PRATT – The National Shooting Sports Foundation has announced that August is National Shooting Sports Month, celebrating the passion millions of Americans have for target shooting. Recreational shooting is a safe and fun activity enjoyed by people of all ages, whether in competitive venues or target plinking just for fun. Target shooting is also great preparation for the coming hunting seasons.
To learn more about National Shooting Sports Month, go to www.shootingsportsmonth.org, where you’ll find listings of events and promotions by state, promotion type and location. You can also learn more about how to get involved in National Shooting Sports Month, whether you’re in retail, manufacturing, involved with a shooting range or organization or are a shooter.
To find shooting ranges in Kansas, go to www.ksoutdoors.com and click “Activities” then “Shooting Ranges”. There you’ll find a listing of all shooting ranges, which can be searched by county of location. Under “Archery” in the “Activities” drop-down menu, you’ll find a list of archery target ranges located on public land.
There are five Kansas Department of Wildlife, Parks and Tourism (KDWPT) shooting ranges operated by friends groups within state parks or on wildlife areas: Fancy Creek Range in Tuttle Creek State Park, Hillsdale Range and Training Facility in Hillsdale State Park, Cheney Shooting Range on Cheney Wildlife Area, Hollister Shooting Range on the Hollister Wildlife Area, Shawnee State Fishing Lake Hunter Education Range and a soon to open range at El Dorado State Park. KDWPT ranges offer handgun and rifle lanes, and some offer skeet and trap ranges. There are also archery target ranges on the following KDWPT areas: Byron Walker Wildlife Area, Clinton State Park, Eisenhower State Park, El Dorado State Park, Glen Elder State Park, Hillsdale State Park, Historic Lake Scott State Park, Lovewell State Park, Olathe Prairie Center, Prairie Dog State Park, Pratt Operations Office, Tuttle Creek State Park and Webster State Park.
Recreational shooting is a lifelong activity that not only gets you outdoors with family and friends but it also supports state wildlife agencies, which receive funding derived from excise taxes on firearms and ammunition through the Wildlife and Sport Fish Restoration (WSFR) program. WSFR provides match funds to state wildlife agencies to be used for fish and wildlife programs, as well as public shooting range development.
