Welcome The Police Jury would like to let the citizens of Grant Parish know that we are listening and doing our best to address your questions and concerns regarding the Grant Parish Range. Please keep in mind that this is in the early stages of planning so as we get information we will update this page. FAQ's What is the Grant Parish Range? The Grant Parish Range will be a specialized facility designed for firearms qualifications, training, or practice. It will offer safe, local shooting opportunities for all Grant Parish residents, members of the 4-H Shooting Sports, and Grant Parish Sheriff's deputies. The goal is to be able to practice rifle shooting at distances of up to 180 yards and provide a full qualification range on pistol. There will also be an area designated for shooting skeet with shotguns. *Calibers will be limited, although most hunting rounds will be accepted. Where will the range be located? The proposed site is located on Landfill Road in Police Jury District 2, which is Juror Johnny Jamison’s district. What are the hours of operation? There will be specific hours of operation set with neighbors and worship services in mind. Once the days and hours are established, we will update this information. Will there be safety rules in place? Yes, there will be safety rules very similar to the ones listed below: General Range Safety Rules Always keep firearms pointed in a safe direction. Always keep your finger off the trigger until ready to shoot. Always keep your gun unloaded until you are at the firing line and the range is declared "HOT." Firearms must be safe (unloaded - magazines removed and actions opened) when entering or exiting the range. Cease Firing: Immediately stop shooting when anyone calls "Cease firing." COLD Range: Shooters must check with others to ensure firearms are unloaded, actions open and firearms laid down on the shooting bench before going down range. No one is permitted to handle firearms or stand at the firing line while there is a cold range. HOT Range: Shooters must check with others to ensure there is no one down range; when the range is declared "HOT" shooters are permitted to commence firing. Only shooters are permitted on the firing line. Shooters may move safe guns to and from the firing line only when the range is "HOT." All shooters are responsible for their rounds staying within the confines of this range. Shooters may shoot only from the firing line at the target in line with their position. Shooting at items placed on the ground or at targets not posted at the appropriate height on the target frame enables rounds to escape the range. Respect the Range: Please place your trash into the trash receptacles and your spent brass into the recycling receptacles. Tracer, armor piercing and incendiary ammunition is prohibited. When going downrange, stay on the walkways to and from the targets-access to the backstop and all areas outside of the target lines and walkways is prohibited. Respect Yourself: Wear eye and ear protection. Food, beverages and smoking are not allowed on the firing line. You should wash your hands and face after shooting. Respect Others: There is a one-hour time limit for use of the range if patrons are waiting. Obey the Range Master at all times. Will there be an age limit? We will establish an age limit similar to the one below: (Please note, this is not the actual age limit, only a sample. Once the actual rules and age limits are agreed upon, we will update this page.) AGE RESTRICTIONS Must be 18 or older to use the range unaccompanied Minors (below 18 years old) must be accompanied by a parent or legal guardian and be at least 48” tall All shooters above 18 must possess a valid state-issued ID. Will the noise disturb neighbors? There are a number of sound reduction techniques used to deflect and dampen sound waves, and are very effective when used in conjunction with each other. Obviously, distance is a major factor when measuring sound. The most effective sound reducing strategies utilize high berms, covered shooting positions, side berms, baffles, and barriers behind the firing line. Trees and plants are also an antidote to noise pollution and sound absorption, and of course, they offer many other benefits. Outdoor shooting ranges that take sound reduction seriously can mitigate the vast majority of noise pollution, and avoid being bad neighbors to local residences. When modern outdoor shooting ranges make safety and sound reduction a priority, they set themselves up for commercial success and have the opportunity to be a positive influence on the community. Who will benefit from this range? GRANT PARISH YOUTH Kaden McFerren - Competitive shooter .22 Rifle Pistol GRANT PARISH 4-H SHOOTING SPORTS National 4-H Shooting Sports Champions! These Grant Parish 4-Hers achieved honors at the regional, state and national level in their respective disciplines. They are, from left: Clara Anderson, Recurve Archery; Dylan Whitstine, Shot Gun-Skeet; Colton Chandler, Shot Gun-Skeet; and Preston Parker, Rifle -Silhouette. GRANT PARISH SHERIFF'S OFFICE Firearms and Qualification for the Grant Parish Sheriff's Department GRANT PARISH CITIZENS Firearm Safety and Concealed Carry Training Courses will be available. http://www.lsp.org/handguns.html HUNTERS Women, in fact, are the fastest growing demographic in hunting; they now account for as much as 15 percent of hunters nationwide, according to a study from the Fish and Wildlife Service. Across the country, the number of first-time adult male hunters declined by over 30 percent over the last 15 years, while the number of women hunting for the first time increased at roughly the same rate. Basic Instruction Courses: If you are brand new to guns and want a safe introduction, this is the controlled environment you and your instructor are looking for. Grant Parish On Target For New Shooting Range by Trevor Fry I once read that the greatest military snipers come from the South. Certainly Marine Sniper Carlos Hathcock from nearby Arkansas comes to mind. Hathcock had 93 confirmed kills in Vietnam, and is the most legendary sniper of all time. Here in the South, we grow up hunting in the outdoors, and handling a gun is as easy as riding a bike. In Grant Parish, we are blessed to have more acres of Kisatchie National Forest than any other parish. This bonanza presents many excellent hunting opportunities. Growing up, the week before deer season we all headed out to the gravel pits in Fishville and sighted in our rifles. That was a different world however, and all of that land is posted now. But we still hunt, and we all desperately need a shooting range for the benefit of our parish. I am excited to report that the Grant Parish Police Jury intends to establish a shooting range! On May 13, 2020, Police Jury President Don Arnold sent correspondence officially requesting assistance from the Louisiana National Guard to help with construction of a shooting range. The proposed site would be located on Landfill Rd in Police Jury District 2, which is Juror Johnny Jamison’s district. Mr. Jamison has championed this cause from the start. This effort is also being supported by Sheriff Steven McCain and his capable staff. Grant Parish officials are waiting for an official reply from the National Guard to their request, but all indications are positive! One of the compelling reasons to construct a new shooting range is to have a venue for the Sheriff’s Office to train. A new range would result in better training opportunities for our law enforcement officers, which equates to improved safety for the citizens in Grant Parish. Other neighboring parishes such as Winn have such a range for its law enforcement officers. A rifle range would also provide firearm instructors and shooting teams with a safe place to train and qualify. On that note, I am proud to say that the best young shooters in Louisiana hail from Grant Parish! This bold proclamation is evidenced by the multiple state and national championships won by our youth through Grant Parish 4-H Shooting Sports! When you attend these shooting matches, the only question is who is going to win the silver medal. Because when the dust settles, everyone knows that Grant Parish will be atop the medal stand! There is overwhelming need and public support for a firing range in Grant Parish. Our Founding Fathers intended for American citizens to bear arms. Simply put, there is no better way for us to honor the 2nd Amendment than to establish this shooting range in Grant Parish. Health Benefits of Going to a Shooting Range By Health Fitness Revolution -April 30, 2015 Whether you’re preparing for the military or police academy or just out for a recreational activity, going to a shooting range can be a stress-relieving adventure. Believe it or not, the benefits of participating in shooting sports can improve your health both physically and mentally. Here are the Top 10 from Health Fitness Revolution and author of the book ReSYNC Your Life Samir Becic: Builds physical discipline: In an age of the “couch potato,” this sport can help build many physical disciplines that are not only healthy but enjoyable. Increased strength, stamina, hand-eye coordination, and fine motor skills are just a few of the physical disciplines acquired in the shooting sports that apply, not only to this sport, but to all of life. Arm strength: Shooting a gun requires strong, sturdy arms and hands; in order to aim and shoot your target you must keep your hands and arms steady. Focus: Keeping your eyes on the target while aiming a gun requires a lot of focus. Removing your mind from any other activities, you find yourself in the present moment in which there is only one thing at hand to do, and it straight in front of you. Eyesight: Practicing your shooting can’t fix any eye deficiencies, but it can exercise the eye capabilities that you already have. By giving your eyes a break from staring at computers, TVs, phones and tablets, you will be relieving this eye stress. Increases mental discipline: To the surprise of many, shooting sports are primarily mental sports. Experienced marksmen think sport shooting is 90% mental. Concentration levels are sharpened and expanded. Multiple problem solving activities involving logic, mathematics and creative thinking (thinking “outside the box”) are needed and employed to succeed at any level of the shooting sports. Advances personal responsibility: Personal responsibility is taught throughout the shooting sports to advance both safety and skill development. Shooting sports also cultivate personal responsibility because they are a foundation for both security and liberty in any family or nation. Promotes liberty: Shooting sports provide a natural environment to educate all citizens with an historically honest view of freedom. It is no mistake that the tools mastered in the shooting sports have been called “the people’s liberty teeth.” This is one of the reasons the Second Amendment in America’s Bill of Rights was adopted. Courage and confidence: For some people, shooting may seem like a very dangerous or scary thing to do. However, being trained properly is a great way to build confidence and courage. Adrenaline: Hold a weapon and firing it can be an exhilarating thing to do! Your adrenaline will be spiked and causing a surge of energy to pulse through your blood. Increased levels of adrenalin in your blood signal your liver to break down glycogen, the substance that provides your muscles with glucose, the primary source of fuel in your body. Physical balance: Remaining perfectly still in your shooting stance while aiming your gun at the target exercises your core muscles, which supports proper posture. When the abdominal muscles are weak, the lower back holds additional pressure and weight from simple daily tasks like walking. Strengthening the abdominal muscles allows the weight of the upper body to be evenly distributed over the front and back, improving balance. Check out these articles: Outdoors with Dad: How hunting and fishing bond fathers with their children https://www.ydr.com/story/news/2019/06/13/fathers-day-outdoors-dad-how-hunting-fishing-bond-fathers-children/1429744001/ Youth Hunting: A Smart Parent’s Guide to Safely Hunting with Kids by Molly Carter https://ammo.com/articles/parents-guide-to-youth-hunting 6 Reasons To Take Your Child Hunting by Brad Fitzpatrick - Friday, February 15, 2019 https://www.nrafamily.org/articles/2019/2/15/6-reasons-to-take-your-child-hunting/ La. 4-H shooting team wins national championship By Brianna Cobb LSU AgCenter Jul 24, 2019 https://www.hannapub.com/ouachitacitizen/tempo/community/la--h-shooting-team-wins-national-championship/article_66e8b4c2-ae31-11e9-a64a-8b8988828783.html Personal Empowerment https://www.agirlandagun.org/topic/personal-empowerment/ Grant Parish Big Bucks https://www.louisianasportsman.com/hunting/deer-hunting/deer-of-the-year/high-school-senior-sticks-stud-grant-parish-8-point/ More Women Give Hunting a Shot: National Geographic https://www.nationalgeographic.com/news/2013/11/131103-women-hunters-local-meat-food-outdoor-sports/#:~:text=In%20recent%20years%2C%20American%20women,hunting%20is%20on%20the%20rise. The Family that Shoots Together https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/sports/olympics/longterm/shooting/shthist.htm Bonding at the Shooting Range by Jacob Heller https://siouxlandnews.com/news/local/family-411-bonding-at-the-shooting-range Copyright © 2021 Grant Parish Police Jury - All Rights Reserved. CAREERS Powered by GoDaddy