The Cache Valley Public Shooting Range will host an open house on Saturday, Aug, 6, offering free entry to rifle, pistol and archery ranges.
CACHE COUNTY – August is National Sport Shooting Month.
To celebrate that observance, the Cache Valley Public Shooting Range will host an open house on Saturday, Aug. 6.
Range Manager Steven Bassett says that the open house will offer free entry to the range’s rifle, pistol and archery facilities, plus discounted rounds on its shotgun ranges.
Utah Division of Wildlife Resources officials say that a visit to any of Utah’s public shooting ranges in August is appropriate because established ranges are also a safer option for wildfire prevention in the midst of Utah’s historic drought conditions.
Here in Cache Valley, the public shooting range is located at 2851 West, 200 North on Valley View Highway 30, west of Logan.
“Safety is our top priority here,” says Bassett. “That’s why we’re a great place to come and shoot.
“We provide a family-friendly environment where you can try a new hobby or pass your tradition along to someone new. We just want people to come and enjoy themselves.”
Shooting on an established range is a much safer choice given Utah’s current hot and dry conditions, DWR officials say.
On July 16, fire fighters were called to extinguish a small blaze in Providence Canyon that Cache County Fire Marshal Jason Winn suspects was caused by target shooting.
The fire was on National Forest land, where target shooting is permitted with certain restrictions. Those restrictions include a ban on tracer ammunition and all exploding targets, such as those containing tannerite. Targets made from objects that break apart are also prohibited.
Thanks to a quick reaction by local fire fighters, the fire was contained on less than an acre of mostly grass and brush. No structures were threatened. It was extinguished relatively quickly.
Bassett says that the Cache Valley Public Shooting Range has something for everyone.
Outdoors, the facility offers 100-, 200- and 300-yard rifle ranges; and a 50-foot handgun range, with targets at 5-, 10- and 16-yards.
The public range also offers facilities for trap, skeet and five-stand shooting.
For archers, the public range has a 90-meter outdoor archery field, plus 25- and 50-yard ranges that are open to both archery and firearms.
If you prefer to shoot in air-conditioning, the range complex also has a 50-foot indoor range for .22 caliber rifle shooting and a 20-yard indoor archery range.
“All those options are a big draw for people who shoot here often or want to try it for the first time,” Bassett explains. “We have range safety officers who can offer assistance as needed.”
A day-long pass to any or all of the Cache Valley Public Shooting Range facilities is $6. A youth day pass for shooters 15 and younger is $3. Hearing and eye protection is required.
“We have some targets available for purchase,” Bassett says. “But people should bring their own firearms and ammunition.”
To encourage interest in the sport of shooting, Bassett says the range offers an ongoing, year-round promotion that allows patrons to shoot for free or at discounted rates if they have purchased a firearm in the past 30 days. Proof of purchase is required, of course.
During the summer (April to October), the Cache Valley Public Shooting Range is open Wednesday to Friday from 3 to 8 p.m. and Saturday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
During the winter months (November to March), the range is open Wednesday to Friday from 3 to 7 p.m. and Saturday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.