Residents raise concerns over Walworth County gun ranges
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The Walworth County Sheriff’s Office plans safety improvements for the county-owned range in LaFayette Township, including adding protective covering in the target zone area to the right.
LAFAYETTE TOWNSHIP — They may not be directly in the bull’s-eye, but residents along Hodges Road and County Highway ES say they sometimes feel like they’re unwitting targets in a carnival shooting gallery.
However, the ammunition and their fears are real in this otherwise idyllic area in LaFayette Township.
(Read all of this week's stories from Walworth County Sunday HERE. )
A daylong barrage at the Walworth County Shooting Range on Hodges Road on June 3 and previous prolonged shooting events at a gunsmith facility called God’s Country Ranch off County ES finally prompted a unified response from landowners.
That in turn led to letters from town officials to the Walworth County Sheriff’s Office and Walworth County Board of Supervisors seeking action, including calls for a potential firearms discharge ordinance in the county and restricting hours at the county-owned range.
Although noise is a big problem, especially with weekend usage, homeowners say that making the neighborhood safer is by far the most important issue.
Their concerns about the range are related to dozens of rounds of ammunition that have escaped -- primarily from ricocheting off targets -- and landed in driveways and yards across the road, as well as stray bullets that have entered or crossed properties adjacent to God’s Country.
Town of LaFayette Supervisor Judy O’Donell, who has lived on Hodges Road for 18 years, said it simply came to a point that something had to be done.
“We’ve heard slugs pinging off the roof of the building that the snowmobile club uses,” she said of the property directly north of the range’s outdoor targets, “the Johnsons have collected all kinds of casings and slugs on their property, and I’ve seen them and heard them whiz over my head because I walk along this road all of the time. So, we decided it was time to bring this to somebody’s attention, to talk about the excessive noise, but mainly from a safety perspective.”
For the complete story, see HERE.
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Sep 27, 2012 at 3:03 p.m.
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Gun Nuts? Police training equates Gun Nuts? So hoses equate waste of water fighting fires?
Sep 5, 2012 at 7:47 a.m.
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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8TOmYwnfX...
Sep 5, 2012 at 7:08 a.m.
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These comments show the disregard most gun nuts have for everyone else. If someone gets hurt or killed because of this issue, these gun nuts will continue to show just how cold blooded they really are by making their callous comments.
Aug 7, 2012 at 12:16 p.m.
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Perhaps the County Board should determine what the maximum distance that an arrant bullet could travel and use their eminent domain powers (i.e. condemnation) to acquire all of the properties that fall within that area, to create a safety zone?!?
Jul 30, 2012 at 6:19 p.m.
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My problem with this is why are all of us paying for this? We have pressing needs in this county that aren't funded-I understand the concern of the residents but 1.3 million? There are better ways to spend that money. From Walworth County Sunday: "To help alleviate people’s concerns, the sheriff’s office, which trains at and operates the range, has committed to eliminating as much Saturday afternoon and Sunday usage as possible. It also has requested funding in the 2013 budget for remodeling at the site, including raising the height of the roadside berm and adding protective covering in the target zone area to address the ricochet issue, a project that could cost an estimated $1.3 million."
Jul 30, 2012 at 9 a.m.
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This all boils down to one busy body who walks the road all day long spreading rumors and talking smack about the people she doesn't care for. Now she's made her way onto the town board and is making a big stink. I understand keeping lead contained to the range but the noise has been there for over 40 years. People who don't like hearing gun shots shouldn't live in the country- especially not in close proximity to a gun range and thousands of acres of public hunting grounds. Wait till she has an emergency and needs a county sheriff's deputy to respond to her aid--- might just take a few minutes longer now!
Jul 29, 2012 at 9:33 p.m.
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Gee.. We moved to the country next to a rifle range that has been there since the early 70's..and now they should close it because we are afraid and its noisey. Every farmer should sell their cows too because the flys bother us.
Jul 29, 2012 at 6:54 p.m.
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I lived next to hodges for about 8 years... never bothered me a bit.
Jul 29, 2012 at 3:47 p.m.
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Hey, looks like miltonalum is volunteering for the range to be moved next door to him! Problem solved. :-)
Jul 29, 2012 at 3:10 p.m.
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Bla bla bla, lets talk about real problems, a little noise and a few slugs dropping no harder than acorns, would the people rather have them shooting randomly in a field somewhere? Where else should we train our law enforcement and gun owners? I know, not in your back yard right? well it has to be in someones back yard, get over it.
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