Shooter Days Increasing At Ben Avery 

 For the fifth year in a row, the number of shooter days has increased at the Arizona Game and Fish Department operated Ben Avery Shooting Facility located west of I-17, off the Carefree Highway.
 "The traditional gauge of how a shooting facility is doing is the number of shooter days. When Game and Fish first took over daily operations at Ben Avery five years ago, we logged 69,190 shooter days. This past year we experienced 146,156 shooter days, which is an increase of 213 percent," said Education Branch Chief Kerry Baldwin.
  Don Turner, the chief range master at Ben Avery, said a verbal customer survey was conducted of 240 shooters last year. Fifty-four percent of those surveyed said they have started shooting since the Game and Fish took over the range, and 26 percent have been shooting more than 10 years. Eighty percent learned about Ben Avery from family or friends.

Other survey
breakdowns are as follows:
* 69 percent shoot rifle (versus 80 percent in 1995 survey);
* 59 percent shoot at Ben Avery monthly;
* 20 percent still "shoot in the desert", but 18 percent say
they no longer "shoot in the desert." Former desert shooters said they quit
because of safety and because they like the quality shooting available at
Ben Avery;
* 27 percent said they also shoot at other ranges;
* 70 percent of the shooters surveyed hunt;
* 14 percent of the non hunters said they would be interested
in hunting if they knew someone who would help them;
* 61 percent said they shoot at Ben Avery because of safety.
* 60 percent said they shoot to improve skills;
* 51 said they shoot at Ben Avery because it is a quality
facility;
* 49 percent said they shoot there because of its location;
* 59 percent stated that hunting motivated them to begin
shooting.
* 63 percent have been shooting more than five years.
* 22 percent said they are a member of a shooting club (versus 40 percent in a 1995 survey);
* 22 percent were competitive shooters.

Last year, Ben Avery had 123 registered user groups that held events at the facility. One major event - the National Cowboy Action Shooting competition - had 600 competitors in various events including mounted shooting, provided a "cowboy town" and drew up to 12,000 spectators.
Turner added that gate counters were installed at both entrances to the facility. At the Clay Target Center, and at the archery ranges, and logged 133,700 vehicles during the past five years.   12 percent went to the archery ranges, 18 percent to the Clay Target Center and the rest to the main ranges. The peak entry month has been February, which was when the Cowboy Action Shooters hold their competition. Turner said another major accomplishment has been establishing a shooting program for women and for juniors. A women's shooting night, and a junior program were established and. A junior match league was established, and juniors and women were actively recruited at various professional meetings, trade shows, and through personal contacts.

   "As a result of these efforts junior shooter days have increased 194 percent and women shooter days have increased 274 percent," Turner said.
  The campground at Ben Avery was enlarged to 135 sites and logged 2,790 camper nights for visiting shooters. The Clay Target Center, which is operated by a private provider through a management lease, provided 62,297
shooter days.