Jones-Keeney WMA Range Close to Public due to tornado damage from December 10, 2021. Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources are allowing Caldwell County Sportsman Club to hold events only with Major restrictions and requirements.

KDFWR is only allowing CCSC to hold events with major restrictions and requirements. Due to the tornado damaging the forest behind the range’s berm. This has lead to a safety problem. Due to Archery Club Road is directly down range 700 yards away.

KDFWR is working on a plan to remedy the unsafe conditions. The plan is called a Overhead Baffle System. Once installed it will prevent and rounds being able to make it to the road. KDFWR has estimated the purposed Overhead Baffle System just for the rifles to be $211,750.00 to add a pistol pit they said it would almost double the estimate. They said they do not have any money to match and federal grant money that can be used to fix this range. They summoned the elected officers and board of directors to their head quarters in Frankfort, Ky on December 7, 2022 to discuss the plans and costs. There are 2 different types of grants that are 75/25% or 90/10% matching money. The President of CCSC said they could help fund raise some of the money they KDFWR needs. They was told they would need to raise the KDFWR share of the federal grant money. Which is $50,000.00. KDFWR said it would take 2 + years to complete once they receive the $50,000.00.

CCSC is trying to figure ways to raise this money as soon as possible, it’s going to take this community and the surrounding communities to come together and raise this money to get this range back open to the public and to the CCSC members. We are opening a bank account just for the Jones-Keeney WMA Archery and Firearm Range Reconstruction Fund. This is at First Southern National Bank. These funds can only go to this KDFWR project. CCSC will not receive any of the funds.

What Major restrictions and requirement are in place for CCSC to hold events at Jones-Keeney WMA Archery and Firearm Range? CCSC must maintain insurance, have NRA certified Range Safety Officers at all events. Events can only be archery, now airguns .22 cal and smaller, shotguns not shooting anything larger that turkey shot. No Buck shot or slugs are allowed. All events must have a WMA User Permit filled out and signed off on by the local KDFWR biologist. Must be posted on the KDFWR calendar of Events website all at least 30 days before the event can take place. All events are open to the public to shoot, except the hosting of the practice for Caldwell Co. 4-H Sharpshooters. So the CCSC club members just can’t use the range anytime they want.

CCSC can’t just use the range for their members with out holding a event. Want to make this very clear Caldwell County Sportsman Club does not want this range to become private or to become a pay to use range. We are totally against this. People need a place to shoot their firearms and now archery this is free and safe. We want this range back open to the public and club members as soon as possible, period!

CCSC has applied for some grants to be able to give back to the community. Walmart Store #204 has now gave 2 grants totaling $2,500.00 that has gone into the archery bag target range and one private person gave $200.00 This archery range was put in for the community to use for free and get back out at the range. Again they are free to use 7 days a week from 9:00 am to sunset unless there is a scheduled event going on. Just flip up the tarps covering the targets and when your done flip them back down. This is field points only. No Broadheads allowed.

CCSC has held a community free trap day last year for anyone to come out and shoot trap for free. You just had to bring your own shotgun and shells. We scheduled events for people to be able to come pattern their turkey guns before season. We held a free Kite flying day this past March for kids of all ages to have fun. So please watch out and listen to our local radio station for up coming schedule shoots and free shoots we hold for the community.