MDC's Busiek Area shooting range reopened to public

OZARK, Mo. – The shooting range at the Missouri Department of Conservation's (MDC) Busiek State Forest and Wildlife Area in Christian County has been reopened to the public – again.

After being closed for the second time this summer due to flooding, the unstaffed facility is open for public use. The most recent closure followed heavy rains on the morning of Aug. 7. Rushing water caused by that event scoured out areas of the parking lot and left debris strewn across the parking area and the range.

It was also initially thought surging water might have harmed the foot bridge connecting the parking lot to the range, but a closer examination of the structure showed it was sound. This was the same bridge that had been damaged by flooding at Busiek at the beginning of July. That earlier high-water event detached the bridge and made the range inaccessible to the public.

The Busiek Area's range is one of a number of unstaffed shooting ranges MDC operates across the state. Other MDC unstaffed ranges in southwest Missouri that have firearm opportunities (some ranges are archery-only) can be found at Flag Spring Conservation Area (Barry County), Fort Crowder Conservation Area (Newton County), Lead Mine Conservation Area (Dallas County), and Pleasant Hope Conservation Area (Polk County). Users should keep in mind that these facilities are closed on Mondays for maintenance purposes.

A complete list of MDC's unstaffed shooting ranges in the state can be found at mdc.mo.gov/node/4460.

In addition to these unstaffed facilities, the Andy Dalton Shooting Range and Outdoor Education Center in Greene County is one of five staffed shooting ranges MDC operates in the state. Information about the Dalton Range can be found at mdc.mo.gov/node/288.