Buffalo Range, Ottawa, IL Targeted for Shutdown by Illinois DNR. YOU CAN HELP!!

[Blackhawker]

Northern Illinois and bordering WI and IN shooters:  The Buffalo Range in Ottawa, IL needs your help!
 
If you're a gun owner or shooter and are located in the northern half of Illinois or located near the WI-IL or IN-IL boarder, then it's more than likely that you know of, have been to, or regularly shoot at the very famous public shooting range, "Buffalo Range Shooting Park" located in Ottawa, IL.  It has come to my attention that the IL DNR is trying to close this range and the people at the "Buffalo Range Shooting Park" now need our help and are asking that we write to various officials to voice our opinions and concerns about saving this very famous shooting park.  If you know of this range, then you probably know that there is really no other public range like it having rifle, pistol, trap ranges and a very large and ever-famous plinking pit.  If this range closes, we as northern Illinois shooters will be hard pressed to find anywhere to shoot legally or safely without paying high prices and dues to private shooting clubs.  Additionally, I am not aware of any place where one can find a large plinking pit such as the one at this shooting park, despite joining a club and paying high dues.  This certainly is a unique range and sadly, once this range is gone, it will be gone forever and as you know, there is no place like it to shoot within the northern Illinois area. 
 
Here is a "Cut and Paste" (in blue print) of a document I picked up at a local gun show last weekend.  The document was being handed out by a representative of the Buffalo Range Shooting Park.  Please read it and please help keep this public shooting range open by writing and responding to this request for help by the owners/workers/safety officers of this range.
 
Shooters, We Need Your Help!

Recently, Buffalo Range has come under attack by the Illinois Department of Natural Resources with totally unsubstantiated claims that stray bullets are impacting in Buffalo Rock State Park.
With six other private ranges and clubs in the area the IDNR refuses to investigate them and focuses only on Buffalo Range.
This is nothing more than a malicious extension of the liberal anti-gun agenda in Springfield.
Buffalo Range has been here for 41 years as an active shooting range where the public can come to enjoy our sport of shooting. We are one of the very few shooting ranges available to the public.
Help us preserve your shooting rights and our sport!
We encourage you to write letters in support of our sport and our shooting range. Please remember when writing to be professional and truthful in your description of the range and it's operation. Also, when you send a letter to anyone listed below include a copy to The Ottawa Times Editor to insure that our voices are heard.
This may be our business, but it is your place to shoot.
And once it's gone it may be gone forever!!
Thank You.
Illinois Department of Natural Resources
Spring field
One Natural Resources Way
Springfield, IL. 62702-1271
217-782-6302
Attn: Marc Miller / Director

Senator Rezin
38^th District
103 Fifth Street P.O. Box 260
Peru, IL. 61354
815-220-8720

Congressman Adam Kinzinger
11^th District, Illinois
2701 Black Road
Joliet, IL. 60435
815-729-2308

The Ottawa Times
110 W. Jefferson Street
Ottawa, IL. 61350
Attn: Editor

And anyone else you can think of that may help us preserve our place to enjoy our sport of shooting.
[/color]Remember: Be courteous and professional.
 
Let's try to keep our shooting rights in Illinois by showing the people above that we care and we want to have a place like the Buffalo Range Shooting Park open and available to the people of Illinois!

[Blackhawker]

Here is an attachment of the document being handed out to the public.  Print it up and pass it on to others if you can!

[Blackhawker]

New update:
Here is a recent article posted on "mywebtimes".  Please read.  Please help!

http://mywebtimes.com/archives/ottawa/display.php?id=446065

[powderman]

I get an email from your gov quinn periodicly. Here is a link for suggestion how to better improve the state. I've sent in several. POWDERMAN. 
 
 
http://www.illinois.gov/gov/contactthegovernor.cfm

[Blackhawker]

I get an email from your gov quinn periodicly. Here is a link for suggestion how to better improve the state. I've sent in several. POWDERMAN. 
 
 
http://www.illinois.gov/gov/contactthegovernor.cfm

Thanks for posting the link Powderman!

[powderman]

Come on guys, use the link, tell quinn what you think of ILL laws and to keep that range open. POWDERMAN. 

[Mike38]

Wow, this is a shame. I shoot at Buffalo Range about 8 to 10 times a year. By far one of the safest ranges I have been at. Range Officers are strict, but fair. I can’t imagine any stray rounds going over the berms. Letters needed to put a stop to this. 

[Blackhawker]

Wow, this is a shame. I shoot at Buffalo Range about 8 to 10 times a year. By far one of the safest ranges I have been at. Range Officers are strict, but fair. I can’t imagine any stray rounds going over the berms. Letters needed to put a stop to this.

Agreed, the range has become more strict yet safer over the years.  I would say that in the past ten years, it has probably become the safest public and/or private range around.  Somehow the ILDNR doesn't believe this.  It just doesn't make sense.

[Blackhawker]

Just thought I'd bump this one back to the top as in the classifieds in the case some locals missed it the first few times it came up in discussions.

[rebel49]

Well it happened on March 15th at 1:45pm, a restraining order to close the range. We were scheduled to open the 16th for the 2012 season.
The range attorney was in federal court in Chicago and his office was called to notify him of the court time ( 2pm and 85-90 miles away) and we were served at 1:45pm. We had 15 minutes and no attorney to get to and into the court to argue our side before the judge signed it, not a chance.
This is all over reports of bullets leaving our property and impacting park property. Unsubstaciated reports by the way.  Our court date is the 26th, we will present our case then. not feeling warm and fuzzy about the outcome of this, Illinois is a corrupt and liberal anti-gun state.
I will say this though, it isn't happening what we are accused of. We have had experts in to assess our range and we have been given High marks for safety and layout. By the lwas of physics it cannot happen that projectiles leaving our range would ever impact the areas in question, simply impossible.
Now starts the court battle with the state of Illinois with tax payer money being used against tax payers.
Folks be careful at your ranges, address any issue you see immediately. Supprt your range and your 2nd amendment rights and our sport, or soon it will be lost and never a chance to get it back again.
Rebel49  SRSO / Manager / gunsmith, Buffalo Range, Inc.