Restrictions on target shooting during elk season

[JustAGuy]

Quick questions for some of you who know more about hunting than I do.

Are there any restrictions on target shooting on national forest land during elk season? Specifically up on Rampart Range road?

Thanks in advance.

[sniper7]

I would be cautious as there are a lot of people in the woods. Risking hitting somebody walking through the woods is not a chance I would want. One or some of them might get pissed about it and claim you are interfering with their hunt which is against the law.

or a wildlife officer may bring up some issues with potential hunting without a license, calls received about poaching or something to that effect. I would only shoot at well known ranges/shooting areas.

[Irving]

If you are approached by a DOW officer, and they ask you what you're hunting, how will you respond? After all, you are walking around in a hunting area, with a gun.

[hurley842002]

If you are approached by a DOW officer, and they ask you what you're hunting, how will you respond? After all, you are walking around in a hunting area, with a gun.
Hopefully I'd be able to argue my purpose shooting my Glock 26, which is what I plan on doing tomorrow.

[Great-Kazoo]

Hopefully I'd be able to argue my purpose shooting my Glock 26, which is what I plan on doing tomorrow.

Wouldn't be the first time a poacher was using a hand gun, avoid the hassle.

[hurley842002]

Wouldn't be the first time a poacher was using a hand gun, avoid the hassle.
If going out and shooting in the hills was something I did every other weekend, I'd probably avoid the hassle, unfortunately I haven't been out in close to a year. My wife gave me a "man's day" to go out and do whatever I want before my son is born on Monday. DOW can feel free to try and prove I'm hunting with my 26.

[newracer]

I do not see why it is any different that any other time of the year. Poachers take animals all the time not just during hunting season. The only difference is during hunting season there is more enforcement in the areas.

[Irving]

Realistically, if you've got targets setup, aren't wearing orange, and aren't with a party of other people wearing orange, you'll likely be fine. I personally probably wouldn't be out running around in the woods trying to find a secluded or long distance shot though.

[hurley842002]

Realistically, if you've got targets setup, aren't wearing orange, and aren't with a party of other people wearing orange, you'll likely be fine. I personally probably wouldn't be out running around in the woods trying to find a secluded or long distance shot though.
Completely agree. I'll be smart about my location selection, and it may be a short distance, but I'm in dire need of sending rounds "down range".

[Rumline]

If going out and shooting in the hills was something I did every other weekend, I'd probably avoid the hassle, unfortunately I haven't been out in close to a year. My wife gave me a "man's day" to go out and do whatever I want before my son is born on Monday. DOW can feel free to try and prove I'm hunting with my 26.
Congrats on the impending birth of your son! I hope the big day goes well for both mama and baby. With that being said, enjoy the heck out of your man's day. You might not be getting many more of those in the months ahead... [emoji6]

[hurley842002]

Congrats on the impending birth of your son! I hope the big day goes well for both mama and baby. With that being said, enjoy the heck out of your man's day. You might not be getting many more of those in the months ahead... [emoji6]
Thanks man!

[balyon885]

Why not take a drive out to the grasslands or Harris Park and shoot in a designated shooting area?

[ford_muscle1]

Shooting up on rampart road during hunting season is not the best idea. While hunting up there during this years bow season proved to be almost fatal for me and my 2 buddies. Some idiots decided to shoot right into our camp without realizing some of the camp sites are on off shoot roads that go into the woods a little bit.

In all my time hunting up there I have only ever seen 1 law enforcement officer up there and he didn't seem to give a crap that people were shooting in no shooting areas. So I wouldn't be to worried about proving your hunting up there.

My best advice is, please be aware of your backstop, because the last thing you want on your conscience is the fact you killed or injured some one that could have been avoided. The thing that pissed me off about the idiots that shot into our camp was they are fellow military. Last I knew we trained to be 100% sure of our backstop to minimize collateral damage.

[hurley842002]

My best advice is, please be aware of your backstop, because the last thing you want on your conscience is the fact you killed or injured some one that could have been avoided. The thing that pissed me off about the idiots that shot into our camp was they are fellow military. Last I knew we trained to be 100% sure of our backstop to minimize collateral damage.

I'm willing to bet 98% of the participating members of this forum are some of the safest most responsible shooters around, and I'm no exception.

I didn't even get to shoot today as all 3 of my spots have been overtaken. Not even 5 years ago, nobody knew of these spots, now they're always full. Guess it will be another year, thank God for quarterly quals or I'd never get trigger time.

[JustAGuy]

So I've heard what other people would do, what I should do and what everybody else should do. Now, I'll rephrase the question as I should have originally.

Are there any laws, regulations or statutes in place restricting TARGET shooting on national forest land during elk season in Colorado?

[sniper7]

If a DOW feels you are interfering with a hunter or harassing game with the gunshots during a hunting season you could be fined and responsible for the hunters costs and damages.
So YES there are restrictions during hunting seasons while shooting on NF land. might be a bit of a stretch but it is a law/regulation you could be charged with in the right circumstances.