Plans moving ahead on grasslands shooting range

http://www.greeleytribune.com/articl...ntProfile=1001

Plans moving ahead on grasslands shooting range

Plans are progressing on the construction of a shooting range on the Pawnee National Grassland in northeast Weld County with the environmental analysis process to start next week.

The proposed range would be built on a section of U.S. Forest Service land near the intersection of Colo. 14 and Weld County Roads 90 and 57. It would be on the south side of Colo. 14 and the shooting would be directed to the southeast. The 1,000-yard range will be buffered by 8-foot berms on both sides, and a 20-foot berm at the southeast end of the range, and would require about three acres of land, said Lori Bell, grassland district ranger.The site is about 12 miles east of Pierce.

It is being partially funded by a $97,000 grant from the Colorado Division of Wildlife and a $25,000 grant from the National Rifle Association, Bell added.

Weld County Commissioner Dave Long said the plan has been in the works for about a year and would, hopefully, draw shooters to the range and cut down on the incidents of power lines, telephone poles, county signs and cattle equipment being shot up by indiscriminate shooters, not only on the grasslands but on private rangeland in that part of northeast Weld as well.

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This story has been unpublished and is no longer available.

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Too bad.


Not to far from our place though.

http://www.greeleytribune.com/articl...ntProfile=1001

Plans are progressing on the construction of a shooting range on the Pawnee National Grassland in northeast Weld County with the environmental analysis process to start next week.

The proposed range would be built on a section of U.S. Forest Service land near the intersection of Colo. 14 and Weld County Roads 90 and 57. It would be on the south side of Colo. 14 and the shooting would be directed to the southeast. The 1,000-yard range will be buffered by 8-foot berms on both sides, and a

20-foot berm at the southeast end of the range, and would require about three acres of land, said Lori Bell, grassland district ranger. The site is about 12 miles east of Pierce.

It is being partially funded by a $97,000 grant from the Colorado Division of Wildlife and a $25,000 grant from the National Rifle Association, Bell added.

Weld County Commissioner Dave Long said the plan has been in the works for about a year and would, hopefully, draw shooters to the range and reduce the number of power lines, telephone poles, county signs and cattle equipment being shot up by indiscriminate shooters, not only on the grassland but on private rangeland in that part of northeast Weld, as well.

“Most of the damage out there is being done by rifles, and that's what we are trying to contain with the range,” Long said. The grassland covers about 193,000 acres, most of it east of U.S. 85 and north of Colo. 14.

In addition to the grants, Long said the committee — which has been studying and planning for the range — is seeking partners who would help maintain the range. A trash receptacle was once proposed, he said, but that was dismissed, “because it would probably be full in one day.” So shooters will be required to “pack out what they pack in, just like any other state park,” Long said.

There will be benches and signs at the range that will also have to be maintained, Long added.

Bell said her office will send letters next week to homeowners in the area of the proposed range as well as to ranchers who lease grazing land, since the range will be on land that is presently being grazed. Comments will also be sought from the DOW and the Colorado State Patrol since the proposed site is close to the state highway, and to other agencies.

She said the range will feature eight benches and will have to be fenced to keep livestock from seeking shade around the berms. It will also have a parking lot.

Bell said dirt for the site has been donated by the Cache la Poudre Irrigation and Reservoir Co., and the Forest Service will let out bids for contracts to haul that dirt once the environmental analysis is complete and construction can begin. The pasture land will not be disturbed, she added.

Those people and agencies being sent letters, Bell said, will have 30 days to respond. She said she hopes to see the range open by next spring.

“Recreational shooting is very much in demand on the Pawnee and we hope this will fill that demand,” Bell said.

Any updates on this?
Spring is coming around pretty quick.

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Originally Posted by HBARleatherneck

It is being partially funded by a $97,000 grant from the Colorado Division of Wildlife and a $25,000 grant from the National Rifle Association, Bell added.

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Glad to know my dollars are doing some good.

Good to see this happen

This range funding was freed up when the 1.5 million dollar grant given to ELF to film (in high definition) the brain activity of mallard's during nesting season.

Any news on this?