Northern Arizona Shooting Range

Arizona Game and FIsh Department - Managing Today for Wildlife Tomorrow: azgfd.gov

Off-Highway Vehicles

Watercraft

Shooting Sports

-	Ben Avery Shooting Facility
-	Clay Target Center
-	Other Facilities
-	Scholastic Clay Target Program
-	First Shots Classes
-	Range Development Grants

Outdoor Expo

Wildlife Viewing

Landowner Relations Program

Resources

FAQ's

Northern Arizona Shooting Range

Summer Hours
of operation

8:00 am - 12:30 pm, Saturday & Sunday

Information hotline
928 255-0900

April Calendar
May Calendar

Video of first-ever shoot on Aug. 19-20, 2011 with over 100 participants

Shooters came from all reaches of the state including Yuma, Tucson, Wickenburg, Prescott, as well as Neveda and California.

Video - Northern Arizona Shooting Range is open for business.

Northern Arizona Shooting Foundation

Master Site Plan

The Arizona Game and Fish Department has collected extensive public input from a variety of sources (public, professional and stakeholders) and has compiled a conceptual master plan for the Northern Arizona Shooting Range.

From all of these collaborations, Game and Fish took into consideration many elements including safety, environmental concerns, sound abatement, functionality, capabilities, training, education, and other shooting range requirements resulting in this final master site plan for the future Northern Arizona Shooting Range.

Arizona Game and Fish Department
Attn: Chief of Shooting Ranges
5000 W. Carefree Highway
Phoenix, AZ 85086
Fax: (623) 236-7903
nazsr@azgfd.gov

NAZSR Under Construction


Trap and skeet		Sporting clay course

Overview (North and West)		Phase I

Note about Raymond Wildlife Area

Updated, Feb. 4, 2011 – The previously listed location and estimated driving time of “about 30 miles (45 minutes' drive)“ to the Raymond Wildlife Area was an estimate provided for general guidance for visitors. This has been updated to give a more accurate account of the distance and roadways to the wildlife area.

The Raymond Wildlife Area is approximately 40 miles southeast of the I-17/I-40 interchange in Flagstaff with an estimated driving time of 1 hour and 10 minutes. However, visitors should be aware the drive is subject to road and weather conditions due to the last 10 miles to the wildlife area is a relatively unmaintained dirt road with many drainage points and crossings (Feb. 4, 2011).

What's a local shooting range

A local or community range is typically 60-80+ acres in size, and provides a multi-purpose shooting facility. Some features of a local range may include a 100-yard rifle sight-in and pistol range, a small bore / hunter education range, shotgun / clay target shooting (trap, skeet and/or sporting clays in some cases), and archery venues.

History

In July, the Arizona Game and Fish Commission purchased the 160-acre Foster Ranch in Coconino County for establishing a local public shooting range to serve surrounding communities’ law enforcement training, hunter education, hunter sight in, and recreational/competitive shooting of firearms and archery.

Northern Arizona residents have been without a rifle and pistol shooting range since 1968. In 1994, closures of the local shotgun and archery ranges resulted in one of Arizona’s largest communities without a designated place for recreational/competitive shooting and law enforcement training.

The Arizona Game and Fish Department has spent the last 15 years seeking to establish a shooting range in northern Arizona. Some of the past key events include:

1995-2003 – Attempted Bellemont land exchange with Coconino National Forest (CNF).
2005-2009 – Willard Springs site identified as alternate site for land exchange with CNF.
March 2009 – Began 90-day re-evaluation of alternate sites due to 2019 estimation to complete a federal land exchange for the Willard Springs property.
May 2009 – Criteria identified for eliminating potential alternate sites based on public survey: (1) located within 30 minutes from downtown Flagstaff; (2) sized for a local range with potential to expand to regional range; (3) and the ability to be operational by 2013.
June 2009 – Three sites recommended, all required land exchange with CNF.
Sept. 2009 – Foster Ranch added to list of recommended properties for consideration.
Dec. 2009 – Site selection reduced to three properties, including Foster Ranch.
May. 2010 – Commission authorizes purchase of Foster Ranch.
July 2010 - Purchase of Foster Ranch site finalized.
Aug. 2010 - AZGFD conducts baseline sound study.
Sept. 2010 - Open House at Flagstaff Regional office from 3-8 p.m.
Coming: Feb. 2011 - Open House at Flagstaff Regional office from 5:30-8 p.m.

STAY CONNECTED

Interested parties can get the latest information on the Northern Arizona Shooting Range e-mailed to them by subscribing at:

www.azgfd.gov/signup

and select the “shooting sports news.”

KEY STEPS for NAZSR

There are a multitude of steps, processes, and approvals required in building a shooting range. Below are some of the major elements. Each of these steps have many sub-steps. There will be many opportunities for the public to provide input.

Coordination with Coconino National Forest

Coordination with Coconino County

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service environmental check list process

Master planning process

Engineering and design

Procurement and contracting

Construction and development

SURVEY INFORMATION USED FOR THE SITE LOCATION

In July 2010, the Arizona Game and Fish Commission purchased the privately deeded 160-acre Foster Ranch in Coconino County for establishing a local public shooting range to serve surrounding communities’ law enforcement training, hunter education, hunter sight-in, and recreational/competitive shooting of firearms and archery.

A public survey was used to shape the Commission's objectives for the shooting range, the top three concerns were:

(1) to be located within 30 minutes from downtown Flagstaff;

(2) sized for a local range with potential to expand to regional range;

(3) and the ability to be operational by 2013 (3-5 years).

To assist in the selection process, the department hired an independent firm to survey potential users for their opinions on, and demand for, a public outdoor shooting range in the northern Arizona region.

The study entailed a telephone survey of hunting license holders from the Flagstaff area, a list of supporters who attended previous public meetings regarding this range proposal, and local law enforcement agencies.

Survey questions included the distance/time they are willing to travel, past and future shooting participation, and preferred capabilities of the proposed range.