RR-24. Recreational target shooting activities are permitted on public lands in the Bradshaw-Harquahala area and are governed by state law. Shooting is subject to legal restrictions that apply to areas near and including roads, occupied structures, developed recreational facilities, and other zones where shooting would jeopardize public safety. The BLM may further restrict shooting activities where it is demonstrated that public safety and significant resource concerns exist.
RR-25. BLM will work with the public, organizations, and law enforcement to promote safe shooting practices that limit user conflicts and damage to natural and cultural resources. The following discussion describes criteria for the selection of safe and considerate shooting sites.
It is the ultimate responsibility of the recreational target shooter to ensure the projectiles they fire are contained within the shooting site they select. While shooting is allowed in most public land areas, the shooter should make no concession concerning safety. Consideration of other people using public lands is not only considerate, Arizona Revised Statutes Title 13-1201 says:
A person commits endangerment by recklessly endangering another person with a substantial risk of imminent death or physical injury.
Endangerment involving a substantial risk of imminent death is a class six felony. In all other cases, it is a class one misdemeanor.
General considerations for selecting a suitable shooting site include the following:
Make sure you have a safe backstop. That means you can see where the bullets are hitting behind the target. A hill or pushed-up berm of dirt is perfect. Remember that bullets can ricochet off flat surfaces—that includes rocks, dirt and water. Put your targets right in front of the backstop to ensure your bullets stop in the dirt.
Select a site that doesn’t put others at risk. Do not shoot towards or across areas where other people congregate such as hiking trails, vehicle parking and staging areas, and trail heads. It is a violation of Arizona State law (A.R.S. 17-301B) to shoot across a maintained road. Though this law only pertains to maintained roads, there are many routes in the desert that are used by motorcycles, quads, and four-wheel drive vehicles that are not as apparent as a maintained road. Shooting in the direction, or across them, though not a violation of the reference law, could be just as dangerous to people using them. Choose a site that avoids shooting across or towards motorcycle, quad, or four-wheel-drive routes as well.
In addition to motorized routes, there are many popular hiking, bicycling, and equestrian trails. Select a site that doesn’t cross or shoot in the direction of a trail that could put people at risk.
Selection of a safe shooting site would include staying more than ¼ mile from any residence or occupied structure. When selecting a site, assume any structure is occupied. It is a violation of Arizona State Law to knowingly discharge a firearm at a structure. The statue (A.R.S 13-1211A and B) says:
A person who knowingly discharges a firearm at a residential structure is guilty of a class two felony.
A person who knowingly discharges a firearm at a nonresidential structure is guilty of a class three felony.
Selection of a site should include avoiding such improvements as wildlife or livestock water facilities, livestock control facilities such as corrals and fences, signs or kiosks installed to provide information, barns or other rural developments, or any other improvement that was not specifically designed to be shot at.
It is a violation of Arizona State law (A.R.S. 13-1603A 1) if a person "Throws, places, drops or permits to be dropped on public property or property of another which is not a lawful dump any litter, destructive or injurious material which he does not immediately remove." This includes not only trash, but also brass or shells (including shotgun shells) from spent ammunition, and items used as targets. Shooters are required to remove any targets, items on which targets are mounted, and brass from spent ammunition. BLM Phoenix District policy is to only use targets that do not produce litter, and to remove them when you are finished shooting.
Under the Code of Federal Regulations (43 CFR 8365.2-5(a)) no person shall "Discharge or use firearms..." on a developed recreation site. (43 CFR 8360.0-5(c) defines "Developed Recreation Sites and Areas" as "...sites and areas that contain structures or capital improvements primarily used by the public for recreation purposes. Such sites or areas may include such features as: delineated spaces for parking, camping or boat launching; sanitary facilities; potable water; grills or fire rings; or controlled access."
Selecting sites with side berms and backstops is optional where the shooter can be assured of safe shooting 1.5 miles downrange for pistol or 3.5 miles downrange for high powered rifles, with appropriate left and right ricochet safety zones. With the popularity of public lands for recreation and other uses, this scenario is the exception rather than the rule. Therefore, the primary purpose for selection of backstops and side berms is to protect against the injury of people, the damage of property or both.
The type of firearms being fired and the shooting activity being conducted will dictate the extent of the backstops, side berms and safety fans required to achieve that goal.
A downrange safety fan is an area beyond the backstop and side berms that is free of people or property that can be injured or damaged by errant bullets. It is important to remember that, depending on the suitability of the backstop and side berms, a safety fan downrange will be required to assure a safe shooting area. Below are ideal specifications for both backstops and side berms. Sites with less than ideal backstops and side berms must have increasingly longer downrange safety fans, approaching the distances described above of 1.5 miles for pistols and 3.5 miles for high power rifles. Even with an ideal backstop and side berms, site selection should still consider downrange safety and a downrange safety fan.
The characteristics of safe backstops and berms recognized as needed for safe shooting practices are as follows:
Height. Preferred backstops include naturally occurring hills or mountainsides, or steep-sided wash banks. Backstops of soft dirt are preferred over hard surfaces, and rocky slopes should be avoided as they create a high ricochet hazard. A minimum height of 15 feet is acceptable but 20 to 25 feet is recommended. Remember that bullet ricochet can happen even on the best backstop. Site selection should consider ricochet possibilities and backstops that exceed 20 to 25 feet should be chosen where possible to reduce ricochet away from the shooting area.
Width/Length. The width of the backstop should be at least as wide as it is high. Targets should be placed directly in front of or on the backstop with sufficient backstop on either side to catch bullets. Ideally, side berms should be the same height and the full length of the shooting area from the backstop to even with the firing line.
Slope. The range side slope (side facing the shooter) must be as steep as possible, but not less than a 45-degree slope (a ratio of one-to-one). Side berm slops should have the same dimensions.
The bottom line is to select a shooting site in harmony with adjacent properties and other public land users. The site should prevent adjacent properties and other public land users from experiencing any risk from the shooting activities. The overall responsibility of the shooter is to stop fired bullets before they exit the selected shooting area. It is the intention of the BLM to provide a safe and pleasant experience for any public land user. If shooting areas emerge that are contrary to the above criteria they will be clearly construed as putting other public land users at risk and they may be closed to shooting by the authorized officer, either temporarily or permanently.