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.

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!

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.

KDFWR had another estimate drawn up June 19, 2023, at a cost of $785,000.00 and change. Not telling us of this estimate. Then September 25, 2024, they met with Caldwell County Executive Judge Dakota Young and Magistrate Jeff Boone of the 2nd District. Which our club was not invited to the meeting. The next morning 2 club members met with the Judge and Magistrate and they told us the actual cost of this Project is now $1,250,000.00. They really did not want to put the firearms and pistols back out there. They would like to partner with the County and buy some more land to build a new firearm range. So we are at a stand still on raising any more money for the KDFWR as they have not been forthcoming with information to us. This is far above any amounts we have been told and agreed to help raise the matching funds.

CCSC was 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. All Fundraising for the Jones-Keeney WMA Range has been put on hold.

Caldwell County Sportsman Club gives back to the Community

CCSC has applied for some grants to be able to give back to the community. Walmart Store #204 and #655 has now gave grants totaling $3,500.00 that has gone into the archery bag target range , archery equipment to loan out to new archers especially the youth. 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 applied thru the First District Federation of the League of Kentucky Sportsmen, Inc. for a grant to buy and install 3 Rinehart Broadhead 3D targets so the public can practice with their broadheads before they go to the field. Again these are for the public to use for free.

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. Coming up June 1, 2025 we will be hosted a free 3D archery shoot for the community.

CCSC has made events for the 2022 and 2023 years for the Caldwell Co. 4-H Sharpshooters to practice. We have to have a RSO at every one of their practices. Until the 2024 year Caldwell Co 4-H Sharpshooters the KDFWR is allowing them to use the range with out Caldwell County Sportsman Club. They have the range every Tuesday from March to September 3:00pm to dark.