St. Croix bow enthusiasts can still use the public archery range, but before notching an arrow, they’ll need to first pick up the phone, officials from the Department of Planning and Natural Resources said Friday.

DPNR announced the archery range would temporarily close May 14 but may still be open to summer camps and special events. Several anxious, avid archers contacted DPNR to plead for time at the range, said Nicole Angeli, director of the Division of Fish and Wildlife, which oversees the archery program.

Angeli agreed to open the range Saturdays — when no summer camps were scheduled — for those who had called or emailed. Although no announcement was made, walk-ins were welcomed on Saturdays too.

“We had it open on Saturdays for whoever wanted to come because there were multiple archers that had been coming regularly. And then we weren’t turning away anyone who walked in,” Angeli said. “We didn’t have a good schedule for the summer. We also needed to do all the administrative work, which is quite a bit.”

The archery range hosts some 800 young people each year, many of whom come as part of six or seven annual summer camps, DPNR officials said.

Confusion about the announced closure led archery enthusiasts to contact the Source. Some complained that the range was already closed too often. With just one dedicated employee — responsible for safety at the field and looking after the equipment — the range could be open three or more days a week when not on summer hours, they said.

Angeli confirmed the new regular hours were still a work in progress and might not be official until late summer.

For now, walk-ins are welcome on Saturdays, but checking ahead might be a good idea. Beyond that, a special request would be needed, she said.

“If folks want to request a time, they can email,” Angeli said.

The Division of Fish and Wildlife can be reached at 340-773-1082 or DFWelectronic@usvi.onmicrosoft.com.