Portion Of Sonoran Desert National Monument Closed To Recreational Shooting

PHOENIX – The Arizona Game And Fish Department assures hunters that a court-ordered closure of a small portion of the Sonoran Desert National Monument to recreational shooting will not affect licensed hunting in accordance with state regulations.

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 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 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.

For more information about the closure, including a map and video, visit the BLM’s Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/BLMArizona.

The Arizona Game And Fish Department recognizes the importance of protecting public access and enhancing outdoor recreational opportunities, including recreational shooting. In partnership with the BLM, U.S. Forest Service and the nonprofit Tread Lightly!, Game and Fish is helping to keep Arizona’s public lands healthy and open through the “Respected Access is Open Access in Arizona” campaign.

For more information about the campaign, visit http://www.respectedaccessarizona.org.