Special provisions for turkey hunters
Connecticut’s Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP) said the Glastonbury Shooting Range will open for supervised public use Saturdays and Sundays starting Saturday, April 11, and will remain open through Nov. 29. The range is located within the Meshomasic State Forest off of Toll Gate Road in Glastonbury, and supervision will be by DEEP-certified range safety officers.
Shotgun Patterning for Turkey Hunters: Special access provisions will be made for hunters for the upcoming spring turkey season. On the weekends of April 11-12 and April 18-19, one additional shooting bench will be held for walk-in shooters who can show a valid 2015 spring firearms turkey permit. This station will be set up with special frames designed to accept larger targets unique to sighting in shotguns.
Reservations Needed to Use Range: Range hours of operation will be from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. most Saturdays and Sundays only. The range will be closed to public use during all other times, and DEEP Environmental Conservation (EnCon) Police officers will strictly enforce hours of operation. There is no fee to use the range.
Reservations can be obtained through the Online Sportsmen Licensing System for shooters 18 and older starting at 12:01 a.m. each Monday prior to the weekend. The individual requesting the reservation must have a Connecticut Conservation ID number in order to access the online system.
Otherwise, reservations can be made by contacting the DEEP Glastonbury Range Reservation Line at 860-424-3737 or by email to glastonburyrange@ct.gov between the hours of 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. on Mondays ONLY. Any requests received on other days or before or after this time period will not be considered.
More detailed information, range rules, and directions are available on the DEEP website at www.ct.gov/deep/hunting. Select “Shooting Ranges” under the 2015 Hunting Season menu.
Callers may make a single position and time slot reservation that will be valid for up to three shooters in the same party. Reservation requests made by phone or email should provide the requester’s full name, a daytime phone number, the day and range time period requested, and the number of shooters in the group, if applicable. All reservation requests will be confirmed by a call back or email from DEEP staff.
Due to high demand, only one time slot per shooter is available during each weekend, and shooters may not make more than two reservations per month or use the range through the reservation system more than twice a month. There is no restriction, however, on the number of days an individual may use the range on a walk-in basis.
A total of 10 covered shooting positions are available during two time periods: 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. and 12 to 2 p.m. All shooters will be required to show proof of prior firearms training, such as a Connecticut Conservation Education/Firearms Safety (CE/FS) certificate, firearms hunting license, pistol permit, police credentials or military identification. Those who cannot produce such qualifications must be directly supervised by a qualified person at all times.
Shooting position assignments will be made at the discretion of the range safety officer. Target stands will be provided at 25-, 50-, 75- and 100-yard distances, but shooters must supply their own targets and stapler or tape for target placement. Only paper targets are allowed and shooters are reminded to bring eye and ear protection, which will be required at all times. Rifles, shotguns, pistols and muzzle-loading rifles may be used; however, fully automatic weapons are not permitted.
The site is handicapped accessible, with a specially designed shooting bench for wheelchair access, and it includes portable sanitary facilities. Walk-in shooters will be accommodated for unreserved positions or as space becomes available. The range may be closed due to severe weather and staffing availability.
Connecticut’s Conservation Education/Firearms Safety Program receives funding for site improvements, range equipment and seasonal staffing through the Federal Aid in Wildlife Restoration Program. Under the Federal Aid program, sportsmen pay an excise fee on firearms, ammunition and archery equipment. The funds are then distributed to the states for wildlife management and research, habitat acquisition and hunter education programs.
