Ike’s Tract- Closed to the Public- Update 6Jul12

The Tama County Conservation Board is working towards lifting the temporarily closure of the Izaak Walton Shooting Facility near Toledo. Facility expected to reopen in early August.

The Izaak Walton Shooting Facility Remains Closed  

Work proceeds towards reopening of the Izaak Walton Shooting Facility (aka Ike’s Tract). A new set of “Range Rules” were adopted by the conservation board at their board meeting of June 6. The new rules were suggested by the “Friends of the Ike’s Tract” advisory committee. The advisory committee was established by the Conservation Board to bring together responsible shooters, landowners and conservation staff to seek answers to problems at the facility that led to its temporary closure since April.  

It now appears the range is headed towards a reopening in early August. When that occurs significant changes will be in place: ·        

• Tentatively the range should open sometime in early August. The date of reopening will be set at the Conservation Board meeting of July 11. ·        
• A new set of Park Rules/Range Rules will be in place. ·        
• New shooting hours will be established ·        
• When the facility reopens it will be under “restricted access”. To legally use the facility and shooting range with a firearm or a bow a person will be required to pay an annual user fee, sign a range use agreement for the facility, and will be issued a range use card and an entry gate key.  ·        
• At the Conservation Board meeting of July 11 a date will be set for a “sign up” meeting where persons interested in using the facility can attend to receive information on the facility reopening and to pay their annual user fee to become an authorized shooter for the facility.  

The closure resulted from continuing problems experienced at the Izaak Walton Shooting Facility, located 2.5 miles west of Toledo.   “This was a very difficult decision for the County Conservation Board,” states Bob Etzel, Director. “We feel shooting sports and the hunting legacy is an important thing to hand down to future generations. However, spiraling problems at the facility leaves no other option while we regroup and evaluate the facility and its future mission.”  

The Tama County Conservation Board passed a motion at their meeting of April 4, 2012, to immediately close the facility on a temporary basis. The facility is gated and padlocked at the park’s entrance. No one will be allowed to shoot at the facility until further notice.  

Incidents at the facility leading to the closure included an excessive number of shooters using the range at once, reckless use of a firearm by firing at random and improperly on the range, shooting after hours, shooting improperly from the 100 yard shooting station by placing targets on the wrong shooting berm, vandalism by shooting structures, trees and signs, and placing targets on the ground at improper distances from the shooting berm causing ricochet.

Notice of reopening of the facility will be posted on this website along with the new range rules at the appropriate time.  Until further notice the range remains closed.