stump shooting allowed? -California San Jacinto National Forest

[ms267]

Hello,

It's been frustrating as heck trying to get a straight answer as to whether stump shooting is allowed in the National Forest system of San Bernadino and San Jacinto, in Southern California. Would anyone know the answer?

Advice I've received from archers is that this is absolutely okay in National Forest areas. But I just got off the phone with a woman who staffed the park, and she said any archery is off limits. However (!) I've seen other text from the national forest website that seems to connote otherwise.

I just want to walk through the woods and shoot old, dead logs and clumps of dirt like I did when I was a kid in Michigan!!! How else can I maintain a more realistic practice off the range?! I would love to shoot in these mountains. Anyone know a website that verifies the answer?

Thanks so much, folks.

[Jakeemt]

Why not just go on ahead and do it? What's the worst that can happen man?

[Chewie146]

You have 2 very different words there.  I'm not familiar with the area, but park and forest are very different places.  Depending on where you are in a national forest,  you may cross national or state park boundaries.  Verify where you' will be and then read the regulations yourself.  It's easy, sadly, to get in hot water in the woods anymore.

[Angus]

yes, park staffers are familiar with park rules, but not with national forest rules.  For the national forests outside of national parks, shooting is allowed with some restrictions.  Pittman-Robertson act demands it, and that's the national act which governs the taxation of firearms and ammmo, archery, fishing gear, and a few other items.  If you're in a national park,(now)you can carry concealed with your permit, but no hunting/shooting.  I wonder though, in CA, which refuses to honor any other state's ccp, Yosemite may still be required to honor your permit.

[YosemiteSam]

On CCW permits, I believe that each National Park defaults to the state laws in which the park is located.  So Yosemite NP would only allow permit holders that can already legally carry elsewhere in CA.  As always, do your own research.  This is just my understanding.

Yes, parks and forests are different matters.  Stay out of state parks with anything lethal.  Sometimes, I'll walk through state park land to get to other properties.  I carry my bow unstrung to avoid any trouble.

Technically, even a lot of BLM land is off-limits to target shooting.  I had one BLM staff member "advise" me against letting my boys shoot their bows in the area (they were 4 and 6 at the time).  I thought that was ridiculous so I complied and waited until after 5 pm to allow my boys to stump shoot their bows around camp (staff gone home for the day).  I'll stump shoot off trail out there but  only during legal hunting seasons so it's less of an issue (game hunting is legal but target shooting is illegal).  I've never been confronted.  But I'm also pretty inconspicuous off trail.  I doubt many people even know I'm out there.  And with no noise, property damage or lead to worry about, I really don't think they care.  Maybe that's just our area.  So Cal might be different.

I think the issue is more with firearms shooting where it disrupts the wildlife and the public enjoyment.  One time, a couple young guys pulled up and unloaded a small arsenal and proceeded to do some target shooting just up the hill a ways.  Unfortunately, they weren't confronted.  We got ourselves out of there.  

It's rare to be confronted if what you're doing is safe and quiet.  A lot of trouble can be avoided by just being smart and respectful of others.