AGFC shooting ranges reopen to the public

May 20, 2020

Randy Zellers

Assistant Chief of Communications

MAYFLOWER — The sounds of gunfire were a welcome change of pace at Dr. James E. Moore Jr. Camp Robinson Firing Range in Mayflower Wednesday. Last week marked the first time the range had been open in more than a month.

“The unmanned Jack Cox Range at W.E. Brewer Scatter Creek WMA opened last week as well,” said Grant Tomlin, assistant chief of the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission’s Education Division. “We plan to open our shotgunning range at Rick Evans Grandview Prairie Conservation Education Center Wednesday, May 20th.”

The ranges are the first public buildings owned by the AGFC that have been reopened to the public since the beginning of COVID-19 precautions were implemented.

“We have had to make some changes to our normal procedures,” said Bill Haynes, range manager. “We only have every other shooting lane open to promote extra distance between shooters, and we are keeping concentrations of people from forming at the clubhouse where they normally would be able to wait.”

Range staff all are equipped with personal protective equipment and constantly sanitize equipment and stations to minimize any potential of spreading coronavirus. Hand-sanitizing stations also are available at designated places on the range.

“We did not have enough protective equipment at Grandview last week, so we had to wait until this Wednesday to open that one,” said Tomlin. “But we’re back open and ready to help some of these people who have recently purchased a firearm or ammunition with a safe, friendly location to shoot.”

Visit www.agfc.com/ranges for information about the shooting ranges the AGFC owns and partnership ranges the AGFC helped build in Arkansas.