Due to the continuous misuse of state trust land associated with recreational shooting, the DNRC announced two firearm restrictions on lands in Gallatin county.
“Our shooting restrictions that we imposed on a couple of pieces of property have to do with public safety and have to do with the ability of our current lessee to be able to utilize the property,” says Bozeman DNRC Unit Manager Erik Eneboe.
There is a 15-acre plot of land off of Axtell that has been restricted permanently due to housing around the area.
“We have a parcel on the Axtell Hill Road and we're actually closing a very small portion of that to shooting permanently,” says Eneboe.
The state land in Logan is restricted temporarily due to the misuse of the land and so the Leasee feels safe while handling their livestock.
“Particularly on the Logan piece we're seeing so much shooting there on a daily basis a concentrating shooting there that our Leasee, who pays a grazing bill every year. Can't get out there to fix fence and can't get out there to graze a livestock safely,” says Eneboe.
The Gallatin County Sheriff's office has received calls about people shooting on the land and leaving their trash. The temporary firearm restriction in Logan will be in place from November 12 through November 25. The Back Country Hunters and Anglers have helped clean the land, but Eneboe is still encouraging people to keep the land clean.
“Some people leave debris behind targets behind spent shells, and all that kind of stuff. And so we're really asking the public that pick up after yourself on state lands,” says Eneboe.
