Access to public shooting ranges is crucial for persons learning to shoot a firearm, as well aspersons who want to improve their shooting skills through practice.having access to a range…

The U.S. Department of the Interior Fish and Wildlife Service (DOI FWS) awarded the Arkansas Game & Fish Commission (AGFC) a Formula Grant totaling $600,000 under the Wildlife Restoration and Basic Hunter Education and Safety program (CFDA 15.611) for the performance period of July 1, 2025, through June 30, 2026. This award supports AGFC's continued operation and maintenance of public shooting ranges throughout Arkansas, as well as technical assistance provided to local communities and organizations seeking to develop additional public shooting range facilities.

The funding directly addresses critical recreational access needs by supporting the Arkansas Youth Shooting Sports Program and broader shooting sports participation opportunities across the state. In alignment with AGFC's five-year Strategic R3 (Recruitment, Retention, and Reactivation) plan, the grant enables the agency to maintain existing shooting range infrastructure while facilitating the recruitment of new hunters and shooters, retention of current participants, and reactivation of former hunters and shooters. The grant is administered under the Pittman-Robertson Wildlife Restoration Act framework, which supports state wildlife agencies in conserving wild birds and mammals while promoting responsible hunting practices and public access to wildlife resources.

Access to public shooting ranges is crucial for persons learning to shoot a firearm, as well aspersons who want to improve their shooting skills through practice.having access to a range isespecially crucial for youth who want to participate or currently participate in the arkansasyouth shooting sports program.with the continued growth in the shooting sports, IT isimportant that hunters and shooters have additional opportunities to participate in shootingactivities. The commission will address these needs by continuing to maintain and operate itsranges and by providing assistance to local communities and organizations desiring to developpublic ranges. The commission also realizes the importance of maintaining its ranges for therecruitment of new hunters and shooters, the retention of current hunters and shooters and thereactivation of former hunters and shooters.providing access to public shooting ranges is a vitalcomponent of the arkansas game and fish commissions new 5-year strategic R3 plan.