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Columbia County shooting range

W6273 King Road, Poynette, WI 53955

Range Updates

  • Some shooting areas will be closed off at various times during construction or maintenance. 
  • No handgun or pistol will be allowed for shooting at the rifle or shotgun ranges.
  • The range remains closed on Wednesdays for maintenance and law enforcement training.

Columbia County Shooting Range

Hours

The range is open from Thursday to Tuesday. The range is CLOSED on Wednesdays for range maintenance and Law Enforcement training. The hours that the range is open changes with Daylight Saving Time:

  • Starting from the second Sunday in March, when Daylight Saving Time begins, range hours are 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.
  • Starting from the first Sunday in November, when Daylight Saving Time ends, range hours are 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.

Features

The Columbia County shooting range features four free-to-use ranges, including 100 and 50-yard rifle ranges, a 50-yard shotgun patterning range and a 25-foot pistol range. Earthen backstops, side berms and overhead baffles in shooting sheds help to ensure everyone's safety. Target stands are present on all three ranges, but you must provide your own paper targets. Hearing and eye protection are recommended. Please read the general range rules listed below to ensure the Columbia County shooting range remains safe and operable.

Activities allowed: Rifle and shotgun patterning. Bring your own paper targets.

No bows or crossbow target shooting is available at this range.

Columbia County Range rules and hours are posted at the range and are strictly enforced. Review and know the rules and hours before visiting this property.

Review shooting range rules before visiting this property

NR 45.095 Shooting ranges.

  1. GENERAL RANGE RULES. No person at a shooting range may:
    1. Handle a weapon in a negligent or reckless manner.
    2. Discharge any weapon on the range while any part of a person is down range of the firing line.
    3. Point any weapon in use at the designated firing line in any direction other than down range.
    4. Fail to comply with a cease fire order called by the range officer or any other person
    5. Fail to make reasonable efforts to ensure all discharged projectiles impact the backstop.
    6. Leave any loaded weapon unattended at any time.
    7. Shoot at targets that are not placed in designated target area or affixed to target stands, if provided, unless the person is sighting or patterning a shotgun with size T or smaller shot.
    8. Shoot at items placed on the ground or at targets not posted at the designated height, unless the person is sighting or patterning a shotgun with size T or smaller shot.
    9. Unless otherwise posted at the range, shoot during the period beginning at sunset and ending at sunrise.
    10. Shoot, or attempt to shoot structures or objects that are not designated targets, or that are outside designated firing lanes.
    11. Shoot at archery targets with anything other than a bow or crossbow.
    12. Use any weapons or projectiles that discharge paint.
    13. Use incendiary, exploding, glass or other breakable materials as targets.
    14. Fail to properly dispose of targets other than clay targets used on an established shotgun shooting range.
    15. Fail to collect and properly remove or dispose of all spent shell casings and cartridges, live ammunition, targets, arrows, bolts and materials brought onto the range.
    16. While shooting at a shooting range, possess or consume an intoxicant or other restricted controlled substance
  2. In addition to being subject to the penalties set forth in s. 27.98, Wis. Stats., a person who violates any provision in this section may be evicted from the shooting range pursuant to s. NR 45.04 (3) (b).
  3. This section does not apply to training activities conducted by a law enforcement agency.

Range Reservations - Law Enforcement

Federal, state, county and local law enforcement agencies may use the range on Wednesdays for training and re-certification during posted range hours (10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. [March – November] or 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. [November – March]).

  1. To provide a quality service, manage scheduling, range safety and neighbor relations, the following steps are required for any law enforcement agencies using the range.
    1. A range-use reservation must be made two weeks before the training date. The reservation can be made by either email or phone through the contact information on this page.
    2. The range can only be used for shooting during posted range hours. The area range can be used for non-shooting drills before or after the posted range hours.
    3. A training plan or agenda must be submitted before the training day via email through the contact information on this page.
    4. Training must be designed so targets stay in target holders and all rounds must impact the backstop.
    5. Because the range is closed on Wednesdays, a sidewalk sign will be available at the range, reading “Law Enforcement Training in Progress." You must display this sign at the gate entrance before starting your training and while your training is in progress. This will inform the neighbors and anyone who may drive by the range that training is in progress.

  2. Law enforcement agencies may use the range during hours of normal operation, but the training group may not ask anyone to leave or inconvenience the public users of the range. If lanes are open and you follow regular range etiquette, you may shoot without reserving the range from Thursday to Tuesday.