The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) has been ordered by the U.S. District Court in Arizona to close roughly 10,600 acres near the Sonoran Desert National Monument’s northern boundary to recreational shooting while an analysis of the environmental impacts of such shooting is conducted. About 98 percent of the monument near Gila Bend, or 475,801 acres, remains open to recreational shooting.
The Arizona Game and Fish Department assured hunters that the court-ordered closure will not affect licensed hunting in accordance with state regulations. According to the BLM, licensed hunting continues to be allowed; all state regulations apply.
During the closure, the BLM will conduct a court-ordered analysis of the impacts of such shooting on the Monument. Approximately 95 percent of the 12.2 million acres of public land managed by BLM in Arizona remain open to recreational target shooting.
The BLM issued statement saying it was “committed to meeting the management challenges surrounding recreational target shooting on public lands, including determining where and how this activity can be conducted responsibly. We will continue to engage public and private stakeholders in discussions of collaborative options and acceptable solutions.”
The closure began Tuesday, Sept. 15, 2015.
The scheduling of a 60-day public scoping period and four public meetings in the Phoenix area is pending. Comments and/or recommendations can be submitted in writing to the BLM Phoenix District Office, or via e-mail at: BLM_AZ_SDNMtargetshooting@BLM.gov.