Common Public Land Shooting Rules

Search the web for the public land you recreate in and know the target shooting rules before you go.

Note:  Target shooting is serious recreation and all safety precautions must be taken to assure Personal & Public Safety, Fire Prevention, Natural Resource Protection and Environmental well being.  Adherence to the rules is required.

 Target shooting and other shooting related activity will be prohibited from one half hour after sunset to one half hour before sunrise.

No person shall engage in shooting while under the influence of drugs or alcohol.

No person shall shoot carelessly, recklessly, or without regard for the safety of any person, or in a manner that endangers, or is likely to endanger, any person or property.

The use of exploding targets and tracer ammunition is prohibited.

No person shall place targets on trees or shoot trees for any purpose.

No person shall shoot across, from or along any road, trail or body of water.

Persons engaged in target shooting shall utilize an appropriately sized, natural backstop.

No person shall shoot targets other than those commercially manufactured for the specific purpose of target shooting, except for paper targets privately manufactured by the people engaging in target shooting.

No person shall shoot glass of any kind, appliances, furniture, vehicles or other debris determined to be garbage or refuse by an enforcing officer.

Persons engaged in target shooting shall remove from National Forest System land all shell casings, targets, and other debris resulting from their use.

Regs:  Mt Hood National Forest, Oregon, USFS

Regs:  Deschutes National Forest, Oregon, USFS

Regs:  Mt Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest, Washington, USFS

Regs: Gifford Pinchot National Forest, Washington USFS

Regs:  Tillamook State Forest, Oregon, Oregon Dept of Forestry

Regs:  BLM

Regs:  Washington State Dept of Natural Resources

Regs:  WA Dept of Fish & Wildlife Target Shooting Info & Regs:  Firearms and target practicing (WAC 220-500-140)

Tillamook State Forest Blog  (Updates, closures & current information)

Tillamook County Sheriff’s Dept. Forest Patrol:  https://www.tillamooksheriff.com/forest-patrol

Capitol State Forest, WA.  (DNR Recreation page with updates, closures & current information) https://www.dnr.wa.gov/Capitol

Green Mountian and Tahuya State Forests, WA.  (DNR Recreation page with updates, closures & current information) https://www.dnr.wa.gov/GreenMountainTahuya