Western Pa. shooting ranges to reopen Friday

The Pennsylvania Game Commission announced it is reopening shooting ranges on state game lands Friday in counties being upgraded to yellow in the easing of pandemic restrictions.

Regular hours of operation will resume on rifle, shotgun, pistol and archery ranges in Allegheny, Armstrong, Bedford, Blair, Butler, Cambria, Fayette, Fulton, Greene, Indiana, Somerset, Washington and Westmoreland counties.

Shooting ranges will remain closed in counties still in the red phase and where stay-at-home orders remain in place.

The Game Commission closed all shooting ranges on state game lands in late March to help control the spread of covid-19.

“That surely is welcome news for the hunters and target shooters who rely on those ranges for practice,” said Game Commission Executive Director Bryan Burhans. “If each of us continues to strive to stay safe and follows the state Department of Health’s guidelines for limiting the spread of covid-19, it only can contribute to further progress, fewer restrictions and more reopening.”

To allow for hunters and target shooters to make up for lost time on the ranges, the Game Commission has extended 2019-20 shooting-range permits, which have a printed expiration date of June 30. The permits are now considered valid until Aug. 31.

Pennsylvania 2019-20 hunting and furtaker licenses, which allow holders to use shooting ranges on game lands and also were set to expire June 30, will be honored for range use through Aug. 31. Hunters and trappers are reminded that beginning July 1, they’ll need 2020-21 licenses before engaging in any hunting or trapping activity through June 30, 2021.