Colorado: USFS Reviewing Recreational Shooting in the Arapaho and Roosevelt National Forests

The US Forest Service (USFS) issued a press release, reprinted below, announcing that it is considering amending the existing management plan for the Arapaho-Roosevelt National Forests in order to address recreational shooting.  The Forests are located in north central Colorado and encompass 1.5 million acres.  They extend north to the Wyoming border, south of Interstate 70 to Mount Evans, west across the Continental Divide to the Williams Fork area.

The scoping process is the first phase in the development of a federal land management plan or an amendment to an existing plan.  During the scoping process the public is invited to comment on the scope of the project as indentified in the press release.  The NRA is encouraging all shooters and hunters (who shoot on these National Forests) to send comments to USFS by the due date of June 3^rd.  The most helpful comments will be from those who can speak specifically about areas that should be kept open for continued dispersed recreational shooting and areas that would be suitable as designated shooting areas.  Designated shooting areas may be improved with berms, target holders and benches. 

Public Scoping Begins on Management Direction for Recreational Sport Shooting

FORT COLLINS, Colo. –   The Arapaho and Roosevelt National Forests announced the public scoping process on a proposal to include Forest Plan management direction for recreational sport shooting activities on National Forest System lands in Boulder, Clear Creek, Gilpin, Grand, Jefferson, Larimer and Park counties.

Currently, the 1997 Forest Plan does not provide any specific direction on how recreational sport shooting should be managed. Due to increasing residential development, housing density, public use, increased public participation in recreational sport shooting and associated health and safety issues; the U.S. Forest Service is considering amending the Forest Plan to include direction for managing recreational sport shooting. Management direction may include:

1. Developing Forest Plan goals, objectives or desired conditions for recreational sport shooting;
2. Identifying areas that are appropriate for dispersed recreational sport shooting;
3. Identifying areas suitable as designated shooting areas; and
4. Identifying areas where recreational sport shooting would be prohibited for health and safety reasons.

Proposed management direction does not include any change in management for lawful hunting activities.

Please see comments submitted by the NRA, co-signed by 31 national shooting sports, hunting and wildlife conservation organizations.

The U.S. Forest Service is requesting comments on this proposal. Public comments will help shape the Forest Service’s proposal and identify issues and concerns during environmental review.  While comments are welcome at any time, they will be most helpful if received by June 3, 2015. Comments can be submitted in writing or electronically at [email protected], Information about this project and how to comment can be found at: www.fs.usda.gov/goto/arp/recshootingmgt .  For more information about recreational sport shooting visit: www.fs.usda.gov/goto/arp/targetshooting.