Pretty awesome if it keeps making progress and eventually becomes reality.  Just thought I'd share the good news for Big Island peeps! 
Excerpts from West Hawaii Today:


HILO — Long-awaited shooting ranges for the Big Island could take some incremental steps forward, the county Game Management Advisory Commission learned Monday evening.

Officials with the state Department of Land and Natural Resources said two areas traditionally used for target practice, the Manuka Natural Area Reserve in South Kona and mauka of the 16-mile marker on Saddle Road, could be reassigned as shooting ranges under current state law.

Robert Farrell, DLNR Division of Conservation and Resources Enforcement, said the Saddle Road project could come up before the Board of Land and Natural Resources as early as Feb. 23.

“We’ve identified a couple of areas that are good candidates for a public shooting range,” Farrell said, noting the areas have already become impromptu gun ranges. One advantage, he said, would be the ability to keep the areas cleaner than they now are.

The goal, Farrell said, is to have at minimum a shooting range on each side of the island. The state still has some work to do at Manuka, however, since it is designated a natural area reserve.

“That may or may not affect how we are able to move forward with that particular site and in addition, I need to do a little bit more research on the land ownership and how it came into DLNR’s possession,” Farrell said. “It may be we have to delay that site a little until we complete the research. But I’m hoping we can also designate that site as well, as it’s already being used.”

The public’s quest for a range to sight their weapons, for hunter education and to practice, has sometimes runs afoul of the law. Farrell described his experience at mile marker 16 as a former DOCARE conservation officer on the Big Island.

“The shooters who were up there for target practice were being held to hunting rules. … The officers were writing tickets for people discharging a .22 (caliber rifle) and actually seizing the firearm. I didn’t agree with that approach,” Farrell described his experience. “We found out there was really no legal place for these folks who wanted to shoot.”

But Farrell said DLNR has the authority to designate gun ranges and to strike agreements with gun clubs and other groups to operate such facilities.



Full article is at West Hawaii Today's site: http://www.westhawaiitoday.com/2018/02/01/hawaii-news/dlnr-to-help-get-gun-ranges/

Pretty awesome if it keeps making progress and eventually becomes reality.  Just thought I'd share the good news for Big Island peeps! 
Excerpts from West Hawaii Today:


HILO — Long-awaited shooting ranges for the Big Island could take some incremental steps forward, the county Game Management Advisory Commission learned Monday evening.

Officials with the state Department of Land and Natural Resources said two areas traditionally used for target practice, the Manuka Natural Area Reserve in South Kona and mauka of the 16-mile marker on Saddle Road, could be reassigned as shooting ranges under current state law.

Robert Farrell, DLNR Division of Conservation and Resources Enforcement, said the Saddle Road project could come up before the Board of Land and Natural Resources as early as Feb. 23.

“We’ve identified a couple of areas that are good candidates for a public shooting range,” Farrell said, noting the areas have already become impromptu gun ranges. One advantage, he said, would be the ability to keep the areas cleaner than they now are.

The goal, Farrell said, is to have at minimum a shooting range on each side of the island. The state still has some work to do at Manuka, however, since it is designated a natural area reserve.

“That may or may not affect how we are able to move forward with that particular site and in addition, I need to do a little bit more research on the land ownership and how it came into DLNR’s possession,” Farrell said. “It may be we have to delay that site a little until we complete the research. But I’m hoping we can also designate that site as well, as it’s already being used.”

The public’s quest for a range to sight their weapons, for hunter education and to practice, has sometimes runs afoul of the law. Farrell described his experience at mile marker 16 as a former DOCARE conservation officer on the Big Island.

“The shooters who were up there for target practice were being held to hunting rules. … The officers were writing tickets for people discharging a .22 (caliber rifle) and actually seizing the firearm. I didn’t agree with that approach,” Farrell described his experience. “We found out there was really no legal place for these folks who wanted to shoot.”

But Farrell said DLNR has the authority to designate gun ranges and to strike agreements with gun clubs and other groups to operate such facilities.



Full article is at West Hawaii Today's site: http://www.westhawaiitoday.com/2018/02/01/hawaii-news/dlnr-to-help-get-gun-ranges/

Two ranges? WOW! The area in South Kona is close to my house. Maybe it's time to rethink my retirement plans.

On secon thought I better wait until the plans are set in stone. If that ever happens. 

Thanks for posting this. 

Ill contact Robert Farrell mentioned in the article.

In oregon I was the primary volunteer coordinator for working with the Department of Forestry for developing a public range outside of Portland.  We helped choose the location, design the shooting lanes and berms and we organized volunteers to help clean the locations

They have regular clean up days where the volunteers clean up the range, have a barbecue and then finish with some target shooting.

The volunteers are stewards to the location and try to educate other shooters on safe shooting and keeping the area clean.

Id be happy to share how we worked with the state in Oregon to get the ranges built and cooperate on keeping the locations clean and safe.

Here is one lane of the range after it was built

Pretty awesome if it keeps making progress and eventually becomes reality.  Just thought I'd share the good news for Big Island peeps! 
Excerpts from West Hawaii Today:

Did not see your post before posting about the insane liberal that commented on the article.  This is the whacko that wanted to kill us by burying in a landfill a year or so ago.  New screen name, same person.  Got banned for her hate.

Thanks for posting this. 

Ill contact Robert Farrell mentioned in the article.

In oregon I was the primary volunteer coordinator for working with the Department of Forestry for developing a public range outside of Portland.  We helped choose the location, design the shooting lanes and berms and we organized volunteers to help clean the locations

They have regular clean up days where the volunteers clean up the range, have a barbecue and then finish with some target shooting.

The volunteers are stewards to the location and try to educate other shooters on safe shooting and keeping the area clean.

Id be happy to share how we worked with the state in Oregon to get the ranges built and cooperate on keeping the locations clean and safe.

Here is one lane of the range after it was built

Sounds like you're exactly the kind of person they will benefit from your input and experience.  I like the idea of volunteers keeping the place clean.  Keeps costs down and folks can have a sense of pride that they directly contribute to the continuing existence of the range.  Of course there will be those people who abuse and litter. Would be nice if there could still be some kind of RSO present whenever possible, but I know that costs money.

Sounds like you're exactly the kind of person they will benefit from your input and experience.  I like the idea of volunteers keeping the place clean.  Keeps costs down and folks can have a sense of pride that they directly contribute to the continuing existence of the range.  Of course there will be those people who abuse and litter. Would be nice if there could still be some kind of RSO present whenever possible, but I know that costs money.

They probably dont know that the NRA can assist with cost of range development and there are funds through the Pittman-Robertson act to build ranges as well
https://rangeservices.nra.org/funding-grants/pittman-robertson-funds/

Plus the clean up days were so much fun.  People would bring all sorts of hardware to shoot.  We had a guy bring his Barrett and let everyone shoot it. 

I was talking to a few rifle enthusiasts in Hilo yesterday. They said they routinely go onto public land and shoot. I mentioned that they're trying to get shooting parks set up there, but they've never heard of it.

I was talking to a few rifle enthusiasts in Hilo yesterday. They said they routinely go onto public land and shoot. I mentioned that they're trying to get shooting parks set up there, but they've never heard of it.

I first heard about this sometime middle of last year. Stube's Guns and Ammo was one of the folks invited up to the site (the one by 16 mile marker) for a practice/demonstration shooting session with some of the DLNR people along with some top brass from Honolulu and I think a surveyor so they could better assess the project.  From what I was told, the range should be a decent size. Maybe a few hundred yards and fairly wide to accommodate many shooters. 
I'm being cautiously optimistic. We sure need this!

We sure need this!

Did you see the latest post from the insane liberal in West Hawaii Today?

"Gun ranges promote guns. Not safety, not peace, not conflict solutions, not responsibility. They promote intentional death and murder. F..k the NRA and then some."

Did you see the latest post from the insane liberal in West Hawaii Today?

"Gun ranges promote guns. Not safety, not peace, not conflict solutions, not responsibility. They promote intentional death and murder. F..k the NRA and then some."

is this her?
testimony for SB2046

Comments: 
Please accept this as testimony in strong support. These devices serve no purpose other than to do mass killings, i.e. Las Vegas, to name just one.
 
Unfortuantely, we must monitor firearms owners and sellers to protect the public, as they seem unable to do so, as they want to play with their toys.
 
lynne matusow
 

is this her?
testimony for SB2046

Comments: 
Please accept this as testimony in strong support. These devices serve no purpose other than to do mass killings, i.e. Las Vegas, to name just one.
 
Unfortuantely, we must monitor firearms owners and sellers to protect the public, as they seem unable to do so, as they want to play with their toys.
 
lynne matusow

I wonder if that's the same person that made the remark to have all gun owners to be "buried in the landfill" with regard to a previously proposed range by Waikoloa side.  Sounds like a loose cannon herself.  I'd be more concerned about her intents and ill-wishes than any law-abiding gun owner I personally know. 

I wonder if that's the same person that made the remark to have all gun owners to be "buried in the landfill" with regard to a previously proposed range by Waikoloa side.  Sounds like a loose cannon herself.  I'd be more concerned about her intents and ill-wishes than any law-abiding gun owner I personally know. 

It is indeed the same person, by the name of Rebecca J Wright.  On her forth or fifth screen ID.  Luckily, I know who she is and where she lives if threats from her start up.

is this her?
testimony for SB2046

Comments: 
Please accept this as testimony in strong support. These devices serve no purpose other than to do mass killings, i.e. Las Vegas, to name just one.
 
Unfortuantely, we must monitor firearms owners and sellers to protect the public, as they seem unable to do so, as they want to play with their toys.
 
lynne matusow

Same sort of mentality, but not the name of the other hate-filled creature, I am fairly sure. 

A search for Matusow in Hawaii turened up this:

"Plaintiff Lynne Matusow did not return calls to Hawaii Reporter. Research shows she is listed in a 2009 report as the secretary for the Hawaii Democratic Party."

Sounds like the sort that would post the slander she did about firearm owners.

I got a call back from Robert Farrell. 

He is very enthusiastic about getting some ranges built out here and was interested in hearing how it worked out in Oregon for our public ranges.  He likes the idea of coordinating volunteers to steward the ranges to keep them clean and help direct people there so they are not out shooting in inappropriate locations.

There is a hearing later this month that he will email me about when the date is set.  He says it helps tremendously for people interested in having a range to write in or come to the hearing to share why they would like to have a range.  So I will give them the story of how our public range near Portland was successful. 

I'll keep updating here as I get more information. 

I got a call back from Robert Farrell. 

He is very enthusiastic about getting some ranges built out here and was interested in hearing how it worked out in Oregon for our public ranges.  He likes the idea of coordinating volunteers to steward the ranges to keep them clean and help direct people there so they are not out shooting in inappropriate locations.

There is a hearing later this month that he will email me about when the date is set.  He says it helps tremendously for people interested in having a range to write in or come to the hearing to share why they would like to have a range.  So I will give them the story of how our public range near Portland was successful. 

I'll keep updating here as I get more information.

Thank you for your efforts. I personally appreciate it. 

I got a call back from Robert Farrell. 

He is very enthusiastic about getting some ranges built out here and was interested in hearing how it worked out in Oregon for our public ranges.  He likes the idea of coordinating volunteers to steward the ranges to keep them clean and help direct people there so they are not out shooting in inappropriate locations.

There is a hearing later this month that he will email me about when the date is set.  He says it helps tremendously for people interested in having a range to write in or come to the hearing to share why they would like to have a range.  So I will give them the story of how our public range near Portland was successful. 

I'll keep updating here as I get more information.

 

I have family on big island.  I would use the range there when it gets built.  I hope they build it for long range, and short range too. 

As robtmc posted here https://2ahawaii.com/index.php?topic=30357.0 the meeting is scheduled for 2/23/18.   Submit testimony to blnr.testimony@hawaii.gov by 2/22 on why we will benefit from having a public range.  Let the board know if you will be volunteering to keep the site safe and clean. 

As robtmc posted here https://2ahawaii.com/index.php?topic=30357.0 the meeting is scheduled for 2/23/18.   Submit testimony to blnr.testimony@hawaii.gov by 2/22 on why we will benefit from having a public range.  Let the board know if you will be volunteering to keep the site safe and clean.

let's all comment- say it will increase tourism to the BI if they build a range!