Renovations close Apple Creek rifle, pistol ranges

CAPE GIRARDEAU, Mo. - The rifle and pistol ranges at the Apple Creek Conservation Area will close temporarily for extensive upgrades starting in June. The Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) operated facility is located in northeast Cape Girardeau County, three miles east of New Wells on Route CC.

The rifle and pistol range will close June 4 and will remain closed for approximately three months while renovation work is completed. During this time, the shotgun and archery ranges will remain open for public use.

Improvements include raising the earthen bullet backstops on three ranges 15 additional feet, adding more shooting positions, incorporating target frames at seven and 15 yards, and various other safety features.

“These additional design features address the current needs of our shooters while enabling the range to operate at the highest levels of safety and convenience,” said MDC Outdoor Skills Specialist Dee Dee Dockins.

The range is scheduled to remain closed through Sept. 15 but will reopen if the construction is completed ahead of schedule.

“The rifle and pistol range will undergo a total renovation. We will move 35,000 cubic yards of dirt, and that takes time. Southeast Missouri weather is unpredictable and excessive rain may contribute to a delay in renovation efforts,” said Dockins.

When the range reopens on Sept. 16, it will remain a multi-use range for handgun and rifle shooting. Shooters will have the option to shoot at seven, 15, 25, 50, 100, 200 and 275 yard distances.

Shooters wishing to fire rifles or pistols while Apple Creek is closed for renovation are urged to use MDC ranges in Bollinger, Wayne, Reynolds and Pemiscot counties.

For more information, visit mdc.mo.gov or contact the MDC Southeast Regional Office at 573-290-5730.