The pristine wilderness of Colorado’s Pike National Forest has become the unlikely stage of a fierce Second Amendment battle after federal officials imposed sweeping restrictions on recreational shooting across nearly three-quarters of the 1.1-million-acre forest.
The decision, which was finalized in January 2025, has ignited a constitutional firestorm that pits Second Amendment advocates against federal land managers in what many view as a critical moment for gun rights on public lands.
On January 17, 2025, Forest Supervisor Ryan Nehl signed the final Decision Notice for the Integrated Management of Target Shooting Project, effectively closing over 800,000 acres of Pike National Forest to dispersed recreational shooting. The sweeping restrictions impact three ranger districts that span El Paso, Teller, and surrounding counties, including popular shooting destinations such as Turkey Tracks north of Woodland Park and areas along Rampart Range Road.
The Forest Service justifies the ban by alluding to growing safety concerns: shooting-related wildfires that spark 5-10 blazes annually at Turkey Tracks alone, at least one verified fatality linked to recreational shooting, and escalating conflicts among the forest’s 2.5 million annual visitors. The plan calls for replacing dispersed shooting with six developed shooting ranges featuring targets, lanes, and noise abatement systems.
No comments:
Post a Comment