Glastonbury Shooting Range Opens for 2012 Season

The Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP) announced today that the Glastonbury Shooting Range is scheduled to re-open for supervised public use starting Saturday, April 7, 2012.  The range is located within the Meshomasic State Forest off of Toll Gate Road in Glastonbury and has been closed for the winter period. 

Following extensive renovations completed in 2004, the range has been open during limited weekend hours for the past seven seasons. The range will remain open on weekends from April 7 through November 25, 2012, and will be staffed by seasonal DEEP employees that are certified range safety officers.

New for 2012 – Shotgun Patterning for Turkey Hunters 

Special access provisions will be made for turkey hunters for the upcoming spring turkey season. On the weekends of April 14 and 21, two shooting benches will be held for walk-in shooters who can show a valid 2012 spring firearms turkey permit. These stations will be set up with special frames, designed to accept larger targets unique to sighting in shotguns.

Reservations Needed to Use Range

Range hours of operation will be from 10:00 AM – 2:00 PM on most Saturdays and Sundays only. The range will be closed to public use during all other times and DEEP Environmental Conservation (EnCon) Police officers will strictly enforce hours of operation. There is no fee to use the range.  

Note: The range is booked for this coming weekend, but shooters can make reservations for next weekend beginning Monday, April 9, 2012 at 9:00 AM.  

Reservations can be made by contacting the DEEP Glastonbury Range Reservation Line at 860-424-3737 or by email to glastonburyrange@ct.gov. Requests for the upcoming weekend can be made starting on Mondays at 9:00 AM and ending on Tuesdays at 2:00 PM. Any requests made before or after this period will not be considered. Callers may make a single position and time slot reservation, which will be valid for up to three shooters in the same party. Reservation requests must be made by calling the above phone number or by email and providing the requestor’s full name, a daytime phone number, the day and range time period requested, and the number of shooters in the group, if applicable. All reservation requests will be confirmed by a call back or email from DEEP staff.

Due to high demand, only one time slot per shooter is available during each weekend and shooters may not make more than two reservations per month or use the range through the reservation system more than twice a month. There is no restriction, however, on the number of days an individual may use the range on a walk-in basis.

A total of 10 covered shooting positions are available during two time periods: 10:00 AM – 12:00 PM and 12:00 PM – 2:00 PM. All shooters will be required to show proof of prior firearms training, such as a Connecticut Conservation Education/Firearms Safety (CE/FS) certificate, firearms hunting license, pistol permit, police credentials, or military identification. Those who cannot produce such qualifications must be directly supervised by a qualified person at all times. Shooting position assignments will be made at the discretion of the range safety officer. Target stands will be provided at 25, 50, 75, and 100-yard distances, but shooters must supply their own targets and stapler or tape for target placement. Only paper targets are allowed and shooters are reminded to bring eye and ear protection, which will be required at all times. 

Rifles, shotguns, pistols, and muzzleloading rifles may be used; however, fully automatic weapons are not permitted. The site is handicapped accessible, with a specially designed shooting bench for wheelchair access, and includes portable sanitary facilities. Walk-in shooters will be accommodated for unreserved positions or as space becomes available. The range may be closed due to severe weather and staffing availability.

More detailed information, range rules, and directions are available on the DEEP website at www.ct.gov/deep/hunting, select “Target and Trap Shooting” under the 2012 Hunting Season menu.

Connecticut’s Conservation Education/Firearms Safety Program receives funding for site improvements, range equipment, and seasonal staffing through the Federal Aid in Wildlife Restoration Program. Under the Federal Aid program, sportsmen pay an excise fee on firearms, ammunition and archery equipment.  The funds are then distributed to the states for wildlife management and research, habitat acquisition, and hunter education programs.

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