Utah hunters and anglers with a current hunting, fishing, or combination license can access two Utah Division of Wildlife Resources public shooting ranges at no cost on Saturday, Sept. 26, as part of National Hunting and Fishing Day. Free admission covers rifle, handgun, archery, and shotgun facilities at Lee Kay Public Shooting Range in the Salt Lake Valley and Cache Valley Public Shooting Range in Cache Valley, giving license holders a chance to sight in rifles, pattern shotguns, or practice marksmanship fundamentals ahead of fall hunting seasons.
Full bulletin: wildlife.utah.gov
The timing lines up with the run-up to Utah’s general deer and elk rifle seasons, making the free range day a practical chance to confirm zero and check patterns before heading into the field. Both facilities run full-service setups: Lee Kay Public Shooting Range offers outdoor rifle, pistol, and shotgun ranges near Salt Lake City, while Cache Valley Public Shooting Range includes both indoor and outdoor ranges. A current hunting, fishing, or combination license is required for free access on Sept. 26; standard range fees apply outside the promotion.
Additional listings on the DWR calendar this month give outdoor recreationists more reasons to get outside. A First Shots Shotgun Clinic at Lee Kay on Sept. 17 introduces beginners ages 12 and older to shotgun basics at no cost. Kokanee salmon viewing events run Sept. 19 at Strawberry Reservoir and Sept. 26 at Fish Lake, where spawning salmon turn bright red in the shallows each fall. A free youth pheasant hunt in the Uintah Basin on Sept. 26 gives younger hunters a supervised introduction to upland bird hunting, also tied to National Hunting and Fishing Day.
Beyond range days and events, DWR crews and other Utah Department of Natural Resources staff inspected more than 9,000 boats for aquatic invasive species over Labor Day weekend, part of an ongoing effort to keep quagga mussels and Eurasian watermilfoil out of Utah waterbodies. Boaters headed to Utah lakes and reservoirs this fall should expect continued inspection and decontamination stations at ramps statewide and are reminded to clean, drain, and dry watercraft between waterbodies.
License holders planning to use the free range day should bring proof of a valid hunting, fishing, or combination license, along with eye and ear protection, ammunition, and firearms that comply with each range’s posted rules.
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