The Trenton Fish and Game Club Executive Board has established the following rules governing the club’s shooting ranges. The Executive Board has also adopted a “Zero Tolerance Policy” to violators of these policies. Violators will be dealt with swiftly and to the full extent of the club by-laws and criminal action if it applies. Do Not tolerate misconduct from others. Report unsafe acts, vandalism or damage to Club property to any of the Club officers or board members. Violate the safety rules and policies below and you lose your membership!
The hours of operation of the rifle and pistol ranges are from 9 AM to sunset daily. The rifle and action pistol ranges will be closed for the winter months each year. The dates of winter closure and spring reopening will be announced to the membership each year depending on the weather conditions.
All members must successfully complete range safety orientation prior to range use.
Know and obey all range rules and range commands.
The rifle and pistol ranges are for member use only, no guests are allowed.
Only one shooting position is permitted per member.
Post your membership card while shooting.
The use of alcohol and/or illegal drugs is prohibited.
Do not go forward of the firing line unless a cease-fire is called and the range is declared safe.
Eye and ear protection is required.
Fire only from the permanent designated firing line.
Do not use baffles, supports or berms as targets or target holders.
Each user must clean up the area used after completing firing. Trash barrels are for used targets, empty ammunition boxes, and spent ammunition. Soda and food containers as well as trash from your vehicle or homes are not to be left at the Club. If you bring it in - take it home!
After working or shooting on the range, ALWAYS wash your hands, arms, and face before smoking or eating.
Never point a gun in an unsafe direction.
Never load a gun unless you are ready to fire.
Never touch the trigger unless you are ready to fire.
Be sure of your target and what is beyond.
Range commands and controls must be obeyed immediately.
No firearm is to be loaded or handled when someone is downrange.
All firearms are to be benched, empty and with the actions open when someone is down range.
No one is allowed forward of the firing line, unless a cease-fire has been called or the range is clear. The warning horn and flashing lights will be turned on before going down range and will remain on until the range is clear. Exception: The warning horn and flashing lights are not required during organized, club shoots while the range is under the control of a range officer.
Paper, cardboard, clay birds, metal spinner and metal silhouette target are allowed. Use of any unauthorized target material, like cans or bottles (glass or plastic), exploding targets, rocks etc. are prohibited.
Eye and ear protection is required when on the firing line.
Shooting a rifle from an unstable position, like shooting from the hip, is prohibited. Only controlled aimed deliberate fire is allowed. Rapid uncontrolled fire is prohibited. The shooter is responsible to insure that his/her bullet strikes are in the backstop only.
It is absolutely forbidden and prohibited for any user to undertake any shot or firing as may avoid or defeat the safety baffle containment system (e.g., no shots or firing over, under, around, etc., the designated baffle protected lanes of fire). Any type of “wild” firing is absolutely forbidden and banned.
Positions one (1) through eight (8) are for the 50 and 100 yard targets only.
Shooting from positions 1 through 8 at the 200 yard target is prohibited.
Positions nine (9) and ten (10) are for 200 yard targets only. Cross firing onto targets 1 trough 8 is prohibited.
When loading, keep the rifle pointed in a safe direction.
Loaded rifles must remain pointed down range until such time as they have been unloaded, and then the muzzle should always be pointed in a safe direction.
During a general cease-fire and at the conclusion of any shooting, all rifles are to be unloaded, actions opened and grounded, racked or cased.
Tracer, armor piercing or any ammunition considered to be incendiary, explosive or destructive to club property is strictly prohibited.
Target frames are not targets- attach your targets so bullets do not strike the frames. Do Not use the top of the frame as a place to sit a target. Attach your targets to the front of the frame. Do not use baffle supports to attach targets! Use only the designated target frames.
No one is to fire a firearm forward of the firing line established by the shooting benches and permanent designated firing line.
Always Check Down Range Before Shooting.
Never cross fire from one position to a target on another position. Always
place your target and fire at that target 90 degrees from your shooting position. To do otherwise is an unsafe practice and will result in damage to range and club property.
Use of 50 BMG caliber prohibited.
Never point a gun in an unsafe direction.
Never load a gun unless you are ready to fire.
Never touch the trigger unless you are ready to fire.
Be sure of your target and what is beyond.
Action Pistol Range is a specialized range. There is a $30 annual fee per member for its use. In addition, members wanting to use the range must have range orientation by the range officer prior to shooting. The annual fee is for maintenance of the range.
Pistols only, no long guns permitted.
NRA Action Pistol/Bullseye rules must be complied with at all times.
Only targets sanctioned by the NRA Action Pistol/Bullseye rule book are allowed
Firearms must not be loaded until the shooter is in position on the firing line and the command to load has been given by the range officer (rule 18.9).
Except when engaged in competition, all firearms must be unloaded, holstered, cased, bagged or boxed, hammer fully down and magazines removed from semiautomatics.
Holsters used on action pistol ranges must comply with current NRA action pistol rules.
The maximum number of rounds to be loaded must conform to rules governing each event.
All handguns must be empty, and benched, holstered, bagged or boxed when someone is down range. Firearms are not to be handled when someone is down range.
Never point a gun in an unsafe direction.
Never load a gun unless you are ready to fire.
Never touch the trigger unless you are ready to fire.
Be sure of your target and what is beyond.
All movement and instruction on this range will be directed by the RO (Range Officer).
All handguns must have an ECI (Empty Chamber Indicator) in place from the time the handgun is removed from the carrying case until the start of the preparation time for the match.
An ECI must be used anytime the shooter is moving to another shooting position.
An ECI must be installed when the order is given to make your weapon safe.
For the purpose of this procedure the terms “make your weapon safe” and/or “make sure your weapon is clear”, means the gun is unloaded, chamber empty, magazine removed (auto), cylinder open (revolver) and ECI installed.
At no time will muzzles be elevated over the top of any range berm.
The first relay will bring all guns and equipment to the 50 yard bench. If the range is safe the RO will allow guns to be removed from their cases.
Guns will be placed on the bench, pointed down range with actions open and magazines removed.
A mandatory installed ECI will indicate the gun is unloaded.
No guns will be uncased behind the 50 yard line bench and carried to the bench. All closed cases are to be carried to the 50 yard bench and guns uncased at the bench.
Before the start of the match the RO will announce the course of fire, time limit and the number of rounds of ammunition to load.
Upon completion of the course of fire the RO will check all guns to make sure they are clear and that an ECI has been installed.
Moving from the 50 yard line to the 25 yard line in preparation of the next stage of fire. The RO will have all shooters remove their guns from the bench, with muzzles pointed to the ground all shooters will move forward to the 25 yard line together. At the 25 yard line all guns will be benched and shooters at the command of the RO will move forward to score.
After scoring shooters may return to the 25 yard line but must remain away from the bench and are not allowed to handle any firearm while there are shooters down range.
When all shooters have returned from scoring the RO will give the command “shooters, you may approach the bench”
At the completion of each course of fire the RO will check all guns to make sure they are clear and that an ECI has been installed.
At the completion of the last course of fire and shooters must move from the 25 yard line back to the 50 yard line, procedures will be followed in reverse order. That is, the RO will check all guns to make sure they are safe and he will give the command to move to the 50 yard bench together with all muzzles pointed at the ground.
At the 50 yard bench, shooters will await instructions to approach the bench only after all shooters have returned from the 25 yard line.
Shooters waiting in the ready area for the next match relay are not allowed to handle firearms of any kind.
Never point a gun in an unsafe direction.
Never load a gun unless you are ready to fire.
Never touch the trigger unless you are ready to fire.
Be sure of your target and what is beyond.
Ear and eye protection is required when on the firing line.
The use of alcohol and/or illegal drugs is prohibited.
Trash barrels are for used targets, empty ammunition boxes, and spent ammunition. Soda and food containers as well as trash from your vehicle or homes are not to be left at the Club. If you bring it in take it home!
Pistols and rimfire rifles only, no center fire long guns permitted.
All handguns will be carried to the 25 yard shooting bench cased and only uncased at the bench.
At no time will muzzles be elevated over the top of any range berm.
Muzzles will be pointed down range at all times.
When shooter(s) are moving down range to hang or check targets, all weapons are to be unloaded, actions open showing clear and benched.
When shooter(s) are down range no weapons are to be handled.
Never point a gun in an unsafe direction.
Never load a gun unless you are ready to fire.
Never touch the trigger unless you are ready to fire.
Be sure of your target and what is beyond.
Ear and eye protection is required when on the firing line.
The use of alcohol and/or illegal drugs is prohibited.
The hours of operation of the Trap ranges are from 9 AM to 8:30 PM daily.
Only clay targets are allowed.
Each trap house must have a safety flag to be used as a warning device to signify when someone is exiting the trap house.
Trash barrels are for used targets, empty ammunition boxes, and spent ammunition. Soda and food containers as well as trash from your vehicle or homes are not to be left at the Club. If you bring it in take it home!
It is your Club, keep it safe and clean.
Trap Ranges are for member use only, No guests allowed. Guests are allowed at Club supervised events.
The Trap Range is a specialized range for shot gun use only.
Bird shot only, no slugs, buckshot or shot larger than size 6 allowed.
NRA/ATA Trap rules must be complied with at all times. If a conflict between the NRA and ATA rules develops then NRA rules prevail.
All shotguns shall have the actions open and contain no live or empty shells at any time. Shotguns are not be loaded until the shooter is in position on the firing line and is ready to call for the next bird.
Only one round is to be loaded at a time unless the field is set up for doubles or international trap. The maximum number of rounds to be loaded must conform to rules governing each event.
Shotgun muzzles are to be under control at all time and not pointed in any direction but down range. A live round may be placed in the shooter’s shotgun only when the shooter is on a post facing the trap field and ready to call for a bird.
Resting the muzzle of shotgun on the shooters foot/toes is not allowed.
Except when engaged in competition, all firearms must be unloaded, actions open. Only break open guns may have actions closed only when racked, all other action type shotguns shall have open actions when racked.
Shotguns are to be unloaded, actions open and chamber(s) empty when moving from station to station during a relay. When moving from station five to station one, the shotgun muzzle must be under control and pointed in a safe direction. Either straight up or towards the ground. Carrying the shotgun with the muzzle pointed to either side is unsafe and not allowed.
Shotguns are to be unloaded and actions open when moving to and from the trap field.
The “Puller/Scorer” is the designated Range Safety Officer, from the time the squad is called until the relay is complete and the squad returns to the club house. He/she has the absolute authority for safety for this duration.
The “Puller/Scorer” is responsible to check each firearm at the time shooter leave the trap field to return to the club house to insure that the shotgun is unloaded.
When the warn flag appears from the trap house all firearms are to be unloaded and checked by the “puller/scorer and the range declared clear and safe.
The practice of tracking target behind a shooting squad is unsafe and not allowed.
A shotgun that fails to fire must be immediately cleared and made safe. Fumbling with the shotgun on the line to ascertain the problem is unsafe and not allowed.
The Archery ranges are designed for archery equipment only. This includes Compound, Long and Recurve Bows. Crossbows are not allowed on the range.
The hours of operation of the Archery ranges are from 7 AM to sunset daily. The Archery ranges will be closed for the winter months each year. The dates of winter closure and spring reopening will be announced to the membership each year depending on the weather conditions.
All members must successfully complete range safety orientation prior to range use.
Know and obey all range rules and range commands.
The archery ranges are for member use only, no guests are allowed.
Only one shooting position is permitted per member.
Post your membership card while shooting.
The use of alcohol and/or illegal drugs is prohibited.
Do not go forward of the firing line unless a cease-fire is called and the range is declared safe.
Do not use baffles, supports or berms as targets or target holders.
Each user must clean up the area used after completing firing. Trash barrels are for used targets, empty ammunition boxes, and spent ammunition. Soda and food containers as well as trash from your vehicle or homes are not to be left at the Club. If you bring it in - take it home!
No one shall draw a bow, with or without an arrow, except while standing at the shooting line and pointed toward a clear target.
No one shall shoot obviously damaged, defective or inadequate equipment.
Field tips must be used on all targets butts. Arrows with broad heads, either mechanical or fixed may only be shot at a designated target butt. Exploding or blunt points are not allowed.
Any one retrieving arrows from the target(s) will leave their bow at the shooting line.
When archers are down range no bows shall be handled.
Be sure of your target and what is behind it.
Any one not participating must stay behind the waiting line. (5 yards behind the shooting line)