Shooting Guns Has Started A Dozen Fires on The Pawnee National Grassland

Nearly a dozen fires were caused by recreational shooting on the Pawnee National Grassland in 2012.   Plus October is Wildfire Awareness month. It's probably a good time to remind you about the rules and regulations for shooting on the Pawnee National Grassland

Arapaho and Roosevelt National Forests & Pawnee National Grassland shooting rules and regulations:

• Tracer bullets and other incendiary ammunition are illegal under the Federal Code of Regulations. This violation carries a $525 to $5,000 fine and can include a mandatory Federal Magistrate Court appearance.
• Only shoot at cardboard/paper targets, manufactured metallic targets, or manufactured thrown-type clay targets. (Anything else, including exploding targets, is illegal.)
• Shoot further than 150 yards from a residence, building, campsite, developed recreation area or occupied area. (This includes the Pawnee Bird Tour pull outs.)
• Do not shoot across or on a National Forest System Road or adjacent body of water.
• Do not shoot in any manner or place where any person or property is exposed to injury or damage as a result of such discharge.
• Do not possess an open container of an alcoholic beverage while discharging a fire arm.
• The area located in Township 8N, Range 63W, Section 7 is closed to recreational shooting for ¼ mile south of Weld County Road 96 and ¼ mile west of County Road 63.
• The area along County Road 61 is also closed to recreational shooting due to the lack of safe backstops.

Review and respect all posted signs on the Pawnee National Grassland.

Visitors are asked to avoid congestion and safely disperse from other users and to only use the approved targets with a safe backstop. A safe backstop is one that can stop a bullet. Clean up your targets and do not attach targets to trees, fences, water tanks, windmills or other improvements. Be aware of livestock and other grassland visitors when shooting; keep your distance.

Recreational shooting information is available online. Regulations for other activities can be found on the web or call visitor information services at 970-346-5000.

[Pawnee National Grassland]