Sunday, March 5, 2017

Take the Trace to Turcotte

Action at the pistol range
Interested in finding a shooting range that doesn't cost an arm and a leg?  Such a place  can be found right off of the Natchez Trace at Highway 43.  Nestled next to the upper lake of the Ross Barnett Reservoir is Turcotte Shooting Range.  The Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries, and Parks operates the range four days per week year-round at very affordable rates.  Driving up the Natchez Trace is an added bonus as well.   Turcotte offers a variety of ranges and programs to Mississippians.   The facility has pistol, rifle, sporting clays, skeet, and archery ranges. 


MDWFP opened Turcotte in 2006. The pistol range has twelve positions and allows shooters to practice from three, seven, fifteen, and twenty-five yards.  Hunters can shoot up to 300 yards at seven stations on the rifle range. There are two Olympic skeet fields that have five stations.  The sporting clays section has twelve stations.  Shooters move from station to station.  Mr. Touchton said that it can handle up to 200 people at one time.  The course takes a shooter through woodlands and requires fifty clays.  The cost for a bag of 50 clays is $12.50.  Golf carts are available at $5 per day. 

Mr. Touchton said the agency would like to add more ranges.  A moving target system would allow more people to use the pistol range.  The rifle range is constantly packed with shooters and could easily handle a tripling of stations.  He would like to increase the distance of the range as well.  The rifle range has flooding issues.  He said he would like to clear the site, improve it, and grade the ground.

There have been no shooting accidents at Turcotte.  Mr. Touchton said the biggest problem his staff faces is shooters bringing loaded guns to the range.  He said "we have to be strict for obvious reasons."  Bringing a loaded gun to the range can earn the would-be shooter a quick trip home as the range masters do not play when it comes to enforcing the rules.  However, there have been no firearms related injuries at Turcotte.    Minors can participate with a parent.  Turcotte Range Director Jad Touchton runs this range with the help of five employees.  Two range masters are certified NRA and law enforcement instructors.  All employees are certified as range officers.  They have to qualify annually with weapons and have emergency response training.



Turcotte also offers a variety of classes and shooting programs.  MDWFP has a school shooting program.  120 students shot in the state shoot last year.  Mr. Touchton said there are no public schools that participate in the school shooting program but that he would "love to change that".  Home-schooled students are allowed to participate as well.  More information is available at this link.

The shooting classes are popular.  Enrollment usually fills up for each class at least a month in advance.  A basic handgun class (think handguns for dummies) is available for $17.  The instructor provides the guns and ammo.  They fire 25 rounds.  The enhanced carry permit class is $107.  Participants bring their own guns and ammo. There are 15 slots per class.  They start at 9:00 AM and finish by 5:00 PM.  An advanced handgun course is offered for $200 as well.





Hours
Thursday & Friday: Noon - 6:00pm
Saturday: 10:00am - 6:00pm
Sunday: 1:00pm - 5:00pm

Rates
Annual Resident Range Permit - $42.29 (ages 16-64)
Annual Senior Range Permit - $22.29 (ages 65 and above)
Annual Non-Resident Range Permit - $84.29
Per hour if not purchasing an annual range permit: $5.50

Fund-raisers
 $25 a person, $5.50 per hour, 25 cents a bird




Directions 
From Madison County: Drive up the Natchez Trace.  Get off at Hwy 43 exit and drive towards the Rez.  A big brown sign will appear right before you begin crossing the lake.  Follow the directions.   

From Rankin County: Go to Highway 43, drive past Tommy's Trading Post and cross the lake.  It will be immediately on your right once you cross over the Rez.


24 comments:

Anonymous said...

This is a gem. Great fun and facilities.

Anonymous said...

Ditto what 2:54 said. Been there several times for the pistol and rifle range. Cost is a bargain.

Anonymous said...

The shot gun range/trap shoot. is soooooo much FUN!!!

Anonymous said...

I couldn't agree more with the above comments. Before it closed I used the indoor range at Surplus City in Clinton. The cost per year at Turcotte is less than a couple of hours was at SC. The staff at Turcotte is great and very attentive. It's only a 15 minute drive up the Trace from Ridgeland. I understand that there are some other MDWFP ranges around the state and a new one is planned, possibly up north. Two thumbs up!

Anonymous said...

Really wish you wouldn't have posted this. It will be overrun with Jackson thugs in no time.

Anonymous said...

Great range. Check the website before you go. They close down sometimes for MWDF officer training.

Anonymous said...

Caution: There's a two-page form you have to fill out before you can shoot. Download it from their site to save yourself some time, if you go. There's one trick question on the form.

Anonymous said...

Great place, but the rifle range is infested with a dozen geezers who hog the lanes all day. Nothing better to do in their lives. It's worse than a 40 dollar a year golf club maintained by the state with no play through or time limit or tee times, or free coffee for seniors from 8-5 pm. They hang out all day. Hell, it's a rifle retirement home. Can't get a lane some days, much less weekends. 20 cents a day to sit in the shade subsidized by Uncle Mississippi, telling war stories, while others need a bench. Need a time limit on Rifle. One hour. And get organized on handgun so experienced shooters can get off the 5 yard line, kneel, prone, or even use barricades. But good folks who need to get the Geritol crew off the benches all day.

Skeet and Clay said...

Take a good look at the photo posted with this story - and remember that in some countries, adults are teaching seven year old children to shoot at targets that look like you.

While you're learning to shoot at Turcote to protect against somebody stealing a bicycle out of your garage, in ten years you will be the 'sporting clays' for those seven year olds.

Anonymous said...

11:23 Try the club down in Byram or the one out on 18. Of course it'll cost you more money, but you won't have to put up with us old geezers. And btw, there is no five yard line on the pistol range. Starts at 3 and then 7. Use the pistol range all the time Chief.

Kingfish said...

Well, what I've seen at times is the old guys take it over with their nice expensive rifles, memo pads, spotting scopes, and calculators. They will fire a round, take several minutes to make their calculations, and then fire a round and repeat the process. I know what they are doing. Just realize that a lot of people get aggravated waiting for someone who is shooting four rounds every 15 minutes. Especially when they just sit there and start shooting the breeze back and forth.

Part of the tradeoff of using a public range. At other times, the rifle range is just fine.

Anonymous said...

KF, this is 10:30. I have more than several expensive weapons, is that to be held against me because I want to shoot them? I hope not. I agree the rifle range is not sniper school. And if someone opens up an ammo can I would guess your you know what is I trouble. On the other hand there is a range master at each range. Could he/she not encourage us old farts that others are waiting? Then again, as you might have suggested, there are better times to use the facility. Thursday is best, at least on the pistol range where I shoot. Friday is a go too, but sometimes crowded later in the morning. Showing up on Saturday or Sunday is a "NO GO AT THIS STATION" if you don't arrive early and don't want to wait even on the pistol range. As to aggravation, ever shot at a German shooting house? I did for four years and figured at times I'd celebrate my next birthday there while waiting on a lane to open up. Then it's called patience because the Germans I shot with were in no hurry.
The complaint by 11:23 is the only complaint I see. And how many complaints have others raised to the staff or the department? Next time out I'll ask. However, I'll continue to arrive early.

Kingfish said...

Not at all. There is nothing really cheap about shooting. The better rifle you can afford, the better.

What I was really referring to were guys taking one shot, shooting the bull back and forth for awhile, then making calculations and writing down info, then a while later, taking another shot, etc. That range only has seven stations. Smallest one there.

Anonymous said...

Then you have never shot at a civilian German range. Remember I shoot pistol. One shot, examine the target, point the gun barrel down, breathe, once again concentrate, retrieve your weapon, aim for God only knows how long, then fire a shot. They only use one hand and are amused with a two handed hold. Never heard any back and forth except awhile examining the targets. The Germans I met were a fine group of guys. However, I never convinced one of them on a two handed hold. Yep, on the economy ammo is very expensive and so are their guns. However, they pointed me to a fine gun shop in Stuttgart. Thought I died and went to Heaven when I got in there. More guns than a Bass Pro.

Kingfish said...

That's the fun part about it. There is always a next rung up the ladder.

Other times it is just plain crowded. Definitely needs a doubling or tripling in size. Growing pains are not a bad thing.

Merck said...

Too damn busy at Turcotte unless it's changed...and This certainly won't help.
RE: Kingfish's ADD Range comment...meh
Some like to pew pew pew and some like to spark a flinter or practice for accuracy, work on handlands. To each his/her own

Anonymous said...

yall better keep practicing, before you know it we will really have defend ourselves with thesee nuts in dc.

Anonymous said...

It's kind of like a restaurant, if people aren't waiting it's probably not profitable. ..




Anonymous said...

Just be thankful PRVWSD is not in charge of the place.

Anonymous said...

Magnolia in Byram is a much better deal. $100 a year, open 7 days a week, 6am until near sunset with lots of space. I've never had to wait for a place to shoot there. Only thing I miss from Turcotte is the sporting clays.

Kingfish said...

My application says $150.

Anonymous said...

Hi Kingfish,
The first year is $150 which includes the $50 in fees, but after that it is $100 each year as long as you don't let your membership expire. If you only go to the range a few times a year than Turcotte is likely a better deal, but if you like to shoot a lot Magnolia has more space and fewer closures.

Anonymous said...

If I'm interested in buying a shotgun and learning is this a good place to go?

Anonymous said...

If this is a legit question I suggest you get on the Internet because your general question has a lot of holes. You have not given your experience level with firearms
or what you intend to use a shotgun for. As to your secondary question, no, neither Magnolia nor Turcotte offer basic shotgun classes. Do you have any friends who own a shotgun and can they take you somewhere for you to fire it safely (such as their deer camp) and provide some basic instruction for firing or safety?



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