Photo Tour - The NEW Spring Valley Shooting Range

After two years of upgrades, Spring Valley Shooting Range is now open to the public. And after a private tour with Division of Wildlife leadership and staff, I can tell you it was worth the wait.

Spring Valley has always been the Division's most popular range, but the new range is world-class in every respect and is sure to become a recreational destination for the entire region.

To give you just a little perspective, here is how the range looked in 1999. And with only minor changes, this is more or less how it's been since.

Below is what the new Spring Valley Shooting Range looks like now. Click on the photos for a close-up view.

3 Side-by-Side Ranges - Spring Valley now offers separate 25-yard, 50-yard, and 100-yard ranges with high berms between them. The range design allows shooters to easily set target holders at designated positions of 25, 50, 75 or 100 yards. The photo above shows the 100-yard rifle range.

Paved Shooting Positions and Walks - To make the range ADA compliant, the entire shooting line is paved with concrete, with walks going to all target positions and the backstop. From the parking lot, to the firing line, to the targets, shooters never have to walk through mud or grass regardless of the weather. Note the high cement wall on the right of the photo which divides the pistol range and allows for CCW training classes to call cease fire without disturbing other shooters on the 25-yard range.

Versatile Shooting Benches - Heavy-duty benches with a moveable seat allow shooters to sit or stand, and provide comfortable access to those in a wheelchair. Nets at each shooting station keep spent cartridge cases from landing on the neighboring bench.

66 Covered Shooting Positions - Range capacity has been increased across the three side-by-side ranges. Every position is now covered, each offering a seated or standing bench at the line, with benches and long-gun racks behind the line.

Ballistic Steel Baffles - To guarantee all bullets stay on the range, the new design uses the "no blue sky" concept. It includes a series of overhead baffles or "eyebrows" faced with compressed wood and ballistic rubber, and backed with AR500 steel plates.

Range Master Office - The range master building includes a check-in station, public address system, and 24/7 security camera monitoring system recording all activity and offering a view of the entire firing line during operating hours.

Restrooms and Water Fountains - As part of the effort to attract more shooters and improve the recreational experience for the public, the range now offers restrooms and drinking fountains. Plans include adding vending machines and picnic tables in the covered areas directly behind the firing line.

Large Parking Lot - Prior to the upgrades, Spring Valley has long been the Division of Wildlife's busiest range, attracting 20,000 shooters annually. Now that number is likely to increase as the range becomes a destination for sportsmen and families across the region, so parking space has been increased significantly.

Clay Target Range - At the top of the hill, near the old entrance, the clay target range is in the same place with a slightly repositioned firing line. The range itself has been graded for better drainage away from the line. Upgrades include new Lincoln trap throwers, benches for supplies, and shotgun racks.

Archery Range and Trail - Just inside the entrance to the range property, you'll see the new static archery range. Archery bag targets and racks for hanging archery equipment are available. Concrete walks make the range ADA compliant and easier to use in all weather. Nearby, the walking trail through the woods remains the same, with minor adjustments to the shooting direction. The archery range does not require a permit and is now open 7 days a week.

Outdoor Education Building - One of the most prominent upgrades to the range is the addition of the education and activity building for meetings, training and advanced clinics. This includes hunter education courses, basic firearm training classes and outdoor education. The adjacent wildlife area offers field opportunities.

Classroom Space - Inside the education building, a massive multi-use area provides space for everything from meetings to classes to archery clinics. The net at the far end of the room allows for introductory archery training through the National Archery in the Schools Program (NASP). The room features sound deadening materials so any noise from firing at the range will not be heard.

Wet Lab - As part of the Division of Wildlife's efforts to expand the reach of outdoor education, a new wet lab provides training space for deer processing and wild game cooking. The building also includes refrigeration units for meat storage.

The new Spring Valley Range is nothing short of amazing. Pack up your guns and gear and go do some shooting. You won't be disappointed.

The range is situated on the 842-acre wildlife area in southwest Ohio, just east of the Little Miami River, eight miles south of Xenia and four miles north of Waynesville. The new range entrance is located at 3570 Houston Rd., Waynesville, Ohio 45068. Current hours of operation are Wednesday through Sunday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Visitors 18 and older are required to have a valid Division of Wildlife range permit upon arrival, which are available online at wildohio.gov, on the HuntFish OH app, or any location where hunting and fishing licenses are sold. Permits are not sold at the range.

Shooters age 17 and under do not need a permit, but are required to be accompanied by and directly monitored by an adult (age 18 years or older) holding a valid shooting range permit.

Dean Rieck is Executive Director of Buckeye Firearms Association, a former competitive shooter, NRA Patron Member, #1 NRA Recruiter for 2013, business owner and partner with Second Call Defense.