Buckeye Reporter

The Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR) Division of Wildlife has announced that Free Range Day will take place on Saturday, Aug. 16. The event is coordinated with the National Shooting Sports Foundation (NSSF) and will feature special activities at two public shooting ranges in the state.

Participants can visit either the Delaware Wildlife Area at 1110 state Route 229 in Ashley or the Spring Valley Wildlife Area at 3570 Houston Road in Waynesville between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. On-site staff will provide equipment, ammunition, ear protection, and eye protection at these locations.

According to the ODNR Division of Wildlife, “Free Range Day is held in coordination with the National Shooting Sports Foundation (NSSF) and will feature special events at two of Ohio’s premier public shooting ranges.” Certified instructors will be available to help visitors gain hands-on experience with firearms.

On Aug. 16, the usual requirement for a shooting range permit will be waived for all Division of Wildlife Class A, B, and C shooting ranges during their open hours. More information about facilities and amenities can be found on wildohio.gov.

Class A ranges offer supervised rifle and pistol target shooting; Class B facilities provide unsupervised rifle and pistol target shooting; Class C ranges host unsupervised clay target shotgun shooting.

Normally, anyone aged 18 or older must purchase a permit to use these ranges outside of Free Range Day. Permits are available for $5 per day or $24 annually through license outlets, wildohio.gov, or via the HuntFish OH mobile app.

The event coincides with NSSF’s National Shooting Sports Month. The Division of Wildlife notes that its public shooting ranges are designed to offer safe places for people to practice using rifles, shotguns, handguns, and archery equipment.

Target shooting is a widely practiced sport in Ohio. In 2022 alone, approximately 1.1 million participants spent an estimated $2.6 billion on their hobby within the state economy—an activity supporting more than 22,000 jobs. About one-fifth of Ohio residents participate in target shooting each year; most choose outdoor facilities like those operated by the Division of Wildlife.

For further details about Ohio's public shooting range options and upcoming events, interested individuals can visit https://wildohio.gov/.

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