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August 12, 2005
TRAPSHOOTING GETS BOOST IN OHIO THANKS TO DIVISION OF WILDLIFE SUPPORT
New shooting sports facility comes to Morrow County
COLUMBUS, OH - A new shooting sports facility, that will feature 40 trap fields, is being developed in southern Morrow County thanks in part to the financial contribution of the Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR) Division of Wildlife. The agency presented a $150,000 check yesterday at the Grand American World Championship in Vandalia to the Ohio State Trapshooting Association for the purchase of the facility’s trapshooting equipment.
“We want to see trapshooting flourish in Ohio,” said Steven A. Gray, chief of the Division of Wildlife. “Trapshooting is a good way to learn the shooting sports and is a natural extension of the hunting tradition.”
The OSTA had been in search of a new site to host its annual Ohio State Tournament after learning of the impending closure of the Amateur Trapshooting Association’s long-time base in Vandalia near Dayton International Airport. The Grand American World Trapshooting Championships and the Ohio State Tournament, the two largest events of their kind in North America, have long been held in Vandalia. When the trapshooting association was offered a new location this spring in Morrow County, the Division of Wildlife offered its support.
The division’s financial contribution comes from the federal Wildlife Restoration Program Account, which is funded by an excise tax paid by hunters and shooters when purchasing firearms and supplies. The fund is used, in part, to support public shooting facilities as well as the more recognizable wildlife conservation efforts.
“This fund is supported by hunters and shooters nationwide who pay a tax on their guns and ammunition,” Gray said. “Supporting this facility is an excellent way to put these dollars to good, practical use.”
The initial phase of development calls for 40 trap fields to be built and completed before the OSTA’s 2006 Ohio State Tournament in June. More trap fields and other shooting sports facilities, including an archery range, are future development options.
The Division of Wildlife also plans to use the facility for hunter education classes, Becoming an Outdoors Woman (BOW) workshops, and youth shooting programs. The new trapshooting facility is also expected to contribute jobs and provide a boost to the Morrow County economy.
The new facility can be found in Morrow County just north of Columbus at the intersection of Interstate 71 and State Route 61.
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