Pat Donahue/Times-EnterpriseJoey Knight, Thomas County Department of Public Works superintendent, goes over features of the shooting range complex during Friday's groundbreaking event.

THOMASVILLE — Old, moss-covered oak trees and a stand of virgin pines were the backdrop Friday morning for a homas County’s public shooting range’s ground-breaking ceremony.

The facility off County Farm Road will be the only public shooting range in the area, said Wiley Grady, Thomas County Commission chairman.

The chairman pointed out that young people are interested in archery and other sports the range will provide.

Dr. Philip Watt, a Thomasville resident and member of the Georgia Department of Natural Resources (DNR) board of directors, proposed the range to commissioners three years ago.

DNR conducted a market analysis using a formula to determine a customer base for a range in Thomas County, said Walter Lane, DNR hunter development program manager, game management, Wildlife Resources Division.

Lane said it was determined a range here would serve an area within a 45-minute drive of Thomas County, including Valdosta and Tallahassee, Florida.

Watt said diligent efforts by Thomas County government, DNR and other supporters of the range brought the project to fruition.

Watt said hunting sports brings in billions of dollars and millions of jobs. “Hunting and fishing are also vital to our local economy,” he added.

USA Today ranked Thomasville as No. 3 in the top sporting destinations in America for hunting and fishing, Watt told the crowd.

Seventy-five percent of the cost of the range will be paid for with a federal grant resulting from ammunition and firearms sales.

Steps have been taken to ensure the range will have no impact on wetlands and that sound is mitigated, Watt said.

“Shooting sports are important to our community, interest is growing, but public access has been limited,” he said.

Darlene Taylor, District 173 state House representative, urged the crowd to look for the outdoor stewardship item on the November ballot. A yes vote will “save Georgia’s wild frontier, our outdoors,” the Thomasville Republican said.

If the measure passes, it will save Georgia’s woods and enhance state parks, Taylor said. 

Senior reporter Patti Dozier can be reached at (229) 226-2400, ext. 1820