Recreational Shooting

The community of The Dalles has a very active and high quality rifle and pistol club, called (appropriately) The Dalles Rifle and Pistol Club. Since it is not associated with any particular faith, nor with the government, and since it has an interest in promoting safe education and activities for youth in the shooting sports, the club is an excellent partner for providing an engaging and fun educational activity for our Jr. Members.

The Club has both an indoor and an outdoor shooting range. The indoor range is mostly for smallbore (.22 cal.) shooting at up to 50ft, and is available for qualified Jr. Members who have the permission and cooperation of their parents or guardians. This range is located in the basement of the Senior Center, and was constructed specifically for this purpose, including a steel backdrop, water containment of spent ammunition, and HEPA ventilation to the outside. Club policies require training for those who use the range, and qualified supervision while it is in use.

Our qualified Jr. Members will be able, with the permission and cooperation of their parents, to use the indoor range as one of our activities. Those who are interested may wish to continue pursuing smallbore marksmanship through individual or team competetion, as provided through the club and the VFW. Jr. Members who do well may be able to obtain significant scholarships for college, or other advantages.

The club also offers an annual Open House on a Saturday in May, when our Jr. Members may wish to learn about several different shooting disciplines available through the club. Guests are invited to shoot youth rifles, try some Cowboy Action, IDPA, and blackpowder shooting, in addition to M1 Garand target shooting and archery. In 2010, this is planned on May 15. Parents are strongly encouraged to attend this event with the Jr. Members. The Open House is conducted at the outdoor range, which is located just past the Petersburg Elementary School on 15 Mile Rd., east of The Dalles.

To qualify for use of the Indoor Range, Jr. Members will have to obtain a Hunter's Education certificate. This requires some amount of effort and learning, and is helpful even if the Jr. Member never uses it for hunting. The course includes outdoor survival skills and ethics, as well as the safe use and transportation of firearms. Jr. Members who do not already have a certificate have two options: a 5-session classroom course, or an online home study course with a one-day classroom and range session (a "field day") when the test will be administered. Either way, students will have to register through Northern Wasco County Parks and Rec (scroll down on that page to see the info) by calling them at 541-296-9533. Classes and field days are not frequently offered in The Dalles, though you may arrange to attend one elsewhere in Oregon, too.