Outdoor Plinking/BLM Land Near Southern Denver?

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OregonJohnny

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Hopefully, this is the correct forum for this question.

I currently live in Northwest Oregon, where State Forest land is plentiful, and therefor informal shooting pits are very easy to find.

In the next few years, my wife and I will most likely be moving to the far southern Denver area (Castle Rock, Larkspur, Perry Park). My in-laws currently live in that area, and my FIL does 99% of his shooting at indoor ranges in the Denver Metro area. He does know of 1 outdoor public spot off the highway between Deckers and Woodland Park, and he actually drove me out there one visit, but it was very crowded. I am used to having my own little spot with a nice backstop hillside out in the forest.

I'd like to know, for my sake in the future and his sake right now, if there are any other less-crowded informal outdoor plinking areas within a 1 or 2-hour drive of Castle Rock. I have tried searching Google, and can't find much, other than a public range on Rampart Range Road that was closed a few years ago because of a fatal accident.

If you find BLM land in Colorado, can you just shoot anywhere (other than from or across a road), like you can in Oregon? What about National Forest land? Does Colorado have anything similar to the State Forest land we have in Oregon?

Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated by both myself and my FIL. Thanks!
 
You can shoot pretty much anywhere on public land, however your best bet is to contact the local Forest Service office. Pike, San Isabel or Arapahoe are all close by. Not to mention the National Grasslands.

The Pawnee National Grasslands are a good 2.5-3 hour drive from the areas we are looking to settle. Not exactly what I'd call close by.

In all of my research about spots in Pike National Forest, it seems as if areas are being closed to target shooting every year, due to misuse. I'd love to know about spots far away from where the yahoos go dump their washing machines and computers and are all shooting over each other's heads.

Seems as if no one wants to give away their secret spots. ;)
 
As Gus stated you can shoot anywhere on National Forest or BLM lands, and we also have some state lands owned by the DOW where you are allowed to shoot if you have either a hunting or fishing license. I live a ways north of the area you mentioned and have a private range for my practicing (complete with moving targets) so I can't give you any specific places. There should be some ranchers to your east that would welcome you to shoot the prairie dogs which ruin the pasture land. Once you get moved, just take a few drives around to spot the dog towns, then find the owner and ask nicely. It might be helpful if you can also point out that you are aware of the difference between a cow and a prairie dog....:D
 
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