FERDINAND, Vt. –-(Ammoland.com)- The Vermont Fish & Wildlife Department says a newly developed West Mountain Shooting Range in Ferdinand, Vermont, is now open for public use.
Shooters are required to follow all range rules, including hours of operation and the requirement to have a Vermont hunting or fishing license.
The West Mountain Range is the second shooting range developed by the Fish & Wildlife Department to be open for public use. Sited within an existing gravel pit that was already popular for target shooting, this new facility in Essex County meets a need long identified by the department as well as a local conservation group and area hunter education instructors. The range was developed to transform this site into a safe, accessible and environmentally friendly shooting range. Funds for development of the range came through a combination of federal Wildlife and Sport Fish Restoration funds and state capital funds.
The range includes four shooting lanes with overhead baffles, side berms, a backstop and a small parking area. Targets are movable from 15, 50, 75, and 100 yards. This facility is located 3.2 miles along South America Pond Road, within the West Management Wildlife Management Area.
The West Mountain Shooting Range will be operated Monday through Sunday, 9:30 a.m. to sunset, April 16 to December 14, unless otherwise posted at the discretion of the Fish & Wildlife Commissioner. Given the wet and snowy conditions of this region for several months of the year, the range will only be open when South America Pond Road is accessible by motor vehicle.
Before using the range, shooters should review the range rules on Vermont Fish & Wildlife’s website: www.vtfishandwildlife.com.
“Vermont has some of the safest and most conservation-minded hunters anywhere,” said Vermont Fish & Wildlife Commissioner Louis Porter. “They need a publicly accessible place where they can sight in their rifles and practice their shooting skills. West Mountain Shooting Range will provide just that, especially for residents of Essex County and adjacent communities.”