Mar 30, 2008 7:23 pm US/Mountain
No More Target Shooting In Left Hand Canyon Spot
BOULDER, Colo. (CBS4) ―
A popular shooting area northwest of Boulder is now off-limits to firearms. The Colorado State Forest Service has banned recreational shooting on 30 acres in Left Hand Canyon because of safety concerns.
Recreation Technician Brian Rasmussen patrols the popular Jeep roads just up the hill for the shooting area.
"I've had four bullets go close to me on this piece of road," Rasmussen said.
Rasmussen said four wheelers and bikers have also reported close calls with stray bullets.
"One time it was close enough that I could hear which side of my head it went past," Rasmussen said. "I could hear it in one ear over the other."
Hunting will still be allowed, but the district ranger knows it'll be an unpopular decision among people who shoot there.
"I think were going to have frustrated people, but frustrated users compared to a tragic accident, I think the answer is really clear," said Christine Walsh, Forest Service District Ranger
The target isn't right up against the hillside and the bullets can zing up over ridges and into the woods. The Forest Service says among its employees, there have been five near misses in recent years. There was one just last month which finally prompted the no-shooting rule. Previously, rangers tried posting caution signs.
Walsh said it's a balancing act to accommodate everyone who wants to use the national forest, so the new no-shooting signs are just in a limited, but admittedly popular area.
"I'm hoping to prevent injury, a serious injury or death to a user or employee," Walsh said. "That would be tragic and I think that overrides the recreational shooting opportunity need. And there are lots of other places for people to shoot on the district and outside the district.
Shooting groups say they're concerned that there are fewer and fewer places along the Front Range for target practice. Open land continues to be filled in by development. The Forest Service and other agencies are working with those groups to make sure they have places to practice.
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