Day Trip Idea: “Plinking” For Free at Lake City’s Osceola Gun and Archery Range
![Lake City's Osceola Gun and Archery Range is maintained by the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission.](https://www.naturalnorthflorida.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/DSCF3217.jpg)
![The Osceola Range is the perfect place to go 'plinking' with your small-caliber rifles or pistols.](https://www.naturalnorthflorida.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/DSCF3226.jpg)
Located near downtown Lake City, the Lewis D. Whitacre shooting range is a free and open to the public. It offers covered 25, 50 and 200 yard target ranges for rifles and pistols, as well as an archery range with a high stand. The range is open during daylight hours, but may be closed if there’s an FWC training exercise planned. To check regarding closures, call (386) 758-0525.
![The range can become crowded on weekends, but there's never a long wait to get time at the range.](https://www.naturalnorthflorida.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/range2.jpg)
This is a very safety-oriented range, and volunteers do an excellent job of maintaining the grounds and targets. While there may be targets on the stands if volunteers are present, it’s not a bad idea to bring some self-stick (Shoot-n-See) targets for your own use. Shotguns and fully-automatic weapons ARE not allowed on the range.
![The FWC makes a special effort to teach young people the proper use of weapons with their Hunter Safety Courses, offered at the Osceola Range. For information go to www.myfwc.com/hunting](https://www.naturalnorthflorida.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/shelbybow.jpg)