Where to Shoot Your Guns On Public Land

Where Can I Shoot my Guns?

Here in Southern California, there are several shooting ranges that provide a place to shoot, however, they often have several restrictions and high rates.

A lot of times they may require you to use their ammunition or have other restrictions on your ammo, and sometimes they have restrictions on how you shoot, such as rapid fire. Yep, no more than one round fired every second or two.

Not to mention the crowd can sometimes be pretty inexperienced and on there own without the assistance of a veteran shooter. My solution, shoot guns on public lands!

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How do I Find a Spot on BLM Land to Shoot?

Now that you have decided to give it a shot, you will want to locate potential spots that are closest to where you live. The BLM does provide maps that show exactly where the boundaries of public land begins in the county you live. They can also tell you where there are designated shooting spots which can save you time.

However, you may want to find your own spot, and since you’re reading this from your computer why not just use good old google maps with a public land overlay? That’s right, you can actually find potential spots from the comfort of your sofa.

The websites I use are Publiclands.org and onXmaps.com which allow you to filter the map to show public land boundaries. You can also switch between map view and satellite view to reference the geological landscape. This helps greatly since most of the areas you will be shooting only have dirt roads for access.

onXmaps.com is definitely the most user friendly and helpful application but requires a paid membership. Publiclands.org is free but a bit more cumbersome to use with less features.

Step 1: Search Surrounding Areas with Publiclands.org or onXmaps

Open your browser to Publiclands.org and select the state you live in or wish to shoot. Once browsing, make sure to check the boxes labeled “Bureau of Land Management Lands” and “Land Status” as shown in the figure below.

All the areas shown in yellow are public, pretty cool right? It does take some time to locate good potential spots since some public lands border busy areas that are not good for shooting!

The way I do it is just locate the closest yellow spots (public) then use the satellite view (upper left side of the map) to check the area for its surroundings. In addition to using the satellite view, use the “street view” to check the exits off the main roads to get a better feel for what the area looks like.

Step 2: Call Local Field Office

Once a spot looks good and away from inhabited structures and busy roads I double check the county it is in and verify there are no current shooting restrictions. You can either check the BLM website or call the local field office. Finding the local field office can be done by using the BLM website or by google maps.

If using google maps, all you have to do is center the map on the area you want to shoot and search “BLM field office”. From there results should pop up with the nearest field office along with the phone number. Give them a call and they will answer any questions you have, they have always been real helpful to me.

Step 3: Record GPS Locations

The first time I venture out I like to have a few potential spots in the same general area recorded in my GPS. This way if the first spot turns out to be a no-go, I have other options to check out.

Chances are you will be driving a ways away from home, and although you can do all this from your phone it is easier to do from a computer and some remote locations don’t have cell service.

Step 4: Pack Up and GO!

In addition to all the normal range equipment and targets of choice, you will want to bring a few extra things. I always bring:

• A fire extinguisher and shovel just in case something goes wrong, more on this later
• If you plan to do some bench shooting I’d recommend a good chair and folding table to shoot from
• If you are going to be shooting all day out in the sun it is nice to bring some type of canopy like an E-Z Up for shade, these are awesome to have, you’ll thank me for it.
• You also want to bring some trash bags to clean up the mess you’re about to make
• Lastly don’t forget to bring some food and water if you’re going to be out in a remote spot!

Step 5: Pick a Safe Position and Shoot!

Once you arrive take your time checking the area out to make there are no signs posted. You want to pick a shooting position such that you are not shooting near or over any roads (see rules below). You also want to pick a safe backdrop, ideally the side of hill that is not rocky. Often times on public land there will be other people shooting or riding ATV’s in the area so be cognizant of others and where you are shooting!

Even when the area you are shooting is not restricted due to fire concerns, never position steel targets (if allowed) near dry grass or bushes, especially if you are shooting with steel jacketed or steel core ammo. There is a very real possibility of starting a fire, in fact a lot of areas ban the use of steel targets and steel ammo.

Step 6: Clean Up!

Anyone that has spent some time on public land in designated shooting areas know how trashed they can get. It is really unfortunate since it is only a matter of time before the area will get shut down further shrinking the possible options for us to shoot, it happens all the time. Please collect your spent casings, trash and anything used for targets before you leave.

What are the Rules?

The best advice for checking the restrictions is to call the local field office. Each county has a BLM field office that can tell you if there are currently any restrictions on shooting. When the conditions are dry, it is not uncommon for target shooting to be closed. Check this page on the BLM website with your county’s current restrictions. When target shooting is permitted, these general rules apply:

• Never shoot from or over any road or highway.
• Always use a safe backdrop.
• Do not attach targets to plants or place targets against rocks, plants, or solid objects.  It is illegal to deface or destroy trees, signs, outbuildings, or other objects on federal lands.
• Carry in your targets and carry out all litter, brass and shell casings.  All targets, shell casings, debris and trash must be removed.

The BLM may also restrict the use of certain types of ammo so be sure to ask when discussing restrictions with the local field office.

You Own Public Land

A lot of people don’t realize that as an American citizen, you own public land! In the United States, governmental entities including cities, counties, states, and the federal government all manage land which are referred to as public lands.

Public lands administered by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) are available for a variety of undeveloped recreational activities, including target shooting except where prohibited by federal, state, and local laws. The BLM allows the use of firearms on public lands as provided for in California state law. Shooters are responsible for knowing applicable laws and using firearms and other recreational shooting weapons in a safe manner.

Thanks for reading!