Atterbury to close

[stilllearning09]

This morning's (12/22) edition of the Daily Journal reports that Atterbury public shooting range will be closing at the end of the year. The manager, Ron Mason, said there was a decline of 30 - 40% of shooters using the facility this year. The DNR received proposals from private companies interested in operating the range, but it will not be open by January 1st.

Anytime I went, it was never crowded but busy. I wonder how long it will stay closed.

 

[Bill of Rights]

I'm more wondering the effect, if any, this will have on HighPower shoots.

Blessings,
Bill

 

[Indy_Guy_77]

Gee... I wonder how closely the decline in the number of shooters is related to the price to shoot there?

As much as I like the idea of a monitored range... Why can't Atterbury end up like a few of the other un-monitored ranges in the state.

It was, after all, built with state funds.

-J-

 

[nighthawk80]

That was what I was thinking. If it went back to the original prices or just cheaper prices, then I'm sure people would start coming back. I know I would. I drive another 20 miles down the road, because it's only $3 for a whole day. If Atterbury had something like that, Then I would definitely choose that.

 

[stilllearning09]

Gee... I wonder how closely the decline in the number of shooters is related to the price to shoot there?

That and they were only open on Fri-Sun for 1/4th of the year. That was put in place well ahead of their winter hour schedule.

 

[G-Niner]

I drive another 20 miles down the road, because it's only $3 for a whole day.

Where is this?

 

[thompal]

This morning's (12/22) edition of the Daily Journal reports that Atterbury public shooting range will be closing at the end of the year. The manager, Ron Mason, said there was a decline of 30 - 40% of shooters using the facility this year. The DNR received proposals from private companies interested in operating the range, but it will not be open by January 1st.

Anytime I went, it was never crowded but busy. I wonder how long it will stay closed.

Drat! Now I have nowhere to shoot highpower.

 

[boman]

I'm more wondering the effect, if any, this will have on HighPower shoots.

There won't be any effect as far as I know. the highpower shoots are conducted on the KD ranges which are military. This range is a public range under DNR administration.

Steve

 

[OneBadV8]

Gee... I wonder how closely the decline in the number of shooters is related to the price to shoot there?

As much as I like the idea of a monitored range... Why can't Atterbury end up like a few of the other un-monitored ranges in the state.

It was, after all, built with state funds.

-J-

Or like the public range in Huntington. It's $4 all day and it was remodeled the same way as Atterbury. I think whoever runs that range should run Atterbury as well so it would be affordable.

 

[360]

I stopped by Atterbury one day while in the neighborhood, and they didn't seem to have any lanes longer than 30-40 yards. Do they have 1000 yard lanes? And I agree, the cost was WAY too high to shoot there.

 

[VUPDblue]

The DNR range only has lanes out to 100 yards. It is truly a nice facility, it's just too bad that they can't get someone competent to run it. I'm a huge advocate of range safety, especially on a public range, but the ROs at Atterbury the few times I went there after the remodel were down right patronizing.

 

[Blaze261]

Atterbury public shooting range to close

[FONT=ARIAL, SANS SERIF]BY SARAH MICHALOS[/FONT]
[FONT=ARIAL, SANS SERIF]Staff writer[/FONT]

[FONT=HELVETICA, SANS SERIF]Dec. 22, 2009

A recently renovated gun range in the Atterbury Fish and Wildlife Area is closing next week due to financial woes, but the plan is for it to reopen early next year.

The private manager of the Atterbury shooting range says he's been losing so much money the past year that he's had to stop operating the range, which was funded and constructed by the state.

The Department of Natural Resources received proposals last week from private companies interested in operating the range, said Cary Schuyler, property manager of the fish and wildlife area.

Those proposals will be reviewed during the next few weeks, and a new manager will be selected to run the range, he said.
Even after a face-lift in 2008 that more than doubled the size of the range near Camp Atterbury, the number of shooters per month has dropped 30 percent to 40 percent this year, current manager Ron Mason said.

Now, 2,000 to 3,000 people a month hone their skills at the trap and skeet fields, shotgun range and pistol and rifle range.

Raising the hourly rate by $1 in late 2007 and reducing hours this fall hasn't done enough to make up for the decline in shooters, Mason said. For the past two months, the range has been open on only Friday, Saturday and Sunday.

"I've just lost too much money, and then I'm going to be done," said Mason, who has managed the range for three years.

The range has helped produce a national championship team of clay target shooters, Mason said. Now he's not sure where the team will practice.

The Atterbury shooting range opened in the mid-1970s, originally with about 30 open-air firing stations and not much supervision.

Today, after a $4.7 million renovation in spring of 2008, the range boasts four trap and skeet fields, a long shotgun shooting area and a pistol and rifle range with 66 stations. It's the only facility of its kind in the county, Mason said.

"I hope that whoever takes it over is successful," he said. "It's a fantastic facility, and it's a shame to let ($4.7 million) go to waste of the sportsmen's money."

The renovation was funded by the state using primarily money from a federal excise tax on sporting and firearms, Schuyler said.

Although a new manager won't start by Jan. 1, the department doesn't want the range to stay idle long.

One option is reopening the range early next year and staffing it with Department of Natural Resources employees, Schuyler said. The range would be open only a couple of days per week.

"We obviously would like to see it stay open," Schuyler said. "That's why we built it, to promote the shooting sports."

[FONT=HELVETICA, SANS SERIF]AT A GLANCE[/FONT][FONT=HELVETICA, SANS SERIF]What: Atterbury shooting range, which is closing the end of the month

Who: The range is owned by the state, operated by Whiteland resident Ron Mason and open to the public

Where: Off Hospital Road, west of U.S. 31, near Camp Atterbury in southern Johnson County

History: Reopened in May 2008 after a $4.7 million renovation

Dedication: The range is dedicated to Sgt. Joseph E. "Joey" Proctor, a Whiteland native who died in the line of duty while serving in Iraq and was awarded a Silver Star for heroism.

Features: 66-station pistol and rifle range from 25 to 100 yards long, shotgun shooting area and four combination trap and skeet fields

Hours: In October, hours were curtailed to three days a week, 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Friday and 9 a.m. to dark Saturday and Sunday.

Cost: Rifle and pistol range rates are $7 for the first hour and $5 for each additional hour.

Day passes are $25. Rates for the shotgun range are $6 per round of skeet or trap.

Number of shooters: Between 2,000 and 3,000 per month

Decline in shooters: The range has seen a 30 percent to 40 percent drop in shooters this year.

[/FONT][/FONT]

 

[ferg409]

i went there to shot but it cost to much. so i quit going. they need to lower price.

 

[Indy_Guy_77]

Something else about the decline in shooters:

Ammo prices.

I know for a fact that I've not shot as much in the last 18 months as I did the prior 2-3 years.

Also, just like a company that has a high employee turnover: examine the management.

-J-

 

[BE Mike]

I can't remember when I've spent more than 2 hours shooting at a range unless it was a match. $12.00 ($7 first hr. and $5 second) for a couple of hours of shooting seems very reasonable to me.

 

[MoparMan]

I'm more wondering the effect, if any, this will have on HighPower shoots.

Blessings,
Bill

A lot of the High Power shoots are conducted on the Military side.


Also thats why we've changed to shooting at Crosley. No fee, range nazi's, and berms seperating each lane.

 

[Litlratt]

There won't be any effect as far as I know. the highpower shoots are conducted on the KD ranges which are military. This range is a public range under DNR administration.

Steve

+1
Highpower and Long Range will not be affected.

 

[Robert Richardson]

I can't remember when I've spent more than 2 hours shooting at a range unless it was a match. $12.00 ($7 first hr. and $5 second) for a couple of hours of shooting seems very reasonable to me.

Iagree,I always have a good time there and the ROs don't bother me.

 

[rambone]

Gee... I wonder how closely the decline in the number of shooters is related to the price to shoot there?

How much does it cost now?

 

[JBrockman]

I received one of those packets because I had expressed an interest in the facility. But I have decided not to apply because of some of the requirements and the people they require to be on hand. It is a real nice facility but the profit margin is simply not there as I could see it! I have filled out my info packet and have it ready to turn in just in case I change my mind though!