Idaho Fish and Game is seeking public volunteers to serve on a Citizens Shooting Range Advisory Committee that recommends which public shooting ranges should receive grant funds totaling up to $550,000 annually.
Anyone interested in applying for a position on the Citizens Shooting Advisory Committee must fill out and submit an application by Oct. 31.
People who shoot at ranges, have experience managing or volunteering at a range, or are otherwise familiar with safe public shooting ranges in their community are encouraged to apply for the committee. Fish and Game’s intent is that the committee will represent a wide range of shooting opportunities that includes hunters and recreational and competitive shooters.
Committee members will have their meetings online during early evenings, so travel is not required. Information is available on Fish and Game’s Citizen Shooting Range Advisory Committee webpage.
The committee is most active February through March, consistent with the shooting range grant cycle. Fish and Game staff will host meetings and provide logistical and technical support for the committee.
“This program is an important process that keeps our public ranges accessible and safe for Idaho’s citizenry to learn and practice their shooting skills,” Fish and Game Communications Bureau Chief Adam Park said.
The committee has seven members, one from each Fish and Game region. Representatives can serve up to two 2-year terms, with reappointment at the discretion of the Fish and Game director. This year, the committee is transitioning to staggered terms, which means that representatives from regions 1, 3, 5 and 7 will be appointed for a one-year term beginning in 2023 and will be appointed to two-year terms thereafter.
The Citizens Shooting Advisory Committee was created in 2020 after the Idaho Legislature created the Public Shooting Range Fund, which is administered by the Fish and Game Commission. The Public Shooting Range Fund incorporates money previously used by Fish and Game for shooting range grants. The committee was created to advise Fish and Game about the applications the agency solicits each year for these grants.
Idaho Fish and Game has partnered with nonprofit shooting organizations and state and local governments that own or manage shooting ranges, including archery ranges, since 1978. The funds come from federal manufacturer excise taxes collected on the sales of firearms, ammunition and archery equipment and from state fine and forfeiture monies remitted for wildlife crimes.