A Visit To The SIG SAUER Academy
By Gary Moore
The SIG SAUER Academy in Epping, NH is an experience firearms lovers will never forget. Whether you take a class, become a member or simply visit the retail showroom and museum, you will not be satisfied and will want to return for more as was I after my recent visit.
The 140 acre Epping facility is large and impressive. There are 23 ranges, including one that is 1,000 yards. Twenty-five full time instructors teach 110 different courses.
Some 16,000 take courses in Epping and Sig teaches another 4,000 around the U.S.
Participants are instructed on proper safety protocols and expected to follow all instructions. It was clear from what I heard from the instructors during my visit that safety is paramount.
Contracts with the military and law enforcement agencies provide specialized training such as I witnessed.
With multiple classrooms and so many ranges, a lot is happening at any one time.
My interest in Sig goes back a long way to when I was with the Vermont State Police and we switched from 357 revolvers to Sig 9 mm semi autos. A few years later we upgraded to Sig 40 cals.
I still own my department issued 9 mm which Sig allowed us to purchase when VSP traded for the 40 cals.
The SIG SAUER Experience Center is a 40,000 square foot facility located on the campus of the SIG SAUER Academy. It features the SIG SAUER flagship retail showroom, state-of-the-art indoor shooting ranges and an interactive museum depicting the history of SIG SAUER. I found the museum of great interest and spent a lot of time there.
The Experience Center is also where corporate offices are and also the location of the exclusive Club 1751 where members get very special treatment and opportunities. Oh that I lived closer.
The museum was a special treat. The company traces its history to Germany and 1751 when Lorenz Sauer founded J.P. Sauer & Sohn, the oldest firearms manufacturer in Germany which produced military and hunting weapons for centuries.
In 1853 the Swiss Wagon Factory was founded in Neuhausen, Switzerland.
In 1864 the Swiss government ordered 30,000 PrelazBurnand rifles.
The company was renamed SIG (Schweizerische IndustrieGesellschaft).
From 1900 into the 1960s Sig evolved into a military firearms manufacturer providing firearms for both World Wars.
In 1976 SIG acquired and partnered with J.P. Sauer & Sohn, marking the birth of the SIG SAUER brand as a Swiss–German alliance.
In 1985 Sig expanded to the U.S. founding SIGARMS in Tysons Corner, VA. In 1990 the company move to Exeter, NH which marked the start of U.S. manufacturing. Six years later the SIG SAUER Academy opened.
After some very rough years in the early 2000s SIGARMS was renamed SIG SAUER Inc. in 2007.
Today SIG is a fully integrated weapons systems company employing 2,000 globally. New Hampshire is the primary hub with operations in Newington, Exeter, Durham, Portsmouth and Rochester in addition to Epping.
Other operations take place in Oregon where the focus is electro-optics, suppressors and advanced product development. Arkansas is where the large scale ammunition manufacturing takes place.
To learn more about Sig Sauer, the Academy and the Experience Center, go to: https://www.sigsauer.com/.
Vermont Junior Warden Weekend Is A great Opportunity
The Vermont Fish and Wildlife Department will be offering Junior Warden Weekend at the Kehoe Green Mountain Conservation Camp in Castleton on August 1 and 2.
“We are pleased to continue this fun and exciting opportunity for teens ages 15-17. Junior Warden Weekend allows us to provide teens with a window into what we do as wardens and how we contribute to conservation in Vermont,” said Lieutenant Wes Butler. “Our job duties are incredibly varied depending on the time of year and specific needs of our communities, and we are excited to share some of these experiences with the participants in this program.”
Campers will arrive on Saturday morning and immediately jump into K-9 demos, mock crime scene investigations, game processing, and more. “We are thrilled to be able to partner with the Warden Service on this exciting new program,” says Hannah Lafont, Green Mountain Conservation Camp Coordinator. “This weekend is a great opportunity to engage with local game wardens while also getting a weekend at camp—there will be no shortage of campfires, fishing, swimming, and other camp activities throughout the weekend program.”
The weekend is the perfect way for teens to unplug and engage with peers outdoors while exploring a potential career in conservation law enforcement. The weekend is capped at 25 participants, but there is still space for new registrants. Arrival time is 10 a.m. on Saturday, August 1 with departure at 4 p.m. on Sunday afternoon.
The cost for the weekend is $150, which includes all meals. Sponsorships are available on a limited basis.
To register for the weekend, email a completed application found on Fish and Wildlife’s website, https://vtfishandwildlife.com/. Click on Learn More and then Conservation Education. You can also email Hannah.Lafont@vermont.gov for the registration or for more information.
SIG SAUER in Epping
Bits and Pieces
Help is needed this Saturday for the annual Vermont loon count. Each year, on a single day in July, Vermont Center for Ecostudies staff and volunteers count loons on more than 160 lakes and ponds statewide.
This year a handful of temporary lake adoptions are available. Volunteers who adopt these lakes this year will be subbing in for long-term volunteers who cannot participate on the 18th. Among those needing coverage are Long (Sheffield), Lower Symes, Round (Sheffield) and Sabin (Woodbury).
Go to: https://vt.loonweb.org/explore/ to sign up or learn more.
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The Vermont Fish and Wildlife Department is asking for help in monitoring Vermont’s wild turkey population. The department runs an annual online survey during July and August for reporting turkey broods.
If you see a flock of turkeys in Vermont, the department asks you to go to the turkey brood survey on the website, https://www.vtfishandwildlife.com/ to report your observation, including where and when you observed the turkeys with the number of adult and young turkeys you saw.
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The New Hampshire Fish and Game Department is asking for the public’s help by reporting wild turkey brood sightings this summer. It’s easy to participate and the survey is now open. If you observe groups of turkeys with poults (juvenile birds) between now and August 31, please report your sightings by visiting: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfeSnV1WDNF0UuS-x8PIoIyovHKkwEDRbdBrmY-8JmIcgmn1Q/viewform?usp=dialog.
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The Vermont Fish and Wildlife Department reminds hunters that antlerless deer permit applications are available on its website, https://www.vtfishandwildlife.com/ until Wednesday, July 22.
An antlerless permit allows a hunter to take one antlerless deer during the muzzleloader seasons October 29-November 1 and November 30-December 13 or during the regular deer season on November 14-29. Antlerless permits are available for 19 of Vermont’s 21 Wildlife Management Units.
Landowners who do not post their land may apply for a landowner priority antlerless deer permit. Landowners who do post are still eligible to apply in the regular lottery for an antlerless deer permit.
“The number of antlerless permits available this year is much lower than recent years,” said Nick Fortin, deer and moose project leader for the Fish and Wildlife Department. “Due to new regulations taking effect this fall and some uncertainty about how those regulations will affect antlerless harvests, we’re taking a conservative approach and reducing permit allocations in all WMUs.”
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As you make plans to get outside to hike or participate in another sport such as kayaking or climbing, remember to bring the appropriate safety gear, be prepared for changeable weather conditions and fluctuating temperatures, and let someone know your plans.
“People must always take personal responsibility as they head out by acknowledging their physical limitations, being aware of changing weather conditions, and knowing when it’s time to turn back,” said New Hampshire Fish and Game Law Enforcement Chief Colonel Kevin Jordan. “Extreme heat and severe summer storms can quickly turn a simple day hike into a rescue situation, and people have to acknowledge that the mountains will be there another day when conditions become unsafe. It is imperative that people enjoying New Hampshire’s natural resources exercise a high degree of caution and carry plenty of water and adequate gear. Dangerous and irresponsible behavior also puts first responders at risk.”
Outdoor enthusiasts are also encouraged to purchase a voluntary Hike Safe card for 2026. Card proceeds help defray the costs of training and of search and rescue equipment for Fish and Game Law Enforcement Conservation Officers, preparing them to come to your aid if the unexpected happens.
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New Hampshire Fish and Game Conservation Officers are preparing a proactive strategy of law enforcement initiatives geared toward encouraging safe and responsible individual riding practices this summer and beyond. Riders should be sure to understand all the rules and regulations associated with safe and responsible OHRV operation. They are also asked to be respectful toward residents and landowners, to stay on marked trails, to operate within their skill level, to wear protective equipment including helmets, and to keep both hands on handlebars.
“Operating an OHRV on private property without landowner permission is by far the most common complaint received by Fish and Game regarding OHRVs,” said Captain Mike Eastman, who coordinates OHRV safety education and enforcement for Fish and Game’s Law Enforcement Division. “Landowner grievances are where we will be focusing a great deal of our enforcement efforts as the riding season progresses.”
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A free, introductory waterfowl hunting seminar will be offered by the New Hampshire Fish and Game Department on Saturday, August 1, from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Owl Brook Hunter Education Center, Perch Pond Road, in Holderness. Pre-registration is required and space is limited. To sign up for the workshop, or to learn more, visit https://nh-events-web.s3licensing.com/Event/EventDetails/6780.
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Hunters with a current New Hampshire hunting license who want the chance to take additional antlerless deer in Wildlife Management Units L or M during the fall hunting seasons may purchase these special permits. Both WMUs are located in southeastern New Hampshire.
To download a Unit L or Unit M Permit application, or to learn more about how to apply for either of these permits, visit www.wildlife.nh.gov/hunting-nh/deer-hunting-new-hampshire/unit-l-and-m-antlerless-only-deer-permits.
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Mark Breen reports in the Fairbanks Museum's Skywatch Almanac that on July 18, 1803: “Tornado from Middlebury to Huntington; ‘The wind raged violently, breaking down or blowing up by the roots the most sturdy trees.’”
July 19, 2013: “Severe thunderstorms fed on record heat (98°F in Burlington) to generate damaging winds, knocking down hundreds of trees and powerlines from Clinton, Co., NY east to Lunenburg, VT.”
July 19, “1850: Heavy rains from a tropical storm brought severe flooding state-wide.”
Parting Shots
A smart person knows what to say. A wise person knows whether to say it or not.
Syndicated columnist Gary W. Moore may be reached by e-mail at gwmoore1946@icloud.com or at Box 454, Bradford, VT 05033. copyright 2026 Gary W. Moore