When Steve and Patti Williams first got started, they had no way of knowing just how far the idea of generating some extra income by hunting pheasants on the family farm might take them. It seemed a bit foreign and maybe not worth the effort at first. Collecting all the necessary permits was a big hurdle. Dozens of public hearings generated a huge amount of free publicity, and their business grew quickly. Enrolling in the Conservation Reserve Program helped the farm get out of its dependency on cash crops, allowing most of the property to be converted into pheasant habitat. There was a strong commitment to conservation from the beginning. It had been a long time since the land had been given a rest.

Owning and hunting English Setters his entire life, Steve knew plenty about bird dogs and bird hunters. He knew that if he liked the set-up and what he saw on the land, other hunters would as well. The know-how of growing up with the farm didn’t hurt either. Raising quality game birds, doing field work or even taking care of customers requires paying attention to details and anticipating the rhythm of the seasons. Things seemed to naturally come together.

With the addition of two sons and a daughter, their trigger happy family took to sporting clays, as did much of the clay busting world over the past 20 years. The Williams have never missed shooting in the state championship, or opportunities to help young people get started in the shooting sports. Volunteering to coordinate the Learn to Hunt Turkey Program in Waukesha County and hosting The Great Cancer Shootout are two of their most recent passions. They have many people to thank for being able to earn a living at something so many people enjoy, especially their customers!

About Us

Established in 1848, the first descendants of the Williams family used the word “wern” from their native Welsh language to describe their new dairy farm meaning a fertile valley surrounded by hills. ( See “The History of Wern Farms”). 160 years later the farm is still owed by the Williams family and since 1984 has been operated as both farm and hunt/gun club. The farm was at one time, among the biggest in the United States.

At over 600 acres on the main farm, and with the lease of the Schuett Farm property a few minutes to the south, Wern Valley has more than a dozen large, varied, and well managed hunting areas. Miles of access roads and foot trails are maintained year round. One of just a few clubs that raises and hunts pheasant on the same property, the Club currently produces close to 40,000 quality game birds, almost all of which are released for hunting by Club members and their guests.

Sporting clays was added in 1986, with well over 50 teams participating in our summer league each year. Numerous well-run registered, fundraising and other fun shoots are held throughout the summer sporting clays season including the Miller Lite Team USA Selection Shoot, State and Zone shoots. The Great Cancer Shootout held each year in late July has raised over $165,000 for cancer research.

McMiller Sports Center, owned by the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources and operated under lease by Wern Valley, was brought on board in 1994 to protect and enhance the sporting clays side of the business. The Club has been involved in numerous pro-hunting and pro-gun legislative efforts over the years.

Thanks to the dedication of our staff and membership, the Club offers youth hunting and shooting programs like the Learn to Hunt Turkey Program and Hunter Safety Education Classes that have resulted in more than a thousand first time hunters having passed through our doors.

Whether it’s a well run shoot, outstanding hunting cover, premium gamebirds or our friendly staff and fair prices, our reputation often speaks for itself. See you on the range and in the field!