 course lunch". Our instructor Ben, was friendly, knowledgeable and prompt. He really took the time to answer our questions and did it in a way that felt like true coaching. We arrived pretty close to our lesson time, we didn't have any trouble finding the place, google maps pretty much directed us right to the front entrance. We went out for our orientation and then 5 minute walk up to where the shooting stand was. We saw three deer, just hanging out, which I thought was strange (gunshots everywhere, it's about the last place I'd want to be if I was a deer) but Ben said they're there all the time and are used to the sounds. The lunch is served in a lodge like atmosphere and our waitress was funny and friendly. Three courses, yes, but I don't know that I would want to have paid $35 pp for this lunch without a voucher. I had the turkey noodle soup which was fresh and tasty (the meat wasn't truly from a turkey but it still tasted pretty good), beef stew which was very good and served with a parsley garnish and a brownie. This all came with unlimited coffee (which was needed because my hands were freezing after our hour outside) and soft drinks available in the other room. The store in the lodge has a lot of really nice things in it. However, I did get a bit of sticker shock checking the price of one of the jackets ($699!oof). It's a really fun thing to try if you've never done it before, but I agree shooting pieces of pottery might be all I have the stomach for. read more

Had a great time here. It's a bit on the expensive side but it does have great options for different traps at each station. The facility itself is great and the customer service there was attentive from the time we walked into the store. Very challenging stations. I do like unlike the other sporting clay location we go to , that you can make a reservation (similar to a tee time). Mandatory for the course is a trapper so be sure to tip your trappers. The club house is nice with the fire place being attended to every 15 minutes; country feel and the onsite restaurant. read more

I took my boyfriend here after scoring a deal on gilt. Our deal included a meal and a lesson. We arrived early, despite getting lost (this place is super hard to find) and were seated in the waiting area for our instructor. Donuts and tea/coffee was out for the taking in the waiting area so that was cool. The instructor took a really long time to come - if I remember correctly he was late for our lesson. On top of his tardiness, he wasn't the friendliest guy, but I admit he appeared to be very skilled in his trade. He walked us over to where we'd be shooting (a 7 minute or so walk) in complete silence, not even barely attempting to make us feel welcome. Maybe he was having a bad day or maybe he's just over his job - in which case he needs to find something else to do. The lesson was thorough but was cut slightly short. It's a huge pet peeve of mine when you pay for a specific amount of time and get shortchanged hence the low stars. I was able to hit only a few. My boyfriend fared way better. We were able to get the instructor to take a picture of us pretending to shoot at the end of the lessons. After that we went back and had our lunch that came with the deal. I go the salmon and I don't remember what else. It was decent but you could definitely skip the food. It's just a way to pad the value of the gilt voucher. All in all, it was a different date experience and kind of cool but the bad service put me off to ever going back. Besides the normal prices are astronomical for what you appear to get - especially if you are not a huge fan of the sport. read more

Came with a large group on a combination of Groupons and Pulsd vouchers... Based on our experience, I think the vouchers are great if you get the 2 person group. Otherwise, it is simply not enough time to shoot with 4 people. The hour long lesson for 4 included this ritual of returning the rifle to the rack in between each person using it. Seems like an OK way to learn gun safety, I guess. But also a huge time zap when you've already got 4 shooters, used up 10 minutes walking to and from the shooting grounds, and your instructor ends the lesson JUST shy of the actual 1 hour mark. I would typically tip an instructor, unfortunately it just didn't feel deserved on this particular day. Still I would give Orvis 4 stars because with a group of 2, the hour long lesson is plenty of shooting. Also, most of our party got back to the clubhouse a bit past the 1 hour lesson mark, showing that their instructors used the full hour shooting- and didn't include the time it takes to get acquainted and walk over the grounds as part of the lesson. The food is nothing special and I would definitely not buy lunch here again... lol... but it was fine and the server was pleasant. And we would definitely come back to shoot, but probably not for another lesson. read more

Came with a friend on a Groupon which included a shooting lesson and lunch. We were scheduled for lunch first. Shannon escorted us to the dining room and she was so sweet and lovely. They were serving two kinds of soup, we both had the Chili and absolutely loved it. Then my friend had a Reuben and I had the Turkey and Brie wrap. Both were nice. They even gave us hot chocolate chip cookies. Our instructor was James Ross and he was very nice, extremely knowledgeable and very intense. He taught us the right way and was very detailed and methodical in his lesson. We were VERY pleased. We hit several targets each and left very happy. This is an amazing experience and I recommend it highly. read more

This is my 2nd time at the Orvis Shotgun Classic. While it's not cheap to attend it's a great time. You get unlimited shooting and great food. The employees are very helpful and you get to meet many interesting people from all over. read more

I shoot sporting clays here often. The trappers are all friendly and professional. The course is fun and offers a lot of variety. In contrast, the sales people in the retail store are rude and sour, but interaction can be minimized to arrival and payment. read more

This is one of my "happy places,' a beautiful sporting clays course running through lovely Dutchess County rolling landscape. There is a nice gun and clothing shop if you need anything, but we come here regularly for sporting clays. The trappers and staff are top-drawer. It's not cheap, but it's worth every sou. read more

Great experience at Orvis Sandanona. Purchased a Groupon for two people, clay shooting and lunch. What an amazing place! Staff was incredibly friendly, especially our instructor, Jim. He was knowledgeable, patient, encouraging, and made us both feel comfortable and relaxed. Lunch was great as well! Will definitely be going back and recommending to friends. read more

A beautiful early spring day. A "free ranging" ringneck pheasant walked across my path as I arrived at 8:45AM. Donna and Brie were knowledgable and cheerful in the clubhouse, and my trapper, Johnny K, threw targets where I was able to hit them and offered polite and useful advice to improve my technique. Warm sun and a cool breeze. Nothing like it! Five stars+ read more

1.5 hr drive from Long island and easy to find. Great service! Upon getting there we were greeted with smiles, coffee, tea and delicious jelly donuts by the fireplace. We had never been clay shooting before and our instructor Bob was patient and informed us well. Lunch was included and we had a great 3-course meal with great service from Anderson. Had a great time, and was a fun day trip. We'll be back! read more

Very beautiful course however staff was unfriendly and instruction was generic also extremely costly this place caters to the rich and you feel that way the second you arrive read more

I agree with the reviews that staff has a bad attitude toward inexperienced shooters. You would think they'd want to accommodate corporate/client outings, but instead i was walking on eggshells the whole time hoping staff would not be too rude to my clients. read more

What an incredible experience! I got my boyfriend and myself a one-hour shooting lesson for his birthday. Money well spent! This place is insanely beautiful, and really well kept. The staff at the pro shop were super friendly. We got paired with James Ross, the Chief Shooting Instructor, and boy did we luck out! I don't know how anyone could say anything negative about him (see reviews below). He was positive, friendly, and knowledgeable, and not only did we learn how to shoot clays, but we learned so much about the guns and the property as well. James told us exactly what to do, and made analogies to sports so we understood how to shoot correctly. I've never even held a gun before, and I hit the very first clay thanks to James' incredible instruction! Although pricey, you definitely get what you pay for in terms of quality of service. This was definitely a highlight of our weekend, and I would HIGHLY recommend this as an activity if you're in the area. I hope we can go back again soon! read more

Who knew that shooting a 12 gauge shotgun could be so fun. Instructors are super friendly and very helpful with pointers. Have been a couple of times for corporate events and the dining room, while having limited food options, is surprisingly good. read more