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Shooting Sports and Ranges

A view looking down a line of people sitting at shooting tables aiming down range with rifles.
(USDA Forest Service photo)

Federal lands, especially those managed by the Forest Service and the U.S. Bureau of Land Management, offer extensive opportunities for public recreational shooting as long as the activity is safe, environmentally responsible and in compliance with local and national rules and regulations. During fire season, some areas may be closed to target shooting. Be sure to follow alerts on websites or social media based on the national forest or grassland you plan to visit.

The Forest Service has designated shooting ranges and dispersed recreational shooting unless otherwise posted. The Expanding Public Lands Outdoor Recreation Act, or commonly known as the EXPLORE Act, requires the Forest Service to assess and identify target shooting range locations and include at those ranges appropriate public safety designs and feature, such as berms, buffer distances, designated firing lines and optional shade structures, trash containers, restrooms and benches.

Target shooting is allowed on national forests or grasslands unless restricted. Check your local forest or grassland for more information about local restrictions.

We are committed to the safety of shooting sports enthusiasts, recreationists and others that may be in the area. Following are shooting guidelines on national forests and grasslands.

It is prohibited to shoot:

  • In or within 150 yards from a residence, building, campsite, developed recreation area or occupied area.

  • Across or on a national forest or grassland road or body of water.

  • In any manner or place where any person or property is exposed to injury or damage as a result of such discharge.

  • Into or within a cave.

  • Firing tracer bullets or incendiary ammunition.

  • Disturbing, injuring, destroying, or in any way damaging any prehistoric, historic, or archaeological resource, structure, site, artifact, property.

  • Abandoning any personal property or failing to dispose of all garbage, including targets, paper, cans, bottles, appliances.

In general, you should target shoot only if you:

  • Use approved targets. Certain forests may have specific restrictions, such as the type of targets used (i.e. cardboard targets, paper targets, clay pigeons).

    • Exploding targets are not recommended and are restricted or prohibited on many forests or grasslands for safety and fire concerns.

  • Use approved targets along with a safe, “bullet-proof” backstop. Do not to attach your targets to vegetation or structures, such as; trees, log decks, slash piles, fences, or water tanks.

  • Practice safe gun handling by:

    • Treating every gun as if it is loaded.

    • Never letting the muzzle of a firearm point at anything you do not intend to shoot.

    • Keeping your finger off the trigger until your sights are on the target and you are ready to shoot.

    • Making sure of your target and what is beyond.

  • Are not in possession of alcoholic beverages while discharging a firearm.

Remember: You are responsible for your own safety and for the safety of those around you.

On January 4, 2025, the Expanding Public Lands Outdoor Recreation Experiences (EXPLORE) Act (Public Law No. 118-234) was signed into law.  The legislation outlines many provisions to make improvements in accessible recreation opportunities, changes to special uses, and new initiatives related to fees and passes.

Below lists the active shooting ranges that meet the EXPLORE Act Section 123 requirements.

IDAHO

MONTANA

COLORADO

ARIZONA

NEW MEXICO

UTAH

WYOMING

CALIFORNIA

OREGON

ALABAMA

ARKANSAS

FLORIDA

GEORGIA

KENTUCKY

MISSISSIPPI

NORTH CAROLINA

OKLAHOMA

SOUTH CAROLINA

TENNESSEE

VIRGINIA

WEST VIRGINIA

MICHIGAN

Below are Forest Service units where there are restrictions of applicable law or land use plan that prevents the establishment of a target range.

PUERTO RICO

  • El Yunque National Forest

    • Applicable Law Restriction - Puerto Rico Weapons Act of 2020

    • Applicable Forest Plan Restriction - The acreage required to develop a shooting range would exceed the limits within the 2019 Forest Management Plan.

NEW HAMPSHIRE

  • White Mountain National Forest

    • Applicable Forest Plan Restriction - The Forest Plan limits the amount of recreation infrastructure to campsites in developed campgrounds. No further developed recreation sites are allowed.

Below are Forest Service units where there are no restrictions of applicable law or land use plan that prevents the establishment of a target range.

  • Beaverhead-Deerlodge National Forest

  • Bitterroot National Forest

  • Dakota Prairie Grasslands

  • Flathead National Forest

  • Lolo National Forest

  • Nez Perce-Clearwater National Forest

  • Bighorn National Forest

  • Black Hills National Forest

  • Grand Mesa, Uncompahgre, And Gunnison National Forests

  • Medicine Bow-Routt National Forests

  • Nebraska National Forest

  • Rio Grande National Forest

  • San Juan National Forest

  • Shoshone National Forest

  • White River National Forest 

  • Carson National Forest

  • Cibola National Forest

  • Coconino National Forest

  • Coronado National Forest

  • Prescott National Forest

  • Santa Fe National Forest

  • Boise National Forest

  • Caribou-Targhee National Forest

  • Dixie National Forest

  • Fishlake National Forest

  • Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest

  • Manti-Lasal National Forest

  • Payette National Forest

  • Salmon-Challis National Forest 

  • Sawtooth National Forest

  • Cleveland National Forest

  • Eldorado National Forest

  • Inyo National Forest

  • Klamath National Forest

  • Lake Tahoe Basin Mgt Unit

  • Lassen National Forest

  • Mendocino National Forest

  • Modoc National Forest

  • Sierra National Forest

  • Six Rivers National Forest

  • Stanislaus National Forest

  • Columbia River Gorge National Scenic Area

  • Colville National Forest

  • Deschutes National Forest

  • Fremont-Winema National Forests

  • Gifford Pinchot National Forest

  • Malheur National Forest

  • Mt Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest

  • Mt Hood National Forest

  • Ochoco National Forest

  • Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forests

  • Olympic National Forest

  • Rogue River-Siskiyou National Forest

  • Siuslaw National Forest

  • Umatilla National Forest

  • Umpqua National Forest

  • Willamette National Forest

  • Kisatchie National Forest

  • National Forests in Texas

  • Allegheny National Forest

  • Chequamegon-Nicolet National Forest

  • Chippewa National Forest

  • Green Mountain and Finger Lakes National Forests

  • Hiawatha National Forest

  • Hoosier National Forest

  • Huron Manistee National Forest

  • Mark Twain National Forest

  • Midewin National Tallgrass Prairie

  • Monongahela National Forest

  • Shawnee National Forest

  • Superior National Forest

  • Wayne National Forest

  • Chugach National Forest

  • Tongass National Forest 

Below are Archery-only target ranges by Forest Service region, state, national forest/grassland unit name, ranger district, and range name.

COLORADO

  • Pike And San Isabel National Forests

    • South Platte Ranger District

      • Columbine Bowmen

  • Rio Grande National Forest

    • Divide Ranger District

      • Divide Ranger District Archery Range

IDAHO

  • Caribou-Targhee National Forest

    • Montpelier Ranger District

      • Bear Lake Bowman

    • Soda Springs Ranger District

      • Trail Canyon Archery Range

    • Westside Ranger District

      • East Mink Creek Archery Range

      • Pocatello Archery Range

NEVADA

  • Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest

    • Spring Mountains National Recreation Area Eco Unit

      • Las Vegas Archers

UTAH

  • Dixie National Forest

    • Cedar City Ranger District

      • Ats Queo Archery Club

  • Uinta-Wasatch-Cache National Forest

    • Logan Ranger District

      • Brigham Bowmen Range

      • Cache Archery Range

    • Pleasant Grove Ranger District

      • Timpanogos Archery Range

CALIFORNIA

  • Shasta Trinity National Forest

    • Mt. Shasta Ranger District

      • Shasta Mountain Archers

PENNSYLVANIA

  • Allegheny National Forest

    • Bradford Ranger District

      • Warren Archery Club