What`s New in Clay Bird Throwers?

Insurance Q&A
Vol. 14 No. 2 Spring 2011
NSSF’s Magazine for Shooting Facilities
What’s New in
Clay Bird Throwers?
Attract Turkey
Hunters: A Pattern for
Spring Profits
Inter-Range
Cooperation: Make It
Work for You
The Range Report
Spring 2011
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The Range Report
Spring 2011
www.nssf.org • www.wheretoshoot.org • www.rangeinfo.org
Vol. 14 No. 2 Spring 2011
Features
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What’s New in Clay Bird Throwers?
Reliability, versatility and cost savings are
benefits of various innovations.
By Carolee Anita Boyles
8 10
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14
Signs of Success
18
Inter-Range Cooperation: Make It Work for You
Is your facility signage up to the task?
By Scott Engen
Pattern for Spring Profits
Turkey hunters will flock to the range to ready
themselves for the season
By Michael D. Faw
Team up with another range to benefit both your
businesses
By Tom Carpenter
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Departments
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5
Letter from the Editor
Three ways to make money
and draw crowds
By Glenn Sapir
Sighting In
Scoping out news for the shooting range
community
By Glenn Sapir
Vol. 14 No. 2 Spring 2011
New clay throwers can offer
enhanced versatility and efficiency.
What’s New in
Clay Bird Throwers?
Attract Turkey
Hunters: A Pattern for
Spring Profits
Inter-Range
Cooperation: Make It
Work for You
Spring 2011
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22
Insurance: why, how, what, how much?
By Robin Ball and Stan Pate
The Undercover Shooter
Clay shooting in Phoenix
Home on the Range
How proactive is your shooting range?
By Zach Snow
On the cover:
Insurance Q&A
NSSF’s Magazine for Shooting Facilities
The Range Report
6
Q&A
© 2011 National Shooting Sports Foundation, Inc. All Rights Reserved. The Range
ReportSM, SHOT Show® and all other trade names, trademarks and service marks of
the National Shooting Sports Foundation appearing in this publication are the sole
property of the Foundation and may not be used without the Foundation’s prior
express written permission. All other company and product names are trademarks or
registered trademarks of their respective owners.
1
The Range Report
Spring 2011
3
Letter
from
thethe
from
Editor
Editor
G l e n n
A
Three Ways to Make Money
and Draw Crowds
few months ago Bill Brassard,
the National Shooting Sports
Foundation’s director of
communication, and I attended a
day-long seminar in New York City. The
topic was “advanced writing,” and the
presenter, a journalist in his previous life
and a distinguished public speaker today,
offered comments on titles for articles.
The titles he wished to recommend
were more like cover lines, and you’ve
seen them on magazines that fall into a
variety of categories: “Five Ways to Get
Your Man”; “Three Top Dry Flies for
Stubborn Trout”; 10 Great Recipes for
Fast, Easy Dinners.” His presentation on
this topic reminded me, more than taught
me, about the power both of numbers and
of tips that tell the reader what’s in it for
him.
Thus, the title of this letter: “Three
Ways to Make Money and Draw
Crowds.” It refers to a few of the many
resources that NSSF provides you, the
commercial, municipal and club range
owner and/or operator. The number
could have easily been “10” or even “50,”
but let’s go with “three” for this edition.
That leaves plenty more for future issues.
Truth is that NSSF and its range division do offer a multitude of ways for any
range to make money and draw crowds.
Without further ado, here are three, in no
particular order of importance:
National Range Inventory—An
updated inventory of shooting facilities has been completed under the
guidance of NSSF’s Information Technology and Research teams, and the results
are reflected in the easy-to-use Find a
Range feature at www.wheretoshoot.org
on the NSSF website. There, more than
6,800 shooting facilities can be located
through a state-by-state, province-byprovince customized search. In Jan. 2011
some 83,970 unique visitors came to this
site, up 20 percent from Jan. 2010. If you
are not listed in this inventory of ranges,
or if you are but the information needs to
be updated, be sure to visit www.wheretoshoot.org/List_Range/index.cfm. You
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S a p i r
can get there by clicking on “List Your
Range” at the wheretoshoot home page.
Perhaps one million people will come to
this site in 2011, seeking a place to shoot.
What an opportunity to make sure yours
is one that they consider.
Shooting Ranges Resource Catalog—This publication gathers most
of NSSF’s assortment of range
services into one resource. Publications,
videos, descriptions of programs and
services especially for ranges and safety
and conservation materials are all listed
and described. This is truly loaded with
gems. An order form accompanies the
catalog, and you’ll note that most items
are free to members of NSSF. You’ll also
find a membership application in case
you still are not a member. You can view
and download this catalog at http://nssf.
org/PDF/ASR_catalog2010.pdf.
The Range Report—Perhaps
we’re being immodest by recommending our own publication, but
having recently returned from a meeting
with NSSF’s Shooting Range Advisory
Committee, we have reason to believe
“NSSF’s Magazine for Shooting Facilities” is fulfilling its role. The quarterly
magazine’s contributors—top flight writers, range management experts and NSSF
staff—strive to bring its readers information to manage their facilities to the
betterment of the environment, the users
and the bottom line. More than one advisor at the meeting said that the Range
Report was the one magazine they read
cover-to-cover. If you are not regularly
receiving the magazine, subscribe at the
“Range Resources” section of Shooting at
www.nssf.org. If you are, we’d like you
to share with us at [email protected]
what you’d like to see in future issues. RR
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www.nssf.org
The Range Report, published four times per
year by the National Shooting Sports Foundation,
is dedicated to serving the needs and to helping
meet the challenges of today’s shooting facilities.
The Range Report encourages letters,
comments, suggestions, questions and tips.
Material to be returned should be accompanied
by a stamped, self-addressed envelope. The
Range Report does not assume responsibility
for the loss of unsolicited graphic or written
material. Correspondence should be sent to: The Range Report
c/o NSSF
11 Mile Hill Road
Newtown, CT 06470-2359
Fax: 203-426-1245
E-mail: [email protected]
We reserve the right to edit for clarity and space.
Mark Thomas
Glenn Sapir
Chris Dolnack
Deb Moran
Managing Director
Editor
Advertising Director
Art Director
Advisory Committee
Bill Kempffer,
Don
Turner - president
chairman
of NSSF’s
of NSSF’s
Association
ShootingofRange
Shooting
Advisory
Ranges
Shooting park manager
Committee
Clark River
Deep
CountySporting
Shooting
Clays,
ParkInc.
North LasN.C. Sanford,
Vegas,
Nev. [email protected]
[email protected]
Robin
Ball, Consultant,
owner
Don
Turner
DonTurner LLC
Sharp
Shooting
North Las
Vegas,Indoor
Nev. Range and Gun Shop [email protected]
Spokane, Wash. [email protected]
Robin Ball, owner
Brian
Danielson,
sales
manager
Sharp Shooting Indoor Range and Gun Shop
Meggitt
Spokane,Training
Wash. Systems
[email protected]
Suwanee, Ga.
[email protected]
Brian
sales manager
Glenn Danielson,
Duncan, owner
Meggitt
Training
Systems
Duncan’s Outdoor Shop, Inc.
Suwanee,
Ga.
[email protected]
Bay City, Mich.
[email protected]
Glenn
Duncan,
owner
Jon Green,
director
of education and training Duncan’s
Outdoor
Inc.(GOAL)
Gun Owners
ActionShop,
League
Bay
City, Mich.Mass.
[email protected]
Northborough,
[email protected]
Bill Green,
Kempffer,
president
Jon
director
of education and training DeepOwners
River Sporting
Clays, Inc.
Gun
Action League
(GOAL)
Sanford, N.C. Mass.
[email protected]
Northborough,
[email protected]
Holden
Holden Kriss,
Kriss, director
director
Indian River
River County
County Public
Public Shooting
Shooting Range
Range
Indian
Sebastian,
[email protected] Sebastian, Fla.
Fla.
[email protected] Barry
Barry Laws,
Laws, CEO
CEO
Openrange
Openrange Inc.
Inc.
Crestwood, Ky. Ky. Crestwood,
[email protected]
[email protected]
Phil Murray,
Murray, national
national sales
sales manager
manager
Phil
White
White Flyer
Flyer
Houston,
Houston, Texas
Texas Tim
president
StanPitzer,
Pate, president
Oregon State
State Shooting
Shooting Association
Association
Oregon
Albany,
Albany, Ore. Ore. [email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]
The Range Report
Spring 2011
Sighting In
Scoping out news for the shooting range community
By Glenn Sapir, Editor
At Next Shooting Sports Summit, Ranges Will Be
Important Part of ‘Models of Success’
Task Force 20-20, the committee
formed at the NSSF Shooting Sports
Summit in 2008 and comprising segments
of the firearms, state agency and conservation communities, has launched a Models
of Success pilot program that will raise
awareness of the “best-of-the-best” state
recruitment and retention initiatives.
Two of the programs specifically focus
on shooting facilities and will be a center
of attention at the next Shooting Sports
Summit, planned for June 7-9 at the Louisville Marriott Downtown in Louisville, Ky.
Leaders from throughout the industry
and the shooting and hunting communities are encouraged to attend this year’s
Summit, where the goal remains the same:
to increase participation in the shooting
sports.
Task Force 20-20’s steering committee has identified programs in Minnesota,
Oregon, Arizona and Nebraska as initiatives that can be even more effective in
developing new hunters and shooters if
given a boost from a dedicated marketing
campaign. The National Shooting Sports
Foundation will fund the promotional
efforts out of a $500,000 overall commitment to Task-Force 20-20’s recruitment
and retention initiatives.
“NSSF is putting its financial muscle
behind these most promising state
programs, many of which already have a
track record of success,” said Chris Dolnack,
senior vice president and chief marketing
officer of NSSF, the trade association for
the firearms, ammunition, hunting and
shooting sports industry. “By building
awareness of these entry-level and reactivation programs, we’ll add more shooters
and hunters to our ranks. Research shows
people are interested in trying hunting
and shooting; these programs make it easy
for them to get started or re-started.”
Here’s a summary of the two states’
programs selected as Models of Success
that predominantly involve ranges.
Arizona: The state has adopted a community outreach strategy utilizing NSSF’s
First Shots program that provides a safe,
supervised introduction to target shooting
and an overview of state gun-ownership
regulations. The “learn-to-shoot” program
is being rolled out in five regions at
state-owned and other public ranges. An
important component is the development
of a “Second Shots” program, allowing
newcomers who want to pursue their
new-found passion for target shooting or
hunting to do so.
Nebraska: A marketing campaign will
motivate adults who have hunting experience to take youth or adult novices
hunting, utilizing a local shooting range
for sighting-in their firearms and improving their marksmanship before going
afield. A dedicated website will provide
helpful tips to adult mentors on how best
to provide a proper introduction to hunting for a newcomer or novice.
To learn more about the upcoming
Shooting Sports Summit and to register,
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visit www.nssf.org/summit.
Update Your Range Information on
WhereToShoot.org
Window of Opportunity Still Open for
Five Free Crickett .22 Rifles
If you’ve already read the
Letter from the Editor in this
edition, you learned how popular
the National Shooting Sports
Foundation’s range-locator
webpage has been. More than
820,000 unique visitors went to
www.wheretoshoot.org in 2010
to learn about the location and
other details of ranges within the
particular, customized search they may have made.
This free website, operated by NSSF, can surely increase traffic to your website and your range, but it is up to you to make
sure that your information is up to date. In fact, if information is
not updated by June 1, facilities may be deleted from the wheretoshoot database.
To update, visit www.wheretoshoot.org, click on “List Your
Range” and then on “Find Your Range” in the “Update Your Range
Listing.” You’ll be directed to find your range in our data base and
then be given a chance to “Update Listing” at the bottom of the
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information page.
Have you jumped on board to claim the five free Crickett
youth .22 rifles donated by their manufacturer, Keystone Sporting Arms, to the National Shooting Sports Foundation’s First
Shots?
First Shots, of course, is the NSSF-administered seminar that
has proven to be a productive way to attract newcomers to the
sport and to a range. The first 200 NSSF-member ranges that
commit to hosting two seminars in 2011, at least one of which
must be specifically for parents and youth, are eligible to receive
for free the set of five rifles.
The seminar, a combination of classroom instruction on
firearm fundamentals and pertinent regulations and a closely
supervised live-firing session, has proven to be very effective not
only in attracting participants but also in getting them to return
to the host facility.
Learn more about hosting a First Shots seminar at www.nssf.
org/FirstShots/RangeOwners. Only NSSF members are eligible.
To get more information on NSSF membership, contact
NSSF Director, Member Services, Bettyjane Swann at 203-4261320, e-mail [email protected], or visit www.nssf.org/industry/
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members/.
The Range Report
Spring 2011
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Q&A
Your questions answered
Robin Ball, President
Sharp Shooting Indoor
Range and Gun Shop
Spokane, Wash.
Stan Pate, President,
Oregon State Shooters
Association
Past President,
Environmental Steward,
Douglas Ridge Rifle Club
Eagle Creek, Oreg. Insurance: Why, How, What, How Much?
Q. How do you determine your insurance
needs and how do you obtain coverage?
A. Robin Ball, president, Sharp Shooting
Indoor Range and Gun Shop
Insurance is an expense that needs to be
analyzed carefully. It is expense no one feels
is worth the cost—until you need it, and
then you must be comforted to know that
you are covered properly. Though we pay a
little extra for running our insurance through
a broker, it is nice to have someone else
looking at the pros and cons of the different
options for us. The brokerage fee adds about
$500 to the policy for the year but has saved
us more than that in time. It is money well
spent with a professional who understands
the terminology and coverage options. Using
a broker is like managing your people. In
your business you work with people every day
that you trust with certain responsibilities.
Working with a broker is the same philosophy: he or she is someone you trust to know
the job.
One of the factors that must be considered is replacement value of the physical
structure. That amount is critical and needs
to be evaluated annually, especially as we see
raw material prices increasing so dramatically. If you have seen an increase in business
over the past couple of years, that must be
considered. That means more products
on hand, higher gross sales and personnel
costs and, for us, it also means more expoIn Q & A, The Range Report invites
NSSF’s Shooting Range Advisory Committee members past and present, and
others with special expertise, to provide
their answers to questions of interest
to our readers. If you have a question
you’d like to see addressed, submit it
to [email protected]. If you would
like to comment on the answers given in
this edition’s Q&A, or if you have related
follow-up questions for this team of
experts, please share your thoughts at
the same e-mail address.
6
sure on the shooting range.
We also buy used guns and have a
consignment program. Having other people’s
property on hand and having our personal
firearms and firearms that belong to employees are critical factors for insurance coverage. We want to protect everyone’s interests.
Another critical consideration is how
you use subcontractors. Do you use staff
instructors, or do you allow an outside
person to teach at your facility? Is your
gunsmith an employee, or does he lease
space from you? Do you allow law enforcement to train at your facility, and do you
have a “hold harmless” agreement with them
along with their proof of insurance? Are
employees always acting within the scope of
their job description, or do they occasionally venture outside their areas, like working
shows, attending training events, etc?
The most important consideration is to
remember insurance is to protect you in a
catastrophic event. Prevention is the best
insurance. As often as you do a gun audit
and inventory, you should walk through
your building, look for problem areas and
fix them because in the normal course of
doing business, things change. You also
need to have your staff understand their
responsibilities as they apply to safety
and facility maintenance. They are on the
front lines of prevention and play a vital
role in trying to preclude the need to ever
make an insurance claim.
A. Stan Pate, president, Oregon State
Shooting Association, and past president
and environmental steward, Douglas
Ridge Rifle Club
For many years our club like so many
others purchased our insurance through the
NRA-affiliated insurance companies. The
NRA-endorsed insurance policies provided
then and likely still do a good overall coverage for most shooting facilities for the
premiums being paid. About four years ago
Douglas Ridge Rifle Club (DRRC) started
researching alternative insurance options
that we’d learned about through our Oregon
State Range Association. What DRRC discov-
ered was that many other options were
available to us for our insurance needs. Some
were much better than others, and work and
research were required to find an insurance
company who’s policy and premium would
suit our needs best.
To understand part of our motivation in starting the research of insurance
options and why our gun club was extremely
concerned with what the coverage was going
to cost us, you should know what was going
on at our facility. DRRC was being sued by a
former member who’d filed four suits at the
state court level and two suits at the federal
court level. The defense of these suits was
extremely expensive. In addition to the suits
that had been filed against DRRC, the club
had filed a suit in federal court against its
insurance company for coverage that we felt
they were bound to provide. We eventually
won this law suit, which paid for our entire
legal defense costs.
During our extensive research for an
appropriate insurance provider we were
confronted by options that we as an organization hadn’t considered before undertaking
this task—such things as specific policies
to cover both the volunteer members who
serve our organization that handle at times
a great deal of money on our behalf and
the gun club itself. Another question was
how to handle the indemnification of our
officers and board members? With a lot of
research we found what suited us best in one
company with one premium.
In fact, we gained a very large savings
in premium costs with more coverage than
we’d ever had before. The key to our success
was to explore “alternative” sources and to
draw on other shooting facilities’ experiences. For further information or ideas, you
might contact our Oregon Association of
Shooting Ranges at www.OASR.com.
Our current coverage is as follows for
the major coverage limits of our insurance
policies: General liability =$2,000,000;
Commercial general liability =$2,000,000;
personal Injury each occurrence=
$1,000,000; and fire damage = $100,000
RR
for any one fire.
The Range Report
Spring 2011
Your First Shot
at New Shooters
F
inding new customers is always a challenge. If there
ever was a sure shot at new business, this is it. Best
of all, ranges that held seminars found a significant
increase in range activity, traffic and profits! Shooting
range hosted and managed seminars are free to
participants,, easy to run by even small ranges and, best
of all, low cost to facilities.
As a NSSF member, we have already done most of
the work for you and actually help fund advertising
for your seminar, provide loaner equipment, ammunition, targets and safety literature. First Shots is a short,
hands-on introduction to firearms covering safety,
responsible ownership and shooting fundamentals.
Why is the program so successful? First Shots provides a
system for bringing target shooting to the general public
in one complete package that makes it simple for nonshooters to:
1)
2)
3)
4)
Gain awareness of target shooting.
Build interest in learning more about target shooting.
Evaluate and try target shooting before investment.
Access continued opportunities to participate.
The program’s elements of cooperative funding for
advertising, a simple agenda, short time frames,
limited trials and safe environment all result in an
increase of new shooters and new customers to
your range.
An introduction to shooting
Here’s what range
owners have to say:
“We started to do First Shots almost a year ago and continue to run
one class a month. We do this for two
reasons, one is to get more shooters involved in
the shooting sport and the second being a great
way for us to give back to the community. We
have seen participants who have gone on to take
almost every class we offer
on personal protection and
continue to want to learn more
about shooting. We will continue
to participate in the first shot
program and look forward to
the new classes that they are
working on.”
Harry Misener, Special Events Coordinator
Shooter’s World
Many have seen remarkable results.
To learn more go to www.nssf.org/firstshots
or contact Randy Clark ([email protected]) or
call (203) 426-1320. Taking that first shot is
always the toughest and the most memorable.
WWW.NSSF.ORG/FIRSTSHOTS
WWW.NSSF.ORG/FIRSTSHOTS
The Range Report
Spring 2011
7
What’s New in Clay
Bird Throwers?
Reliability, versatility and cost savings are benefits
of various innovations
By Carolee Anita Boyles
T
raps and clay throwers are at
the heart of outdoor ranges. If
they don’t do their job, your
customers don’t get to play. Fortunately, this is one area of range design
where technology is innovative and
reliable.
According to Clark Vargas, president of C. Vargas and Associates in
Jacksonville, Fla., clay throwers can be
divided into categories based on how
they’re used.
“This is the way we’ve been doing
it for 25 years,” he said. “Traditional
traps are for the trap game, and are
single or double traps that throw
straight ahead.”
For trap and skeet, with the high
house and low house, the trap also
throws straight ahead, Vargas said.
“These machines throw along a
prescribed arc,” he said.
International trap and skeet
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machines do basically the same thing as
“regular” trap and skeet machines.
“However, these machines throw
the clays faster, and sometimes they
throw doubles,” Vargas said.
He terms sporting clays as the
“golf” side of the clays market.
“The range operator selects one
of seven types of traps that are available, according to the site where he’s
putting the trap,” Vargas said. “This
lets him make the presentation that
is compatible with the land and that
mimics a particular flight of birds.
About 80 percent of what operators
select is some type of crosser. Another
10 percent or so will be either coming
toward the shooter or going away
from him. Five percent or less will be
specialty traps, including the rabbit
and battue. The rabbit runs along the
ground until it hits something and goes
in another direction, and the battue is a
heavy bird that is thrown vertical and
is erratic in flight.”
A range manager who’s astute
about the equipment can set up an
entire sporting clays course using only
a couple of types of machines, Vargas
said.
“All the manufacturers are very
competitive, so a range owner tends to
pick the ones he likes based on cost and
reliability,” he said. “On a course with
26 to 30 machines, at least 15 of them
will be the same kind. You’ll also have
two specialty machines. And you need
to buy top of the line machines so they
don’t malfunction. If you don’t, you’ll
have a mess on your hands.”
So what’s new?
Although many “lighter use”
brands of traps, such as Champion,
are available, range owners need to
focus on industrial-grade equipment
so they have clay throwers that last,
said Pete Masch, facilities manager for
the National Shooting Complex in San
Antonio, Texas.
“One particular brand that stands
out as being strong is LaPorte,” Masch
said. “Other good brands are Promatic,
Mattarelli, Beomat, GP Traps, and
Lincoln Traps. From what I’ve seen
across the nation, range owners look at
price as the bottom line, so what people
buy depends on the money they have
available.”
One reason Masch likes LaPorte so
much, he said, is the innovations the
company has made in the past few years.
“Over the past two to three years,
they’ve fixed all the problems that
were issues on all the machines on the
market,” he said. “The new LaPorte
185PC8C machine is the easiest one
to work with, hands down. There’s
hardly any trouble with it compared to
years past.”
Some of the key innovations on the
new machine include enhanced flexibility in the way clays are thrown.
“For sporting clays, we like to put
angles and twists into the clays that are
thrown,” Masch said. “LaPorte now
has all of that built into their base. It’s
a simple one-wrench adjustment, and
you can tip the machine 86 degrees up
and 70 degrees right to left.”
The new machine also has a simple
to use, solid-state electronic control box.
The Range Report
Spring 2011
“Before this,
electronics were
a problem with
everybody,” Masch
said. “We’ve been
running more than
100 of the new
machines here, and
we haven’t had
any trouble with
the electronics on
them.”
A new feeding system also is a
positive feature on
this machine.
“The new ramp
system LaPorte has
built is all stainless
steel or cast alumiout on his own, you’re really trusting
num,” Masch said. “That solves the
every individual. However, with counissue of a trap sitting outside and being
ter systems every target is accounted
subject to corrosion and rust.”
for and every target is paid for.”
The only downside is the price,
The National Shooting Complex
Masch said, which actually is only
installed one of the Long Range protoabout $200 more than the other trap
type counter
machines on the
systems, and they
market.
“When you’re on the ‘honor’ saw a difference
One of the
immediately.
biggest innovasystem ... you’re really
“We started
tions to come
trusting every individual. saving about a
along in years,
pallet of targets
Masch said, is
However, with counter
every week,”
wireless release
systems
every
target
is
Masch said.
systems.
accounted for and every “That’s how
“Until now,
many were
every machine
target is paid for.”
being shot here
has had to have
and there that
a cord connected
we weren’t accounting for. That’s a
to it so you can push the button for it
phenomenal amount of waste.”
to throw the targets,” he said. “Now
Some counter systems are wireLong Range and a couple of other
less and some are hard wired, but Long
companies have come out with their
Range also is the leader with this technew remote systems. These systems
nology.
tremendously reduce the set-up and
“That’s one of the hottest things
maintenance time on the equipment.
going right now,” Masch said. “KeepYou can put a trap anywhere you
ing track of everything thrown is
want and hook it up, and it’s ready to
important, because every target reprego. There’s no more concern about
sents cost.”
the wire getting shot or worn out, or
Another innovation to look for is
critters chewing on it and damaging it.
from Promatic.
This is a fantastic change.”
“They put three small machines on
Yet another innovation is couna wobbly base and mounted the whole
ter systems that literally “count” the
thing on a trailer so you can move it
number of thrown targets.
with a truck,” Masch said. “They’ve
“That’s a big thing for clubs,”
sold a lot of those to game ranches and
Masch said. “When you’re on the
outfits that want corporate shooting.
‘honor’ system where there’s just a
RR
button on the cage and the shooter goes It’s a three-machine wobble.”
The Range Report
Spring 2011
For More Information
Clark Vargas
C. Vargas and Associates, Ltd.
Consulting Engineers
8808 Arlington Expressway
Jacksonville, FL 32211
904-722-2294
www.cvaltd.com
G.P. Traps L.L.C.
2711 S.E. 190TH
Atlanta, KS 67008
620-394-2341
www.gptraps.com
Howell Shooting Supplies
140 Lowe Drive
Enterprise, AL 36330
334-393-2843
www.howellshootingsupplies.com
Laporte America
14463 Governor G.C. Peery Hwy.
P.O. Box 492
Pounding Mill, VA 24637
800-335-8727
www.laporteamerica.com
Pete Masch, Facilities Manager
National Shooting Complex
5931 Roft Road
San Antonio, TX 78253
210-688-3371
www.nssa-nsca.org
Promatic
7803 W. Highway 116
Gower, MO 64454
888-767-2529
www.promatic.biz
Mattarelli USA
832-473-0366
www.mattarelliusa.com
Shyda’s Services, Inc.
Home of Lincoln Traps
2360 Colebrook Rd.
Lebanon, PA 17042
717-274-8676
www.lincolntraps.com
9
Signs of
Success
Is your facility signage up to the task?
By Scott Engen
I
t’s been said that you never get a second chance
to make a first impression. Nowhere is that
more true that in the signage that attracts
(or repels) customers to your range facility. That
first impression often determines whether a new
customer will walk through your door or keep driving, looking for a more appealing range somewhere
down the road.
Signage is much more than just hanging out
your shingle and hoping customers will show up.
It’s your 24/7 display ad for everyone to see. It’s
part of the core branding process around which you
build your entire reputation.
Branding is the entire process involved in
creating a unique name and image for a product,
good or service in the consumers’ mind, through
advertising campaigns with a consistent theme.
Branding aims to establish a significant and differentiated presence in the market that attracts and
retains loyal customers.
“Businesses only have a few seconds of the
attention from motorists to create the impression
that makes a difference,” observed Jeffrey
S. Young, vice president
If your range signage program is
and division manager
lacking, begin by developing a plan for Young Electric Sign
Company (YESCO) in
and a budget to make improvements. Salt Lake City, Utah.
“Signs that are too
small, are not illuminated adequately or try to say too much will not be
seen and will not have value for the business and/or
the community.”
You may not immediately recognize the YESCO
company name, but you’ve undoubtedly seen their
mega-signs all along the Las Vegas Strip when you
attend the SHOT Show.
So, start by taking an objective look at your
existing range signage and the message it conveys.
Is it faded, shabby and weathered, or does it look
fresh, bold and attractive? When you drive by does
it make your range look like a shady operation or
10
The Range Report
Spring 2011
gate your local government’s sign
Don’t let your signage program
the kind of place a family would
regulations. You may even be able
end at your parking lot or front
like to spend the afternoon enjoying
to work out some sort of trade
door. Continue your program with
the shooting sports?
arrangement with sign suppliers for
clear, attractive signage at the sales
If your range signage program
range time or facility use. Your club
counter, in the halls and on the
is lacking, begin by developing a
members may also have expertise
firing line. Strive for a consistent
plan and a budget to make improvein signage design, fabrication and
look and feel with easily read typogments. Look at your range signage
installation.
raphy, uniform colors and pleasing
as an investment, not an expense. If
Don’t overlook the numerous
layout. Make sure your logo and
you can’t afford to do a total signage
website address are used
remake all at once, prioritize
wherever suitable.
your needs and schedule
Do some informal research on the
Naturally you should
replacement signage over a
make sure your range rules
period of months or years.
signage at other successful local
and safety procedures are
Do some informal
research on the signage at
businesses ...see what kind of signage clearly posted. Consult with
your attorney and insurother successful local busicatches your eye and makes you
ance carrier to make sure
nesses, especially those
outside the outdoor sports
want to walk in the front door and do any necessary information
related to safety is promimarket. See what kind of
nently displayed and easily
signage catches your eye and
business with them.
understood.
makes you want to walk in
Your signage program
the front door and do busican also support your retail sales
ness with them.
online resources that are available
efforts. Put out an attractive banner
Many local business orgafor facility signage design, such
announcing a major event, annual
nizations and institutions offer
as the United States Sign Council
membership drive or summer shootresources that can help you locate
Foundation at www.usscfoundaing league. Portable signs with
reputable sign suppliers and navition.org/publications.php.
NO BELLS. NO WHISTLES. JUST PERFECTION.
THANK YOU AMERICA FOR 25 YEARS OF SUCCESS.
TM
GLOCK revolutionized the firearms industry by redefining the
modern pistol. And after 25 years in America, our dedication to
continuously pursue perfection remains our steadfast conviction.
We provided you with unequaled reliability, and you have shown your
confidence in us. So thank you law enforcement, military, and consumers
for helping us become the standard by which all others are compared.
The Range Report
Spring 2011
770-432-1202
|
www.glock.com
11
changeable text placed at the curb
can attract new customers to special
sales or range activities.
You can even have a design
template on your computer into
which you can insert a headline and
any supporting information. Print it
out on your laser or ink jet printer
and insert the sheet into a clear plastic sign stand that’s available from
your local office supply store and
you’re in business!
In short, plenty of options are
open to range operators to create
an attractive signage program that’s
both cost effective and traffic building. The only limitations are your
RR
imagination!
Leading off with a logo adds consistency to your signs
and your branding efforts.
Eleven Quick Tips for Effective Signage Design
1. Keep it visible and legible. Remember that people
7. Make sure your sign is conspicuous. Your
2. Save the details for the sale. Don’t attempt to sell
8. Avoid obstructions. Make certain the sign can be
3. Keep it simple. Crowding the sign with too many
9. Make it memorable. Your sign should make your
of all ages are reading while looking through a windshield, in traffic, day and night. They must be able to see
and read the sign quickly and easily. Sans serif fonts are
helpful for fast legibility.
with information on the sign. Save that information until
the customer has set foot in the business.
words or lines of text makes it impossible to read from a
distance. Three to five words are optimal for quick readability. Also, make sure the letter kerning is not too tight.
4. Grab attention. There should be something about the
sign that will reach out and command attention. Ideally,
the first item should be a large pictorial graphic or your
company logo, but it can also be large dominating text.
Strong color contrast can help as well.
5. Appeal to impulse buyers. Many businesses
mistakenly think of a sign as merely a device that identifies them. What they fail to realize is that 55 percent of all
retail sales are a result of impulse purchases. This makes it
imperative that the sign quickly communicates what the
business sells.
6. Keep it near the viewer. Put the sign as close to the
12
street as is permitted.
message competes in a complex environment. A passerby
must be able to differentiate your sign from its surrounding environment. A strong contrast to the building facade
(and an easily legible font) is helpful.
viewed without obstruction from any source. Drive past
your business from all directions to help determine the
most visible sign location(s).
range and its location easy to remember. “Just look for
the big red sign near the intersection of Alameda and
Bennington.”
1
0. Consider colors carefully. Too many colors take
away from the quick readability of the sign. Again, stay
simple. Make sure colors are contrasting. Yellow on white
is not very readable, whereas black on white is easily readable.
11. Consistent visual image. Ideally, the design and the
colors of your building should reinforce the design and
colors of your sign (or vice versa). Color is probably the
easiest and most cost-effective device for this coordination of design for business identification.
Source - SBA “Design Tips” within “Understanding the Value of
Signage.”
The Range Report
Spring 2011
Your Future Is Our Business
It’s Also Our Mission and Passion
National Shooting
Sports Foundation®
Join the National Shooting Sports Foundation. Help us attract, excite and inform
new hunters and shooters – and turn them into your customers.
All of us are a part of the lucky few who make a living
pursuing our passion. We are the National Shooting
Sports Foundation, the trade association of the firearms,
ammunition and shooting industry. By becoming a NSSF
member, you enable us to attract, excite and inform new
hunters and shooters in every state about the sport we
love . . . new enthusiasts mean more business for
everyone. Whether it is in the field, on the range, in
Washington, D.C. or 50 state capitals, we stand proudly as
your voice. Help us make your voice louder and stronger
where it counts.
For 50 years, our mission has always been
to promote, protect and preserve our hunting
and shooting sports. Now more than ever, it’s
time to shoot for more and become a NSSF
member. To join, contact Bettyjane Swann at
(203) 426-1320 or [email protected].
© iStockphoto.com/Sami Photography
The future of your business
depends on it.
www.nssfmembership.com
The Range Report
Spring 2011
13
Pattern for Spring Profits
Turkey hunters will flock to the range to ready themselves for the season
By Michael D. Faw
Turkey hunters want to be able
to rely on their shotgun, choke
and ammunition combination
when the big moment presents
itself. They can settle for
patterning their guns at the last
minute on a makeshift setup
in the field, but many would
prefer to come to the range to
do it under more conducive,
controlled conditions.
14
The Range Report
Spring 2011
W
hen it comes to conservation success stories,
nothing quite compares to
the return of the wild turkey to America’s landscapes. More than 7 million
wild turkeys inhabit 49 states today,
and according to the most recent
(2006) US Fish and Wildlife Service
national survey on hunter activity,
more than 2.5 million people hunt
turkeys in America.
This is a potentially huge
customer base for shooting ranges.
The high turkey hunting activity
means one thing for ranges, gun shops
and all outlets that sell shotshells and
wild turkey-related hunting gear:
stock your shelves early, open your
range doors wide and prepare to ring
the cash register often.
Along with offering range time,
plus selling gear, scopes and shotshells, some ranges host special turkey
hunting clinics and state game department turkey hunter education courses
to better serve turkey hunters.
The biggest draw, however, is
providing a place where turkey hunters can sight in their shotguns. Nearly
every magazine article or “how-to”
turkey hunting book stresses the key
to hunter success is patterning the
shotgun to the shotshells the hunter
will use to hunt. This turkey hunting shotgun patterning process has
become a rite of spring in much of
America.
Though a sturdy bench and sandbags or a solid gun rest can help with
the patterning process, many turkey
hunters prefer to sit with their back to
a tree or similar structure and shoot
with a shotgun resting on their knees.
Is your range able to provide this
service? If you can, you should reach
out to the turkey hunting community
and let them know you can accommodate their needs. Also consider
contacting a National Wild Turkey
Federation local chapter and let it
help promote your facility as a shotgun sighting-in center.
shotshell, choke and gun with which
they plan to hunt and experiment
with various choke and shotshell
combinations. Nearly any range could
earn extra income by breaking up
boxes of shotshells and placing several
similar shotshells in a zipper-lock-type
bag and having those readily available
for sale as a test sample. This would
save hunters a lot of time and trouble,
and could lead to more shotshell sales
for any range.
Place a turkey target on a backstop (see sidebar on next page). Many
manufacturers produce these, and
some make targets for which you can
peel off the backing and stick them to
the backstop. You can even download
and print a turkey target at
www.nssf.org/targets. The targets
show the head and neck, the preferred
vital area for which to shoot. Also
consider providing an ink marker
where customers can record on the
target details about the distance,
shotshell and choke.
Learn how to build a sturdy
patterning board on the next page
Patterning pointers
Nearly every article and book
covering turkey hunting notes that 40
yards—or less—is the range to pattern
a shotgun. Shooters need to test the
The Range Report
Spring 2011
15
Build a Pattern Board
Materials Needed
Three 8-foot-long 2x4-inch studs
One 3/8-inch thick 4x4-foot section of waferboard
(Note: You may have to buy a 4x8-foot sheet, for about $5)
One dozen 3 1/2-inch wood screws
Roll of 4-foot brown craft, construction or butcher paper to cover the surface of
the wood
Turkey targets
To construct a sturdy and longlasting pattern board, you’ll need
three 8-foot-long 2x4-inch studs
and one 4x4-foot section of 3/8-inch
waferboard. You will also need
a dozen 31/2-inch woodscrews. I
purchased the supplies for approximately $10.
First, cut two 4-foot-long 2x4-inch
and two 45-inch-long 2x4-inch
segments. Place the sawn lumber on a
smooth surface, use a framing square
to square the corners and screw
together at the corners to create a
4x4-foot square. Next, saw two 2-footlong pieces of 2x4-inch and attach
these on opposite corners to hold
the square upright. Now, attach the
4x4-foot waferboard section to the
face of the 4x4 framed square with
screws. Finally, cover the waferboard
surface with craft, construction or
butcher paper, attach a turkey target
and move the target setup to the
desired downrange distance.
NOTE: This pattern board will be far
more durable than some that are
made of PVC pipe or 2x2-inch lumber.
Stray shot pellets in the turkey loads
could damage those pattern board
RR
frames.
16
The Range Report
Spring 2011
The Range Report
Spring 2011
17
Inter-Range Cooperation:
Make It Work for You
Team up with another range to
benefit both your businesses
By Tom Carpenter
“
We must, indeed, all hang
together or, most assuredly, we
shall all hang separately.”
Those words are attributed to one
of our great American forefathers,
Benjamin Franklin. He was also
one of our first gun-rights advocates. No, he didn’t operate
a shooting range, but he did
know a few things about business and life: Get along, work
together and we’ll all be better off.
That sentiment certainly applies
to shooting ranges. Why not try to
find ways to work together? Cooperative efforts increase traffic and
the bottom line for everyone. Here are
a couple of examples of ranges “hanging together” for everyone’s benefit,
and some additional concepts for
inter-range cooperation.
18
More than a shotgun approach
Three shooting clubs in Dutchess
County, N.Y., teamed up last summer
to put on the Dutchess Classic. It was
a three-day sporting clays shoot, with
one day at each range – Dover Furnace
Shooting Grounds, Mid-County
Sporting Clays and Orvis Sandanona
Shooting Grounds.
The idea originated with Steve
Meyen of Mid-County.
“I’ve always enjoyed shooting at
different facilities, and I thought it
would be a great idea to team up with
these nearby ranges,” Meyen said.
“We had a kick-off meeting, everyone
liked the concept and we decided to
give it a go.”
Peggy Long, general manager at
Orvis Sandanona, immediately bought
into the suggestion.
“We all loved the idea. At Sandanona, we had done a similar cooperative
shoot before. It went well, so this
seemed natural.”
Gary Hall, general manager at
Dover Furnace, also supported
the proposal.
“We teamed up because we wanted
to give shooters variety, and we
wanted places that could accommodate this number of shooters
with quality courses. We
corralled about 250 shooters,
more than we had hoped
for. Most shot all three
days. The shooters came from
the participating
clubs, as well as the
public.”
Each of the
ranges is open to the
public.
“The biggest benefit, and what really
attracted shooters,
was the variety of
targets over one weekend,”
Hall said. “These are all
15-station courses, each
with its own unique
setup. That’s a lot of fun
and variety.”
The Range Report
Spring 2011
Celebrating the Fourth with a bang
“People really looked forward to
it,” Long said. “We picked the Fourth of
July weekend because it was open at the
courses, but that’s a time for family vacations and get-togethers, so we took a little
chance. But the shooters really came.”
That the shoot worked on a holiday weekend was testament to a great
shooting opportunity.
“We created a very inviting event,
and people made the time for it,” said
Long. “‘If you plan ahead and get the
word out, people can make plans, sign
up and build their day or weekend
around it, holiday or not.”
Good promotion is key to attracting shooters. The clubs used brochures
displayed at each range and in area
sporting and gun shops, posters,
website postings and word of mouth.
An e-mail campaign to the clubs’
customer list would also work.
Another option is to mail a flyer.
Counter personnel and range staff
should remind guests, too.
With three ranges involved, good
planning and cooperation was crucial.
The clubs kept the process simple but
efficient. Meyen says that starting six
months before the shoot, representatives from each range met monthly,
compared notes, made to-do lists and
followed up at their own range.
“A key was a central registration”
Long recalled. “One person did the
registration for the entire shoot. Then
we all had the same master list of
shooters.”
How did each range benefit? Other
than the economic returns of hosting 250
shooters and selling lunch and refreshments, shooters got to sample new courses
for potential return visits. Furthermore,
traffic increased on what otherwise might
have been a slow weekend.
“It’s all about exposure,” said
Meyen. “In addition, by letting those
16 and under shoot for free, we
provided exposure to shooting for
younger folks. The clubs teamed up to
invest in shooting’s future.”
Hall also cited the community benefit of providing work for the trappers.
“Our 250 shooters provided good
wages for those workers,” he said.
Would the clubs do it again?
“Absolutely,” said Hall. “We are
The Range Report
Spring 2011
going to do it again this year. It was
such a success.”
Long agreed.
“We’re all in the same business,
with high standards and good ideas on
how to run a smooth shoot.”
Meyen echoed the sentiments. It
was another example of rival ranges
thinking toward their common good.
Loading Up with
Other Ideas
Here are other ways that ranges
might work together.
• Team up on one- or multi-day
shoots for trap, skeet, small bore,
big bore, silhouette, pistol or any
other kind of shooting (It doesn’t
have to be only sporting clays).
• Plan a multi-gun shoot (rifles,
pistols and/or shotguns) at
different ranges.
• Co-op on advertising to promote
both ranges in one place and
save promotional dollars.
• Provide links to each other’s
websites.
• Get together with the other
range’s manager, compare notes
on products and services and
brainstorm a partnership. The
examples in this story prove it can
be done—profitably.
Targeting in on a partnership
The Dutchess County Classic was
a well orchestrated and very successful three-day event, but ranges also
can work together on a full-time basis.
Two California ranges have forged a
comfortable partnership that benefits
both businesses.
The Center Mass Shooting Range
offers eight 17-yard and four 25-yard
indoor lanes in Vacaville, Calif. A
retail store, along with a training
center and class offerings, round out
this popular shooting establishment.
Fifteen miles away, near Woodland, Calif., sits the Yolo Sportsmen’s
Association. Yolo offers ranges for
10-yard handgun, 25-yard handgun/
rifle, 50-yard rifle, 100-yard rifle, trap,
skeet and sporting clays. Like Center
Mass, Yolo is open to the public.
”We like to work with the Yolo
Sportsmen’s Association,” said Don
Salvador, manager at Center Mass.
“Some customers want to shoot their
centerfire rifles or shotguns, but our
indoor ranges only allow pistols, or
rifles using pistol ammunition. It’s a
good relationship. We send customers
their way. It gives them a good place to
shoot, and that’s good for business in
our retail store. We’re not taking any
business from each other.”
Frank Serrao started the relationship with Yolo in 2006.
“We keep their brochures on hand,
and send our long-gun folks to Yolo for
a place to shoot their newly purchased
firearms,” Serrao said. “In turn, Yolo
posts our range calendars and sends
potential buyers here for guns, accessories and ammunition.”
The Yolo Sportsmen’s Association
likes the arrangement too.
“It’s smart,” said Gary Tucker,
manager at Yolo. “If Center Mass has
customers who buy rifles, the store
will send them our way for an outdoor
place to shoot. It works well. People
can just come on over.
“On the flip side,” Tucker pointed
out, “we send people there for guns
and supplies, and also to rent guns,
which we don’t do.”
The keys in a relationship like
this are simple. Get your literature in
each place of business, and instruct
employees to promote the other range
to customers. Ranges can also provide
links and partnership details on each
others’ websites.
Wise old Ben
Ben Franklin, that founding
father and original supporter of our
Second Amendment, had it right:
Cooperation can be more productive
than working independently of one
another. If there is another shooting
or gun facility in your area, why not
get together to see how you might
RR
work to benefit each other?
19
Two Arizona Ranges for the Birds
Scenic venues offer Phoenix-area shooters clay bustin’ options
F
or clay-target enthusiasts living
in the greater Phoenix area, the
choices for a place to bust some
birds are quite limited. Two venues – the
Ben Avery Clay Target Center (BACTC)
and the Rio Salado Sportsman’s Club
(RSSC) – offer a place to shoot a round of
trap or sporting clays, but only one, the
BACTC, also has a skeet field.
The Phoenix metro area consists of
many cities and towns that are generally split into the East and West Valley.
To the east, the major cities are Mesa,
Tempe, Scottsdale, Apache Junction,
Chandler and Gilbert, which are all within
reasonable driving distance of RSSC. On
the west side, the BACTC serves Phoenix,
Glendale, Peoria, Surprise, Sun City and
Goodyear.
Range A
It has earned its Five Stars
Owned and operated by the Arizona
Game & Fish Department (AGFD), the
Ben Avery Clay Target Center (BACTC)
is part of the much larger Ben Avery
Shooting Facility. The entire 1,650-acre
complex is one of only 18 ranges in the
U.S. to garner a Five Star rating by the
National Shooting Sports Foundation.
After the AGFD assumed operation
of the center from a private contractor in
2006, it undertook an extensive renovation program. The 18 fields on the trap
and skeet line were refurbished with
new skeet houses, fencing, pre-cast trap
houses with hydraulic trap machines,
card readers, a voice-activation system,
new skeet machines and lights for night
shooting. In addition, trap and skeet
Field 2 is now an Americans with Disabilities Act-accessible field. All trap and
skeet fields also include shade structures, refrigerated water fountains and
desert shade trees.
20
The sporting clays area was also
renovated and expanded to three
courses guaranteed to meet every
shooter’s needs, from a beginner-level
shooter to the seasoned competitive
shooter. The beginner level six-station
Executive Quail course features some
high flyers and a rabbit target, while the
ever-changing intermediate 15-station
Rattlesnake and master level 15-station
Roadrunner courses will challenge even
the best sporting clays enthusiast with
long shots, eight-foot-high shooting
platforms and an elevated scissor-lift
tower. Target presentations are changed
periodically to make each returning visit
a new experience.
The 5-Stand field setup on one of the
trap/skeet fields offers shooting similar to
sporting clays without the walking. Each
stand has a menu of five target presentations, for a total of 25 birds per game.
The BACTC added a Bunker Trap
field, which is also known as International Trap, the type used at the Olympic
Games. The addition of the Bunker Trap
field is one of the reasons the BACTC is
now a regional training center for USA
Olympic Shooting Sports.
The trap house design resembles
a baseball dugout that houses the 15
machines – three throwers for each
shooting station. The shooter stands at
an elevated position on top and behind
the bunker, and the clay targets can go
left, right or straight out at speeds of up
to 90 miles per hour. Many professional,
competitive shooters favor this type of
trap, but it can be fun for any shooter
who enjoys a challenge.
The winter hours, beginning in
October, are 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. from
Wednesday through Saturday. Hours on
Sunday are 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. The summer
hours, beginning in May, are 7 a.m. to 9
p.m. from Wednesday through Saturday
and 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Sunday. The
BATC is closed on Monday and Tuesday throughout the year. On occasion,
some fields and courses are limited
because of sanctioned registered shoots
and other public or corporate events.
Range B
Basically a do-it-yourself setup
The Four Star rated Rio Salado Sportsman’s Club operates on a 140 acres owned
by the Arizona Game & Fish Department.
The sporting clays range, which is
basically a do-it-yourself operation, is
open seven days a week during regular
range hours and is cart accessible. There
is an electronic card-reader system in
place so shooters must check in at the
Activity Center office to get an activation card. Office hours are 8 a.m. to 4
p.m. (3 p.m. on weekends). Cards can be
purchased, and occasional or one-time
users can check out a card with a driver’s
license. Checked-out cards must be
returned to the office prior to 4 p.m. on
weekdays and 3 p.m. on weekends.
The RSSC shotgun center also has
two practice stations with automated,
token-operated shotgun stands. Shooters must purchase tokens at the Activity
Center. A token, good for 25 birds — plus
two more included in case of breakage — is $5 for members and $7 for
nonmembers. Each station offers the
option of throwing one or two birds at a
time. Shotgun carts are now available for
rent at the Activity Center for $5 per day.
The range is open from 7 a.m. to
5:30 p.m., everyday with the following
exceptions: Closed at 2 p.m. on Christmas Eve and New Year’s Eve; closed all
day on New Year’s Day, Easter, ThanksRR
giving & Christmas Day.
The Range Report
Spring 2011
Ben Avery Clay Target Center
4044 W. Black Canyon Blvd.
Phoenix, Arizona 85086
623-434-8119
www.azgfd.gov/ctc2/index.html
Rio Salado Sportsman’s Club
3960 N. Usery Pass Road
Mesa, AZ 85207
480-984-9610
www.riosaladosportsmans.com
Scorecard
Editor’s note: The Undercover
Shooter is an experienced recreational
shooter but is not trained in technical
aspects of range design and operation.
Each category is rated on a scale of 1-5
with 5 being the highest score.
Ben Avery Clay Target Center Customer Satisfaction Rating
Signage, Visibility: 4
Rental Firearm Availability: 5
• A large BACTC sign at exit 223A of I-17 for
the Carefree Highway (SR 74) points the way.
From there, however, the route can be a bit
confusing for new visitors.
• Remington loaner shotguns are available free
of charge, and a Beretta or Benelli is available
for a $10 rental fee.
Layout and Appeal: • The staff readily answers questions in a courteous, professional manner and go out of their
way to help first-time visitors.
5
• Surrounded by the Sonoran desert landscape
and spectacular mountain backdrops, the
BACTC provides a scenic venue for the clay
target disciplines.
• The renovated, well designed layout includes a
new combination trap and skeet field specifically designed to accommodate handicapped
shooters who use a mobility aid.
• A well laid out RV campground at the west end
of the BACTC provides 102 full hooks-up sites.
Retail Product Availability: 3
• The products available in the clubhouse are
minimal, consisting of shotgun ammo at $6 per
box, hats and ear plugs.
Staff Friendliness: Range Safety: 5
5
• A rangemaster and a couple of assistants
were on duty at the BACTC. Inexperienced
shooters watch a short safety video, and
the range officers offer shooters informal,
on-the-line instruction, both for safety and
shotgun know-how.
• Adequate signage on the premises also
reminds shooters of specific safety issues.
Programs/Memberships: 5
• BACTC, owned and operated by the AGFD, is
an open-to-the public facility.
• The AGFD also administers the Scholastic
Clay Target youth program, and the BACTC
plays a key role in its development.
• The Ben Avery Desert Roses is an introductory women’s shotgun program.
• Leagues offer shooters a great way to compete against peers of the same skill level.
Cleanliness: 5
• The grounds, despite being desert-type, are
exceptionally clean, as are the restrooms.
Comments, Impressions: 5
• The AGFD claims BACTC will become one
of the finest trap, skeet and sporting clays
facilities in North America. USA Shooting
likely thinks that has already happened because it has selected BACTC as an Olympic
Regional Training Center.
Rio Salado Sportman’s Club Customer Satisfaction Rating
Signage, Visibility: 5
• The main entrance to the range is well signed.
Layout and Appeal: 5
• With a spectacular mountain backdrop of Four
Peaks to the northeast and the Superstition
Mountains to the southeast, the RSSC might
be the most scenic shooting range at which I’ve
ever shot.
• The shotgun range at RSSC consists of a
combo field for trap, wobble trap and 5-Stand
and a 12-station sporting clays course that
winds throughout the scenic desert terrain. Retail Product Availability: 3
• There is little to buy at RSSC. Shotgun ammo,
eye and ear protection and some RSSC logo
hats and shirts are available. A gunsmith has
an on-the-premise shop.
Staff Friendliness: 4
• The range staff got somewhat testy at times
with shooters who ignored common safety
rules, but for the most part, the range officers
willingly help beginners and answer questions
courteously.
Range Safety: 5
• Range officers are always present. First-time
shooters must watch a short safety video.
• Eye protection must always be worn while
outdoors after entering the main gate.
• Lots of signs on the premises remind shooters
of specific safety issues.
Programs/Memberships: 5
• Membership includes unlimited time at the
main range, discounts on spotting scope rentals & RSSC logo merchandise, a reduced
daily fee for guests (limit two), use of the
Activity Center and an opportunity to become
qualified on the other ranges of the club.
• Club memberships are available for both
individuals and for families.
• The annual individual membership fee is
$85. A $95 family membership includes two
adults living at the same address and chil-
dren from eight to 18. First time or expired
members also pay a $25 initiation fee. The
optional Gate Pass Card for early entrance
at 6 a.m. is $15.
• The RSSC offers shotgunners plenty of opportunities to bust some clays. Wobble Trap
is available from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Monday
and Tuesday. The Tuesday Games & Pieces
Night takes place from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m.,
and 16-yard trap is available every Wednesday, Thursday and Friday from 7 a.m. to 4
p.m. Those who enjoy 5-Stand can shoot on
Thursday night from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. or every
Saturday and Sunday from 8 a.m. to noon.
Cleanliness: 5
• The grounds are well kept, and the restrooms
are clean.
Comments, Impressions: 5
• Although not in the same class as the BACTC,
the RSSC shotgun facility provides a needed
resource in the East Valley.
All reports, comments, impressions, opinions or advice expressed in the Undercover Shooter column are solely those of independent, recreational
shooting range consumers and do not necessarily represent those of the National Shooting Sports Foundation or its affiliates. Neither the NSSF nor
its affiliates make any warranty or assume any liability with respect to the accuracy or reliability of any information provided by Undercover Shooter
contributors. Readers are encouraged to and should perform their own investigation of the information provided herein.
The Range Report
Spring 2011
21
Home on the Range
Views from NSSF staffers and guest contributors
How Proactive is Your
Shooting Range?
By Zach Snow
Manager,
Shooting Promotions
Zach Snow is the manager
of shooting promotions for
the National Shooting Sports
Foundation. His responsibilities include servicing the
needs of range members of
NSSF, who comprise NSSF’s Association of Shooting
Ranges.
Meeting challenges now, rather than later,
is the key to survival
By Zach Snow
S
hooting ranges face a variety of
unique challenges today that may
not have existed 15 or 20 years
ago. One is lack of active participation.
Another is environmental issues. Ask
yourself, “What is our gun club/shooting
range doing to be proactive, rather than
reactive, in addressing the challenges we
face today or could face in the future?” It
is better to address the challenges before
they become out of control or more
costly to resolve.
You need to have active participation in order to survive. Recruitment
and retention efforts help meet this
challenge. A variety of approaches
can engage current and prospective
members and/or customers to use your
range. The key is to identify what
excites and motivates your current
shooters and at the same time figure
out to how to attract new people to the
shooting sports and, more specifically,
to your range.
The solution
The solution is to accommodate as
many audiences as possible to maximize
activity on the range. Areas to focus on
when implementing programs include
accommodating active/competitive
shooters while recruiting new shooters, women and youth. For the active/
competitive shooters, think about
setting up a shooting league or holding
competitive events to engage this group.
For shooter recruitment, host a First
Shots classroom and live-firing event
(www.nssf.org/firstshots) and introduce the community and general public
to your range and the shooting sports.
The First Shots program, though
22
not geared only toward women, has
proven to be a very successful tool in
recruiting ladies to the shooting sports.
After attracting women through a First
Shots seminar, structure a more formal
program specifically for the women you
have introduced and that are now ready
for more.
Concentrate on youth
A variety of successful youth shooting programs run at national level,
including the Scholastic Clay Target
Program (www.sssfonline.org), can be
implemented at your range today.
Start-up expenses for implementing new programs or activities can be
costly. The NSSF Range Partnership
Grant Program is here to help. Its
purpose is to help shooting ranges and
sportsman’s clubs with their recruitment and retention efforts by providing
direct funding for new programs aimed
at increasing participation at their
facility. For more details on the grant
program go to www.nssf.org/shooting/
grants/. Check the NSSF website for
the imminent announcement of the
2011 grant program.
Another critical topic that ranges
must give priority to is environmental
management. Make sure that you’re
taking all the necessary steps to protect
your range from any potential litigation
that could arise from environmental
violations. Become educated on the
regulatory laws and how they apply to
shooting ranges. Once you’ve become
more educated, take the next proactive
step of establishing an Environmental
Stewardship Plan (ESP). The NSSF
range publication titled “Environmental
Aspects of Construction and Management of Outdoor Shooting Ranges” will
help you get started. It discusses the
regulatory laws, lead management at
shooting ranges and ESPs. Coming soon
to www.nssf.org/ranges will be a webinar on “Lead Management for Outdoor
Shooting Ranges.” In the meantime,
for more information on ordering the
existing publication along with others
produced by the NSSF, go to www.nssf.
org/PDF/ASR_catalog2010.pdf. NSSF
members can now download for free
all of these publications through the
member login section of the website.
Although establishing an ESP or a
new recruitment program may sound
like a major undertaking for your gun
club or shooting range, you can—and
must—recognize and meet the challenge
of managing in a sound environmental
manner and increasing participation.
Prioritize your actions
Identify all of your challenges,
figure out solutions and prioritize what
needs to be addressed first. Once you’ve
identified your priorities, reach out to
the membership or the active shooters
of your range to see if they are willing to help. Recruiting the go-getters
to spearhead any new effort is crucial.
In most cases, this is not one person,
so form committees to address specific
areas.
Now is the time to carefully review
your business practices. Take a look at
what your club or range is currently
doing and at what it could or should
be doing. Then take action! Come up
with some resolutions that will help
to fine-tune existing programs while
implementing new ones. Spring is a
perfect time to launch new programs
and engage the shooting community. RR
The Range Report
Spring 2011
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24
The Range Report
Winter
Spring 2011