Violations lead to partial closure of Libby shooting range from Aug. 12 to 22

In response to violations of the terms and conditions of a special use permit governing the operation of the Lincoln County Shooting Complex, the Lincoln County Commission on Wednesday approved a temporary closure of part of the facility, located across from Libby Airport on Farm to Market Road.

“It’s probably the most disgusting thing I’ve had to do since being in office,” said Commissioner Mark Peck, frustrated that “it’s a perfect example of a few bad apples” spoiling it for the rest.

The closure will affect everything except the shotgun and archery sections of the range and take place Aug. 12 to Aug. 22.

Peck noted that “the rifle range is where the problem is,” the shotgun club does a “fantastic job,” and “archery is not a threat.”

The Commission at first agreed the closure would end Aug. 20, but later extended it to coincide with a previously scheduled National Rifle Association site inspection.

The violations were officially noted in an Aug. 2 letter from the Forest Service, which leases the facility to the county, though Peck said the county had been made aware of them in recent weeks. The violations include afterhours shooting, unauthorized long range rifle shooting and an unmaintained access gate.

Peck said some people have been intentionally placing a 1,500-yard target outside of the range. The incident most recently happened sometime in mid-July when the target was moved “way off the premises.” He said it has happened at least once before more than a year ago.

The week prior to receiving the letter, Peck, after initial discussions with Forest Service officials, said he expected they would require closure of the entire range. Instead, the Forest Service left any closure decision up to the county.

The Forest Service letter made the agency’s expectations clear. Within 30 days of the letter, it requires the county to remove the out-of-bounds, 1,500-yard target and post signs indicating such activity is not allowed; address after hours shooting, including consequences of such activity and a monitoring plan; install a key card or other system to control access at the gate; establish safety officer hours of operation; identify the caretaker’s responsibilities and consider establishing a performance plan for or replacing the current caretaker; and establish the Lincoln County Range Improvement Plan between the county and the Libby Rod and Gun Club.

“Failure to rectify these issues within the 30 day time period may result in the suspension of your special use authorization,” the letter states.

Peck said Wednesday that the out-of-bounds target had already been removed.

The Forest Service made it clear that “(its) goal is not to shut it down,” Peck said.

“But we have to operate within the agreed parameters of the permit,” he said. “This is a step to get it into compliance.”

Peck said that “there’s not an NRA range safety inspector that would say (the out-of-bounds target) is OK,” and that the hours of operation were “an agreement I negotiated” with the club and its neighbors and the county cannot change them.

“It’s very clear what we need to do to manage that range,” Peck said, adding that “we need more shooters to step up and be a part of that process” because the county doesn’t have the staff or money to do it.

Lincoln County is the only county in the state involved in the operation of a shooting range, Peck said.