Pima County shooting ranges to close due to COVID-19

Pima County, Arizona sent this bulletin at 04/03/2020 01:10 PM MST

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Pima County shooting ranges to close due to COVID-19

PIMA COUNTY, April 3, 2020 – Due to the COVID-19 pandemic causing severe staffing shortages in Pima County’s shooting sports program, the Natural Resources, Parks and Recreation Department is closing Southeast Regional Park Shooting Range, Southeast Archery Range, Southeast Clay Target Center and the Tucson Mountain Park Rifle and Pistol Range, effective Monday, April 6, and until further notice.

Many of the rangemasters and a significant portion of the volunteer line safety officers are unable to continue to be out in the public for the duration of the pandemic. The Virgil Ellis Rifle and Pistol Range in Ajo and the Tucson Mountain Park Archery Range will remain open since both are unstaffed.

The presence of qualified rangemasters and trained volunteers is essential to operating a safe shooting range, said Cliff Gyves, Shooting Sports Program Director. These highly trained individuals go through intense training and cannot be replaced with NRPR staff.

Pima County Natural Resources, Parks and Recreation operates and maintains 49 parks, 25 trailheads, 13 community centers, nine pools, seven dog parks, six shooting, archery, and clay target ranges, five BMX/Skate Parks, The Loop, three equestrian arenas, hundreds of miles of trails for recreational pleasure, and more than 250,000 acres of conservation lands open to outdoor recreation pursuits. NRPR also provides recreational and environmental educational programs for all age groups.