After years of planning, site evaluation and opportunities for community input, the Department of Natural Resources is moving forward with construction on improvements at the Lapeer Pit shooting range in Lapeer County.

The site, located within Lapeer State Game Area, will be closed to public entry and use from Nov. 26, 2019, to Aug. 31, 2020.

The entire Lapeer State Game Area also will be closed to target shooting for the duration of construction.

Improvements to the area will include:

• A new parking lot.
• Accessible pathways.
• New berms and ricochet baffles to improve safety.
• Sound abatement measures to decrease sound impacts to surrounding properties.

These improvements are possible through grant funding from the Michigan Natural Resources Trust Fund as well as the Federal Aid in Wildlife Restoration act through the United States Fish and Wildlife Service.

“We are looking forward to improving the site for the target shooters and providing better parking and sound abatement in order to decrease conflicts with the neighbors,” said Lori Burford, shooting range specialist for the DNR.

Until range construction is complete in August of 2020, those looking for a comfortable, quality target shooting experience are encouraged to travel roughly half an hour away to the Ortonville shooting range at Ortonville State Recreation Area, one of the DNR’s seven staffed ranges in southern Michigan.

Questions about the Lapeer shooting range can be directed to Lori Burford, 989-600-9114.

For the latest information on DNR recreation facility closures, visit Michigan.gov/DNRClosures.