Deadline alert: Apply by Oct. 31 for Magic Valley and Upper Snake Regions for Shooting Range Advisory Committee

Anyone from the Magic Valley and Upper Snake Regions has until Oct. 31 to apply to serve on a Citizens Shooting Range Advisory Committee that recommends to Fish and Game which public shooting ranges should receive a total of about $500,000 annually in grant funds.

Applicants for the Citizens Shooting Advisory Committee must fill out and submit an applicationby Oct. 31. Committee members will have their meetings online during early evenings, so travel is not required. Information is available on Fish and Game's Citizen Shooting Range Advisory Committee webpage.

People who shoot at ranges, have experience managing or volunteering at a range, or are otherwise familiar with safe public shooting ranges in their communities are encouraged to apply. Fish and Game's intends the committee to represent a wide range of shooting opportunities and include hunters, and recreational and competitive shooters.

The committee is most active February through March, consistent with the shooting range grant cycle. Fish and Game staff will host meetings and provide logistical and technical support for the committee. The committee has seven members, one from each Fish and Game region. Representatives can serve up to two 2-year terms, with reappointment at the discretion of the Fish and Game director.

The grant funds come from federal manufacturer excise taxes collected on the sales of firearms, ammunition and archery equipment and from state fine and forfeiture monies remitted for wildlife crimes. Since 1978, Fish and Game has partnered with nonprofit shooting organizations and state and local governments that own or manage shooting ranges.

The Citizens Shooting Advisory Committee was created in 2020 after the Idaho Legislature created the Public Shooting Range Fund, which is administered by the Fish and Game Commission. The committee was created to advise Fish and Game about the grant applications the agency solicits each year for these funds.