The Great Swamp Shooting Range, Rhode Island’s only free public shooting range, has opened for the season as announced by the R.I. Department of Environmental Management (DEM). The range, located in the Great Swamp Management Area, provides paper and clay target shooting, as well as archery. The shooting range belongs to the DEM Hunter Safety Education Program, which guides hunters and sport shooters on the safe handling, storage, transport, and shooting of firearms and archery equipment. Division of Fish and Wildlife Chief Phil Edwards stated that accurate shooting and practice are crucial in hunting ethically and humanely. The season runs from April 1 to November 3 this year, with daily 8:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. hours. If you wish to use the shooting range, you must first acquire a permit from the DEM, which can be secured online.