Washington: Please Consider Attending Wenas Target Shooting Meeting

The Wenas Target Shooting Advisory Committee (WTSAC) has been working to identify potential solutions to address concerns about recreational shooting in the Wenas Wildlife Area.  The Washington Department of Fish & Wildlife (WDFW), alongside other stakeholders and community members, has scheduled two public meetings to present the draft recommendations of the WTSAC and to receive public input on the proposals.

Each meeting will begin with a brief presentation about the target shooting project, the advisory committee’s progress to date, and draft recommendations for improving the target shooting experience.  Committee recommendations include enhanced safety practices, increased management of concentrated shooting sites, public education, and further law enforcement of the Wenas Wildlife Area.

If you are a user of the Wenas Wildlife Area, you are encouraged to attend one of the below meetings to learn more about the proposed recommendations and how it will impact recreational shooting. The meetings will run from 6:00 PM to 8:30 PM and are scheduled on:

Monday October 2, 2017
Selah Civic Center
216 S 1st St
Selah, WA 98942

Wednesday October 4, 2017
Manastash Room at the Kittitas Valley Event Center
901 E 7th Ave.
Ellensburg, WA 98926

Last fall, the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) proposed closing the 115,000 acre Wenas Wildlife Area to recreational shooting, only allowing shooting in one of two proposed range sites.  Recreational shooting has long occurred in the wildlife area, and the use of these public lands has been enjoyed by generations of shooters from across Washington.  Thanks to the public opposition from NRA members, shooters, hunters, local legislators and elected officials, the WDFW did not move forward with their proposed closure and formed an advisory committee to help find solutions for their concerns.

The target shooting advisory committee, which includes an NRA liaison, has been meeting monthly to develop recommendations to address WDFW concerns. Further information on the committee, including meeting dates, can be found here.