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Message: <blockquote data-quote="guywhofishes" data-source="post: 35245" data-attributes="member: 337"><img src="http://www.inforum.com/sites/default/files/styles/16x9_860/public/field/image/shooting%20range%20shot%20signs_0_0.jpg?itok=q6wkqtSz" alt="" class="fr-fic fr-dii fr-draggable " style="" />Cops, sports shooters soon without Jamestown gun range due to 'a couple of idiots'   By <a href="http://www.inforum.com/users/keith-norman-forum-news-service" target="_blank">Keith Norman / Forum News Service</a>     Today    at 11:05 a.m. JAMESTOWN, N.D. - Shooting sports enthusiasts will be without a  range to shoot here after July 1. Bob Martin, manager of Pipestem Dam  for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, said the rifle range located west  of the dam will close on that date due to safety issues.         “The  safety concerns started popping up eight years ago,” he said. “There  have been additional buildings adjacent to the down-range area.  Outbuildings there have three or four (bullet) holes in them.”The  outbuildings are on property next to corps land and were likely struck  by bullets not fired at the targets either intentionally or accidently.Martin  said one target on the edge of the range nearest the buildings being  struck was removed this spring. Other targets were lowered to reduce the  chance of stray bullets, and signs with safety messages were added.The  range met safety codes, passing an inspection by a member of the United  Sportsmen of North Dakota Jamestown Chapter who was certified by the  National Rifle Association as a shooting range specialist.However, the problem continued with another incident of a bullet striking a building about a month ago, Martin said.“Within two weeks there was another incident,” Martin said.Range users who limit their shots to the defined targets are not the problem.“Between  careless, inexperienced and just being stupid,” Martin said, referring  to the source or sources of the stray bullets. “If you are shooting at  the proper targets, it’s impossible to shoot off the range. But you know  they’re not just shooting at the targets by looking at the (damaged)  signs.”Larry Kukla, secretary of the Jamestown United Sportsmen, said it was unfortunate the range had to close.“It is a sad day, but for safety reasons we have to close the range,” he said.Martin said United Sportsmen had been instrumental in keeping the range clean and operational over the past years.“The  United Sportsmen put a lot of time and money into the range,” he said.  “Members came out every other week to clean up the garbage and keep it  usable.”Local shooting enthusiasts are unsure where they will be able to shoot in the future.“It  is nice to have a place to come out and shoot,” said Scott Nordstrom,  Jamestown, who was at the range for the third time this season on  Tuesday. “A facility like this is important. Finding a landowner that  will allow you to shoot is difficult.”John Schaller, Jamestown  resident who was at the range Tuesday for the fifth or sixth time this  year, said the nearest range could be as far away as Casselton.“Where do we go to shoot?” he said.Local law enforcement officers will also need to find another range for practicing and testing.“It’s huge,” Jamestown Police Chief Scott Edinger said about the range closure. “It leaves us with no place to train.”Edinger  said the police department had been using the Pipestem range for about  five years since its own shooting range was shut down for safety issues.  He said the department was reassessing options it had explored  previously.Kukla said United Sportsmen would likely attempt to  locate another range for public use, although the club had not met since  the range’s closing was announced.Roads leading to the shooting  range will be closed beginning July 1, and anyone caught driving in the  area will be fined, Martin said.Nordstrom said the entire situation was unfortunate.“It just takes a couple of idiots to ruin it for everyone,” he said.</blockquote>

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