I’m lucky enough to have a place on my property where I can shoot safely and responsibly, but that’s not the case for most gun owners. That’s one reason why public gun ranges are critically important, but the Missouri Conservation Department is considering a policy change that could render the public ranges it operates off limits to gun owners unless they possess the right permit.
According to the department, a number of public ranges have seen damage to property, and the department is blaming gun owners who are “misusing” ranges the agency says are primarily meant for hunters, not those who are practicing with self-defense or home defense firearms.
As a result, the department is weighing whether to require range users to have a valid small game permit in order to access the dozens of unstaffed shooting ranges across the state.
“It’s also, like I said, a different user group,” said Justin McGuire, the hunter education coordinator. “In a lot of cases, these folks have never been through any type of firearms training, any type of education course. And so we’re seeing some problems resulting from that.”
A small game permit costs $11 to $50. Annual permits are $108.50.
The proposal is part of the MDC public comment period starting in July. If given full approval, the small game permit requirement will go into effect at the end of February 2027.
While the MCD contends the unstaffed ranges are “primarily” meant for hunting, the department is clearly aware that folks are using these facilities to shoot with firearms that are more suitable for self-defense. A video produced by the department that’s meant to share etiquette for unstaffed ranges features a number of shooters using handguns, for instance.
I don’t think the issue is hunters vs. non-hunters, so much as it is people who are using the range without showing much respect for maintaining it. Requiring a valid small game permit in order to lawfully shoot at the range might keep out some of the riff-raff, but if the ranges are unstaffed, how will that requirement actually be enforced?
Or, to put it another way, if these folks aren’t paying attention to the existing range rules, why would anyone at the MCD think that they’ll suddenly start to follow the rule requiring them to have a small game permit before they can shoot?
I personally think there are better ways to address the problem, including security cameras on-site, incentivizing volunteers to serve as range safety officers at the unstaffed facilities whenever possible, and offering free basic gun safety courses on a rotating basis across the dozens of unstaffed ranges in the state. I think it would be a real shame to restrict access to the facilities because of the actions of a few idiots who can’t be bothered to adhere to range rules. The more sensible solution, to me anyway, would be to identify and sanction those users who are showing a flagrant disregard for the facilities and the safety of others.
A public comment period on the proposed rule change will open up in mid-July, and folks can submit their comments here between July 16 and August 14.
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