Free Range Near State College/Bellefonte area

[Norm!]

Whats the closest free range near Julian/State College/Bellefonte area?

Me and some friends wanted to go shooting skeet, rifles, and pistols this weekend but we need somewhere to shoot. It would probably be a sort of small group maybe 10 people at the very most.

I own a hunting license, but many of our group members probably don't so scotia is meh. Does scotia card people or check for permits? Most of our people shoot pretty rarely so a $30 permit or a license is kinda pointless.

[psucivil]

Regarding Scotia, I can not attest to them checking or not checking hunting licenses/range permits personally but I do know that each licensed person can bring ONE guest to any PGC shooting range. I have shot there a couple of times and have never once been asked for my license. Check out the PGC's website for more info:

http://www.portal.state.pa.us/portal...=937842&mode=2



have fun shooting

[Norm!]

Regarding Scotia, I can not attest to them checking or not checking hunting licenses/range permits personally but I do know that each licensed person can bring ONE guest to any PGC shooting range. I have shot there a couple of times and have never once been asked for my license. Check out the PGC's website for more info:

http://www.portal.state.pa.us/portal...=937842&mode=2



have fun shooting

Yeah I seen that. I dont really want to have people breaking the rules like that but its pretty much the only place near here but having people who shoot once in a great great while pay for a full year membership is kinda silly. If they had like a fee for guests that was only a few bucks they would make more money I think.

Thanks for the input

Also do they have range officers there?

[psucivil]

Yeah no problem I didnt know what the ratio of unlicensed individuals to licensed individuals in your group would be. But if you have more unlicensed than licensed then thats an issue. Honestly though 30 dollars is not all that bad. The indoor ranges near my parents house in Lawrence County charges about $15-20 an hour.

Regarding range officers im not 100% sure about this time of the year. I know if you go during the summer (monday-Friday) or right before deer season there is a range master. I have only shot at scotia on weekends in the late fall and used the auxiliary ranges.

I was actually debating about going to scotia this Friday afternoon if the rain holds off or Saturday morning sometime.

[Norm!]

Yeah no problem I didnt know what the ratio of unlicensed individuals to licensed individuals in your group would be. But if you have more unlicensed than licensed then thats an issue. Honestly though 30 dollars is not all that bad. The indoor ranges near my parents house in Lawrence County charges about $15-20 an hour.

Regarding range officers im not 100% sure about this time of the year. I know if you go during the summer (monday-Friday) or right before deer season there is a range master. I have only shot at scotia on weekends in the late fall and used the auxiliary ranges.

I was actually debating about going to scotia this Friday afternoon if the rain holds off or Saturday morning sometime.

Yeah, Im trying to find someone who will just let us shoot on their land who has a good backstop in an area thats safe. Dont want anyone to get hurt.

[FLICK]

Just an FYI, I was "carded" about 4 weeks ago by a very friendly WCO after he was phoned in by the Scotia staff for someone "shooting without a permit." It's the first time in 4 years I have been addressed by anyone out there and the only time since the licensing requirements. So, yes, they do check permits, but rarely (and I had been there for about an hour before the WCO showed up).

The best part was that he was more interested in checking out my AR and M&P 15-22 than the hunting license, which was in the truck. I may or may not have exceeded the magazine round restrictions, which was not addressed.

[PA452]

I used to use Scotia a lot when I lived in the area, and I was never asked for a permit or my hunting license. I did once ask the attendant if they were ever checking, and he said since it was a new rule they weren't really checking it much yet. That was last fall though.

I would probably just go for it if you have others with licenses, and just don't have more people shooting at any given time than can be vouched for by a licensee. In other words, if three of you have licenses, don't have more than three non-licensees up at the line holding firearms at one time.

I once asked an attendant there about something like that, and he agreed that if they're not holding a gun and back off the line, they can't really be required to have a license or be vouched for by a licensee. That was just one guy's opinion though, so if you do it and it doesn't fly don't blame me.

[StingyGunner]

just heads up, there's gonna be a pretty big group at scotia next friday (23rd).

[psucivil]

just heads up, there's gonna be a pretty big group at scotia next friday (23rd).

Stingy Gunner,

Do you have any idea what the range hours are this time of year? Or is only the auxiliary range open?

[FLICK]

Stingy Gunner,

Do you have any idea what the range hours are this time of year? Or is only the auxiliary range open?

8a-4:30p for the gated ranges is what was posted the last time I was there. Aux ranges open til sunset.....