West Virginia DNR to Open New Dents Run Shooting Range
OutdoorHub 09.09.13
The newest West Virginia Division of Natural Resources (DNR) public shooting range will be dedicated at noon Friday, Sept. 13, 2013, according to DNR Director Frank Jezioro. The public is invited to attend the dedication event.
The range will be open for public use the following day – Saturday, Sept. 14. The rules of the range will be posted and enforced. The range features four standard benches and one bench for the physically challenged.
The new Dents Run Shooting Range is located on the Dents Run Wildlife Management Area (WMA) near Mannington in western Marion County and was built entirely by DNR employees to help control costs, according to Jezioro.
“The construction of this new facility was made possible through the cooperation of the DNR, CONSOL Energy and the National Rifle Association, and with the support of our state and federal leaders,” Jezioro said. “We expect that this new facility will receive a lot of use during the next few weeks as the fall hunting seasons begin and hunters start sighting in their firearms.”
Representatives of the various organizations, as well as Senator Joe Manchin, are planning to be on hand for the opening of the range and to make comments on the importance of the range for hunters and shooting sports enthusiasts.
Directions to the dedication event for the Dents Run Shooting Range are as follows:
At the junction of US Rt. 250 and County Route 1 (Buffalo Creek Road) in Mannington, take Buffalo Creek Road (CR 1) approximately 1.5 miles to its junction with Dents Run Road (CR 5). Turn right onto CR5 and proceed approximately 1 mile – entrance to shooting range will be located on the right.
Dents Run WMA, which encompasses 1,226 acres, is primarily forested and provides hunting opportunities for deer, wild turkey, squirrel, waterfowl and other game species. In addition, a 30-acre impoundment provides the public with warmwater fishing opportunities. For additional information pertaining to Dents Run Wildlife Management Area and the shooting range dedication event, please contact the Farmington District 1 DNR Office at 304-825-6787.
