Finally in Arizona! Desert shooting?

[vmaxpro]

So I just got to phoenix, Az the other day and Id like to know the ins and outs of shooting on public lands. I live off carefree highway. Any help on where to go, whats legal, etc... Thanks!

 

[mr45man]

Hi
The laws are changing every year, mostly in our favor.
There are several "types" of public lands, State, BLM,National forest
Indian reservations and private land are not allways fenced off
so you have to know where you are so as not to stray on to there
property.

They all have there own set of rules.
I would suggest reading the Fish and game Hunting regs to start.
They have them in Walmart..
Also stop by any Fish and game office, they can be very helpful

Hope this helps a little.
John H.

 

[Nomad47]

And pick up an Arizona Gazetteer. All the various "lands" are marked.

We are staying in an RV Park in Buckeye, AZ for a month before moving to another park. I shot steel at 625 and 825 yards south of town on BLM land this past Tuesday.

And Ben Avery is probably your closest public shooting range - if you like to shoot from concrete benches.

 

[wapiti25]

You can buy chips that go in the newer Garmen GPS (map types) that show private Vs public boundaries. Game warden in Wyoming showed it to us as you have to know where you are hunting and permission for private lands. My buddy bought one for his GPS.

 

[wapiti25]

One thing we have got to watch locally with BLM is shooting across roads. BLM say's a "two track" is a road, sheriff say's it has to be a maintained (graded, paved) road. Also watch the distance from the center of the road AKA shoulder distance. Oregon is touchy on that one.

 

[Eagle Six]

So I just got to phoenix, Az the other day and Id like to know the ins and outs of shooting on public lands. I live off carefree highway. Any help on where to go, whats legal, etc... Thanks!

Stop by Wide World of Maps or any State, BLM, Ranger station and pickup a BLM map of the areas you which to visit. These maps will help you identify National Forest, National Park, BLM, State Trust, city, towns and deeded properties.

IF you are on the East of I-17, you have the Tonto National Forest which most is open to safe shooting. At the corner of Cave Creek and Bartlette Lake turn off is a ranger station and they can map you out on what is restricted and what is open. The Seven Springs Recreation Area is closed to shooting, but just north, it is open.

If you are west of I-17, you will get into a lot State Trust land along Carefree Highway out towards Wickenburg, but there is BLM land mixed in and around the State Trust lands. There is NO SHOOTING on State Trust lands at any time or any where.

If you go north on I-17. north of New River (best to continue on until north of Black Canyon City), there are several exits with desert roads/Jeep trails which lead to thousands of acres of BLM land you can shoot safely on. If they don't want shooting, they will have it posted. These are mostly close to the exits of I-17 and in around popular camping areas. Usually you only need to go another mile or so to get past the No Shooting Signs.

During the dry season/fire season, they almost always close up the desert to shooting because of the extreme fire danger. This most likely will include all lands, private, public including BLM and National Forest. There is a restriction on public lands for incendiary and tracer, as well as explosives most of the year and most of the lands.

Most BLM and National Forest marked and labeled dirt roads/trails are open to normal passenger vehicles unless posted. State land you need a vehicle recreational permit (I think they are about twenty bucks a year). This will include quads and side-by-sides. You can get these online and they are good to have because it is easy to get into state land even when you intend to only shoot on BLM lands.

There are probably a few spots south of Carefree Highway when you get out west of Lake Pleasant, but mostly the easier to get to spots will be north of Carefree Highway. If you have an off-road type vehicle your choices are many. But even with just a high clearance vehicle you can get to many nice spots.

We have a training area north of Black Canyon City located both on private and BLM lands. We train it all in that large area, shotgun, pistol carbine, precision rifle, survival, rappelling, rescue, SERE, tracking, teams, etc. It's an awesome wilderness area, which may only be 30 minutes or so from your home.....depending of course where along Carefree Highway you live (it's a long highway!!).

The further you go out into the desert, the more peace you will have shooting. Pull off the main roads and start blasting away and there is a good possibility you will meet the local LEO - city, town, state, fed or county. Be safe, don't ignore postings, if the gate is closed make sure you close it behind you, if the gate is open, leave it open. If the gate is locked.....well, stay out. If the gate obviously leads to a ranch.....best stay out.

If you have an off-road vehicle, joining a local off-road club will bring you some good times and traveling along the routes they use for their outings, you will find endless places to shoot, hunt and camp.

Hope some of this helps.......if you want more specifics, send me a PM and we can exchange phones numbers and I will give you the best scope I have.

And......WELCOME to ARIZONA pilgrim.....I think you will like it here.


Best Regards......Eagle Six