Approximately 34 people used the Machickanee Forest Shooting Range over the weekend to to sight in their weapons for the gun deer season.
The range on Garrity Road in Morgan had been closed since May 2 because of ongoing safety concerns and noise complaints from neighbors.
The Oconto County Forest, Parks and Recreation Committee, however, in August decided to reopen the range on a limited basis prior to the gun deer season. The range will be open 28 hours a week until Nov. 20.
Retired forester James Henkel will supervise the range during those hours, at an estimated cost of $1,500.
Neighbor Marianne Brown, one of the neighbors who have criticized lack of supervision at the range, was supportive of the three-week supervised period.
“I don’t have a problem with three weeks of supervised shooting,” she said. “Everyone needs to sight in their gun so they can hit what they’re shooting at. As long as it’s supervised, I feel safer in my own yard.”
Robert Skalitzky, director of the Oconto County Forestry, Parks and Recreation Department, said complaints have come in on and off since the range was constructed about 13 years ago.
“Complaints increased a few years ago when we had an early spring,” he said.
People were out shooting, and there were no leaves on the trees to muffle the sound, he said.
“When concealed carry came along, the increase in pistol use was dramatic,” Skalitzky added.
With the range unsupervised, some people acted irresponsibly, he said, and neighbors noticed.
“We got a bullet hole in our shop,” said neighbor Mary Wesoloski, who lives on Burdosh Road. “It’s a lot quieter now.”
Brown said she has heard bullets whiz by as she hung out her laundry.
“It was such a blessedly quiet summer,” she said.
Before the range closed in May, there was shooting before dawn and after dusk, Brown said.
“It’s nice not to have that all the time,” she said.
Green Bay resident Bill Haworth was happy to return to the shooting range Saturday morning, saying he’s visited the range for years.
As for the range closing in May, he said, “I was disappointed as hell. I was surprised – like they punished everybody for a few.”
“It made me sad,” said Ryan Marx, of Freedom. “I was concerned I wouldn’t have a place to go shoot. This is my go-to place.”
“I changed mounts on my rifle, so I need to reshoot, for sure,” said Ron Gauthier, of Krakow.
Demand for the range has prompted the county to apply for a $175,000 grant to reorient the range to the northeast so no residences will be behind the range. The grant would also pay for canopy shooting stations, to eliminate the problem of people shooting over berms.
The range is surrounded by county land, but the county is seeking a stewardship grant to purchase a privately owned 120-acre parcel between the range and the Machickanee Flowage, eliminating the possibility that homes would be built behind the range. The stewardship grant would cover 50 percent of the appraised value of the property.
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