Shooting Ranges Receive Funds

Some of the shooting ranges around Idaho are upgrading their facilities with funding derived from wildlife violation fines. The Fish and Game hunter education program receives the first $100,000 in fine money paid by wildlife law violators each year. Of that amount, $60,000 goes to improvements in shooting ranges with hunter education students intended as the primary beneficiaries. Both firearms and archery ranges receive funding. In the fiscal year 2000, money went to the Pocatello Field Archers ($16,000), Quicksilver 4-H Shooting Sports at Blackfoot ($4,300), and the Idaho Hunter Education Association/Upper Snake Chapter ($11,130). In the current fiscal year, funding is on its way to the Coeur d'Alene Rifle & Pistol Club ($25,382), EE-DA-HOW Longrifles Inc. at Boise ($24,000), Pocatello Field Archers ($18,000) and the Upper Snake Bowmen at Rexburg ($6,400). The clubs and ranges match funding from Fish and Game with donations of labor, equipment and materials to improve their facilities. Requests for funding in the current year exceeded the money available by more than 100 percent, so many projects are still waiting for financial help. Examples of projects included bringing electricity to the Pocatello Archers range and building a mobile air gun range at Idaho Falls that can be moved around the region. Ranges are also being improved to meet requirements of the Americans with Disabilities Act.