USDA Forest Service proposes shooting closure

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Forest Service is proposing to seasonally close recreational shooting in the Pole Mountain Area of the Laramie Ranger District. The closure would prohibit shooting from March 31-Sept. 10 each year to reduce user conflicts, resource damage and associated risks over public safety.

The proposed closure order would implement management direction adopted under the Decision Notice and Finding of No Significant Impact – Limiting Firearm Use Within the Pole Mountain Area, which was signed Jan. 28, 2000.

Annual emergency orders have been utilized to implement the deci- sion since this time. As the Forest Service has worked through the Dingell Act process, one-year emergency shooting orders were issued for the 2022 and 2023 seasons.

The shooting order would apply only to National Forest System (NFS) land within Pole Mountain. Recreational shooting is allowed on the remaining approximately 2.2 million acres of the Medicine BowRoutt National Forests outside of Pole Mountain year-round. All other legal types of recreational shooting are allowed year-round on all acres of the Medicine Bow-Routt National Forest.

For example, the closure would not affect other types of recreational