Iowa’s newest public shooting range opens on Dec. 11th, bringing expanded opportunities to recreational shooters and hunters in Eastern Iowa.
The Cody Shooting Complex, near Long Grove, offers 30-yard handgun and 100-yard long gun ranges for shooters of all skill levels. The ranges include covered stalls with standing and seated bench stations. There will be a variety of steel targets and paper target stands available with some designated specifically for rimfire, handgun, rifle, shotgun, or muzzleloader use. Both ranges include a cement pathway connecting stalls to targets to accommodate shooters with limited mobility.
Rates are $14 per hour for an individual, $20 per hour for a couple or family. Individual annual memberships are $280, family annual memberships are $320. All shooters must register at the range office upon arrival. More information is available on the Iowa Department of Natural Resources (DNR) website https://www.iowadnr.gov/codyshootingcomplex.
With the opening of Cody Shooting Complex, the Iowa DNR closed the nearby Princeton shooting range on Dec. 2. The Princeton shooting range will undergo a reclamation process then be restored to natural habitat and reopened as part of the Princeton Wildlife Area, for public access and public hunting.
The Cody Shooting Complex is a partnership between the Iowa DNR and Scott County Conservation Board. The first phase of construction was paid with $990,000 from the federal excise tax paid on firearms, ammunition and archery equipment; $110,000 from the Iowa DNR’s Fish and Wildlife Trust Fund; and an additional $500,000 was contributed by Scott County for the creation of the law enforcement-only portion of the facility.
With the completion of Phase 1, Cody Shooting Complex is open for use. Construction for Phase 2 of the complex will begin in 2025.
Phase 2 includes an administration building/50-seat classroom, and archery range. The estimated $2 million Phase 2 construction is expected to wrap up in 2026.
Scott County Conservation will staff and run the day to day operations of the range. Range fees collected will go directly back into staffing and maintaining the shooting complex.
“The classroom will allow us to host hunter education classes, local school groups, offer programming by the conservation board and courses for law enforcement,” said Gavin Tigges, Cody Shooting Complex coordinator with the Scott County Conservation Board. “This complex is worth the wait – it has a lot to offer.”
A law enforcement-only section was included in the range design providing a local option for official law enforcement training with firearm instructors. The law enforcement range offers flexible distances from 5 to 100 yards, and lighting for low-light training.
“We don’t have anything outdoors for law enforcement training,” he said. “The nearest law enforcement range is in Rock Island, Illinois. We now have a lot of training options.”
The former DLS Gun Club and associated property was donated to the Iowa DNR in 2016 for use as a shooting range. The range was designed using current industry standards with “no blue sky” style baffles. This design is similar to the two other DNR staffed ranges at Banner and Olofson. Cody Shooting Complex planning includes land stewardship plans for future lead reclamation. Lead and brass used at the facility will be recycled.