The Range Report -- Winter 2010

NSSF Range Partnership Grants!Get in on the FundingOpportunity

Host First Shots:Program is paying off in a big way

Nevada’s Tale of Two Facilities

Vol. 13 No. 1 Winter 2010

Offer Hunter Ed:Become the home for new shooters

NSSF Range Partnership Grants!Get in on the FundingOpportunity

Host First Shots:Program is Paying Off in a Big Way

Nevada’s Tale of Two Facilities

NSSF’s Magazine for Club Officers & Managers of Shooting Facilities

Q&A: How to Attract Women to Your Range

HOST A FIRST SHOTS EVENT

An introduction to shooting

Increase range traffic. Convert beginners. Reactivate former participants.Turn first-time shooters into repeat customers.

WWW.NSSF.ORG/FIRSTSHOTS.ORG

HIT ALL YOUR TARGETS

Hosting a First Shots® seminar is the sure-fire way to drive traffic to your range. It intro-

duces newcomers to the sport. It reactivates former participants. And it turns first-time

shooters into loyal repeat customers. Simply put, host a First Shots event and everybody

wins. The National Shooting Sports Foundation will make it as easy as possible, just visit

www.firstshots.org/schedule or call 203-426-1320. You’ll receive a free Reference

Guide and all the ammunition you need to drive more traffic.

7

Features

Hunter EducationMake your range the gateway andhome for new shootersBy Michael D. Faw

A Tale of Two FacilitiesIt was a down and up year for twohigh-profile Nevada facilitiesBy C. Douglas Nielsen

Range Grants Fund New IdeasNSSF has made money available toadvance participation. Learn whatsome ranges did with grants and howyou can apply for fundsBy Cathy Glazer

First Shots Continues to Bring in NewShootersBring this recruitment success story toyour facilityBy Cyndi Dalena and Sarah Morton

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Departments

4Letter from the EditorRemember the AlamoBy Glenn Sapir

Sighting InScoping out news for the shooting range communityBy Glenn Sapir

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6Q&AAttract women to your rangeBy Christine Williamson, Robin Ball andDenise Raum

The Undercover ShooterCountry shooting at Kansas City’s doorstep

Home on the RangeA newcomer’s first visitBy Randy Clark

2022

www.nssf.org • www.wheretoshoot.org • www.rangeinfo.org

© 2010 National Shooting Sports Foundation, Inc. All Rights Reserved. TheRange ReportSM, SHOT Show® and all other trade names, trademarks andservice marks of the National Shooting Sports Foundation appearing inthis publication are the sole property of the Foundation and may not beused without the Foundation’s prior express written permission. All othercompany and product names are trademarks or registered trademarks oftheir respective owners.

3The Range Report ■ Winter 2010

On the cover: Offering hunter education spawns newhunters and creates potential lifelongcustomers.

Photo by Michael D. Faw

Vol. 13 No. 1 Winter 2010

17

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717

Editorial and Advertising OfficesFlintlock Ridge Office Center

11 Mile Hill Road Newtown, CT 06470-2359

Tel:203-426-1320Fax: 203-426-1245

E-mail: [email protected]

Visit us on the Webwww.nssf.org

www.wheretoshoot.orgwww.rangeinfo.org

The Range Report, the magazine for club officers and managers of shooting facilities, published fourtimes per year by the National Shooting Sports Foundation, is dedicated to serving the needs and to helping meet the challenges oftoday’s shooting facilities.

The Range Report encourages letters, comments, suggestions, questions and tips. Material to bereturned should be accompanied by a stamped, self-addressed envelope.The Range Report does not assumeresponsibility for the loss of unso-licited graphic or written material.Correspondence should be sent to:

The Range Report, c/o NSSF, 11 Mile Hill Road, Newtown, CT 06470-2359 Fax: 203-426-1245 E-mail: [email protected]

We reserve the right to edit for clarityand space.

Editor

Glenn Sapir

Advertising Director

Mark Thomas

Art Director

Deb Moran

Letter from the EditorG l e n n S a p i r

Remember the Alamo

4 The Range Report ■ Winter 2010

“Remember the Alamo” was a rallyingcry for the courageous heroes who fought forrepublic status for Texas, but almost 174years after the phrase was first shouted, Iremember the Alamo for a different reason.For in San Antonio, Texas, just blocks fromthe historic mission where William Travis,Jim Bowie, Davey Crockett and nearly 200others met their demise, a band of modernheroes, who are devoting their lives to thebetterment of shooters in their own statesand across the nation, met last spring toshow support for one another and see howthey could lend a helping hand. Not surprisingly, the challenges toranges are many, and that’s why state associ-ations are so functional. They draw on thestrength of their many members and sharethe formulas for their local successes, as wellas make each other aware of the pitfalls thatthey have faced. To expand upon this concept of sharingsuccess stories and confronting commonchallenges, the National Shooting SportsFoundation brought together representativesof eight such state associations for a three-day conference. The president of NSSF,Steve Sanetti, participated in the discussionand addressed the group. “His presence underscored the commit-ment of NSSF and the importance of ourgoals,” stated Tim Pitzer, president of theOregon State Shooting Association. The meetings’ importance, and NSSF’scommitment, was re-emphasized by theattendance of NSSF’s Association of Shoot-ing Ranges’ Advisory Committee PresidentHolden Kriss, NSSF Managing Director,Business Development, Randy Clark andSenior Shooting Promotions CoordinatorZach Snow. The Sporting Arms and Ammu-nition Manufacturers’ Institute, more oftenreferred to as SAAMI, was represented byManaging Director Rick Patterson andAdministrative Assistant Wanda Heckel. Special guest Tom Gresham, a veteranoutdoor communicator who hosts thenationally broadcast Gun Talk radio show,offered an educational, yet entertaining,session on dealing with the media—animportant aspect of range growth andsurvival. State range and shooting associationrepresentatives flown in for this importantmeeting hailed from A to W, that is, Arizona

to Wisconsin. Everyone introduced him andherself and had ample opportunity to join inthe various discussions. A lot of ground onrange management was covered. The state representatives who attended,with several months to reflect on the experi-ence, shared their feelings on the meetings. Jon Green, director of education andtraining for Massachusetts’ Gun Owners’Action League, was particularly impressedwith Gresham’s message. “His ‘bump and run’ technique of inter-viewing [favorably answering a question andthen switching the topic to the point youwant to make] all but guarantees we get ourmessage out on broadcast media,” Greensaid. Green also lauded Gresham’s grasp ofmodern communication techniques. “We live in a world of instant communi-cations,” the Massachusetts representativesaid. “If our leaders aren’t using Twitter,Facebook, YouTube, blogs and the like, well,they have all but lost this game. Tom recog-nized this point years ago and has beenpreaching the virtues of Web-based opportu-nities.” Though space precludes running all ofthe individual comments of the attendees,doing so would prove to be repetitiousanyway. In many cases, one person echoedthe other, remarking that we share manychallenges and problems, and we benefitfrom learning from others’ experiences. “It made me realize that all of us are ‘inthe same boat,’ but each has specific prob-lems that many times can be worked on, oreven solved, by interaction with others atmeetings such as this,” commented JerryWehner, executive vice president of the Indi-ana State Rifle and Pistol Association. There will be more meetings of staterepresentatives, and more good will result.But for me, this was the first of such gather-ings, and I was duly impressed with theintelligence, giving spirit and passion thatfilled the meeting—and eating—rooms. Afirst impression can be deeply engraved onone’s memory, and from my maiden visit toSan Antonio and its scenic and historicattractions, this is how I will rememberthe Alamo.

RR

Scoping out news for the shooting range communitySighting In Sighting In

By Glenn Sapir, Editor

The Las Vegas Sun reported the rangeused by the North Las Vegas Police wouldbecome the site of a lead removal and recy-cling effort that could remove 100,000pounds of lead, as estimated by Metal Treat-ment Technologies, the Colorado companyundertaking the operation.

The remediation was a voluntary effort,and a result was expected to be a reduction inthe likelihood of splashback, that is, ricochet.Of course, there is additional motivation.

“We are really trying to be good stew-ards of that land,” said Tim Bedwell, aspokesman for the North Las Vegas PoliceDepartment.

The company reported the operationwould entail the removal of metal, accumu-lated over a 30-year period, for a cost of$91,700.

Based on market prices at the time of

the Las Vegas Sun article, the bullet leadwould scrap at 30 cents a pound and theshotgun shot at 50 cents a pound. Theproceeds would be divided between MetalTreatment Technologies and the city ofNorth Las Vegas.

The company’s process is a proprietaryone, reported the newspaper, but companyEEO James Barthel was willing to put it insimple terms: Heavy construction equipmentis brought to the gun range, where soil ispushed through a screening system. Afterthe bullets and lead fragments are removed,they’re put through a pneumatic system thatblasts clumps of remaining dirt off the metal,so it’s ready to be recycled.

Range operators can profit from theseveral excellent publications regardingrange management, including lead manage-ment, produced by NSSF’s Association ofShooting Ranges. View the available titles atwww.rangeinfo.org., where you can click onRange Resources and on the NASR Catalog.

Report Provides Opinions onPrivate Range Membership

Most shooters do not belong to aprivate shooting range or sporting clays club,reported the Women’s Outdoor Wire, citinga survey conducted by Southwick Associates.The Wire reported that a 2009 survey fromHunterSurvey.com and TargetShootingSur-vey.com found that fewer than 23 percent ofshooters reported membership in a shootingrange or sporting clays club. Nearly 78percent or respondents, conversely, reportedno membership.

Participants in the survey were allowed togive multiple reasons for not joining a range orclub, and here’s how their responses stackedup, along with the percent of people who listedthis reason: Lack of interest or not having a needto join (35 percent); a nearby public range that isfree or low-cost (32 percent); a feeling that clubsare too expensive (28 percent) or too far fromhome (26 percent); nearby ranges do not offerthe types of shooting that interest them (6percent); and not feeling welcome (4 percent).

Less than 23 percent of respondents to thesurvey said they did have membership at ashooting range or sporting clays club. Thelarge majority, that is, 78 percent, reported theyare satisfied with their facility. Those memberswho would like changes at their range or clubwere asked to specify the changes they’d liketo see made, and they also were allowed togive multiple answers.

The largest number (28 percent) wantedmore competitions at the club. Another 28percent said they would like shootingbenches and other equipment designed tofit women and young shooters. Otherdesired improvements? Cleaner restrooms(19 percent); improved food and beverageoptions (18 percent); more expert advice (16percent); and different types of rental orloaner firearms (16 percent).

Suburban Journals Today reported on thesuccess of a St. Louis-area businessman whomade the most of the upward 2009 firearmssales trend. Steven King was so encouraged, heopened a second store, in Maryland Heights,Mo., to complement his original location,Belleville Indoor Shooting Range and MetroShooting Supplies. The Belleville locations is afull-service gun store and indoor range.

With the percentage of womencustomers growing, he has become moresensitive to their buying habits and needs.

“In general, women have done more

research and know what they want,” King said. His new Missouri store has been set up to

look like a boutique.“It’s a jewelry store for guns,” he said.

“Guys will buy guns in a cave, girls want bright,clean and pretty. They want to be comfort-able. A guy will not be offended by walkinginto a bright, clean, beautiful store, where a girlwould be offended walking into a cave.”

The newspaper reported that a big draw ofthe Belleville, Il., store is that it is one of the fewfull-service gun stores remaining in the region.

“We have a place for you to come in and

buy your new firearm, for you to train until youlearn how to shoot it, and then a place tocome and safely shoot,” King said. “Then ifanything happens to it, we have a gunsmith.”

Belleville customers can also rent any ofabout 250 different guns for range use beforethey buy.

“It gives customers a chance to try some-thing that may cost $500 or more before theybuy it,” King said.

The Belleville store also offers a numberof classes, ranging from private lessons to non-lethal self-defense classes.

Removal and RecyclingEffort in Nevada

Growing Firearms Business Finds Success with Women and Try-and-Buy Customers


Check Out the CSSI Web SiteThe Collegiate Shooting Sports Initia-

tive, which provides financial and informational support to strengthen existingtarget shooting programs and help formnew club and varsity teams in shotgun, rifleand pistol, has launched its official Web site,www.nssf.org/college.

The Web site provides a wealth ofresources for young shooters who wish tocontinue their competitive shooting activi-ties after high school. It, also, serves as aresource for shooting facilities to learn ofyouth shooting programs in which they canbecome involved.

A total of $75,000 is being made avail-able to qualifying colleges or universities to

start new competitive shooting teams orsupport existing teams. Each grant recipientwill receive up to $7,500 in matching fundsfrom NSSF. The first distribution of grantshas been announced.

Shooting ranges can aid in the forma-tion of new and the strengthening ofexisting college-level shooting programs byforging a relationship with local colleges as a“home range.”

“The Collegiate Shooting Sports Initia-tive provides the assistance colleges need toaccommodate students who want to partici-pate in the shooting sports,” said ZachSnow, NSSF senior shooting promotionscoordinator. “We’d like to see ranges takean active role in helping this initiative reachits potential.”

Q&AQ. What is the most effective promotionor program with which you have attractedwomen to your facility?

A. Christine Williamson: Without ques-tion, a program we created called “LadiesFive-Week Firearms Program” is our mostsuccessful recruiting tool to attractwomen to our range. This program involves five weeks ofthree-hour classroom education coveringfirearms safety and handling; firearms oper-ation, including revolvers, pistols, rifles,shotguns and AR-platform rifles [modernsporting rifles]; weapons retention (draw-

ing, point and shoot from the hip); use ofbarricades; moving from the threat; andlaws including deadly force scenario’s. The classes focus on basic marksman-ship skills as well as tactical self-defensetechniques, including the use of flashlights.Participants report that the overall impres-sion upon completion is one of “lessintimidation and feeling more empowered.”

A. Robin Ball: Attracting women to theshooting range has been fun and profitable!Our women-only classes are always full. Werun “Women & Guns” at least once a month,and our goal is to get women comfortableenough to come back on their own. It isworking great as the growth in the numberof women shooters—the average annualincrease is 22 percent—is double that ofmen. We also teach unarmed women’s self-defense classes, in which we haveincorporated information on edged weaponsand Taser. That way we are reaching out tothose who may not want a gun for protec-tion, and we are, at the least, getting themin the door. In addition to these classes wedo the NRA's Refuse to be a Victim programthat reaches most ages and interests. Ithelps to have a female instructor, but we letthe men help us on the range. The best wayto get men to the range is to get womenshooting!

A. Denise Raum: Editor’s Note: Probably themost potentially successful program theArizona Game and Fish Department (AGFD)may offer that will bring females into theshooting sports is currently being developed,based on an already proven archery program. The Arizona Game and Fish Department(AGFD) has taken aggressive action inrecruitment and retention by developing andimplementing the Family Archery Program atits Ben Avery Shooting Facility. In 2006,the department began offering introductory

youth and adult archery programs as twoseparate classes. After two years, theprogram was thoroughly evaluated, usingoutreach efforts based on feedback fromparticipants and demands for future venues. When the program was first offered,children were not participating without atleast one adult. By last spring, AGFD haddeveloped curriculum to teach target, fieldand 3D archery to “families,” a new targetaudience. Families were charged for eachyouth participant; however, adults were notcharged to participate. If both parents (ortwo adults) participated with a child, theoverall cost for the “family” remained mini-mal. The results were phenomenal. Familyparticipation increased significantly due tothe support and interaction between parentsand children without increasing their costs. As shooting sports compete nationallyfor multi-recreational dollars, AGFD hasfocused on providing families a step-by-step archery experience in a three-weekprogram with 1.5 hour sessions. Eachprogram begins with the ultimate goal ofretention. As each session unfolds, recruit-ment is inadvertently exercised throughfamily quality time, learning and growing,resulting in a much higher potential forretention. At the end of each session,participants are given a resource guide thatcan be referenced at a future time. Based on the significant success ofthe program, the department is currentlydeveloping similar recruitment and reten-tion concepts for air-gun and shotgundisciplines. In the efforts to reach a muchmore diversified customer base, publicoutreach is key to eliminating barriersfrom participating such as unawarenessand apprehension of the sport. By target-ing families and introducing them toshooting sports, AGFD is breaking downbarriers and reaching out to all men,women, and children.


Your questions answered

Q&AQ&A

Attract Women to Your Range

RR

Christine Williamson director of range operations, Tripoli’s Triggers,Williamsport, Pa .

Robin Ballowner, Sharp Shooting IndoorRange & Gun Shop,Spokane, Wash.

Denise Raumhunter recruitment andretention coordinator,Arizona Game and FishDepartment

In Q & A, The Range Report

invites NSSF’s Association of Shoot-

ing Ranges’ Executive Committee

members past and present, and

others with special expertise, to

provide their answers to questions of

interest to our readers. If you have

a question for them, submit it to The

Range Report Q & A, c/o NSSF, 11

Mile Hill Road, Newtown, CT 06470

or e-mail to [email protected].

If you would like to comment on the

answers here, please share your

thoughts.

Our answer people this month

are prominent in the field of range

management and recruitment and

have found productive ways to

attract women to their shooting

facilities. If you have questions for

any of them, e-mail your inquiry to

[email protected], and we’ll be

sure to forward it to the intended

recipient.

Alarge contingent of the nextgrowing wave of shootingsports participants will be

new hunters as more and more statesembrace concepts like Families Afieldto introduce hunting to the non-hunt-ing public. Many of these participantsare looking for places to expand theirhunting-related education and shoot-ing experience, so ranges everywhereneed to work to welcome these newshooting sports members into thecommunity. Are your range, facilityand staff ready to help today’s huntereducation students become tomor-row’s hunters?

Families Afield was established in2004 through a joint effort of theNational Shooting Sports Foundation,National Wild Turkey Federation andUS Sportsmen’s Alliance. To date 29states have adopted the education andoutreach program and have madesubstantial changes. More than283,000 new hunters have been addedto the ranks in just those 13 states thatcan keep track of special licensesissued. In many Families Afield states,youth may hunt on a trial basis,putting off their hunter educationrequirement for a later date. The USSportsmen’s Alliance Trailblazer

Adventure program has also intro-duced more than 800,000 participantsto shooting, hunting and the outdoorsin recent years.

“Hunter education instructorshelp tomorrow’s shooters and huntersget off to a good and safe start,” saidPalmer Holden, the president of theAmes, Iowa, Izaak Walton Leaguechapter. “We have numerous certifiedinstructors in our chapter, and morethan a dozen were working on arecent Saturday morning when nearly60 youngsters and other huntereducation students were at our rangeto complete their firearms portion ofthe course.”

This Ike chapter hosts threehunter education courses each year,and most are full. Holden noted thatnot all students in courses are young-sters, so instructors need to be able tocommunicate with various age groupsand shooting-experience backgrounds.Instructors also need to be able tofollow rigid guidelines (set by thestate and the range) and pay keenattention to details. Hosting huntereducation courses is one of the goalsthat the chapter approved when it wasorganized. Hunter education coursescan find a home at public and private

shooting facilities.“We heard some instructors were

looking for a place to hold huntersafety courses, so we approachedthem about coming here,” said LloydMarks, co-owner of Milford HillsHunt Club in Johnson Creek, Wis.“It’s worked out well for everyoneinvolved. We donate the facility forthe classes and range day and alsodonate the shells and clay targets forthe shotgun portion.”

The Milford Hills Club is a popu-lar sporting clays and upland huntingfacility with a scenic property andinviting club house that looks forwardto helping students. The club alsostrives to have students return tofurther their hunting participation.

“We have many students returnfor the other programs that we offer,”continued Marks. “They can partici-pate in ‘Learn to Turkey Hunt’ and‘Learn to Pheasant Hunt’ programsthat we host in the spring and fall. Wehave mentors—mostly local hunters—who take the young hunters out forturkey hunts on nearby private prop-erty or our grounds. The pheasanthunts are all held here.” More detailsare at www.milfordhills.com/cms orby calling 920-699-2249.


Photos by Michael D. Faw

Become the Source of HunterEducation

Your facility can be the gateway and home for new shooters

By Michael D. Faw

Become the Source of HunterEducation

Your facility can be the gateway and home for new shooters

By Michael D. Faw

8

Plan Now, Provide TomorrowSuccessful hunter education

programs don’t happen overnight.You’ll need to plan and preparewell ahead before you open yourrange’s doors for students to enter.Most hunter education programsthat lead to certification—thedesired result for most students—are governed by strict state gamedepartment guidelines. There arespecific topics that must becovered, with prescribed messagesdelivered to students. Tests, espe-cially the hands-on portionsinvolving firearms, require correctanswers and specific actions bystudents. This is where ranges, andinstructors, play a critical part inthe process.

To accomplish these goals,hunter education instructors mustalso be trained, tested and certi-fied. Some states might also requirebackground checks of instructorcandidates. Instructors shouldobviously have patience and anunderstanding of firearms andammunition and be able to commu-nicate technical terms andcomplete complex forms. Does anyoneon your staff come to mind?

“To become a hunter educationinstructor, each state’s requirementsare different,” reports Wayne East,executive director of the InternationalHunter Education Association inFederal Heights, Colo. “Participantswill need to attend a new instructoracademy, and these can last from fourhours to two days. The academiescover many topics, including presen-tation skills in some states.”

Academy programs vary widely,and so do continuing instructorparticipation. Many states requirethat instructors teach a course at leastevery other year and attend aninstructor refresher course at leastevery other year. Texas requires thatinstructors teach at least 10 hourseach year and oversee at least fivestudents. Other states’ student andhours requirements vary.

If your range has a classroom, orcan find one nearby, consider offeringhunter education courses and possibly

work to have staff members becomecertified instructors. There aremany advantages, and numerousfuture opportunities.

“One of the benefits for anyrange is the recruitment of afuture customer,” continuedIHEA’s East. “The first place thatmany students learn to shootbecomes the place they will wantto go back to. This means recruit-ment of customers for any range.”

Ranges everywhere have discov-ered that hunter education coursesalso often include adults along withthe kids. Parents and grandparentsjoin the course to work with, andmentor, young family members. Allof these students and the adults canbecome potential customers andclub members in the future. Like anyinitial new customer contact, youshould work to make a great firstimpression and to keep the atmos-phere positive and inviting.

Follow Up Action—and CustomersOne thing that new hunters andrecent hunter education graduateswant to do is practice and develop

shooting skills. “If a student graduates, give him

or her a coupon to come back andshoot at your facility,” encouragesEast.

Most hunter education graduatescomplete the course with the intent tohunt deer, turkeys or other popularspecies like doves or pheasants. Manyranges offer programs like those atMilford Hills Hunt Club to help newhunters gain in-the-field experience.And then comes the potentialpurchasing power.

Many hunter education coursesare held in the late summer and earlyfall periods. Graduates are often eagerto purchase hunting- and shooting-related gear, including firearms andammunition. This translates intosales if you get ahead of the curve. If afull-service shooting facility stocksany shooting items that fit or focus onyouth—such as youth model shotgunsand rifles— or the required safetygear, like a youngster-size hunter-orange hunting or game vest, letcustomers know. Consider building a


Instruction in the classroom and on the range arevital ingredients in the development of young huntersand can help create a lasting relationship among the

instructor, his facility and the new shooter.

product display to help guests becomeaware of your product line and serv-ices. You can beat online and cataloghunting gear outlets by having itemsavailable for “try-before-you-buy.”

Your RewardAlong with more ringing of the

cash register, there is great satisfac-tion for most hunter educationinstructors and ranges that hostcourses in knowing that they are help-ing keep the hunting tradition alive.One of Holden’s greatest pleasures isseeing students become active huntersand shooters. Sometimes the result

provides instant gratification.He noted that several students

have returned to be active clubmembers, including a young womanwho attended a hunter educationcourse. She had never shot a shotgun,but hit four of five targets during theshotgun skills exercise. The femalestudent became very excited aboutshooting. The next day she purchased ashotgun and began shooting at therange when the course ended. Now,she and her dad are regular competitorsin the club’s shooting leagues. That’sthe storyline students could follow atyour shooting facility, too.

To learn more about the requirements of becoming a hunter education instructor and offering courses at your facility, contact the InternationalHunter Education Association and your state wildlife management agency.

The National Shooting Sports Foundation’s www.huntandshoot.org Website offers links to the Web sites of all 50 states’ agencies. To contact IHEA,visit http://www.ihea.com/index.php.

The Next Step?

RR



For Southern Nevada’s recre-ational shooters 2009 has trulybeen a down-and-up year. Down

because 2009 began with the ClarkCounty Shooting Park embroiled in acourt battle that threatened the long-awaited park’s future even before itsgates swung open to the public. Downbecause the popular, and seeminglysuccessful, Desert Lake Shooting Clubannounced one day in early May thatits doors would be closed by the end ofJune. And up because shooters werebreaking clay pigeons and punchingholes in targets at both facilities byyear’s end. Only this time Desert Lakehad a new name.

When ground was broken for theClark County Shooting Park in Oct.2006, most of Nevada’s congressionaldelegation was on hand to take bowsfor making possible the construction ofwhat was then billed as the world’slargest shooting facility. This wasaccomplished through legislation trans-ferring ownership of 2,900 federallyowned acres to Clark County. Before

then, the acreage was managed by theBureau of Land Management

“This is going to be a park that has itall,” said Sen. Harry Reid as he addressedthose present at the groundbreaking.

This venue is going to allow chil-dren of all ages to learn how to shoot,he added.

“There will be things happeninghere that will be with boys and girls

the rest of their lives," Reid said.With the golden shovel event

behind him, Shooting Park ManagerDon Turner thought the road wassmooth before him and voiced expecta-tions that shooters would be using thefacility as early as January 2008. Thatoutlook, however, soon faded asTurner found himself dealing withcostly flood-control measures and firecodes while also fighting for road andutility easements with the sometimesuncooperative staff at the local Bureauof Land Management office. As theseitems ate into the park’s budget, “Wewent from a 50 percent build-out tojust the public module, from a world-class facility to a very good publicshooting range,” said Turner in fall2007.

He also said that Clark Countystill plans on building the facility asoriginally planned, but “it will be builtin small chunks.”

With the necessary adjustmentsmade in the project’s scope, Turner,members of the Clark County Shooting

It was a down and up year for southern Nevada shooters

By C. Douglas Nielsen


Senator Harry Reid relives a childhood rabbithunt while addressing those gathered to

celebrate the dedication of the long-awaitedClark County Shooting Park

A Tale of Two Facilities

A “soft opening” of the long-anticipated Clark County Shooting

Park, featuring 24 trap and skeet fields,finally occurred in late December 2009.

Park Advisory Board and othersinvolved in the project continued tomove forward with the goal of openingthe park to shooters sometime in thefirst half of 2009. As the calendarrolled over into 2008, however,another hurdle was thrown into theshooting park’s path when representa-tives of the Carmel CanyonHomeowners Association launched amedia campaign to halt construction ofthe shooting park. When their effortsgenerated little support among valleyresidents the homeowners turned tothe federal court system. Armed with the moniker, Resi-

dents for the Relocation of the ClarkCounty Shooting Park, LLC, the home-owners hired an attorney who filedtheir request for an injunction. Thatrequest was heard by Judge LloydGeorge of the U.S. District Court ofNevada, as was Clark County’s motionto dismiss. In his decision, released inMay, Judge George wrote, “Havingconsidered the papers and pleadings,the evidence received from the parties,and the arguments, the court will grantin part and deny in part ClarkCounty’s motion to dismiss, and willdeny the resident’s motion for apreliminary injunction.” The court found “that the plaintiffs

have not met their burden of offeringevidence establishing that irreparableharm is likely in the absence of aninjunction” and dismissed the plain-tiffs’ claims that Clark County failed toprovide adequate notice of its inten-tions to build the shooting park, thatthe county improperly zoned the land

on which the park is being built andthat noise from the construction anduse of the shooting complex will violatethe county’s own noise ordinance. In their only claim not dismissed

outright, the plaintiffs argued that theBureau of Land Management failed tocomplete an Environmental ImpactStatement (EIS) before the land wasconveyed to Clark County and federalfunds for the project disbursed. JudgeGeorge denied the plaintiff’s request formonetary damages in this regard butasked that the Bureau of Land Manage-ment complete an EIS as outlined in theNational Environmental Protection Act(NEPA). Ironically, this will have noimpact on construction of the shootingpark. “We appreciate the court’s atten-

tion and consideration,” said Turnerafter learning of the court’s ruling.“We designed the park not to harm thepublic and to be a good neighbor to thecommunity. This reaffirms thoseplans.” During the legal process construc-

tion continued on the park, but withthat issue behind him Turner couldeagerly press forward toward comple-tion and make plans for the officialdedication ceremony, which was heldAug. 25. At what some describe as one of

the largest bipartisan political gather-ings in Nevada, Sen. Reid told thecrowd of nearly 250 people, “In Amer-ica we have a lot of differentopportunities for leisure time. Somewater ski, some snow ski, some people


Enterprise Fund Should Help With tourism revenue at historic lows, parks and recreation agencies in

the Las Vegas Valley are struggling to provide services for customers and operating under a hiring freeze. That has led many towonder how the new Clark County Shooting Park will operate.

“We’re an enterprise fund, so we are not part of the county general fund budget, and I don’t have a hiring freeze,”explained Don Turner, shooting park manager.

However, since the county is trying to protect its existing employees, some of whom are facing layoffs, many of thosehired to work at the park will be transfers from other organizations within the county.

“As far as operation of the park right now, we have a firm budget that hasn’t been disturbed., and once we start gener-ating revenue, it goes into the enterprise fund,” explained Turner. “Once we get going we’ll be able to generate our ownrevenue, and we should not be affected by the economy unless it affects our revenue stream.”

In addition to operating as an enterprise fund, state law permits the Shooting Park to sell naming rights for its variousbuildings and individual ranges. If industry wants to get involved in partnerships, they can purchase naming rights for arange, and depending on how much they are willing to spend they can own those rights for as long as 20 years, Turner said.That money can be put into future capital.

The Range Report ■ Winter 2010

love to fish. There are people that hikeand backpack—all very good opportuni-ties for families to spend time together.We’re here today to talk about a sportwe call shooting. It’s part of the Ameri-can tradition. It’s certainly part of theNevada tradition. Today, with the open-ing of this beautiful park, we’ll beinsuring the tradition will endure forgenerations to come.”As he concluded his remarks Reid

added, “Nevadans aim very, very high,and we set out to create the largest andmost advanced shooting range in theworld. We kept a steady eye on thetarget, that’s what you need to do.” The park had a “soft opening” on

Saturday, Dec. 19, open only on week-ends for its first three weeks of operation.The transition over to full-time hours isto take place when the park officially isplanned to open in mid-January, but thatcomes in the face of yet another legalchallenge from the Residents for the Relo-cation of the Clark County Shooting Park,

LLC. Just as this article was going topress, advocates for relocation of thenearly completed shooting park filedanother lawsuit in federal court. Thistime they were challenging the BLM’sfinding of no significant impact when theEnvironmental Assessment wascompleted. While the shooting community

focused on the travails and the even-tual triumph of the Clark CountyShooting Park, its cross-town neighborbegan to experience problems of itsown. Just when it seemed like theDesert Lake Shooting Club was poisedfor a breakout year under the guidanceof manager Jared Smith, the privatelyowned shooting venue unexpectedlyannounced its closing. The reason behind the closure

remains unknown though “talkaround town” is the closure cameabout as the result of a businessdisagreement between Smith and asilent partner. The e-mail notification

sent to club members simply alluded toan unsuccessful lease negotiation. Thesame message was posted on the facil-ity’s Web site, and by June 30 the doorswere closed. Disappointed shootersmurmured and grumbled, but therewas little they could do. Desert Lakewas closed. Then early in July a rumor began

to spread among southern Nevada’srecreational shooters. Word was thatthe shooting club was going to reopen,but the name would be changed. That’s all I heard until I saw a famil-

iar photo at the Crossroads of the WestGun Show at the Tropicana Hotel. Inthe photo was a clubhouse that lookedan awful lot like the one at Desert LakeShooting Club. Below the photo was asign that read “Opening in September.”A closer look and a few questions

later I learned that Desert Lake wouldin fact be reopening but under the new,and perhaps more appropriate, name,Desert Hills Shooting Club. StevenBaker, a security consultant with WTIAssociates, explained that he was amember of the transition team that wasassisting a group of real estate investorswho plan to reopen the facility. He said Desert Hills’ management

planned to refurbish the clubhouse,renovate the shooting ranges and installnew Promatic clay target traps along the23-station sporting-clays course. Inaddition, management purchased 20new golf carts to transport shootersbetween stations.“The sporting clays section will be

pretty much the same setup as beforeupon opening, but we will be looking atadding some new twists,” Baker said. The September deadline for

reopening the 5-Star shooting clubcame and went, but indications werethat the investors behind the facility’s

Campground for VolunteersSince the earliest planning stages for the Clark County Shooting Park, a top

priority has been the development of a volunteer program to assist with theday-to-day operational needs of the facility. An integral part of the programwill be a campground for volunteer hosts who will serve at the range inexchange for a little living space.

Included in the first phase of the shooting park is a 30-site campground forvolunteer hosts. At two hosts per site, Turner could be looking at finding workfor as many as 60 volunteers.

“When I fill up the host area, at maximum operation, that’s 900 hours oflabor each week,” he said.

In exchange for their labor, volunteer hosts get to stay in a site that comescomplete with a covered canopy, a 50-amp service connection, water andsewer hookups, a concrete pad, a picnic table and a barbecue grill—not tomention new landscaping with drought-tolerant trees that will eventuallycontribute to the available shade, a necessity for southern Nevada summers.Volunteers will also have access to a laundry and shower facilities. Those seek-ing long-term accommodations will be able to order both phone and cableservices. The camping sites are prewired.12

rebirth still hoped to open the shootingclub. According to the Web site(www.deserthillsshootingclub.com),“The new Promatic Clay machines areinstalled and undergoing final testing.We have renovated the pistol rangesand are currently building two addi-tional pistol ranges to bring the totalup to seven pistol ranges. The club-house is undergoing renovation aswell. We are working with the countyto finalize our operating permits andhope to be open in a few weeks.”That’s good news not only for

southern Nevada Shooters but also forthe local Boy Scout Council, which hasheld its annual fund raising shoot at

this facility the past two years. In the meantime, a cloud of

mystery surrounded the unexpectedclosure of the Desert Lake ShootingClub and the sudden, though low-profile announcement that it wouldreopen as Desert Hills Shooting Club.Outside of my initial interview withBaker, no one seemed to be talking.Attempts to arrange interviews withJared Smith and with someone repre-senting the club’s new managementwere unsuccessful. Before the NewYear, Neal Johnson, one of the instruc-tors at Desert Hills reported that theclub had opened and was in full serv-ice, seven days a week.

13

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The Range Report ■ Winter 2010

To reach Louisville’s young urbanprofessionals with the messagethat a date night at the shooting

range offers a lot of bang for their enter-tainment bucks, Openrange’s CEOBarry Laws took a page from the musicindustry’s playbook.

Supported by some humorous adsthat Laws admits some folks north ofthe targeted demographic might find tooedgy, Openrange is employing the“street team” approach that’s beensuccessfully filling concerts andpromoting bands. He’s getting hiscustomers to spread the word.

To fund this innovative plan, twoyears ago Openrange applied for and wasgranted $25,600 from the first phase of anew NSSF Range Partnership Grantprogram.

A NASR Five-Star rated, state-of-the-art facility in Crestwood, Ky., 20minutes outside Lexington, Openrangeoffers an extensive array of shootingexperiences and instruction. Its goalwas to “generate substantial traffic”among 20-35-year olds and retain themby positioning shooting as a fun recre-ational alternative and involving themin a rewards-driven “guerilla market-ing” program.

Here’s how it works: Openrange

provides rewards andincentives to customerswho join its “SpecialOps” program, make areturn visit, take lessons and referothers to the range.

To drive range traffic, they can getas creative as they want, says Laws,from promoting the range on blogs andsocial networking Web sites, to“skywriting or just writing with chalkon the sidewalk.” His personal favoritewas a YouTube video.

Supporting this “bottom-up”guerilla marketing was the “top-down”ad campaign with the theme “Have A

Blast,” created by Laws’ friend, LloydSolly, a thirty-something Los Angeles-based graphics designer whose firm,Phluent, designs Web sites.

Special Ops members also gave outpostcards and “2 for 1” cards for therange’s Date Nite and Girls Nite Outevents. The cards reflected the edgytheme of the ad campaign.

“They write their Special Ops

member number on the cards, andwhen the cards come in, they are cred-ited with points they can accumulateand use for free stuff—like range time.”

For the six months of the campaign,Openrange’s goal was to increase thedatabase of active Special Ops membersage 20 to 35 by 25 percent and increasedoor traffic by 10 percent.

Results are in. Special Opsmembers increased 39 percent, visitsincreased more than 41 percent andnew customers increased 13 percent.Sales increased 6.2 percent, and profitis up 27 percent.

“We were successful beyond ourexpectations,” Laws observes. “Bymaking the shooting sports a ‘cool andedgy’ recreational opportunity, webelieve we have touched many morelives than would have been possible bytraditional methods.”

Encouraging creative newapproaches to promote the shootingsports is what NSSF’s new Range Part-nership Grant program is all about, saysMelissa Schilling, NSSF manager ofrecruitment and retention. Modeledafter NSSF’s successful Hunting

NSSF has made moneyavailable to advance

participation

By Cathy Glazer


We were successful beyondexpectations by makingshooting cool and edgy

A creative marketingcampaign, funded to agreat extent by an NSSFRange Partnership Grant,increased range trafficamong the desired

demographic at Openrange.


Heritage Partnership (HHP) Grantprogram, the Range Partnership Grantprogram aims to do for target shootingwhat HHP is doing for hunting—increase participation.

“It’s an opportunity for ranges tothink big, to think out of the box, to becreative in creating opportunities tobring in new shooters and retain shoot-ers by generating new interest in thetarget sports,” Schilling explained.

The grant program began in 2008.Of the 28 grant proposals submittedthat year, eight were funded, includingOpenrange’s. The range receivedanother, smaller grant in 2009 tocontinue the marketing effort.

“Openrange was a great success,and I’m confident that phase two oftheir program will produce excellentresults as well,” Schilling said.

She chose Openrange’s grantproposal to post on the NASR Web site,along with that of Tripoli’s Triggers ofWilliamsport, Pa., as examples toinspire other ranges.

“These are two good case studiesand models of success that other rangescan use as inspiration, and as a guide tohow to structure their grant proposals,”Schilling observed. They can be viewedat www.rangeinfo.org/grants.”

As its name implies, Tripoli’s Trig-gers Firearms Training and EducationCenter emphasizes training, and so didtheir grant proposal, creativelycombined with community outreach.To increase range traffic and positionitself as a good citizen and an asset tothe community, Tripoli’s Triggersproposed a multi-faceted approach thatinvolved firearms and self-protectiontraining, increased marketing efforts topromote the special training classes,and outreach efforts to promotefirearms safety to the public.

Tripoli’s, which can boast that theyare the only NASR Five-Star indoorrange in the state, was also among thefirst group of grant recipients in 2008,receiving $56,350 to fund training andpromotional expenses.

The program included a three-levelFirearms Training Program, a Ladies’Program and a 5-4-3 Competition League.

The public outreach includedefforts to establish partnerships withgroups within, as well as outside of,

shooting. They included the NRA, theNational Wild Turkey Federation, theWilliamsport//Lycoming Chamber ofCommerce and other local civic organi-zations. Educational programs wereoffered to Junior Achievement, Rotary,Kiwanis and other non-profit groups.

The only unanticipated “problem,”noted Frank Tripoli in his report of theresults, was “the unbelievable acceptanceby the community.” Less than threemonths into the partnership efforts, therange reached the maximum number ofpeople they had budgeted to train.

“We ended up offering the programto 135 more people than our budgetallowed,” Tripoli reports.

In July, NSSF announced the 2009range grant awards totaling $245,000.Of 38 proposals submitted, an evendozen were selected for funding.

This new crop of creative ideasincludes projects for developing market-ing initiatives involving all forms ofmedia, from the traditional radio, TV,cable and print advertising, to utilizing“new media” -- Web sites and socialnetworking, taking a page from Open-range’s playbook. Several proposalsemphasize creative efforts to involvewomen, youth and families.

“It was great to see the variety ofideas that came in,” Schilling said.

One project in particular she saysshe’ll be following closely. A group ofranges in South Carolina are comingtogether to develop ideas to increaseparticipation for the good of all. Theeffort is sponsored by the SouthCarolina Department of NaturalResources (SCDNR), which is coordi-nating brainstorming meetings andinitiatives that result, such as thecreation of an online searchable data-base of where to shoot in the state andthe development of promotional materi-als based on the group’s ideas.

“This is an exciting project—agroup of ranges working together,”Schilling said, adding that if successful,the model could work in other states.

The first of three strategy sessions,facilitated by the SCDNR, was held lastfall. Twenty ranges participated,according to Monica Linnenbrink, theagency’s marketing director. Rangeswere asked about the challenges theyface. At the top of the list was dealing

with the EPA, followed by aligning withcity and county restrictions and regulations.

“I’m very excited that the DNR iscoordinating this effort and helping tobring ranges together,” said Linnen-brink. “Our director, John Frampton,places a high priority on increasingshooting participation in our state.”

Requests for proposals for NSSF’s2010 Range Partnership Grant programwill go out in April to all ranges andNSSF members. Announcements willrun in Bullet Points, NSSF’s onlinenewsletter. Ranges will have about amonth and a half to formulate andsubmit proposals for review by an NSSFcommittee. Awards will be announcedin late summer. Details are availableonline at www.rangeinfo.org/grants.

“I’d like to encourage ranges tostart thinking about their ideas,”Schilling said. “Especially now, withgun sales having gone through the roofin 2009, there’s a whole new market ofgun owners out there and a great oppor-tunity to get creative about how to getthem to your range.”

NSSF Range PartnershipGrant Program Guidelines SummaryProgram Purpose: To provide funding to helppublic and private shooting facilities jump-start recruitment and retention efforts.Who may apply: Public and private shootingfacilitiesEligible Projects: Only projects that addressone or more of the following will be considered:

• Recruitment of new shooters• Re-activation of lapsed shooters• Increased opportunities for active

shooters to try another discipline• Communications or outreach programs

targeting recruitment and/or retentionWhat’s not eligible: The program does notfund building or improving structures, engi-neering or design plans, activities notinvolving firearms, land purchases, operationand maintenance of equipment or purchasesof equipment and supplies.To apply: Go to www.rangeinfo.org/grantsand download the Grant Applications Guide-lines PDF. Review the examples of past grantwinners. Questions: Contact Melissa Schilling, NSSFmanager, recruitment & retention, tele-phone 203-426-1320, [email protected]

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For almost 50 years, our mission has always

been to promote, protect and preserve our

hunting and shooting sports. Now more than

ever, it’s time to shoot for more and become a

NSSF member. To join, contact Bettyjane Swann

at (203) 426-1320 or [email protected].

Join the National Shooting Sports Foundation. Help us attract, excite and informnew hunters and shooters – and turn them into your customers.

Your Future Is Our BusinessIt’s Also Our Mission and Passion

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member, you enable us to attract, excite and inform new

hunters and shooters in every state about the sport we

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www.MembershipMeansBusiness.org


First Shots Continues to Bringin New ShootersBring this recruitment success story to your facility

Ranges across the country aretaking advantage of theNational Shooting Sports

Foundation’s (NSSF) First Shotsprogram to expand their presence inthe community and bring potentialnew shooters through their doors.

First Shots is an introductoryprogram that provides participantswith a comprehensive introduction toshooting by qualified range operatorsand instructors that includes firearmsafety, local ownership requirements,shooting fundamentals, hands-oninstruction and how and where tocontinue. The program’s elements ofcooperative funding for advertising, asimple agenda, short time frames,limited trials and a safe and controlledenvironment all result in an increaseof new shooters to the host range.

Since the program’s inception in2005 more than 7,000 people haveattended a First Shots. The programwelcomes all genders and ages. Often,families attend and find a new activitythat they can pursue together. Partici-pant ages range from 7 to 77, and formost (56 percent) it is their first timeshooting a firearm. However, FirstShots isn’t exclusively for first-time

shooters; many lapsed shooters areattending local seminars for a refresheron safety and operation and to learnabout the services the range offers.Many are surprised to learn that therange facility has been “just down theroad, all this time.”

The host range becomes the partic-ipant’s “go-to” for shooting-relatedquestions and equipment because ithas established a relationship.

“First Shots was an invaluableopportunity to sell ourselves, our prod-ucts and our services,” said Kirk E.Roberts of Patriot Outdoors in Clovis,N.M. “Some of out most productivedays were during seminar periods. Webecame the attendee’s source of infor-mation because they came to trust us.You can’t buy that kind of customerrelations success!”

Four in 10 First Shots participantsreturn to the host range to shoot anaverage of six times within six monthsof the seminar. Additionally, 26percent have visited a different rangesince their First Shots an average offive times. It is clear to see that hostranges have a better opportunity toretain new shooters. Jannice Griffin ofRock Hill Arms in Quanah, Texas,

gained new members, along with classand league participants, from FirstShots last summer. Was this FirstShots seminar a success?

“You’d better believe it!” Griffinsaid. “First Shots generated questionafter question about shooting, gunsand our facility.”

Not only are participants returningto the host range to shoot, but theyalso are buying memberships andshooting-related equipment. For thoseranges with a retail shop and for thosewho partner with private clubs, FirstShots provides a gateway that resultsin more traffic on the retail side aswell. Forty-three percent of attendeespurchase shooting-related equipment,varying from ammo and ear/eyeprotection to holsters and firearms, inthe six months immediately followingtheir First Shots seminar. On averagethese folks are spending $588.60 onequipment and supplies.

It is not only retail ranges that arebenefitting from First Shots; privatesportsman’s clubs and state-operatedranges are also using the program toincrease activity and create new shooters.

Mike Alexander of the LowerProvidence Rod and Gun Club had this

By Cyndi Dalena and Sarah Morton

First Shots Continues to Bringin New ShootersBring this recruitment success story to your facility


to say about the club’s recent event:“First Shots provides a ‘blueprint’ tofollow in order to bring in the folkswho are curious. We had six peoplejoin the club during the program. Ihighly recommend First Shots to anyclub or range.”

More than 125 ranges in 38 stateshave hosted First Shots. The programwas originally designed as a handgunprogram but has branched out to nowinclude shotgun and rifle, and morethan 20 ranges already have incorpo-rated shotgun and rifle seminars.Many ranges that have the facilitieshost multi-discipline events. By offer-ing participants the opportunity to firea handgun, shotgun or rifle, First Shotsincreases the number of potentialenthusiasts that you can reach.

NSSF provides various forms ofsupport and planning assistance to allhost ranges. For example, First Shots

features a comprehensive advertisingpackage that includes custom print,radio and television ads. Cooperativefunding is also available to allowranges of any size to reach a new audi-ence in its local area.

“The advertising co-op funds reallyhelped us to get the word out in ourcommunity” said Doug Alley of AmmoAlley in Hartsburg, Mo.

Through industry support, theprogram is able to provide loaner gunsas well as ammunition and targets.NSSF also supplies ranges with a give-away bag for each attendee. It includessafety literature. NSSF also provides abanner for the host range and lists theevents on its Web sites with a link tothe host range’s site. In addition, NSSFcreates and distributes press releases tolocal media announcing the events.Technical and logistical advice andplanning assistance are also available.

Every aspect of First Shots puts forththe positive message ranges wish tocommunicate.

“The program promotes the imageof firearms ownership and use that wewant to project to our community andnation,” said Richard Hare of Tri-Cities Shooting Association.

The First Shots program bringshandgun, shotgun and rifle shootingto the general public in a completepackage that range owners candeliver based on individual facilitygoals. The program has broughtremarkable results to many partici-pating ranges. From selling classesand memberships to increasingleague participation or simply creat-ing new shooting enthusiasts, FirstShots provides all of these benefits tothe host range and the shootingindustry, ensuring a bright future.Sign up to host a First Shots now!

Female Participation in First ShotsFemale participation in First Shots significantly outpaces the national participationlevel. Nearly half of First Shots participants are female. Ninety-four percent offemales leaving the First Shots seminars state that they are more likely to continuehandgun shooting as a result of participating. Personal Protection is the drivingmotivation for females in their decision to purchase a handgun. In fact, eighty-ninepercent indicated their primary reason for purchasing a handgun was for personalprotection/ self-defense. A significant number, 25.6 percent, of women havepurchased a handgun since attending First Shots.

Females are leaving First Shots with a greater knowledge of the shooting sportsand an interest in further training. In fact, a third of them plan to continue their

training. Females are also more likely to tell friends or invite them to go to the range; they see it as a social event. A range thatprovides a social networking element to their training along with links to various related activities will gain new customers inter-ested in continued participation and education. Female participation is a great opportunity for many ranges to reach a newaudience and increase range traffic.

Interested in Hosting a First Shots? Here’s How to Get StartedIf you wish to increase traffic to your range and create responsible, new shooters, then First Shots is theprogram for you. First, you will want to review the Reference Guide. The guide includes a conciseagenda based on accepted practices of firearms training, from which your certified instructor maycustomize delivery based on this format.

You may request a copy of the Reference Guide at www.firstshots.org/schedule or by contactingNSSF at 203-426-1320. Once you pick your date you may then fill out the Schedule Form that isincluded in the guide or go back online and schedule your event. NSSF will then contact you and getstarted on creating your custom advertisements. Don’t forget about the advertising co-op! NSSFprovides assistance to host ranges by reimbursing 50 percent of your advertising costs, up to$3,000, for your First Shots. In addition to the custom ads and the co-op funds, you may alsorequest loaner firearms, which are available on a first-come, first-served reservation system.

It is that simple, and NSSF will be there along the way with logistical advice and planningassistance as needed. The program provides a customizable agenda and benefits that result inminimum cost and maximum benefits to all involved, so sign up now to host a First Shots.

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Country Shooting at the City’s Doorstep

Kansas City’s metro’s public outdoor ranges

Finding a safe and pleasant place toshoot a rifle for fun or sighting-inpurposes can be a difficult task for

the urban dweller. Shooters in theKansas City region, however, are luckybecause the Missouri Department ofConservation operates two publicoutdoor ranges slightly more than 30minutes drive from the metro area’sheart. Both ranges are located in MissouriRiver bluff hills, and that helps dampennoise for residential areas. They bothoffer special shooting and hunting train-ing classes with updated schedules ontheir Web sites. They’re somewhat remote to reach,but considering difficulties in placingoutdoor shooting ranges in urban areas,that’s understandable. High-qualitypistol and rifle shooting makes the driveworthwhile.

The Lake City Shooting Range andOutdoor Education Center seems park-like when you pull onto the gravelparking lot. Ahead is a wooden check-in boothand beyond a covered firing line withwooden posts and shooting booths, allpainted dark brown. This older range isin the same vicinity as the Lake CityAmmunition Plant, which madecartridges for GIs in World War II and isstill making military ammo today. The range is reached by turningeast on Argo Road off Missouri 7 High-way in Jackson County, east of KC.Another road is crossed en route,however, and more signage is needed tomake it clear to shooters to keep goingeast to reach the range. At the booth, a staffer explainedsafety rules and procedures as I regis-

tered. Shooters pay $3 per hour. Targetsare provided, as are ear plugs and plas-tic safety glasses if shooters don’t bringtheir own gear. My .22 rifle was not inspected, but Iwas clearly told that any violation ofprocedures would prompt my dismissalfrom the range. Firing was underway,and I was given permission to enter thefiring area to stow my gun in a boothand prepare a target on the moveableposts and foam mounts provided. The20-point range has target sockets at 20,25, 50, 75 and 100 meters, and two trapshooting stations. Signs with range safety rules areposted at the booth and on the shootingline. The system of green, orange andblack plates that shooters raise andlower during shooting and ceasefiretimes was not clear to me, but after afew rounds of shooting and verbalinstructions over the public addresssystem from the monitoring booth, Iunderstood. Staffers monitor shooters from thebooth and also at times inspect thefiring line. Lake City’s layout is simple butpleasant in a wooded, hilly setting. Ienjoyed my shooting there and wouldhappily return.

A winding blacktop road leads up asteep, wooded hill to the Parma WoodsRange and Training Center. The Conser-vation Department leased land for therange northwest of downtown KansasCity in the 1990s. The rough terrainwas donated for a county park, butdevelopment difficulties and a closedlandfill nearby prompted its use as aconservation area.

The hilltop range at 15900 N.W.River Road is close to an interstate high-way but can’t be reached from there.Difficult access is another reason thedepartment was able to lease the 200acres and build a range on part. Shoot-ers take roundabout routes to reachRiver Road from Missouri 45, eitherturning off at Waldron or on UnionChapel Road. Once there though, shooters find alarge, paved parking lot with concretesidewalks leading to the range andheadquarters that includes the check-inwindow, modern restrooms and meet-ing rooms. Conservation and areainformation is available inside. Ifstaffers have time, they help shootingnewcomers with questions aboutfirearms. The area is handicappedaccessible. A staff member took my $3 perhour fee and carefully explained therules and procedures to me. I was givena copy of the rules to carry to my shoot-ing booth for reference. Paper targetsand movable target stands areprovided. The 25-point range has targetsockets at 7, 25, 25, 50, 75 and 100yards. There’s no trap shooting, butshotgun pattern shooting at papertargets is allowed. Once on the line, firing and cease-fire instructions given from the boothover the public address system wereeasy to follow. Shooters out of syncwere politely but firmly instructed tomake adjustments. Staffers monitor thefiring line from the booth but also walkthe firing line. Parma Woods is a safe, clean range.Covered steel baffles in front of theline muffle noise and stop stray bullets.The area installed extra noise andsafety features to overcome zoningobjections from neighbors. It’s also afirst-class operation for shooters.

Range AFolksy but fun

Range BThoroughly modern

All reports, comments, impressions, opinions or advice expressed in the Undercover Shooter column are solely those of independent, recreationalshooting range consumers and do not necessarily represent those of the National Shooting Sports Foundation or its affiliates. Neither the NSSF norits affiliates make any warranty or assume any liability with respect to the accuracy or reliability of any information provided by Undercover Shootercontributors. Readers are encouraged to and should perform their own investigation of the information provided herein.

Signage, Visibility 4• The range isn’t visible from any public road,

but a good sign at the entrance and direc-tions to the parking lot keep you on target.

Layout and appeal 5• A roomy main lot and an extra lot for busy

days make the free parking easy. Spacesare adequate for large pickup trucks.

• Sidewalks are smooth, level and leadstraight to the registration booth and thenthe range. It’s an easy can close walk, andeasily accessible for those who use wheel-chairs or strollers.

• Large booths with concrete walls, shootingbench and sitting bench.

Ammo and gear 3• Bring your own guns and ammo; none

available on site, and it’s a long drive to asporting goods store.

• Range fee does provide you with paper

targets, a moveable target stand and earand eye protection if needed. Spottingscopes can be borrowed from the booth.

Staff friendliness 5• Staffers are friendly, professional and polite.

Range safety 5• Firearms safety signs are visible as soon as

shooters exit vehicles in the parking lots.Reminders are posted at the front desk andthroughout the firing line area. Shootersare given clear explanations during regis-tration, and they’re handed an easy-to-readhandout with all rules to carry to theshooting booth.

• Shooters are monitored through glass atthe front desk, and firing and ceasefireinstructions are given via public addresssystem. Staffers quickly and firmly correctshooters on the firing line.

• No steel-jacketed bullets allowed because

they damage the range baffles if a shotgoes astray.

Programs/Memberships N/A• Public range, no memberships. $3 per hour

shooting charge. Rates available forgroups.

• Hunter safety certification programs, hunt-ing instruction and other firearms-relatedtraining are available and schedules are onthe range Web site.

Cleanliness 5• Extremely clean, no trash visible.

Comments, Impressions 5• The setup, slightly down in a valley and

with sound baffles in front of the firingrange, is cutting edge in how to success-fully run a controversy-free shooting rangewithin a few miles of existing subdivisionsand within an urban growth area.

Parma Woods Customer Satisfaction Rating

Editor’s note: The UndercoverShooter is an experienced recreationalshooter but is not trained in technicalaspects of range design and operation.

ScorecardEach category is rated on a scale of 1-5with 5 being the highest score.

Signage, Visibility 3• Maps are clear, but once you’re driving on

the back roads, a few more signs at inter-sections would help.

Layout and appeal 3• The grounds are pleasantly landscaped and

maintained. Although the wooden boothsand firing range cover supports with brownpaint reveal their vintage age, it fits theoutdoor setting.

• Signage is appropriate but could be a bitclearer in wording and more frequent.

• The pit privy is primitive with strong odor, butit’s kept as clean as one of that type can be.

Gear and Ammo 3• Bring your own guns and ammo, none

available on site.• Foam earplugs and plastic safety glasses

provided for those who need them.• Paper targets and moveable target stands

provided.

Staff Friendliness 5• Staff members are courteous, friendly and

willing to answer any questions.

Range Safety 5• Safety rules are the first thing discussed with

shooters as they register. Any breaking ofrules and the shooter must leave the range.

• Firing line is monitored from a booth.

Programs/Memberships N/A• No memberships, public range. $3 per hour

fee for rifle/pistol range, $2 per hour fortrap stations. Varying group rates.

• Special shooting and hunter safety trainingprograms offered on range and in class-room.

Cleanliness 4• Shooters pick up their own brass at or

behind the shooting bench.

Comments, Impressions 4• I felt safe while shooting on the range, and

although I was new to the procedures, Iwas able to follow them fairly easily withguidance from staffers in the booth. Check-ing the Web site info on the range will giveyou a map to help find it and shootinghours, which are adjusted seasonally.

Lake City Customer Satisfaction Rating


LAKE CITY SHOOTING RANGE28900 East Argo RoadGrain Valley, MO 64029816-229-4448 http://mdc.mo.gov/areas/ranges/lakecity/

PARMA WOODS SHOOTING RANGEP.O. Box 14024Parkville, Mo. 64152816-891-9941 http://mdc.mo.gov/areas/ranges/parma/

Afirst-time experience canhappen to anyone anywhere.Think about it: What does a

kid do when he or she walks into WaltDisney World for the first time? Mosttimes he or she will just walk throughthe gates, stand there and soak up theexperience. People everywhere, SpaceMountain, The Haunted Mansion,music playing and “Where’s Mickey?”It’s like what an old-timer once toldme: “As you become a deer hunter youwill look back and always rememberthe first deer you’ve ever taken. It’s theexperience.”

As a first-timer pulls into yourparking area the experience begins.Outdoor signage, clean parking lot,fresh paint on the parking spaces, side-walks clean and free of gum anddebris, cigarette-butt can available andthe doorways clean and clear are allthings looked at for the first time.

Two-thirds of a customer’s impres-sion of your facility is made at theentrance of your building. Ask your-self these questions: Is the facility welllit, floors clean, no trash on the floor,displays of merchandise clean andfresh, signage present, heating andcooling working properly, the staff wellrepresented by their attire, visitorsgreeted and made to feel welcome andthe range well stocked and ready forbusiness? These might seem secondnature to you since you’re there every-day, but think about these impressionson the first-timer. Don’t allow yourselfto walk around your facility withblinders on. Look at your facility froma new perspective. Here’s an old retailtrick: If you walk or tour your facilityfrom one direction everyday, then touryour facility from the opposite direc-

tion and see what perspective you get.The first-time visitor should experi-ence the “Wow” factor when he or sheenters your building. Paying attentionto high standards is paramount, butwhat about the excitement you cangenerate by the atmosphere? The goalyou want to achieve when thatcustomer or potential member walksinto your facility for the first time isthat they know that they have madethe right decision when they came toyour facility.

From the moment the newcomerwalks in the door, he or she will beginthe process of fulfilling the reason forvisiting your facility. This person isthere for a reason: maybe it’s simply toshoot or rent a gun for shooting at therange with some friends; maybe it’s totalk to someone about a new firearmpurchase; instruction after a purchase;concealed carry classes; or gift-cardpurchase for a spouse or friend.

Remember, you never get a secondchance at a first impression. Make surethat you or one of your employeesspeaks with the visitor to find outwhat he or she is looking for from you.

Ask the qualitative and quantita-tive questions to help you betterunderstand the newcomer to yourrange and how your facility can helphim or her accomplish their goals ofvisiting your location. Your staff or,simply, club representatives must behighly trained and should understandthe element of body language that aperson might exhibit walking into afacility like yours for the first time.Make the visitors feel at home while atyour range. Always learn the person’sname. Use their name in the conversa-tions; everyone likes to be recognized.

Once your personnel are trained tooffer the best customer service, keeptraining sessions active within yourshooting facility.

Once the first-timer is at yourrange and you have properly greetedhim or her and helped with theirneeds, it’s very important to close thevisit in the most positive way. Remem-ber that a first-timer can come intoyour facility, talk to knowledgeablestaff, have a rewarding experience andthen have it all ruined by a negativeincident at the last point of contact,which may be the cash register. Theywill always remember the last thingthat happened at the range. Whetherit’s you or a part-time worker as thelast point of contact, make sure thatthe lasting impression of your facilityis a positive one.

Our business climate is constantlychanging. However, customer servicenever changes. When that first–timerwalks in your door you have yourfirst chance to make them “a customer”for life.

Home on the RangeHome on the RangeBy Randy Clark

Randy Clark is the manag-ing director, businessdevelopment, for theNational Shooting SportsFoundation. His responsi-bilities include servicingboth NSSF’s recreational shooting range and retailmembership, aspects of the industry in which he hasconsiderable business management experience. Ifyou’d like to follow up with questions related to thisarticle, contact Randy Clark at [email protected].

A Newcomer’s First VisitThe initial experience can make for a lifelong customer

Views from NSSF staffers and guest contributors

RR


C L A S S I F I E D SC L A S S I F I E D S

Place a Classified Ad — Call 203-426-1320 for details

For Sale: Gainesville, Fla, OutdoorRange. Nine years old. Includes 1,500square foot clubhouse. Thirty-four acrestotal. An absolutely beautiful facility.Price: $499,000 with assumable $285,000mortgage. Find out more atwww.gainesvilletargetrange.com

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