Farragut Shooting Range now open
The Farragut Shooting Range opened for the 2017 season on Friday, May 5. It will be open every Friday, Saturday and Sunday from 10 a.m. until 5 p.m. through the first week in November. The range is managed by the Idaho Department of Fish and Game and has been the recipient of several IDFG and National Rifle Association range grants for safety and facility upgrades.
A new range office and maintenance building were completed near the end of the 2016 shooting season. A 3-D archery course will come online later this season and a standard known distance archery practice range is under development.
Idaho Fish and Game’s Dave Leptich, who has overseen Farragut Shooting Range improvements, said, “Since fully reopening after safety improvements were completed, range use has increased from approximately 900 users to nearly 2,500 users over the last three years.” Leptich anticipates additional growth in use. “The addition of archery to the Farragut Range facilities will broaden the services the range provides the public, and is expected to be popular with families and competitors in addition to the bow hunting community,” added Leptich.
Leptich manages the range for IDFG in cooperation with staff at Farragut State Park where the range is located. The range provides handgun, small-bore rifle, high power rifle, and shotgun shooting venues to accommodate a broad range of shooting sports interests.
Reserved use of the range can be accommodated on both normal days of operation and days when the range is closed to the general public. “Reserved use continues to grow. We host a local muzzleloaders club monthly, have been reserved for formal firearms and marksmanship training classes, some limited law enforcement training, and are working with the NRA to host a formal competitive shoot in August of this year, said Leptich.”
The user fee for the range is a modest $5 per day. Additional charges apply to reserved use.
Range access is off Perimeter Road on the east side of Farragut State Park and approximately 1.5 miles north of the traffic circle on Highway 54. This is just before you enter Farragut State Park. This allows those who are only using the range to avoid paying the Farragut State Park entrance fee on top of the range use fee. Those who wish to take advantage of other Farragut State Park facilities will need to purchase either an annual Idaho State Park pass, or pay the daily park entrance fee.
All range activities are monitored and supervised by an NRA-certified or similarly credentialed Range Safety Officer. At least one RSO is present on-site each day of operation. The RSOs are responsible to, and act under the direction of, the Idaho Department of Fish and Game. All Range Safety Officers are volunteers. The range would need to close without their generous gift of time and service. Please tell them thank you.
RSO’s are there to educate you about and enforce the range rules that keep you safe. They also protect, maintain, and otherwise ensure the integrity of the range infrastructure. They are there to help you have an enjoyable experience at the Farragut Shooting Range. If you have a question about the range or its use, please ask them. However, while they may be able to offer a word of friendly shooting advice or assist with a common firearm malfunction, RSO’s are not shooting coaches or gunsmiths. If you desire firearms training or have a firearm with a significant malfunction that you cannot clear easily seek the services of a trained professional.
For more information, contact Dave Leptich at the IDFG Regional Office (208) 769-1414 or the Farragut State Park Visitors Center (208) 683-2425.
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Phil Cooper is a wildlife conservation educator employed with Idaho Fish and Game in the Panhandle District.