Makes perfect sense to me. Especially since those areas are not really set up for target shooting anyway. (berms, firing lanes, rock removal etc.)

On non red flag days (summer time), I usually go out 4:30am and am gone come 7am. But, when it's this hot and dry, it's best not to even go. Seems every sport has it's season.
(We'll leave the new accidental fires to BLM, chain-draggers and cigaretts- oh and stupid people mowing their rocky land in the heat of the day.)

What difference does this make? all private land in the county is open to shooting. I wish they could ban shooting in the county if it's within some distance from homes, but there is no such rules.

oh well

as far as i'm concerned they could do away with hunting all together. to the hunters......does it make you feel like a big man to kill a defensless animal ?

No, but the responsibility falls onto the one that carelessly starts a fire- except for government agencies.

Yes and what are you going to do about it?

Wow....Well, enjoy your steak.

My lead or copper jacketed bullits will not spark under any conditions and will not start a fire. That is why they make lead and copper alloy tools to work in highly flamable invironments. I do however see the need to avoid shooting fire fighters. As long as fire fighters are in the area we probably should not shoot even at the established shooting areas.

I've seen it happen. It's not so much the copper, but the rock. I've sparked rocks hitting them with FMJ (copper). Wheter or not it was enough to set a fire?? I wouldn't risk it after that.

I shoot for fun and competition only. I do not hunt because I feel sad when I kill. But I sure love my burgers, steaks, and dogs!! I have no paroblem eating meat at all.

One other thing. For the most part it is the hunters and fishermen that keep fish and game animals from becoming endangered. What are you doing to protect the poor defensless animals??

I am sort of new to the area. I had no idea you could do this. Where is an established shooting area? Any requirements other then typical saftey requirments such as a permit or anything?

You're right on. As a hunter, I can tell you that you gain a huge appreciation for the food you put on the table (it's a lot of work- as I also butcher my own). And trust me, I love seeing all the animals in the wild. And really get Teed off seeing/hearing about un-sportsman/compassionate hunters giving us all a bad name. Fact is, there is a food chain (whether plant or animal) and we're not always on the top of it, given the circumstances. Oh, and I'm totaly cool with some people not wanting to partake... But don't ask me to do the same.

There are some BLM areas and private clubs. Drop into some of the gun shops around town and they can point you in the right direction. By the way, there are rules regarding BLM shooting areas that you should know before going. Call their office, they are all pretty nice down there- at least the ones I've encountered.

Yep...makes me feel like a big woman to kill a defensless animal, especially since that defenseless animal's meat is what's going to feed my family. Let me guess...you must not eat eggs from a defensless chicken, or meat from defensless cow, or meat from a defensless wild boar...you get my drift.

Not every deer is bambi, okay?

Good one! I suppose it's hard for some that only know their food's origin as being on a white styrofoam tray at the supermarket to understand.

In response to dj1674: I hunt because I love venison, grouse and wild game more than I do beef and chicken. I buy quail, duck, bisen. I do not hunt to get the thrill of killing some poor defensless animal.
Hunting has been as far as biblical days, just because its 2008 doesn't mean its any crueler. If you don't like it then I respect that but don't spit those big tough words out to us hunters. And by the way I am a girl, I have neices that hunt and sister-in-laws that hunt so its not just a big man thing.

It's a way of life!

I have never seen a lead or copper jacketed bullet spark. Try this experiment: Hold a piece of copper and/or lead to a grinding wheel. You will not see a spark. Try that with a piece of steel and you will see lots of sparks. In general, non-ferrous malleable metals do not spark when struck. It may be what you saw was the bullet hitting somthing into another material causing those two materials to spark.
IMHO

Exactly! I grew up with it. Both my parents hunted and we lived on the meat every winter. My parents didn't buy meat from a store. It was hunted or raised.

I am going to kill a pigeon tonight just because you said this you tree hugging hippie lamer. The blood is on your hands.

Closing BLM lands to public shooting will only lead to more irresponsible ranch cattle shootings. This is not about fire danger or rehabilitation worker safety, this is about BLM caving in to whimpering from land owners and tree huggers. Don't buy it!

Damn Transplants!!!!!!

A lot of people hunt for the meat dj1674. I happen to like some Elk and Deer meat from time to time.

On the other side of the coin, yes trophy hunters are detrimental to wild game populations because unlike natural predators they kill the best specimens. Its reverse natural selection because natural predators take the old and the weakest specimens.

Nor Cal isn't that bad considering some states. I got shot at as a kid for wondering on someone else's land. LOL. He would be in prison in any other state for shooting at a 12 year old with a shot gun.

Who in their right mind would want to take the chance. I noticed the targets on Clear Creek road are not set up correctly at all. Reliable. Responsible. Respectful. Thats what I would hope from gun owners.

Not true...shooting is only allowed on federal (public) lands where it isn't prohibited....BLM does not "allow" shooting (for liability reasons) in some areas they just don't prohibit it and it becomes an "incidental use."

Areas where it is NOT prohibited, like the ranges here on Iron Mountain Rd, are becoming fewer and fewer (and more heavily impacted as others, like the one that used to be on Swasey, become restricted.)

Hunting season starts next month, in my future i see fresh grilled backstrap w/onions & mushrooms for supper and fresh trout and scrambled eggs w/bell peppers & onions for breakfast. oh yes, this will be done with a bow and arrow!