Special Provisions at Glastonbury Shooting Range for Deer Hunters
Reservations Not Required

The Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) today announced that special access provisions for licensed deer hunters will be made at the Glastonbury Shooting Range, in Glastonbury, starting on Saturday, October 16. The change was made to accommodate Connecticut’s deer hunters as they prepare for the 2010 firearms deer hunting season.
The range, which is located off Toll Gate Road in the Meshomasic State Forest, is open for shooting on Saturdays and Sundays. Beginning October 16, five of the ten shooting positions will be held specifically, on a walk-in basis, for hunters that can produce a valid 2010 firearms deer hunting permit. No advance reservations will be required or taken for the five shooting positions reserved for deer hunters. The remaining five shooting positions will continue to be available by reservation during two-hour time periods: 10:00 AM – 12:00 PM and 12:00 PM -2:00 PM. The range will continue to be staffed through November 28 by certified Range Safety Officers, who will assign shooting positions to deer hunters on a first-come, first-serve basis. All range users are encouraged to arrive at the range 15 minutes prior to the 10:00 AM and 12:00 PM shooting times to facilitate registration and safety briefings.
“This is a timely change that should be welcomed by those deer hunters who need to make some final adjustments on their hunting firearms,” stated Mark Clavette, Range Supervisor and Administrator of the Conservation Education/Firearms Safety Program. “Finding a safe place to sight in a firearm is often difficult for the average hunter who doesn’t belong to a private club with an established range,” continued Clavette.
The Glastonbury Shooting Range has been in operation since 1980 and was originally developed as a site for sportsmen to practice and sight in their hunting firearms. The site has been improved over the years, with extensive renovations, and it now accommodates a wider variety of recreational shooters.
All operational costs at the range are funded through a special allocation of federal funds derived from excise taxes paid on the purchase of sporting arms and ammunition. Under the Federal Aid in Wildlife Restoration Program (commonly called Pittman-Robertson), Connecticut receives a dedicated allocation of funds that can be used for the development, operation, and maintenance of public shooting ranges.
For more information, including range rules, what to bring, and driving directions, visit the DEP Web site at www.ct.gov/hunting. From the Hunting and Trapping menu, click on “Trap and Target Shooting” and select the link under “Glastonbury Shooting Range.”