SRDG supports the establishment, improvement and expansion of safe shooting facilities in Colorado, and is one of the largest programs in the nation. Since 2012, SRDG has awarded more than $2.9 million in funding to 60 shooting and archery ranges in Colorado.
Each year, SRDG maximizes its impact by providing matching grants to towns, counties, outdoor recreation organizations, shooting clubs, parks and recreation departments and others. These projects establish, improve or expand shooting ranges and shooting areas throughout the state. The six projects approved for funding this year include more than $280,000 in local matching funds.
“We’re returning sportsmen dollars to shooting range facilities, plus really leveraging those dollars,” said Jim Guthrie, CPW's SRDG coordinator.
Guthrie said there are some very special projects being funded this year, including the next phase of the Devil’s Nose project, where an abandoned quarry near Mount Evans is being transformed into a formal shooting area.
“With closures happening more and more up and down the Front Range, this is part of an effort to develop new shooting areas, and to organize and save shooting areas that people can use for free,” Guthrie said.
This year, the SRDG grant will also fund trap and skeet ranges as well as an archery range at the Logan County Shooting Sports Complex.
“This range is unique,” said Todd Schmidt, area wildlife manager for the northeast region of the state. “It has a long range rifle range, a standard rifle range, as well as ranges for pistol, shotgun and archery. Whatever your shooting desires are, Logan County offers it. And with a range of this size, you’re drawing people from many counties who help out the city of Sterling by buying meals, gas, overnight stays for tournaments or just buying range supplies.”
Shooting Sports Make An Economic Impact.
In the United States, the economic impact of the sporting arms and ammunition industry totals more than $42 billion and creates more than 263,000 jobs. The Pittman-Robertson excise tax the industry pays on the products it sells is a major source of wildlife conservation funding in Colorado and nationwide.
