Posted: 5/30/2013 12:42:29 PM EDT
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From June 5th through August 1st, for improvements. I got this email today from the DNR:
DATE: May 30, 2013 CONTACT: Bruce Folley 608-575-9288; Keith Warnke 608-576-5243; Bob Manwell 608-275-3317 SUBJECT: Yellowstone shooting range to close June 5 for upgrades FITCHBURG, Wis. – The public shooting range at the Yellowstone Wildlife Area on County Highway F near Fayette in Lafayette County will be closed beginning June 5 for range safety improvements and addition of features that will provide accessible parking and shooting. Backstops will be improved and berms constructed down the sides of all ranges for added safety. Plans also call for improving drainage, constructing a roof over all firing lines and installing new shooting benches. MZ Construction, Inc., of Linden Wisconsin will do the work with an estimated completion date of August 1, 2013. The planned project cost of $210,000 will be funded with $185,000 from the federal Pittman-Robertson Federal Aid in Wildlife Restoration Act fund and a $25,000 grant from the National Rifle Association Range Grant Program Enacted in 1937, Pittman-Robertson collects an excise tax on purchases of firearms, ammunition and archery equipment. Money is sent back to individual states and a portion of the dollars must be used to educate and train hunters through hunter safety classes and shooting ranges. “This will be a great and welcome upgrade to the Yellowstone range,” said Bruce Folley, wildlife biologist with the Department of Natural Resources. “Yellowstone is the only free shooting range found on public land for many miles around. It’s popular and has been showing its age for some time now. Currently, it does not offer accessible parking or shooting. Closure during the summer months will be inconvenient for some but it will be open in time for the fall hunting seasons and I think folks will really like the improvements.” Project specifications call for recovering as much lead as possible from the existing backstops for recycling. For shooting options during the construction phase the National Shooting Sports Foundation maintains a list of shooting ranges at wheretoshoot.org. |
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Thanks a bunch for the heads up! While it's disappointing not to have the range that long, I am sure they will do a good job on it and we'll be pleased with the results. I was planning on taking a noob over there this spring but it looks like that shooting/fishing trip will have to wait.
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Quoted: Sounds like it'll be super nice when done. And FWIW... I couldn't think of a better time to do it than in an ammo shortage like we have now.  Until some asshat shoots up the new benches, signs, and roof. The downside to a free public range seems to be an increased number of fuckwits. At least at Yellowstone.
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Quoted:
Quoted:
Sounds like it'll be super nice when done. And FWIW... I couldn't think of a better time to do it than in an ammo shortage like we have now. Until some asshat shoots up the new benches, signs, and roof. The downside to a free public range seems to be an increased number of fuckwits. At least at Yellowstone. I saw a guy show to teach his friend to shoot a .22 with no ear pro. I was shooting a 30-30 and 5.56, not quiet gun by any stretch |
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Quoted:
Quoted:
Sounds like it'll be super nice when done. And FWIW... I couldn't think of a better time to do it than in an ammo shortage like we have now. Until some asshat shoots up the new benches, signs, and roof. The downside to a free public range seems to be an increased number of fuckwits. At least at Yellowstone. I never understood the need to destroy everything in sight. Why is it so fun to wreck other peoples shit? I know there are stupid people out there. For example, I have my own range on a family farm. I have spent all my own time and money to set up back boards, stands and benches. The property owner lets others use the range. I have no real control over that as long as the don't destroy stuff, and pick up after themselves. Yet they insist on putting up targets right on the vertical 4x4's and then proceed to shoot through them and destroy them. I decided to paint red stripes down the front of the 4x4's to help prevent people from doing this. Think it worked? No! I was shooting there once with my nephew, when 2 guys come in and ask if it's ok to shoot? I said no problem they said they knew the property owner. We let them put targets up and what do they do? They put them all up over the 4x4's. I waited till they came back and asked them to please move them because they would be destroying the uprights. They just said "Oh, ok". Are people really that damn stupid? Sadly I know they are. |
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Quoted: Yes. This week 2 days after Boone installed new roofs on all of the shooting ranges, someone on the pistol range put 2 (not 1 but 2) rounds into the overhang soffit. :( Quoted: Quoted: Are people really that damn stupid? Sadly I know they are. Yes. This week 2 days after Boone installed new roofs on all of the shooting ranges, someone on the pistol range put 2 (not 1 but 2) rounds into the overhang soffit. :( Just hearing that pisses me off. I would give anything to have a facility like that near me. Meanwhile, some asshat who has access to a beautiful range like that goes and shoots holes in the firing line roof.
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Quoted:
Yes. This week 2 days after Boone installed new roofs on all of the shooting ranges, someone on the pistol range put 2 (not 1 but 2) rounds into the overhang soffit. :( Quoted:
Quoted:
Are people really that damn stupid? Sadly I know they are. Yes. This week 2 days after Boone installed new roofs on all of the shooting ranges, someone on the pistol range put 2 (not 1 but 2) rounds into the overhang soffit. :( Seriously!? WTF is wrong with people? I was out there 2 weeks ago, it looked like it'll be really nice once all the work is done! |
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http://dnr.wi.gov/news/BreakingNews_Lookup.asp?id=2885
NoooOooooOoooooo! FITCHBURG, Wis. – The planned Aug. 1 reopening of the Yellowstone Wildlife Area Shooting Range on County Highway F near Fayette in Lafayette County has been delayed, possibly until Sept. 1, due to the heavy early summer rains, which hampered construction.
“The work that has been completed looks great,” said Bruce Folley, Department of Natural Resources wildlife biologist. “I think shooters are really going to like the improvements but it’s going to take a while longer to finish the job. We are sorry for the delay but the weather just wasn’t cooperating earlier this summer. Looks like I'll have to look into Baraboo (Circus) or some other cheap private range to get my shooting fix in... |