The National Rifle Association of America will host its 2026 Range Development & Operations Conference on September 24-25 in Fairfax, Virginia. The conference educates range owners and operators on business planning, EPA lead standards, construction, sound abatement, insurance, ventilation, and funding. Registration is $525 with space limited to 70 attendees.
Utah's Division of Wildlife Resources is offering free and discounted shooting at Lee Kay Public Shooting Range and Cache Valley Public Shooting Range on select Saturdays in August to celebrate National Shooting Sports Month. Lee Kay Manager Blanche Smith and Cache Valley Manager Steven Bassett encourage visitors of all skill levels to visit these ranges for safe shooting opportunities.
Range USA President Tom Willingham discusses the brand's origin story and mission of safe, responsible gun ownership in a new interview. The nation's largest indoor gun range and firearm retailer, with 50 locations and 300 certified instructors, emphasizes its customer-first approach and commitment to firearm safety education.
The Wildcat Hills Shooting Complex will close July 18 for the Scotts Bluff County Fair Shooting Sports Competition. The facility at Wildcat Hills State Recreation Area south of Gering resumes regular operations July 19, open Thursday through Sunday until mid-November.
Michigan's DNR operates 15 shooting ranges across the state offering safe environments for firearm, bow, handgun, and clay target shooting. The ranges feature trained staff, modern amenities, and low-cost alternatives to private facilities. Contact Gary Jones, DNR shooting sports manager, for more information.
The Michigan Department of Natural Resources is constructing a new public shooting range on Roscommon State Forest lands in St. Helen, funded by Pittman-Robertson Wildlife Restoration grants. The Ogemaw Hills Sportsmen Association will lease and operate the staffed facility, with completion expected in fall 2026.
Range USA has expanded to 300 certified instructors across its 50 locations in 2025. The company is hiring and training additional instructors to meet growing demand for firearm education, offering expanded class availability and private lessons tailored to students' skill levels.
The Montana Shooting Sports Task Force, established by House Bill 899 sponsored by Rep. Kerri Seekins-Crowe, is seeking public input on developing future shooting sports facilities statewide. Coordinated by Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks, the task force will evaluate existing facilities and provide recommendations by October 2026. Montanans can share feedback via an online survey.
Montana's State Shooting Facilities and Improvements Development and Oversight Task Force will meet April 10 via Zoom. The task force will hear from Colorado Parks & Wildlife and South Dakota Game, Fish & Parks on shooting facility development, with recommendations due June 30, 2027.
The Lee Kay Public Shooting Range in Salt Lake City will host an open house on April 18, 2026, featuring clinics in rifle marksmanship, archery, trap and skeet shooting, and hunting dog training demonstrations. Manager Blanche Smith emphasizes the facility's importance as the only outdoor shooting range in the Salt Lake Valley, offering free range access and one free shotgun round on a first-come, first-served basis.
The shooting range at Wilbur Wright Fish & Wildlife Area will temporarily close from May 11 through August 8 for facility improvements, including new shooting benches, accessible sidewalks, and enhanced dirt backstop enhancements.
Hammond Cove Shooting Range in Hartland, Vermont opens April 2 at 10:00 a.m. under Vermont Fish and Wildlife Department rules. Range users must sign in with a safety officer and have a valid hunting or fishing license. Dylan Smith, facility and lands coordinator, encourages turkey hunters to pattern their shotguns at the range.
Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks issued a decision notice to remove and rebuild the firing line shelter at Whittecar Rifle & Pistol Range. The project received 17 public comments in support during the comment period. FWP also approved an updated lease agreement with the Club to improve communication and management efficiency.
The Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation opened a new shooting range at Copan Wildlife Management Area, 13 miles north of Bartlesville. The facility features 50-yard pistol and 100-yard rifle ranges, archery facilities, and ADA access. Funding came from the Wildlife Restoration Program, National Rifle Association's Public Range Fund, and U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.
NSSF awarded Mission94 Firearms Education Center in Kenosha, Wisconsin its Five-Star rating for range excellence. The facility, which opened in October 2024, features state-of-the-art training bays, comprehensive education programs including NSSF First Shots courses, and partnerships with the Pritzker Military Museum & Library.
Montana Fish, Wildlife, & Parks proposes to utilize Pittman Robertson funds to remove and rebuild the firing line shelter at the Whittecar Rifle & Pistol Range. FWP is also proposing an updated lease agreement with Whittecar Rifle & Pistol Club (Club).
The Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation announces the reopening of the renovated shooting range at Optima Wildlife Management Area, east of Guymon in Oklahoma’s Panhandle.
The Vermont Fish and Wildlife Department says its Hammond Cove public shooting range in Hartland and the West Mountain Wildlife Management Area public shooting range in Ferdinand will close December 14.
Beginning in Dec., the Farragut Shooting Range Center will adopt updated days and hours of operation. The adjustments reflect recent patterns in public use and are intended to help Idaho Fish and Game make the best use of staff and financial resources required to operate the facility.
Target shooting at Nebraska’s Wagon Train Wildlife Management Area is prohibited effective immediately to help ensure the safety of the public. The decision was made after continued unsafe shooting practices at the WMA, which is adjacent to Wagon Train State Recreation Area about 25 miles south of Lincoln.