BLM Land Searching

[CJ1992]

Fortunately there’s a lot a lot BLM land around me to check out. I’m mainly curious outside of the law is there any etiquette when finding a new spot? Should I check with neighboring land owners? Do you go for BLM land or national forest areas? Any tips on the matter outside of what I asked is welcome. Thanks

 

[Serbianguy]

Why would you check with neighboring land owners? BLM land is public land, you don’t owe nearby landowners a thing.

 

[.dC0m]

• Make sure you have a backstop.
• Check with your local BLM website for rules & regulations. During certain months, there's fire restrictions which usually calls for no steel core or incendiary/tracer rounds.
• Pack it in, pack it out. Don't be like others and leave BLMs worst than when you found it.
• Bring a full medkit.

 

[GeeQ87]

doesn’t hurt to check with BLM. Some BLM land goes as close as 1/4 mile from homes so some rules may be different. My cousin lives less than a quarter mile from land so I reached out to them. Also, low light shooting may be different too.

But as far as etiquette… don’t trash the place, especially if it seems to have low trait… med kit is a must especially with most BLM land is far from medical facilities, especially with steel targets.

 

[DuckDawg22]

The OnX app is a great way to find BLM land, and shows your position via GPS as it relates to boundaries so you're never in an illegal spot.

 

[ar15robert]

Start looking at maps. And if I’m some areas or certain parts of counties shooting may not be allowed so look out for that.

You can find an area and give the local area a call once you find a spot. I have blm near me and there’s one area shooting is no longer allowed but can drive 5 miles further and good to go.

 

[Shackkat]

Besides what was suggested above, be aware some areas may be limited to shotgun rounds only. I’ve had BLM rangers roll up to us once or twice. Both times they were impressed that we brought a rake and garbage bags with us to haul out our trash.

 

[Jimi Jah]

Most BLM Rangers are pretty nice. One guy compared his AR to mine. He loved my Jeep and hated his BLM SUV. I use paper targets (political campaign signs) and always clean up.

 

[ar15robert]

Most BLM Rangers are pretty nice. One guy compared his AR to mine. He loved my Jeep and hated his BLM SUV. I use paper targets (political campaign signs) and always clean up.

Use to go by calico often in back in the day. Late 90s there was one who was way cool think name was Barry Nelson was head ranger iirc. Also a gun guy too very friendly stopped by once and just checked to see where we were shooting towards and made sure we stayed clean.

Was right after the sb23 ban he just asked if our ars were legal we said yup didn’t check anymore. Just said if guns are legal you’re good to shoot them here. He also had an ar as well. Said he at times keeps in his jeep then and might do some shooting if he was having a slow day.

 

[GeeQ87]

The freeroam app also gives you specific BLM land boundaries and offers gps tracking

 

[colossians323]

The OnX app is a great way to find BLM land, and shows your position via GPS as it relates to boundaries so you're never in an illegal spot.

Yeah, my land borders BLM land and I have people trespassing frequently. Not that it is clearly marked, but my bet is most of the people have the OnX app and know that they are hunting on my property. It is ripe with all kinds of wild life. I mainly find spent shotgun shells from bird hunters. I have been busy cutting roads on the property, when I am done, I plan to start putting up no trespassing signs.

 

[Ro-bo]

• Make sure you have a backstop.

Please do that if nothing else.
For many years, one of my favorite camping spots was up a small canyon trail on what used to be the fringe of Joshua Tree NP (now in the park itself). The trail use to look impassable at a certain point, and dead ended at a wash well beyond line of sight. Invariably, people would set up at the lower point when I'd be further up the canyon. I lost count of how many times people shot *up* the trail, rather than use a real backstop, and ended up zinging us with bullets.

So, yes. Please don't discard rule #4 even if it looks like nobody is around. It's really annoying to eat your breakfast under small arms fire.

 

[CJ1992]

Please do that if nothing else.
For many years, one of my favorite camping spots was up a small canyon trail on what used to be the fringe of Joshua Tree NP (now in the park itself). The trail use to look impassable at a certain point, and dead ended at a wash well beyond line of sight. Invariably, people would set up at the lower point when I'd be further up the canyon. I lost count of how many times people shot *up* the trail, rather than use a real backstop, and ended up zinging us with bullets.

So, yes. Please don't discard rule #4 even if it looks like nobody is around. It's really annoying to eat your breakfast under small arms fire.

Would these bullets be skipping up to you? I found a spot but that’s my concern at this point. It’s not a very steep burm. It’s 200 yards to the top of the hill. Would this be a bad spot in your opinion? Is there a way to tell the bullets are skipping vs stopping?

 

[Ro-bo]

Err on the side of caution, but that sounds fine since you can probably see bullet strikes if you pay attention. Where I was talking about, the trail was a slight elevation gain up a blind wash where it flattened out. So people would set up essentially shooting uphill and with nothing but the distant walls of that wash as the "backstop". It was hard to see that the trail turned and continued on, but still no excuse to just shoot without regard to where those rounds were going. At least what you describe, you're shooting into *something*.

Guns are off limits in the whole area now since the park expanded boundaries.