By Danielle Seat | May 5, 2020 at 7:13 AM EDT - Updated May 5 at 9:14 AM
CHARLESTON, S.C. (WCSC) - The South Carolina Department of Natural Resources is reopening all manned shooting ranges across the state Tuesday, but they say things will look different for a while.
The ranges that are reopening include Twin Ponds Range in the Francis Marion National Forest.
Officials at Twin Ponds Range say they are very excited to welcome everyone back, but say it’s important for them to know the new rules.
“Giving them an opportunity to get out right now,” Francis Marion National Forest spokesperson Pamela Baltimore said. “Everybody is wanting that. The weather is great. So again we wish that we could open everything, but it will be a slow phase in approach."
Some of the new rules include:
- All employees will be wearing masks and cleaning regularly.
- Fewer people will be allowed in at a time because only half of the shooting stalls will be open.
- Ranges will not be allowed to loan out equipment, such as target throwers or spotting scopes. So they ask visitors to remember to bring their own equipment.
"We're there for the public,” Baltimore said. “Its public lands, and we want to keep it open as often as possible. Its all been dependent on public safety and employee safety. And so now that we're getting some more supplies in and stuff we're able to do that."
SCDNR says you can help make the reopening a success by abiding by all CDC guidelines and by helping them to keep the area clean. They say pack it in, pack it out. Throw away what you come in with.
The ranges will be open Tuesday through Saturday during their normal business hours.
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