Targets are offered at 10-, 20-, 30- and 50-yard increments for archers of all skill levels.
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Cuivre River State Park, located in Troy, has expanded its recreational offerings with a new, state-of-the-art archery range.
“The new Leroy D. Braungardt Archery Complex is open to the public daily,” said Greg Combs, a regional director with Missouri State Parks. “The park will host beginner archery programs as part of our outreach engagement programming we provide to the St. Louis area. Local archery clubs and high school archery teams also plan to use the new range.”
The range is complete with five accessible shooting lanes, 13 sheltered targets ranging from 10 to 50 yards and an elevated shooting platform.
“The archery programming the park provides to a variety of groups makes the range an obvious choice for expanding park activities,” said Combs.
The different distances and elevated shooting opportunities provide archers of all backgrounds and abilities the chance to improve their skills and enjoy the sport. It also means the range can cater to different types of archery, from bow hunting and fishing practice to competition archery.
Besides its utility, part of what makes the range special is how it came into existence.
“The Union Sportsman’s Alliance approached Missouri State Parks with the idea of developing the range,” said Combs. “They are an organization that works with local trade unions to develop conservation- or recreation-related projects.”
A large portion of the materials and labor for the project was donated by union volunteers: International Union of Operating Engineers Local 513, Operative Plasters’ and Cement Masons’ International Association (OPCMIA) Local 527, Magruder Limestone Company, Millstone Weber, Iron Workers Local 396, Plumbers and Pipefitters Local 562, International Union of Painters and Allied Trades District 59, Carpenters Local 32, and Roofers and Waterproofers Local 2.
The facility honors Leroy Braungardt, a local, well-respected supporter of conservation and outdoor recreation.
Braungardt served as state representative for District 16 from 1978 to 1985, and was an integral part of the creation and passage of the Parks, Soils and Water Sales Tax. He was recognized as Conservation Legislator of the Year in his first year as a state representative. He was also the National Wild Turkey Federation calling champion in 1972, past president of the Lincoln County Wildlife Club and chairman of the Deer and Wild Turkey National Resource Committee for the Conservation Federation.
After Braungardt’s death, the Conservation Federation of Missouri awarded him the Lifetime Achievement Award in March 2017. And to tie it all back to archery, he is the first person on record to harvest a turkey with a bow and arrow in Missouri.
This incredible project adds value and convenience to the already excellent Cuivre River State Park. The volunteers who made the archery range possible — and its dedication to Leroy Braungardt — make it a special addition to the park that will provide great opportunities for local archers and park visitors for years to come.
