Gun enthusiasts were disappointed over the weekend when the Wahsatch Shooters Range was closed Aug. 25 to the general public. The closure came in response to an audit conducted by the county relating to Wahsatch Shooters’ performance of the contract between Davis County and Wahsatch Shooters Association. 

Davis County owns the shooting range that is located at 1659 E. 650 North in Kaysville. It is primarily for law enforcement agency training and secondarily for use by the general public. The county has contracted with Wahsatch Shooters Association of Davis County (“Wahsatch Shooters”) for at least the past 20 years to operate and supervise the general public’s use of Davis County’s shooting range during designated general public use hours, according to a County release.

April 1, 2024 the Board of Davis County Commissioners held a public meeting to discuss concerns relating to the general public’s use of Davis County’s shooting range. On April 9, 2024 the Board requested that the Davis County Auditor’s Office perform the audit.

“On July 23, 2024, the Davis County Auditor’s Office issued a performance audit regarding the contract between Davis County and Wahsatch Shooters,” the release said. “This performance audit identified, among other things, a number of concerns relating to Wahsatch Shooter’s performance under the contract between Davis County and Wahsatch Shooters.”

The Board of Davis County Commissioners met on Aug. 20 in an open public meeting to discuss matters associated with the shooting range, the audit and future operations of the range.

“The shooting range as we know it was built on top of the old rifle range in 1972,” said Davis County Clerk Brian McKenzie in the meeting. “Obviously it’s grown and expanded with the cooperation between the County and Wahsatch Shooters Association.”

It’s been determined that there is a need for this (range) for both law enforcement and the Sheriff’s Office, he said. “There’s also a demand from our citizens.”

Shooting is a recreation that is loved by many citizens, McKenzie said. “What that range offers is a very affordable option where our residents can go and fire their firearms in a safe environment. If we don’t have it, people will find their own place to go which is less safe.”

At the end of the meeting, the Board identified a team of Davis County representatives to work with Wahsatch Shooters to amend the contract between Davis County and Wahsatch Shooters, which contract was set to expire on Aug. 31, 2024, such that the contract would extend through Dec. 31, 2024, and may entail other more substantive changes. 

“The purpose of this contract extension was two-fold: 1) to maintain Davis County’s shooting range open to the general public during designated general public use hours; and 2) to provide Davis County the opportunity to consider alternative options, including seeking proposals from interested parties, which may include Wahsatch Shooters, to operate and supervise the general public’s use of Davis County’s shooting range after Dec. 31, 2024, and possibly enter into a contract with an interested party to do so as soon as Jan. 1, 2025,” the statement said.

According to the County, despite their good-faith efforts, Wahsatch Shooters circulated written correspondence from “one or more individuals” associated with the association indicating that the shooting range would not be open to the general public beginning Aug. 25, 2024 at 4 p.m.

“Davis County knowingly forced the closure of WSA because the other option they offered was not financially viable and it would not be possible to staff it on such terms, thus forcing WSA to take the closure option,” a post on the Wahsatch Shooters’ website said and that prorated refunds would be coming in September.

Davis County and the Board of Davis County Commissioners has informed groups who have shooting events scheduled at the range in the near future that they intend to work with these groups to reach an agreement to allow the groups to use the shooting range during its temporary closure and transition period, the release said.

“It is important to Davis County and the Board of Davis County Commissioners to provide a shooting range for the general public to frequent and enjoy shooting,” the County’s statement said. “Although Davis County’s shooting range will be temporarily closed in the near future, Davis County and the Board of Davis County Commissioners are committed to reopening the shooting range to the general public for shooting as soon as possible.”