“Where, Oh Where Can I Shoot?”

By Bill Miller

www.huntingclub.com

These early days of March are the low point in the hunter's year. On these gray days there's very little in North America to hunt for! Quail and rabbit were the last "regular" game seasons to go out. We're a few weeks away from spring snow geese and even the earliest turkey seasons. It's even on the very back edge of when to be shooting coyotes.

The devoted North American big game hunter is even deeper in depression come the early spring. He or she is likely resorting to X'ing days off the calendar counting down to a spring bear hunt that's at least six weeks away or more! What are we to do?

Well, pack up the gear and go shooting! This is prime practice time!!!

Yet in today's world, that's much easier blogged than done. We're a couple generations away from the time when you could go out in your back yard and target practice or even drive out to a dump on the edge of town to go plinking. How fast you think the cops would get there today if you even showed up at an abandoned lot with an airgun and a pellet trap? Sad, sad times.

No need to get too bummed out. Finding a safe, close-to-home and even welcoming place to shoot is as easy as a few mouse clicks starting right here thanks to the National Shooting Sports Foundation's WhereToShoot.org program.

At this site you can search for the closest shooting ranges by city, zip code and even area code. For even more specific information you can customize the search by the type of shooting you're after including rifle, handgun, archery and shotgun. The search can also point out facilities with firearms rental and instruction, retail sales and women's/youth programs.

The results of your search will also reveal ratings on the ranges from one to five stars based on the rating system of the National Association of Shooting Ranges (NASR).

So there are no more excuses for "off-season" blues. Even though you may not be hunting, you can find a place close to home to practice for hunting ... and that's the next best thing! It will make you next hunt even better.