Anyone interested in this range remaining open needs to sign up at the Clark State Forest office and leave a mailing address. There will most likely be a public meeting regarding the range in the next few months. If some resolutions to some problems are not addressed, the range will most likely be closed. Things to be discussed at this meeting would be the possiblilty of volunteers to help monitor/clean/upkeep the range, application of user fees/donations, possible upgrades and alternatives.
I would like to state the facts about the range itself, as it now stands, as I see a lot of false information within the comments here.
-The range is currently free-don't expect first class facilities, do expect some inconveniences such as the range being closed for certain reasons.
-Starting in Sept., range hrs changed. It is now closed until noon on Mon. and Fri. If a holiday falls on Mon. or Fri., the noon opening time falls on Tues. or Thurs. This change was implemented to simplify things at the maintenance level. As I have seen stated here, the amount of household trash, i.e. propane tanks, recliners, tv's, computers, water heaters etc., has been increasing on the range. What should take a normal hour or two, sometimes turns into several trips to dispose of garbage. Therefore, noon gives maintenance plenty of time to get it done without having pressure from shooters to hurry up because they expect it to be open.
-The range is closed on Sunday...not for law enforcement, but out of respect for a nearby church...the church is less than a mile away. The range can be heard for several miles, especially on busy days.
-The range is also closed when law enforcement groups want to use it for qualifications or practice. This generally occurs a couple times a month...again, an inconvenience, but still free to this point.
-The area is patrolled daily, but enforcement is next to impossible. The state relies on 'self-enforcement', or the threat of possibly being caught by law enforcement being non-compliant. This tactic works for a majority, but the few paint a bad picture for everyone.
-Sign-in is mandatory and you can be fined for failing to do so. This gives the state usage numbers as well as information in the case of an accident. Again, it's free to this point...if the few miles it takes to sign in and out breaks you, try a private club.
I am sure of these facts, and hopefully this will clear up some obvious common misconceptions. Overall, nothing with the range has changed much over the years. The biggest issue is the abuse of the area by what I am sure is a select few individuals. If you are interested in keeping the range open, contact Clark State Forest with your name and mailing address.
I would like to state the facts about the range itself, as it now stands, as I see a lot of false information within the comments here.
-The range is currently free-don't expect first class facilities, do expect some inconveniences such as the range being closed for certain reasons.
-Starting in Sept., range hrs changed. It is now closed until noon on Mon. and Fri. If a holiday falls on Mon. or Fri., the noon opening time falls on Tues. or Thurs. This change was implemented to simplify things at the maintenance level. As I have seen stated here, the amount of household trash, i.e. propane tanks, recliners, tv's, computers, water heaters etc., has been increasing on the range. What should take a normal hour or two, sometimes turns into several trips to dispose of garbage. Therefore, noon gives maintenance plenty of time to get it done without having pressure from shooters to hurry up because they expect it to be open.
-The range is closed on Sunday...not for law enforcement, but out of respect for a nearby church...the church is less than a mile away. The range can be heard for several miles, especially on busy days.
-The range is also closed when law enforcement groups want to use it for qualifications or practice. This generally occurs a couple times a month...again, an inconvenience, but still free to this point.
-The area is patrolled daily, but enforcement is next to impossible. The state relies on 'self-enforcement', or the threat of possibly being caught by law enforcement being non-compliant. This tactic works for a majority, but the few paint a bad picture for everyone.
-Sign-in is mandatory and you can be fined for failing to do so. This gives the state usage numbers as well as information in the case of an accident. Again, it's free to this point...if the few miles it takes to sign in and out breaks you, try a private club.
I am sure of these facts, and hopefully this will clear up some obvious common misconceptions. Overall, nothing with the range has changed much over the years. The biggest issue is the abuse of the area by what I am sure is a select few individuals. If you are interested in keeping the range open, contact Clark State Forest with your name and mailing address.
