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PA BOARD TAKES STEP TO PROTECT GAME COMMISSION SHOOTING RANGES

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mudbrook:
PA BOARD TAKES STEP TO PROTECT GAME COMMISSION SHOOTING RANGES

WILKES-BARRE – The Pennsylvania Board of Game Commissioners today gave preliminary approval to a regulatory change to require State Game Land shooting range users to possess either a valid Pennsylvania hunting or furtaker license or purchase a range permit. In doing so, the agency is seeking to accomplish the twin goals of having unlicensed persons contribute toward the cost of maintaining the ranges, and to better quantify and control the use of the shooting ranges.


“Over the past few years, the Game Commission has made large investments into its 29 State Game Land shooting ranges across this Commonwealth,” said Carl G. Roe, Game Commission executive director. “These investments have taken the form of lead remediation, safety barrier reconstruction, shooting range redesign and other related projects. These investments came at a high cost, but kept many shooting ranges open and available to the public.


“Historically, hunters and furtakers have provided most, if not all, of the resources for keeping the agency’s shooting ranges open to the public through their license dollars. Additionally, the open use of State Game Lands for shooting activities by those not licensed has resulted in situations where ranges and State Game Lands have been used for illicit activities.”


The proposed regulatory change, which must be approved by the Board a second time before taking effect, requires all users of State Game Land shooting ranges to possess either a valid Pennsylvania hunting or furtaker license or a Game Commission-issued range permit, which would cost $30 per year for residents and nonresidents. Exceptions to this proposed permit requirement would be those 16 years of age and younger properly accompanied by a licensed or permitted person 18 years of age or older, and each licensed hunter or range permit holder could have one guest.


The proposed change also prohibits all other target shooting from taking place on State Game Lands, except at designated ranges.


This proposal will not result in any increased cost or change in privileges for licensed hunters and furtakers.

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