Shooting range on MDC Logan Conservation Area to shut down in December for renovations

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News from the region
Saint Louis
Published Date
11/27/2012
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TROY, Mo — The unstaffed shooting range located on the Missouri Department of Conservation’s (MDC) William R. Logan Conservation Area will close Monday, Dec. 3, to perform upgrades and safety enhancements. The conservation area is off State Highway E northeast of the town of Silex. Completion of the work will be dependent on weather, but the range is expected to reopen by spring of 2013. The rest of the conservation area will remain open to the public.

Safety renovations to the range will include re-facing the main backstop to prevent erosion and reduce the potential for ricochets, and the addition of a side berm between the range and adjacent road. A number of conveniences will be added as well, such as eight new shooting benches, ADA-accessible parking and sidewalks, and the inclusion of a 25-yard backstop for handguns. The grounds in the area will also be re-graded to decrease standing water after rain.

During the range’s closure, shooters are encouraged to consider using other MDC shooting facilities. These include the August A. Busch Shooting Range off Highway D in St. Charles, or the Jay Henges Shooting Range at I-44 and Antire Road in High Ridge—both of which are staffed ranges. MDC also operates unstaffed ranges on the following conservation areas: Reifsnider State Forest east of Warrenton on Route M in Warren County, Little Indian Creek off Highway A in Washington County southeast of Sullivan, and Huzzah Conservation Area off Highway E in Crawford County north of Steelville.

The National Shooting Sports Foundation also maintains an online database of private and public shooting ranges at WhereToShoot.org. It can be searched based on location and shooting activities.

William R. Logan Conservation Area is in Lincoln County, five miles north of Silex. The 1,798-acre area includes 1,417 acres of timber, 350 acres of open fields, 29 acres of lakes/ponds, and a creek. MDC acquired the property in 1968 partly with Pittman-Robertson funds from the federal excise tax on sporting arms and ammunition.