Utah: BLM Plan Proposes to Close more than 50,000 acres to Shooting

The St. George Field Office of the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) released a plan for public comment that will shape the future management of 107,337 acres of land in southwest Utah in the national conservation areas (NCA) of Beaver Dam Wash and Red Cliffs.

The deadline for public comments has been extended to November 16^th.  Comments may be submitted by email to [email protected] or faxed to 435-688-3252.  The draft plan is available on line at http://www.blm.gov/ut/st/en/fo/st__george/planning2/nca_resource_management.html. 

Red Cliffs NCA is already closed to recreational shooting.  In the plan, the BLM’ preferred strategy is to close 80% of Beaver Dam Wash NCA to recreational shooting.  Another strategy offered is to close the entire NCA to shooting.  Two other alternatives would leave the NCA open for shooting as it is now.

Click here to view comments that the NRA submitted along with several other national hunting, wildlife conservation, and sport shooting organizations.

Please take a little time to review the plan and the comments submitted and send your own comments to the BLM.  How recreational shooting will be administered in the future in Beaver Dam Wash NCA depends on its importance to shooters and hunters who recreationally shoot to keep public lands open to the public.