Presenter: Steve Hall

Commission Agenda Item No. 4
Action
Shooting Range Program
January 1998

I. DISCUSSION: The National Hunter Education and Shooting Range Programs were established in 1970 and 1972 respectively as a part of the Pittman-Robertson (P-R) Wildlife Restoration Act. This act provides approximately $300,000 to $600,000 of grant assistance annually to these programs. The participants provide twenty-five percent (25%) of the total cost of the project with the grant funds providing the balance or seventy-five percent (75%). The funds are available to qualifying applicants from both private and governmental sectors who provide public use of their facilities.

The criteria for funding grant requests is the "Shooting Range Plan" which was approved by the Commission in March 1991 and is based on (1) population of county, (2) number of hunter education students certified in the county in the previous calendar year, (3) number of existing shooting facilities in the county, and (4) hunter days data in the county (Exhibit A).

II. RECOMMENDATION: The staff recommends the Texas Parks and Wildlife Commission adopt the following motion:

"The Texas Parks and Wildlife Commission authorizes the Executive Director to execute contracts funding the project at Exhibit B pending availability of federal funds."

Attachments - 3

1. Exhibit A - Shooting Range Plan
2. Exhibit B - Training Area Development
3. Exhibit C - Fiscal Note

(Exhibit C is available upon request.)


Commission Agenda Item No. 4
Exhibit A

Shooting Range Plan

Point

Criteria and Rating Factors Range

I. The extent to which the project will provide safe shooting facilities to the project area's population.

(Current population estimate)

Population of County: over 1,000,000 40-50

500,000 - 1,000,000 30-40

250,000 - 499,999 20-30

50,000 - 249,999 10-20

1,000 - 49,999 1-10

II. The extent to which the project will provide educational facilities for the mandatory hunter education program.

Number of students certified in the county in the previous calendar year.

over 1,000 20-25

501 - 1,000 15-19

101 - 500 10-14

51 - 100 5-9

0 - 50 0-4

Add 5 bonus points for classroom facilities at range. 0 or 5

III. The extent to which the project will improve the geographic distribution of shooting facilities in the service area or sponsor's jurisdiction.

Project provides first shooting facility in county. 25

Project provides new and different shooting opportunities. 10-20

Other safe shooting facilities are available in area. 0-9

IV. The extent to which the project will provide a safe shooting facility for hunters coming into the project's service area for hunting.

(Based on hunter days data from Texas Parks and Wildlife Department Fisheries and Wildlife Division)

Upper 20% 25

2nd 20% 20

3rd 20% 15

4th 20% 10

Lower 20% 5


Commission Agenda Item No. 4
Exhibit B

Training Area Development

PROJECT SPONSOR: Mission Skeet and Trap Club

PROJECT: Expansion of Mission Skeet and Trap Club Range

LOCATION: Hidalgo County - approximately .6 mi. south of U.S. 83

TYPE: Expansion of Range POPULATION: 383,545

DISCUSSION: The Mission Skeet and Trap Club (formerly the McAllen Gun Club) is seeking assistance to expand the shooting and educational facilities at their range to better meet the public need for the youth shooting activities. This range is the only skeet and trap facility in Hidalgo County open to public shooting. The project will facilitate hunter education in an area where it is needed. The in-kind match will consist of a combination of existing equipment and improvements valued at $26,000.

RECOMMENDATION: Approve Department funding of $78,000 in FY 1998 for project.


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