The Swan Creek WMA Shooting Range range provides shooting opportunities at distances up to 100 yards. There are four ranges (25, 50, 100 yards) located side by side with a dividing berm to allow shooters to go down range independently of each other. An area to shoot shotguns at clay targets is located to the north of the 100 yard rifle range. All ranges are wheelchair accessible and have concrete walkways for downrange access to the target lines. The range is operated by the Alabama Division of Wildlife and Freshwater Fisheries in cooperation with the Tennessee Valley Authority.
Hours of Operation
The range is closed in late fall and winter during the dates of open duck season. (November 22, 2019 - February 10, 2020)
Winter Hours (October – March) (Closed during dates of open duck season as noted above).
- Wednesday – Sunday 8 AM to 4 PM
Summer Hours (April – September)
- Wednesday - Sunday 8 AM to 6 PM
The range is closed Mondays and Tuesdays.
Location
The range is located west of Highway 31 at 18936 Harris Station Road, Tanner, AL 35671 in Limestone County.
View an aerial image of the range location.
GPS coordinates for the range are: 34 deg. 40" 51.74" N; 86 deg. 59' 20.97" W.
License Requirement
- For Alabama residents, a valid hunting, heritage, fishing, or WMA license is required for all range users between the ages of 16-64.
- For nonresidents, a valid WMA license is required for all range users age 16 or older.
Purchasing a license can be done in one of three ways:
- Online by clicking here
- By calling 1-888-848-6887
- Visit a retail vendor in your community
General Range Regulations/ Rules
- Operational hours will be posted on the Swan Creek Range website. License is required of shooting guests 16 to 65 years of age utilizing the facilities.
- Guests under the age of 16 must be accompanied by an adult while on property.
- No alcoholic beverages allowed.
- Any legal firearm and ammunition (except armor-piercing, tracer or any ammunition considered to be incendiary or explosive) may be used on the range.
- Keep all firearms unloaded and muzzles pointed down range when not firing. Action on uncased guns shall be open when not on the firing line.
- All persons are to remain behind the shooter while firing is taking place. No firing shall be allowed while anyone is down range.
- Firearms must only be fired from designated stations on the concrete shooting line into the embankment at stationary paper targets, self-healing or metal automatic reset targets. The targets must be placed so that shots will not strike flat ground before hitting the backstop and so that the shots will impact the bottom 5’ of the backstop. Only one person may shoot from each designated location at any given time.
- Shotguns with no. 4 shot or smaller may be fired at moving clay targets on designated clay areas only. Shotguns on Rifle/ Pistol range for patterning only.
- All used targets, shotgun hulls, and other trash shall be placed in a garbage can, or removed from the range. All brass shall be placed in barrels designated “Brass Only”.
- It shall be illegal to violate any posted restriction. Violations may result in citation or loss of privileges for 24 hours.
Additional Rifle and Pistol Range Rules
- All shooters must register with the range officer before proceeding to the firing line.
- Minimum age to shoot unaccompanied by an adult (21 or older) is 16 for rifle/shotgun and 18 for handgun. Minimum age to shoot rifle, pistol, or shotgun is 6 years of age. Children under age 6 ARE NOT ALLOWED on the firing line.
- Shooting guests under the age of 16 must remain within an arm’s reach of an adult at all times while on the firing line.
- No more than two shooters are allowed at each rifle bench. Additional shooter with the same party must stay behind the yellow safety line until it is their turn to shoot. Non-shooters must remain behind the yellow safety line at all times.
- Shooting guests are responsible for the conduct of their non-shooting guests.
- Guests causing a disturbance or problems may be asked to leave range grounds.
- Only one rifle at a time may be fired from each bench.
- Muzzleloaders may be shot on 100 yd. range or far left position of 50/25 yd. range only.
- Firearms are to remain unloaded until the muzzle is pointed down range in the ready-to-fire position. Muzzleloaders may not be capped until they are pointed down range.
- The Rifle/Pistol ranges are controlled with voice commands. The 50/25 yrd. ranges operate on simultaneous shooting sessions. At no time will an individual be down range while live firing is occurring. When the range is cold all firearms must be unloaded and placed on bench with actions open muzzle down range. Pistols must be unloaded, magazines out, slides locked back and cylinders open and placed on the bench at the firing line muzzle down range. Guest not going down range must step behind yellow safety line.
- No firearms may be handled when the range is cold.
- Do not step forward of the Red firing line until the range officer and/or all shooters have given permission to go forward.
- Shooting may resume only after the range is clear and made hot.
- Only targets directly down range of shooting position must be shot, no crossfire.
- No quick draw from holster is allowed on the firing line.
- All firearms must be moved from vehicles to shooting line unloaded and cased or holstered. Firearms are considered loaded if shells/cartridges are in the chamber, magazine or cylinder. If the magazine of a handgun or rifle is loaded and in the firearm, the firearm is considered loaded even if there is no round in the chamber. Removable magazines may be loaded if they are separate from the firearm.
- No smoking on ranges. Smoking is only allowed in designated areas.
- Guests are liable for any damage they cause to WFF property.
- Guests must return all range equipment (target frames, spotting scopes, sand bags, etc.) to the range building or appropriate location and clean assigned bench area before leaving.
- Shooters may only retrieve their own brass. Discarded brass may be picked up on a first-come, first-serve basis only after original owner has relinquished possession.
- No profanity allowed on the range. The WFF Swan Creek WMA Facility is a family oriented location and we encourage families to use the facility. Guests using profanity will not be tolerated. A warning to stop the use of profanity will be issued by the range officer to the person responsible. If the person continues to use profanity they will forfeit their range privileges for the remainder of the day. WFF officers may be called at the range officers’ discretion if the situation requires a law enforcement presence. Any other disruptive behavior which affects the safe operation of the range or is deemed inappropriate for a family atmosphere will not be tolerated and the responsible party may be asked to leave the facility at the range staff’s discretion.
- Respect Others: There is a one-hour time limit for use of the range if patrons are waiting.
Clay Target Range Rules
- All shooters must register with the range officer at Range House before proceeding to the firing line.
- Single individuals will not be allowed to shoot clay targets without someone to pull for them.
- Shotguns must remain unloaded with the action open until it is time to shoot.
- Shotguns may be loaded only while the shooter is on a firing station with the muzzle pointed down range.
- Shooters are responsible for picking up all of their spent shotgun shells to be placed in garbage barrels or removed from range.
