AmmoLand.com

Summer Evening Shooting Leagues Offered At Ben Avery Shooting Facility
Improve your marksmanship.

Summer Evening Shooting Leagues At Ben Avery Shooting Facility

Arizona Game and Fish Department

PHOENIX, AZ — -(AmmoLand.com)- If the recent NRA convention in Phoenix got your American spirits pumping, or you just recently bought a new firearm to replace that old hand-me-down, then now is the time to join one of the summer recreational shooting leagues at the renowned Ben Avery Shooting Facility.

Beginning in June and running for eight weeks, these three leagues are designed to introduce recreational shooters to organized shooting that will expand and improve your marksmanship skills. The disciplines are bull’s-eye pistol, international-style archery and off-hand air gun. Both the pistol and archery leagues will be outdoors under stadium lighting, with the air gun league housed under the recently renovated indoor air gun range.

“All three of our leagues offer participants a safe and recreational atmosphere to improve their shooting skills,” said Marty Herrera, manager of the Ben Avery Shooting Facility. “Our leagues are run by our certified Range Safety Officers who have experience and knowledge in a variety disciplines and organized shooting.”

Bull’s-eye pistol league:
The bull’s-eye pistol league is for shooters ages 14 or older. Each night consists of four components: a slow-fire, timed-fire, rapid-fire, and a national match component. The four components collectively make up a 900-point match in which participants may shoot one or more of the components. The league meets every Tuesday night from June 9 to July 28 at the Small Bore Range. Shooting begins promptly at 6:30 p.m. Participants are encouraged to use their own firearm and ammunition (rimfire or centerfire) and either revolvers or semi-automatics are permitted. The range has a limited supply of loaner .22 caliber firearms and ammunition available on a first-come, first-served basis. The cost is $24 for each single component or $80 for all four components. Pre-registration is required, contact Christopher Dean at cdean@azgfd.govor (623) 582-8313.

International-style archery leagues:
The international-style archery league offers brackets for youth ages 8-17, men and women. FITA style targets will consist of a 3-spot or single 40 cm target face at 20 yards or an 80 cm target at 10 yards for the youth. The league meets every Wednesday night from June 10 to July 29 at the FITA Range with an awards banquet on Aug. 5. Start time is at 7 p.m. Loaner bows (introductory style) are available on a first-come, first-served basis. Individual costs are $60 for adults and $30 for youth. Family shooters receive a discount. Pre-registration is required, contact Mike Raum at mraum@azgfd.govor (623) 582-8313.

Off-hand air gun leagues:
The off-hand air gun league is for shooters looking to have fun and learn about one of the fastest growing forms of shooting sports competition. Each match includes 300-points consisting of three relays of 10 shots from 10 meters in 20 minutes. The league meets every Thursday evening from June 11 to July 30 at the Air Gun Range. Shooting starting promptly at 6:30 p.m. The range is restricted to a velocity of 600 fps (feet per second) or less. Loaner air guns and pellets are available on a limited and first-come, first-served basis. Adaptive equipment may be available for disabled shooters, but please include any equipment needed during pre-registration. The cost is $60 for adults and $30 for youth 17 and under. Pre-registration is required, contact Matt Schwartzkopf at mschwartzkopf@azgfd.govor (623) 236-7076.

The Ben Avery Shooting Facility is on the northwest corner of I-17 and Carefree Highway in north Phoenix, approximately 10 minutes north of Loop 101. Located on 1,650 acres, it is one of the largest government-operated recreational shooting complexes in the world. It averages more than 120,000 shooters per year and is home to a number of regional- and national-class competitions and other major events. Offering a wide array of target-shooting opportunities, the facility has 67 covered stations at the main range (all handicap accessible), and more than 25 additional rifle, pistol, and archery ranges for recreational and competitive shooting. The Clay Target Center offers 18-lighted trap/skeet overlay fields and two sporting clays courses.

The summer hours are Wednesday and Thursday, 7 a.m. to 1 p.m., then 5 p.m. to 9:30 p.m.; Friday, 7 a.m. to 1 p.m.; Saturday, 7 a.m. to 9:30 p.m.; Sunday, 7 a.m. to 1 p.m. The range is closed Monday and Tuesday.

To learn more about shooting sports and the Ben Avery Shooting Facility, visit www.azgfd.gov/basf.

About:
The Arizona Game and Fish Department prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color, sex, national origin, age, or disability in its programs and activities. If anyone believes that they have been discriminated against in any of the AGFD’s programs or activities, including employment practices, they may file a complaint with the Deputy Director, 5000 W. Carefree Highway, Phoenix, AZ 85086-5000, (602) 942-3000, or with the Fish and Wildlife Service, 4040 N. Fairfax Dr. Ste. 130, Arlington, VA 22203. Persons with a disability may request a reasonable accommodation or this document in an alternative format by contacting the Deputy Director as listed above.

Filed under: Competitive Shooting News by Ammoland No Comments »

Administration Takes Action to Safeguard Roadless Areas
Directive issued today defers backcountry management decisions to the secretary of Agriculture, helps conserve important fish and wildlife habitat and sustain outdoor traditions.

Theodore Roosevelt Conservation Partnership

WASHINGTON, DC – -(AmmoLand.com)- A decision today by the Obama administration to issue a “timeout” on development of inventoried roadless areas was lauded by prominent outdoor-oriented groups that support responsible backcountry management and the exceptional sporting and recreational opportunities provided by these public lands. The Theodore Roosevelt Conservation Partnership, Outdoor Alliance, Outdoor Industry Association and Izaak Walton League of America support the move by U.S. Department of Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack to issue a directive requiring high-level review of proposed backcountry development until permanent rules for these areas’ management can be resolved.

“We’re pleased that the administration has elected to undertake this action and affirm its support of responsible management of inventoried roadless areas,” said Joel Webster, TRCP associate director of campaigns, “and we look forward to working with Secretary Vilsack and the Department of Agriculture in ensuring that America’s outdoor traditions, including hunting and angling, are sustained by conserving these important backcountry public lands.”

Today’s memorandum from the Agriculture Department establishes the secretary’s “decision-making authority over the construction and reconstruction of roads and the cutting, sale or removal of timber in inventoried roadless areas on certain lands administered by the Forest Service.”

“Every American who appreciates and enjoys the vast range of amenities provided by our nation’s outdoors has reason to support today’s decision by the administration,” said Thomas O’Keefe, Pacific Northwest stewardship director for American Whitewater and OA roadless campaign director. “Whether they are climbers, hikers, backcountry skiers, mountain bikers or paddlers, outdoor recreationists agree that our national forest roadless areas play a crucial role in enabling and upholding our country’s outdoor traditions.”

Close to 60 million acres of roadless areas are encompassed within America’s national forests and grasslands. A series of conflicting court decisions regarding the 2001 roadless rule have left management of these areas unsettled for years. Many outdoors-oriented groups support national legislation that conserves America’s backcountry lands and the fish and wildlife, sporting and recreational resources they sustain.

“Thanks to decisive leadership by Secretary Vilsack, sportsmen and other outdoor recreationists can look forward to our continued ability to enjoy the irreplaceable fish and wildlife habitat and high-quality outdoor experiences facilitated by backcountry areas,” said Kevin Proescholdt, IWLA director of wilderness and public lands and member of the TRCP’s Roadless Initiative Working Group, “and we stand ready to assist the secretary in working to conserve these public lands into the long-term future.”

The secretary’s announcement also has implications for roadless areas located in Colorado, where the state has been engaged in developing a plan for their management. Specific projects proposed in Colorado roadless areas will be subject to secretarial-level review under the new directive because the Colorado roadless rule has not been completed.

“Today’s decision by the administration means that hastily finalizing the Colorado roadless rule won’t be in keeping with the way the rest of the national forests are being managed across the United States,” said Amy Roberts, OIA vice president of government affairs. “Responsible management of Colorado’s roadless areas will help maintain the billions of dollars annually generated by active outdoor recreation in this country. In today’s troubled economy, Americans are relying on sustainable forms of revenue like these more than ever.”

“Ultimately, America’s roadless areas are essential in supporting the range of public-lands outdoor traditions that form the bedrock of our national identity,” Webster concluded. “Every citizen has reason to applaud this reasonable and prescient move by the administration to guarantee that this unique identity will endure.”

About:
Inspired by the legacy of Theodore Roosevelt, the TRCP is a coalition of organizations and grassroots partners working together to preserve the traditions
of hunting and fishing.

Filed under: Conservation News by Ammoland No Comments »