The Department of Natural Resources will temporarily close the Ortonville Shooting Range for renovations on Thursday, May 7. The range is located in the Ortonville Recreation Area in Ortonville in Lapeer County. Work is expected to be completed by Monday, June 1.

The renovations will include new concrete sidewalks and shooting stations. The renovations are necessary to enhance safety and accessibility on the range.

In addition, range staff currently are working on a new 3-D archery range for the facility that is expected to be completed later this year.

The renovations and the 3-D archery range 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 this range and the Pontiac Lake Shooting Range, which also is undergoing renovations this month, are closed, the public is encouraged to visit one of the other DNR-managed shooting ranges where range personnel are present. They include Bald Mountain Shooting Range located in Lake Orion in Oakland County, Island Lake Shooting Range located in Brighton in Livingston County, Rose Lake Shooting Range located in Bath in Clinton County and Sharonville Shooting Range located in Grass Lake in Jackson County.

The DNR-managed shooting 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 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 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 on 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 the age of 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 a nonresident daily is $8.