Tucson, AZ Effective April 19, 2023, the Sierra Vista Ranger District, part of the Coronado National Forest, will implement a permanent closure to recreational shooting on the eastern side of the Huachuca Mountains along the populated Wildland Urban Interface (WUI). Since July 2014, temporary closures have been in place with continued support from the community-based Collaborative Alternative Team (CAT).
While safe and responsible recreational shooting is a valid use of National Forest System lands, shooting in Ash, Lutz, Stump, Hunter, Miller, Carr, and Brown Canyons have resulted in significant health and safety conflicts for forest users. Issues include shooting down and across hiking trails; shooting across roads; shooting near homes or inadvertently shooting onto private properties; shooting at trailheads; the use of household items for targets that are left behind; and deposition of lead and other soil contaminants from spent rounds. Consistent with 36 C.F.R. 261.10 (d) and 36 C.F.R. 261.11 (d,e), all of these activities are prohibited.
The resulting closure will include approximately 5,090 acres or 1.7% of the ranger district. This will result in approximately 98.3% of the ranger district remaining open to recreational shooting, consistent with federal and state recreational shooting laws and regulations. The proposed size of the closure area has been limited to the minimum size necessary to meet the objective of protecting public health and safety.
The closure has followed all necessary legislative requirements outlined in the John D. Dingell, Jr. Conservation, Management, and Recreation Act (Act). Title IV, Subtitle B, Section 4103 of the Act titled ‘Closure of Federal Lands to Hunting, Fishing, and Recreational Shooting’ addresses temporary and permanent closures to recreational shooting on federal land.
