The Department of Natural Resources will temporarily close the Pontiac Lake Shooting Range for renovations on Monday, April 20. The range is located in the Pontiac Lake Recreation Area in Waterford in Oakland County. Work is expected to be completed by Monday, June 1.

The 25/50 yard earthen berm will be repaired. The repairs are necessary to ensure more costly work on the berm does not have to be done in the future. The earthen berm is designed to stop and contain bullets fired on the range.

In addition, a new firing line roof will be constructed over the shooting stations. The new roof will help protect the shooters from the sun, rain and snow which will make their shooting experience more enjoyable.

The renovations are being funded by a Land and Water Conservation Fund Grant, Game and Fish Protection Fund, (a restricted fund comprised of hunting and fishing license fees), and federal funding.

While the range is down for these renovations the public is encouraged to visit one of the other DNR managed shooting ranges where range personnel are present. In addition to Pontiac Lake, they include: Bald Mountain Shooting Range located in Lake Orion in Oakland County, Island Lake Shooting Range located in Brighton in Livingston County, Ortonville Shooting Range located in Ortonville in Lapeer County, Rose Lake Shooting Range located in Bath in Clinton County, and Sharonville Shooting Range located in Grass Lake in Jackson County.

The ranges are open Nov. 16-Sept. 30 five days per week, Thursday through Monday. From Oct. 1-31, the ranges are open six days per week, Wednesday through Monday. From Nov. 1-15, the ranges are open seven days a week.

Range hours at Bald Mountain, Ortonville, and Pontiac Lake are 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. At Rose Lake and Sharonville, range hours are 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Range fees at Bald Mountain, Pontiac Lake and Ortonville are $4 per day for each shooter age 16 and older. Children under 16 are free. Rose Lake and Sharonville have no fee. The Island Lake Shooting Range is operated under contract by Michigan Shooting Centers, LCC. Please contact Island Lake for hours and fees at 248-437-2784.

For more information on the DNR managed shooting ranges, please call the ranges. The telephone numbers are:

• Bald Mountain-248-693-0567
• Island Lake-248-437-2784
• Ortonville-248-627-5569
• Pontiac Lake-248-666-5406
• Rose Lake-517-641-7801
• Sharonville-734-428-8035

Information about the DNR shooting ranges, and other public and private shooting ranges, can be found on the DNR Web site at www.michigan.gov/dnr under Law Enforcement, and then click on Shooting Ranges on the menu on the left side of the page.

Shooters are reminded to bring eye and ear protection and approved targets with either a bull's-eye pattern or a depiction of legal game. Shooters under age 16 must be supervised by an adult. All motor vehicles entering a state park or recreation area must display a Motor Vehicle Permit, available for purchase at the park headquarters. Cost is $24 for a resident annual and $6 for a resident daily. A nonresident annual is $29 and nonresident daily is $8.