Day Trip Idea: “Plinking” For Free at Lake City’s Osceola Gun and Archery Range

Posted on by Tommy Thompson
Lake City's Osceola Gun and Archery Range is maintained by the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission.
Lake City’s Osceola Gun and Archery Range is maintained by the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission.

 

The Osceola Range is the perfect place to go 'plinking' with your small-caliber rifles or pistols.
The Osceola Range is the perfect place to go ‘plinking’ with your small-caliber rifles or pistols.

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.
The range can become crowded on weekends, but there’s never a long wait to get time at the range.

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.

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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
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

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