Posted on 12/29/2013 8:56:47 AM PST by marktwain
MADISON — More high-quality shooting opportunities for the public are on the way thanks to a Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources cost-share grant program for public and private shooting ranges.
The Shooting Range Grant Program is funded by the Wildlife Restoration Grant, also known as the Pittman-Robertson, which is fund supported by a 10 to 11 percent excise tax on firearms and ammunition. For the first time in several years, this money has been made available to increase public access to quality, safe shooting opportunities throughout the state and improving both public and private shooting ranges. The DNR is awarding 12 shooting ranges full or partial funding for their projects ranging from $1,500 to $84,000. A total of nearly $280,000 will be spent on all the projects combined.
With an estimated 800,000 shooters and hunters in Wisconsin and recent strong growth in interest in shooting, providing access to safe, quality places to shoot is a priority for the DNR.
“The best place for someone to learn to shoot and to practice shooting is at a well-managed and maintained range,” Keith Warnke, DNR hunting and shooting sports coordinator. “This grant program will help range operators and clubs provide high quality shooting opportunities around the state.”
(Excerpt) Read more at sheboyganpress.com ...
Good to hear. NYS does the same thing.
That will be the least of the regulations. Just like Obamacare, they’ll probably mandate fees to clean up all the contaminants on the range, annual inspections on disposal of lead contaminants, separate facilities for breast-feeding moms, proper setbacks or separation from residential/rural homes, mandatory testing of the groundwater and hi-def security cameras, as well as padlocked lockers to store all arms and ammunition when not in use. It’s one size fits all when it comes to government regs.
And if the range doesn’t meet government expectations, like certain health plans, will the range have to close or face expensive upgrades to be brought into compliance?
Much can be learned about those who use public ranges. Until recently, Canada required that everyone with a firearm register not only the firearm but the routes that each firearm owner would take directly to a range and back home after a purchase.
Travel with a firearm outside of the designated route was a crime. Might still be, but the registry for rifles was ended not long ago. The law required permission in advance from a provincial chief firearms officer to purchase a firearm, so in some areas, the elite folks were allowed to purchase firearms before being restricted to those routes.
You’re partly right — those rules apply to handguns. There was a ‘long gun’ registry, until our Conservative government recently axed it. However, there was no requirement to register routes, etc. for long guns.
Thank you.
WI DNR to allow public access to private shooting ranges
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