Town of Durham residents have reported bullet strikes on their private property to the Connecticut State Police. Extensive investigations by the Connecticut State Police did not conclusively prove that the bullets originated from the Blue Trail Range in Wallingford, but concluded that it was possible. An independent study commissioned by the Town of Durham yielded similar results (see link to study below).
There is a piece of State of Connecticut property, known as Trimountain State Park, that also borders the property of Blue Trail Range. Therefore, officials from the Town of Durham looked to the State of Connecticut as a partner to protect the public from bullets leaving the confines of the range property. Over the past several years, Connecticut State Police, Connecticut Department of Environmental Protection and the Town of Durham have invested considerable effort to resolve the issue of safety for State and private property that abuts the Blue Trail Range in Wallingford. While the lack of regulations and a regulatory agency over this activity has limited our ability to address bullet strikes in Durham, the DEEP has been able to negotiate an agreement with the range owners for the implementation of numerous safety measures (see link to agreement below). The agreement led to both procedural and structural changes to the range, as well as to the closure of a portion of the range – 200-yard range – to firearm use.
The DEEP has conducted random inspections since 2008 to evaluate the effectiveness of the safety precautions. Although the DEEP has authority over only state property, we believe that Town of Durham property will also benefit from this action. Town of Durham officials have requested that these inspections become routine and that results of those inspections be forwarded to the Office of the First Selectman. Please use the drop down box to view the inspection reports. Also, you will find links to other documents related to the Blue Trail Range.
Please report any bullet strikes or other safety concerns immediately to the Connecticut State Police at 1-800-256-5761 or 911.