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National Forest Rangers encounter

GTShooter

Regular Member
Joined
Jun 27, 2012
Messages
111
Location
Denver
Hello everyone,

Ive been looking thru the different topics for a couple of months now but this is my first time posting. First of all thank you all very much for the great info and the efforts to keep the rights to keep and bear arms alive.

On to my story,

I was out camping this passed weekend in National Forest and at some point of the day my family and some friends decided to pull out our firearms and do some practice shooting. We had probably already gone thru a couple hundred rounds when 2 Rangers walk up to us and tell us we're going to need to stop shooting. They told me they were going to have to ask me to stop because I was too close to the road and other campers where getting worried. At that point I told him I was following all regulations for shooting outdoors. I was at at least 150 feet from any road or campers ( I was actually 1/4 mile away from any road and over 500 feet from any other camper). So I did not see what the problem was. Again he said the shots could be heard from the road......... I kind of just looked at him in silence.

At that point he just asked me how much ammo was I planning on shooting that day, I told him I had about 200 more rounds on my rifle and another 100 on my handgun. The Rangers had a little conversation between themselves at that point and pretty much just told me I would be allowed ( and thats the part that didnt sink well with me) to shoot for another 30min that day. I could of been a jerk and told them I have the right to shoot in national forest and if other campers dont like it they should not camp in national forest, but I didnt want to create a conflict in the middle of the woods. Also, I had been shooting for a couple of hours and felt people should be able to go up to the mountain and get soem peace. Anyhow I had split/mixed feelings about the whole situation. As they walked away they also mentioned there would be a State wide Fire arm shooting ban starting Monday.

How would you all handled this situation?
 

OC for ME

Regular Member
Joined
Jan 6, 2010
Messages
12,452
Location
White Oak Plantation
As to the sound of gunfire. Tough toenails.

As to the range from 'X', me not knowing the terrain, I deduce that you were entirely confident that no bystander would be injured due to them being down range. Kind of like shooting a beer cans at the base of a cliff or something. No chance for anyone to get behind the target area.

As to the ranger(s), they could have been problematic if they desired to be. But, it sounds like you know enough about the law that they did not want to get into any losing legal battle.

I would, personally, inform the rangers that I would be shooting and on what dates slant times. Just so they know, kind of like giving them your hiking/back packing itinerary in case you are overdue. Ya never know, they may want to join you....next time.

Sounds like you handled yourself.

Statewide firearm shooting ban....on national forest land? Really? Or, is it due to the wildfires.....ya shooting tracers or something?
 

Shoobee

Regular Member
Joined
Apr 16, 2012
Messages
599
Location
CCCP (Calif)
Whenever I go to USFS lands, it is normally to hike, camp, backpack, hunt, or fish.

I don't like to shoot there, although I have occasionally run into people who do shoot there as well.

I am always armed in O/C mode with either a handgun (pistol or revolver) or a rifle. But I rarely if ever actually pull the trigger unless I have a buck in my sights during the hunting season.

If there is a road nearby, then you definitely need to make sure you are not shooting across it. There are lots of roads in the USFS lands.
 
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GTShooter

Regular Member
Joined
Jun 27, 2012
Messages
111
Location
Denver
Of Course, I was a the base of a hill shooting at targets so I knew my shots would not be lost in the woods. I believe thats why the Rangers didnt give me too much trouble. Also, it had never occured to me I should call them and let them know. How would that work, just call the Ranger's Office and let them know my location and let them know Ill be shooting?

Yeap they said because of the wild fires state wide there would be a ban on firearms shooting in National Forest. Who knows maybe they just wanted me to stop shooting.


As to the sound of gunfire. Tough toenails.

As to the range from 'X', me not knowing the terrain, I deduce that you were entirely confident that no bystander would be injured due to them being down range. Kind of like shooting a beer cans at the base of a cliff or something. No chance for anyone to get behind the target area.

As to the ranger(s), they could have been problematic if they desired to be. But, it sounds like you know enough about the law that they did not want to get into any losing legal battle.

I would, personally, inform the rangers that I would be shooting and on what dates slant times. Just so they know, kind of like giving them your hiking/back packing itinerary in case you are overdue. Ya never know, they may want to join you....next time.

Sounds like you handled yourself.

Statewide firearm shooting ban....on national forest land? Really? Or, is it due to the wildfires.....ya shooting tracers or something?
 

Shoobee

Regular Member
Joined
Apr 16, 2012
Messages
599
Location
CCCP (Calif)
I normally call the USFS office for the location I am heading anytime I plan to visit for the first time in the season.

I ask about special closures, road conditions, and any special rules in effect.

Since I do all my shooting at gun ranges, it would be unnecessary to ask about shooting though. Although if this is what you are planning to do, it would be wise to tell them where you plan to go and what you plan to do, and find out if they agree with your plan.

They may direct you to specific areas of the forest which is used for shooting, which you might not know about.

Sometimes the USFS actually does "close" the forest completely due to extreme fire danger.

It happens.

I guess that's because some people are so foolish and dangerous that the risk is therefore too high to allow any people into the forest at a given time. Either the smart cautious ones or the foolish dangerous ones.

The USFS lands are rich and get used by may kinds of people. Hunters come to mind specifically, although backpackers are probably right up there with hunters in numbers, as well as hikers, photographers, naturalists and bird-watching societies, campers, fishermen/women, kayakers and ATV-ists. On opening day of hunting season, the hunters are probably the highest in numbers, although any other time the backpackers and campers probably are the highest.
 
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since9

Campaign Veteran
Joined
Jan 14, 2010
Messages
6,964
Location
Colorado Springs, Colorado, USA
As they walked away they also mentioned there would be a State wide Fire arm shooting ban starting Monday.

I think you handled it well.

No law enforcement officer is within his rights to tell you to stop doing something that's legal/lawful. On the other hand, if I were heading to the National Forest for target practice, it wouldn't be near others.

As for the state-wide ban, I think that's an ignorant, HUA, knee-jerk reaction, at best, as neither lead nor copper are sparking metals.
 
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