Camden County discusses adding two-level 5-stand at 2 Rivers Gun Range amid safety and noise concerns

Camden County officials on the record discussed a proposal to add a two-level 5-stand shotgun facility at the county-operated 2 Rivers Gun Range, describing the sport layout, funding terms and safety considerations.

Presenters described a 5-stand as five shooting stations served by eight trap machines and said a two-level configuration is commonly used by large tournaments. Ricky Miller, identified in the session as the gun range master, explained containment plans: “If you go with 700,000 pattern shots, it’s about 280,000,000 pellets, which equals close to, 25 tons of lead,” and said recovered lead can offset net costs. Staff said ballistic netting would be used where lead is allowed to prevent pellets from reaching nearby wetlands.

County staff told commissioners the project has a previously approved reimbursable US Fish and Wildlife grant of $434,400 and a required match of $43,004.40, with a completion deadline of Aug. 31, 2027. Staff said the match can be cash or largely in-kind labor and that grant funds have been federally allocated but are reimbursable (the county spends and then seeks reimbursement).

During questions, commissioners pressed operational and safety details. Staff said the range could use either programmed launchers or remote safety officers to run traps and that existing RSO staffing might cover operations with scheduling adjustments. Maintenance expectations were described as modest for the first two to three years because of new machines, and staff noted plans to buy multiple launchers to allow quick replacements.

On safety, staff recounted two recent ricochet incidents at the pistol range: one adult struck in the abdomen and another adult with a substantial arm laceration that required first aid. After the incidents staff removed metal targets and replaced them with paper targets to restrict shooting positions while mitigation is investigated. “We stopped using the metal targets,” a staff member said during the session.

Noise and community impact were central concerns. Commissioners asked whether adding a 5-stand would increase noise. Staff said sound propagation depends on many factors (berms, forestry, humidity and wind) and recommended a professional sound study to determine mitigation; they recalled a previous estimate of more than $70,000 for such a study and said current costs are likely about $75,000. Commissioners discussed whether taller berms or plantings could help but staff said those measures would require specialist analysis and could be expensive.

Staff also outlined site history and regulatory constraints. The property has been used by the sheriff’s office for years, and the county entered an intergovernmental agreement with the Georgia Department of Natural Resources (DNR) around 2017 to build and operate a public shooting facility. Staff said DNR conducted environmental assessments and forwarded them to U.S. Fish and Wildlife for approval. One staff member said the county cannot operate the range for profit under DNR terms and that any sale or shutdown would require notifying DNR and U.S. Fish and Wildlife and likely repayment of grant funds; staff estimated payback and remediation could exceed six figures and that more than $1,000,000 might be involved in some cases.

A county counsel interjected that active litigation exists and advised commissioners not to discuss specific property or settlement details during the meeting.

Next steps outlined in the session included continuing due diligence on safety mitigations, leaning toward using in-kind match where feasible, and proceeding with design and procurement while respecting the grant’s reimbursable structure and the Aug. 31, 2027 completion date. The work session closed without a formal vote on construction or procurement.