Recreational target shooting is a time honored tradition on
federal lands in the West. Often times,
sport shooting enthusiasts use OHVs such as Side x Sides, ATVs, or jeep-type
vehicles to access the backcountry where target shooting is legal.
Our good friends at Tread Lightly! have developed some
sport shooting ethics such as: practice target shooting and other shooting
sports only on lands opened to shooting - never take a shot unless you see the
target clearly and you know what lies between you, the target and beyond - don’t
shoot across roads, trails, waterways or into caves - and do not shoot in
developed recreation sites such as campgrounds, trailheads, parking areas or
boat launches.
TL Recreational Shooting Ethics
QWR believes it is important that you do not use live trees
as a backstop and to make sure you have a dirt embankment as a bullet stop. QWR supports TL’s recommendation that
shooters check with the local land manager to find out about any restrictions.
Just as riding your OHV with non-sound compliant exhaust
is unacceptable, shooting up signs and leaving your spent casings on the ground
are equally damaging to ongoing efforts to protect and promote recreational
access to public lands.
Good stuff, Don. I copied this to our forum at NorthwestFirearms.com because this is a topic we discuss often in the Outdoor Shooting Areas section. We also organize volunteers to help clean up shooting sites in the forest. I saw this posted on Facebook by our freinds at Yacolt Burn Trails.
ReplyDeleteThanks again for spreading the word about this issue.