INFORMATION

Safety and Bylaws

Rules. We've just got to have them. There are just too many of us and too much at risk if we don't have some guidelines to keep us all safe, share the work load and be fair to our fellow club members. Please know and abide by these regulations while participating in club activities and using the facilities.

NRA Fundamental Rules for Safe Gun Handling

  • Always keep the gun pointed in a safe direction.
  • Always keep your finger off the trigger until ready to shoot.
  • Always keep the gun unloaded until ready to use.

NRA Rules for Using or Storing a Gun

  • Know your target and what is beyond.
  • Know how to use the gun safely.
  • Be sure the gun is safe to operate.
  • Use only the correct ammunition for your gun.
  • Wear eye and ear protection as appropriate.
  • Never use alcohol or drugs before or while shooting.
  • Store guns so they are not accessible to unauthorized persons.
  • Be aware that certain types of guns and many shooting activities require additional safety precautions.

CLUB BY-LAWS (PDF format) 10/28/2021

CLUB RULE BOOK (PDF format) 11/2022 Effective 12/1/2022

  • Apart from organized, club-sponsored events which are open to the public, access to the ranges of Cherokee Rod and Gun Club is limited to members who have completed the safety walk-through, and to their invited guests. Members may not possess a gate key-card until they have completed the Safety Walk-Through orientation. The safety training course will review the facilities available at the club and the safety practices which should be observed while on club grounds.
  • When on club property, all members are required to wear or display their membership key card in a clearly visible manner. If you notice another member on club property not wearing his/her membership key card, please remind them of this requirement.
  • Be prepared to show your card to any range officer at his/her request.
  • It is a violation of club rules to give your gate card (Key Card) to anyone, except the adult members of your immediate family (e.g. spouse, or qualified dependent children). If you happen to lose your membership key card, you can obtain another for $1.00 from the Club Membership Chair.
  • Members have free use of the club Hhuse, the Upper Rifle/Pistol Range, the Lower Rifle/Pistol Range, the Trap Range, the Skeet Range, the Archery Field Practice Range and the Archery Safari Range during daylight hours for fun shooting, except when certain ranges or areas are closed for club-sanctioned events.
  • Access to the club facilities is controlled by the gate. Therefore members must always lock the gate behind them when entering or leaving the club. An exception to this practice is during club-sanctioned events which are open to the public. During these times, the gate will be locked open by those in charge of the event, and will be closed by them when the event is over. At all other times the gate is to remain closed.
  • Any person(s) trespassing, hunting, poaching on, or vandalizing club property will be prosecuted to the full extent of the law. The club will pay a reward of $3000 to anyone providing information leading to the arrest and conviction of trespassers, poachers, or vandals on club property.
  • Hunting is not permitted anywhere on club property.
  • Both Rifle & Pistol ranges are open from sunrise to sunset on Monday through Saturday, and from 12:00 Noon until 5:00 pm on Sundays, except as modified by club-sanctioned events.
  • At times, individual ranges may be closed to unorganized "fun shooting" during certain scheduled club-sanctioned events. It is the intent of the club that, in so far as is possible, no more than one range will be closed to general use at any given time.
  • The Lower Rifle & Pistol range is closed at 5:00 pm on meeting nights.
  • Tracer or incendiary ammunition may not be used at any range.
  • Gun safety will be practiced at all times.
  • Hearing protection is REQUIRED while on the range.
  • Eye protection REQUIRED while shooting.
  • Firearms must remain unloaded until you are on the firing line.
  • When leaving the firing line, or when commanded to MAKE SAFE your firearm, remove or empty any magazines, open the breech, and make sure the chamber is empty.
  • Always keep your muzzle pointed in a safe direction, whether the gun is loaded or unloaded.
  • Loaded firearms MUST be pointed downrange at all times.
  • Unload all firearms when not in use.
  • NEVER point a gun at anything you do not intend to shoot.
  • In the event of a malfunction, misfire, or other problem with your firearm, keep the muzzle pointed downrange and towards the ground. If a range officer is present, he/she will assist you if necessary.
  • Live ammo should be disposed of ONLY by placing it in the designated container at the range. Do not throw it on the ground or in the trash can. Do not attempt to use "found" live ammo picked up from the ground.
  • Anyone who observes an unsafe condition at the range, such as a person or an animal (e.g. deer, or turkey) downrange, or any other unsafe condition should immediately call for a CEASE FIRE. One does NOT need to be a Range Officer to issue this command.
  • Whenever someone is forward of the firing line or a CEASE FIRE command is given, all shooting must cease immediately. Make your firearm safe by opening the action and emptying the chamber. Place your firearm on the table, with the action open, and do not handle or reload it until everyone has returned from downrange and the all clear signal is given. Never handle any firearm for ANY reason while a human being is forward of the firing line.
  • Always check before shooting that everyone present is behind the firing line.
  • If a Range Officer is present, be sure that he/she has declared the line "hot" and that it is safe to fire before shooting.
  • Before going forward of the firing line to check or replace your targets, always check with everyone present on the firing line to be sure that they have ceased firing and are aware of your intentions.
  • If a range officer is present, be sure he/she has declared a cease fire before going forward.
  • Report any unsafe or dangerous acts to the board of directors, or any range officer if present. Get a license number if possible, but do not enter into a potentially violent confrontation with an offender.
  • Fire only at targets directly in front of your shooting station. Do not fire at targets (diagonally) across the range.
  • Always place your targets in front of a suitable backstop or berm. Never toss targets into the air and shoot at them with a handgun or rifle. Bullets fired in this manner can travel very long distances. "Know your target and what is beyond."
  • Full automatic and simulated full automatic firing is prohibited on both Rifle/Pistol Ranges.
  • The use of or being under the influence of any alcoholic beverage, illegal drug, intoxicant, depressant, or any medication that would impair judgment, before or during participation in any shooting activity is prohibited

Cleanup / littering

  • It is up to each member to keep the property cleaned up. Each member must clean up his own area if he littered it. Do not leave target material on range. If you shoot plastic bottles and/or jugs, or any other disintegrating material, pick up the pieces after you finish shooting. Leave the range clean and looking good for the next shooter.
  • Members are also responsible for picking up their empty shell casings, or sweeping them off the shooting area. Do not sweep them into the lawn area where they can interfere with the lawnmower.

Range Officers

  • Range Officers are volunteers at the Club. The purpose of the Range Officer is to assure that all use of the Club is conducted safely and in accordance with Club Rules.
  • The Range Officer will report any violations of Club Rules or any disregard for safety to the Club Disciplinary Committee.
  • Range Officers have the authority to restrict any activities which, in their judgment, might present a hazard to the shooter or to others. Please comply with the Range Officer's requests.

Use of Rifle Vises

  • The rifle vises provided on the upper and lower ranges are intended SOLELY as maintenance workstations. They are not shooting benches. No loaded firearms and no live ammunition are allowed on the benches for any reason. The muzzle of the firearm must always be pointed in the direction indicated on the bench. The benches must not be moved for any reason.
  • All of the above General Rules for Safety and Behavior apply to the Lower Rifle & Pistol range and are required of all users of the Lower Range range unless superseded by the rules and procedures of club sanctioned events.
  • Please do not use clay pigeons or glass for targets on the Lower Rifle & Pistol Range. These materials present a hazard to those who mow the grass on the range.
  • All shooting on the Lower Rifle & Pistol Range will be done from the concrete pad unless otherwise authorized during certain club sanctioned events.
  • Make sure that your target is directly in front of a berm before shooting.
  • No .50 cal BMG may be fired on the lower range.
  • Firing of shotguns on the lower range is limited to SLUGS ONLY.
  • Do not shoot at the cross-ties, the steel rails, or the steel animal targets with high power rifles. High power rifles inflict extreme damage to these targets. The targets are for use in Club sanctioned Silhouette events and are not for general plinking use.
  • The purpose of the cross-ties is to protect the silhouette target raising mechanisms. Do not place targets on them or shoot at them.
  • Because of the danger of ricochets hitting nearby buildings, do not use metallic targets (such as "spinners") on the lower range placed closer than 25 yards to the firing line.  Metallic targets may be used as long as they are 25 yards or further from the firing line.
  • All of the above General Rules for Safety and Behavior apply to the Upper Rifle/Pistol range and are required of all users of this range unless superseded by the rules and procedures of club sanctioned events.
  • All shooting on the Upper Rifle & Pistol Range will be done from the concrete pad unless otherwise authorized during certain club sanctioned events.
  • Please do not use glass targets on the upper range.
  • Before going more than 200 yards downrange to place or examine targets, you MUST put up the yellow tape across all firing positions and place the warning sign(s) in a prominent place forward of the firing line. This is because if someone is farther than 200 yards downrange, they may not be visible to those on the firing line.
  • The yellow tape and warning sign indicate that someone is downrange and NO SHOOTING or handling of firearms is allowed.
  • Shotguns may be fired on the Upper Rifle & Pistol Range using shot or slug ammunition.
  • Metal targets such as "spinners" may be used on the upper range if used in a safe manner. In general, metal targets may not be used at ranges less than 25 yards with centerfire ammunition using jacketed bullets. Recommendations of the target manufacturers should be followed.
  • Range hours are from daylight to dark, Monday through Saturday.
  • Range hours for Sunday are 12:00 noon until 5:00 P.M.
  • Firing of rifles or pistols anywhere on the trap and skeet range is strictly prohibited due to danger to the archery range above the trap and skeet range.
  • Firing at glass or metal targets is prohibited.
  • Full automatic and simulated full automatic firing is prohibited.
  • Each member is allowed to bring one guest twice in one year. After that, the guest is required to submit an application for membership to the club, or not come back again in that calendar year.
  • No member is allowed to bring more than 2 guest at a time to the range without express written approval by the board of directors.
  • Membership cards must be displayed in an easily visible card holder by all members when on club property after August 1, 1994. These holders may be purchased at the gate house for $1.00 or picked up at the monthly club meeting from the club treasurer.
  • Members are responsible for picking up their own trash and their empty shell casings. Empty casings are hard on the lawn mowers and dangerous when thrown from under a lawn mower.
  • Report any unsafe or dangerous acts to the board of directors, or any officer of the club. Always get a tag number.
  • Violators of club and range rules will result in disciplinary action by the board of directors and possible expulsion from the club with the loss of dues and club benefits.
  • Absolutely no broadheads allowed on any of the archery ranges.
  • Shoot at targets only.
  • Shoot Bows on Approved Archery Ranges only.
  • While using the Safari Range, always stay on the course trail.
  • Do Not Cut Trim, Bend or Remove any type of foliage on the Safari Range.
  • Absolutely No Shooting at any bird or other wildlife.
  • Firing of guns on archery ranges are strictly prohibited.
  • The Field Practice Range and the Safari Range are open every day during daylight hours.
  • Each member is allowed to bring one guest twice in one year. After that, the guest is required to submit an application for membership to the club, or not come back again in that calander year.
  • Members are responsible for picking up their own trash and target materials.
  • All shooting must stop when someone is down range, wait for the all-clear signal.
  • Report any unsafe or dangerous acts to the board of directors, or any range officer. Get a license number if possible.
  • Violation of club rules and range rules will result in disciplinary action by the board of directors and possible expulsion from the club with the loss of dues and club benefits.
  • Fishing hours are from daylight to dark.
  • Children under 12 must be accompanied by an adult.
  • No swimming of wading in pond.
  • No climbing or standing on dock railing.
  • No unauthorized release or releasing of fish or minnows into pond.
  • Only conventional rod and reel equipment permitted.
  • No bow and arrow fishing allowed.
  • Explosives not allowed in pond area.
  • No unauthorized seining of fish or minnows.
  • No littering allowed.
  • Pond for members and their guest only.
  • Please do not put fish in the pond... they could have a disease & kill the stocked fish.
  • Fish limits: Adults catch and release only, Children under 12, two per day.
  • Fishing license required.

Our History

Cherokee Rod & Gun Club | Kingsport, TN | Shooting Range | Fishing Club

The Cherokee Rod & Gun Club was founded in 1955 as a non-profit organization that was, and still is, actively engaged in the preservation of wildlife, and in environmental issues that involve clean air, streams, and lakes.

We are involved and active in issues concerning sportsmen and conservationists through our membership in and support of East Tennessee Sportsmen's Federation, Tennessee Conservation League and the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency . Cherokee Rod & Gun Club is one of the strongest conservation interests in East Tennessee.

The Club originally had facilities located on Beason Wells Road and they were later moved to the current Reservoir Road location.

Lost & Found

Several items have been found recently at the club on various ranges.

You may also contact the current president or other club officers for assistance.

Fraternal Items

The club has the following items available for purchase by our members, all identifying you as member of the Cherokee Rod & Gun Club.

  • Club Patches
  • Hats
  • Shirts
  • Lapel Pins featuring the club logo
Cherokee Rod & Gun Club | Kingsport, TN | Shooting Range | Fishing Club
Cherokee Rod & Gun Club | Kingsport, TN | Shooting Range | Fishing Club
Cherokee Rod & Gun Club | Kingsport, TN | Shooting Range | Fishing Club
Cherokee Rod & Gun Club | Kingsport, TN | Shooting Range | Fishing Club