Map - Colorado Springs

[angelsfanbp]

Anybody have a map of Colorado National Forests and where the off limits boundaries are for target shooting? I have tryed to contact the ranger office several times and they said they would email it to me and never did 3 seperate times! Any help would be great! I am looking for some close places to go target shooting in the mountains. I am in colorado Springs.

 

[Plinker Craig]

Just study the law a bit

I have to assume that National Forest in Colorado is no different than National Forest in my part of the country.

I studied the law and regulations 5 years ago to figure out what I could and could not do and this is what I remember clearly:
1) stay a mile away from campgrounds or any structures
2) don't shoot across any road or trail
3) don't shoot across any waterway or lake
4) open carry is OK, get a holster and show it off please
5) concealed carry is governed by your state law and it does vary by state and could be a felony in your state unless you have a permit
6) remember that you are visiting land governed by the US Dept of Agriculture, which means don't destroy their product, meaning do not shoot at trees or paper targets stapled to trees. Bring your own targets and target-backers and pay attention to the backstop which should be earthen and not the agricultural product meaning do not shoot trees.
7) and just like any other time you visit the National Forest, take only pictures, and leave only footprints. That means pick up target debris and pick up your brass as much as possible (.22 rimfire can be hard to pick up 100%, but do your best)
8) National Parks are a completely different story than National Forests. National Parks are governed by the Dept of the Interior. National Forests are governed by the USDA. Don't expect the two nation's departments to have the same ideas about right and wrong.

25 years ago I worked in Colorado Springs and lived up HWY 24 in Chipita Park on the way to Woodland Park. I could hike a mile south of where I lived and shoot in the Pike National Forest every day after work. I would bring a small square of 2x4 wood as a target since leaving its fragments behind was not littering the forest one bit.

Now living near Portland Oregon, when I'm not shooting at my gun range, I usually shoot in the National Forest near Mt Adams in south central Washington state. My favorite shooting spot is at the end of a 6 mile rough road that dead ends. I figure if anybody does not like the noise I'm making then I'm not blocking their road access to anything since I'm shooting at the end of the road. I usually string paper plates between a pair of trees with the hillside as a backstop and I paste targets to the paper plates. The backstop is a hillside.

 

[rondog]

Map - Colorado Springs

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Anybody have a map of Colorado National Forests and where the off limits boundaries are for target shooting? I have tryed to contact the ranger office several times and they said they would email it to me and never did 3 seperate times! Any help would be great! I am looking for some close places to go target shooting in the mountains. I am in colorado Springs.

Head west on highway 24 to Woodland Park, then head north on 67 towards Deckers. Look for "Rainbow Falls Campground", and start slowing down. I can't remember the mile marker (97, 98, or 99?), but within a couple of miles of the campground, there will be a dirt road going off of 67 on the west side, there's a stop sign on it, and the road bends sharply to the right just off the pavement.

Up that dirt road (trail, actually), there are several good spots to shoot, but be aware of ATV riders in the area. The road going in can be rough and muddy, so use caution. 4WD is a good idea, a buddy with another 4wd is an even better idea.

This is the area that the Colorado AR15 Shooters Club http://www.co-ar15.com/forums/index.php calls the South Site, and they have club events there. Many people shoot full-autos there, so it's not a secret place. It's in "The Hayman Burn Area", so there's serious water erosion trenches in places, be very careful!!! I wouldn't recommend driving through any snowy areas that don't have tracks already!

Oh, and please pack out your trash!