With the regulations on hunting and shooting through the East End (and all of Long
Island for that matter), one might think it's difficult to find the time and the
place to shoot. However, scattered throughout the area are well-established clubs
and ranges at which responsible enthusiasts can shoot, both recreationally and competitively.
Peconic River Sportsman's Club is based on 400 acres of land in Manorville (389
River Road), and the facility features a fishing lake that includes five duck blinds,
rifle ranges, a 50-yard pistol range, as well as indoor and outdoor archery ranges.
It also has six trap and skeet fields and a 14-station clays course. The club is
private – it routinely holds competitions, such as rifle leagues, the week-long Police
Olympics later this month, and club championships.
On the North Fork, Mattituck Gun Club (6250 Cox Lane, Cutchogue) is the oldest gun
club and range on Long Island, having been established in 1930. Club members can
access its indoor range 24 hours a day. It also sponsors teams to participate in
accredited leagues on the regional and national levels.
The largest club on the South Fork is Maidstone Gun Club (Daniels Hole Road, East
Hampton), with trap and skeet fields, an archery area, rifle range and indoor and
outdoor pistol ranges. Its ATA trapshooting competition runs from September through
December. Those interested in becoming a member must be sponsored by three current
club members.
On the smaller size, there's Southampton Pistol & Rifle Club (Majors Path, Southampton),
which features mostly bullseye shooting. Members can participate in the .22-pistol
league which begins in September and around the holidays they start up their center-fire
pistol league. The facility has 50- and 100- yard outdoor ranges, a 25-yard indoor
range, and an archery range. It also has more than a dozen trained instructors who
hold classes for shooters of all levels.
Perhaps the largest range on Long Island is the Calverton Shooting Range (395 Nugent
Drive, Calverton), which has large and small-bore rifle ranges upward of 300 yards.
It also has areas for pistols, shotguns, archery, and a skeet and trap pit. Passes
can either be obtained for the year ($255) or for $15 per visit.
Ranges farther west include Southaven County Park (Victory Avenue, Brookhaven),
which has a trap and skeet shooting range in addition to fishing, hiking and canoeing
on the 1,356 acre property. Medford Shooting Range (2215 Route 112) is by no means
luxurious but its indoor and outdoor 25- yard pistol ranges get the job done.
At several of these clubs, shooters can either purchase supplies on site or bring
their own. For the latter, online sites like CheaperThanDirt.com and wholesalers
such as Midway or Natchez are always options. Locally, one might visit Suffolk County
Skeet, Trap & Shooting (165 Gerard Road, Yaphank), which sells goods for trap shooters
or skeet shooters. Also in Yaphank is Suffolk Shooting Supply (211 Main Street),
which sells guns, ammunition, scopes and other related merchandise.
Whether shooting a shotgun, rifle, pistol, or bow, Long Island does still have a
number of options from which to choose.
