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Q: With deer season opening in a few days, where can I sight my gun for free?

Rino Rotta, South Park

HAYES: Like the unconditional love of a good dog, it's easy to take things for granted when they're always there. A lot of hunters didn't think much about the 25 free firing ranges on Pennsylvania State Game Lands until they began closing last year for lead remediation.

As part of a statewide program to remove toxic lead from the ground, the Pennsylvania Game Commission directed $1 million in state Growing Greener funds to remediate earthen backstops contaminated with decades of lead bullets.

After a lot of digging, some superficial remodeling and the construction of high-tech backstops that make new lead deposits nontoxic, nearly all of the State Game Lands firing ranges are open.

In southwest Pennsylvania, most of the nine ranges were reopened by Nov. 7. (Disregard the outdated message still on the Game Commission Southwest Region office's answering machine regarding the status of the ranges). The shooting range on State Game Land 245 in Washington County is the only one that remains closed.

The others are open year-round from 8 a.m. until sunset, except Sunday mornings, unless otherwise posted. Shooters under 16 must be accompanied by someone 18 or older.

Expect to wait in line during the days leading up to rifle deer season, and please practice shooting range safety and etiquette rules:

• No loaded guns behind the firing line.

• Shoot no more than three rounds in a string (six in a handgun), to give others a chance to check their targets during reloading.

• Take your used targets with you when you go, and don't litter.

Find a list of free public firing ranges below. For directions and additional information, click here.

Southwest Region State Game Lands Firing Ranges

Allegheny County: SGL 203. Near Wexford, 20 firing points, range 100 yards (10 pistol courses, 50 yards)

Cambria County: SGL 108. Near Glendale Lake, 2 firing points, range 100 yards (3 pistol courses, 25 yards)

Fayette County: SGL 51. Near Dunbar, 4 firing points, range 100 yards (no pistol courses)

Greene County: SGL 179. Near Holbrook, 7 firing points, range 300 yards (no pistol courses); SGL 223. Near I-79 exit 2, 5 firing points, range 100 yards (no pistol courses)

Indiana County: SGL 248. On Chestnut Ridge, 4 firing points, range 100 yards (5 pistol courses, 50 yards)

Washington County: SGL 245. CLOSED SGL 42. Near Laughlintown, 4 firing points, range 100 yards; SGL 42. Near New Florence, 6 firing points, range 100 yards (3 pistol courses, 25 yards)