MEEKER | The Meeker Sportsman’s Club has been awarded $85,000 from Colorado Parks and Wildlife (CPW) to be used for target relocation and new berms at the shooting range. The funds come from the Shooting Range Development Grant program (SRDG).
Following the sale of the property to Meeker resident Mike Clark in December 2018, the range was closed, and is expected to remain closed until the Club and the new property owner agree on lease terms.
The range is used by Club members, who pay $60 a year for a membership; 4-H shooting sports participants; public attendees at a number of range-sponsored events throughout the year; local law enforcement for training purposes; and hunters from across the country who use the range’s sight-in days before their hunts each year.
Prior to the sale, the Club had amassed more than $100,000 in donations toward purchasing the range. Clark paid $1.7 million for the property.
In total, CPW has awarded $725,000 to eight shooting ranges across Colorado this year. The program’s funds come from federal excise taxes generated by the sale of hunting and shooting equipment, in addition to funds generated by license fees. Local partners in the projects also commit at least 25 percent in matching funds for the work.
Each year, SRDG maximizes its impact by providing matching grants to towns, counties, outdoor recreation organizations, shooting clubs, parks and recreation departments and others. These projects establish, improve or expand shooting ranges and shooting areas—including archery ranges—throughout the state. The eight projects approved for funding this year include more than $576,000 in local matching funds.
CPW’s SRDG coordinator Jim Guthrie said, “We’re investing sportsmen dollars into shooting range facilities, plus really leveraging those dollars. And with Colorado’s growing population, demand for safe, accessible ranges continues to rise. The SRDG program is a major tool in helping to meet that demand.”
The Meeker Sportsman’s Club meets on the first Thursday of the month at 7 p.m. at Kilowatt Korner.
By Niki Turner | [email protected]
