This is a proposal to establish the TEXAS SHOOTING SPORTS COMPLEX
- A Multi-discipline Educational and Safety Training Facility (TXSSC)
in Hays County. Requested is establishment of a long term lease arrangement
of County land for the facility. The construction, maintenance, and
operation of the Complex would be “budget neutral” to
the County. While not a line item on the County budget the Complex
would provide new or additional economic benefits to the County through
the hosting of local, regional, state, and perhaps national shooting
sporting competitions, as well as, corporate and fund raising events.
The facility would be managed by our non-profit organization with
support from associated shooting sports clubs and instructors, and
would employ on site managers and grounds keepers for public access.
Our primary mission is to provide youth and adults
with:
• Learning - defined as a change in knowledge, skills, and attitudes
• A safe location to receive shooting sports instruction and safety
training,
• A central location to practice shooting sports safely,
• Opportunities to compete in shooting sports matches and special
events,
• Youth and family activities Emphasize.
Inherent in the creation of this multi-use facility is also the
goal of reducing the need or desire to shoot on private property
with ill-prepared or non-existent target backstops and dedicated
zones of safety.
Shooting sports encompass a whole range of activities as seen in Olympic
competitions. Desirable program features should include facilities
and ranges designed specifically for:
• Archery,
• Air rifle and pistol,
• Benchrest,
• Shotgun clay games ( • Skeet, • Trap, •
5 Stand, • Sporting clays)
• Target and silhouette, ( • Handgun, • Rifle, •
Small bore )
• Muzzleloaders, both antique and modern.
Classrooms may be reserved for regular club meetings and training,
and the ranges for practice, and special events. Regular public range
times will be set aside for general shooting sports practice and preparing
for hunting seasons. While learning a shooting sports discipline one
would expect to receive training, practice, and perhaps even compete
Educational programs and events would include:
• Range orientation and introductory courses,
• Public access to training on select ranges,
• New shooter basic courses,
• Specialty club ranges for training activities and events,
• Texas Hunter Education and Safety;
• Texas Parks & Wildlife meetings and training in various
disciplines,
• Specific 4-H, Boy Scout, K-12 and Collegiate training and activities,
• Instructor and Range Safety Officer certification training,
• Starting of new clubs and shooting sports disciplines,
• Sanctioned matches and competitions in a variety of shooting
sports,
• Youth scholarships for excellent discipline in shooting sports,
and
• Supplemental training facilities for area law enforcement groups.
Operation of the educational Complex and ranges shall, at a minimum,
require:
• Certified Shooting Sports Instructors and Range Safety Officers,
• Written Safety Operating Procedures and Range Rules,
• Posted boundaries, fencing with warnings signs; and,
• Sign-in liability waivers with affidavits of legal possession
and use of a firearm,
• Mandatory range safety and orientation course.
Other rules, procedures and event guidelines shall be determined by
the TXSSC Board of Directors with concurrence from the appropriate County
officials.
Professional planning and design shall include protective
shooting backstop berms, safety zones behind berms, covered firing lines,
and classroom and meeting facilities with utilities, rest rooms, potable
drinking water, picnic areas, walkways, parking, and storage. Facility
design shall provide adequate access including ADA accommodation. The
plan shall also address flexibility and the ease of conversion for dedicated
ranges to be used by other disciplines when special events are planned,
such as, training and competitions.
Construction, operation, and maintenance costs shall be born by TXSSC
and the associated clubs through use fees, range and course fees, special
events, and grants thereby relieving the County those burdens. Construction
shall be to applicable codes and standards. A facility use survey shall
be used to determine elements of the master plan and initial priorities
and phases. Space will be reserved for various shooting sports disciplines
and future build-out to the limits of the master plan. The expectation
is that applications for range improvement grants by TXSSC and associated
clubs will fund construction and improvements, with perhaps matching
funds, as many of these resources have been identified which are available
for this purpose.
Land usage and environmental considerations are important to the placement
of the Complex. An EPA “Best Practices for Range Management Plan”
shall be part of the initial planning. Record keeping, periodic lead
recovery, and the eventual clean up of the site are key components of
this plan.
The potential locations that might be utilized for this purpose include
gravel pits, land fills, or other remote properties that do not constitute
a down range hazard. For longevity of operation this location must be
out of obvious corridors of current and future planned development.
The location must be large enough to ensure a safe down range beyond
the berm and provide enough distance from other development to negate
a noise nuisance.
This is a work in progress and subject to revision. Please fill out
the online
survey if you would like to use the Complex. And pass it on!
We support the SHOOT
SAFE - HAYS COUNTY program.
Stephen Marlow, President
Texas Shooting Sports Complex
620 Marlow Lane
San Marcos, Texas 78666
s.l.marlow@centurytel.net
C: 512-393-1298
H: 512-353-8884
NRA Training Counselor, Chief Range Safety Officer, 4-H Shooting Sports
Instructor, Boy Scout Shooting Sports Instructor