LBJ Grasslands - long - Urgent!!
Steven Springer
and paste some of the Forest Service own words and write a letter to get a
public shooting range in the Dallas/Ft. Worth area.
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The following is from the USDA / Forest Service Final Environmental Impact
Statement (FEIS) for the Revised Land and Resource Management Plan for the
National Forest & Grasslands in Texas. The final plan, alternative 8, was
approved in 1996.
Eis-Chapter III - Part II(a)
Pages 144 - 145
Shooting Ranges
Affected Environment - Forest and Grasslands
There are no shooting ranges on the Forest or Caddo/LBJ National Grasslands.
Shooting, especially target shooting, is a serious problem on the LBJ
Grasslands, which is within 45 minutes drive of Ft. Worth and Dallas. Heavy
use by shooters with firearms such as handguns to rifles, automatic weapons,
to small cannons occur. Other users and adjacent property owners have
complained about the noise of shooting and bullets flying through the air.
Unregulated shooting on the LBJ has resulted in near misses, wounded
livestock, and damage to private property and resources from stray bullets.
In 1991, a public scoping process solicited comments and concerns regarding
shooting on the LBJ National Grasslands and the development of shooting
ranges. The Forest Service received overwhelming support from respondents
for the construction of shooting ranges. While the Forest Service realizes
shooting and hunting are legitimate recreational pursuits, responsibility
for providing a safe environment for public uses is most important. As a
result of the complaints, scoping and evaluation of the situation, the
Forest Service on August 16, 1993, closed all of the LBJ, except for 500
acres, to all rifle and pistol shooting. Recreational target shooting is
now confined to two areas on the LBJ. Five-hundred acres will remain open
to rifle, pistol and shotgun target shooting, and closed to all forms of
hunting. Another 180 acres will be open to clay pigeon shooting with
shotguns. Automatic weapons are prohibited!
All hunting on the LBJ is limited to shotgun and black powder firearms and
bows and arrows. This action has greatly increased safety on the LBJ.
This action also opens 800 acres of land to hunting with shot gun, black
powder rifle or bow and arrow, that have been closed to hunting in the past
because of safety.
Environmental Consequences of the Alternatives (Shooting Ranges)
Alternatives 2 and 3 would provide for the development of one shooting range
and maintain the existing open shooting areas. Hunting would remain
restricted to shotgun, black powder rifles or bows and arrows only.
Cooperative agreements with the National rifle Association could be utilized
in the development of any shooting ranges.
Alternatives 5, 6, and 7 would be the same as Alternatives 2 and 3, except
they would allow for developing two more ranges, possibly one for bow and
arrow target shooting.
Alternatives 4, 4a, 4b and 8 would propose two to five ranges with some
development on the Caddo and the development of an archery range. These
alternatives would also add two more areas for open shooting and keep the
Grasslands hunting restricted to shotgun, black powder rifle or bow and
arrow.
Safety of the public will remain a primary objective of shooting and hunting
on the Grasslands.
### end ###
(bold is my emphasis)
note: Alternative 8 was selected by the Forest Service.
On page 13 of Appendix E of the "Revised Land and Resource Management Plan"
is a list of existing and proposed developed recreational areas and the
types of projects planned for those areas that will contribute to the
achievement of the Forest's desired future condition. This list shows that
the construction of a shooting range at the Caddo/LBJ Grasslands is a high
priority.
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In the middle of May, 1997, the Forest Service issued this news release:
News Release
Date: May 12, 1997
Lufkin, TX
U.S. Forest Service
701 North First Street
Lufkin, TX 75906
Public Affairs
409-639-8754
Contact Al Matecko
The U.S. Forest Service will prohibit the use of firearms or crossbows on
the L.B.J. Grasslands Unit 71 beginning June 2. The area popular to shooting
enthusiast from Dallas/FT. Worth, Denton, & Sherman areas will be
re-established as a target practice area after new shooting range stations
are constructed.
According to National Forest & Grasslands in Texas Supervisor Ronnie Raum
"Our concern is the health & safety of those people enjoying their National
Grasslands and the health of the Grasslands ecosystems.
"For years, open target shooting has been occurring in this area. Though no
shooting accidents have occurred, with the increased number of shooters
visiting this area, we needed to take action before tragedy occurs."
Raum added, "The shooting stations will be built with recycled tires. Their
design incorporates the best safety features along with ways to prevent
harmful environmental damage. The new shooting stations, when open, will
require self-policing for people to pick up their empty shells and other
debris. We want to (sic) people to enjoy themselves in a safe, responsible
manner."
Forest Service officials led by Raum & L.B.J. Grassland Ranger Rick Brazell
worked with local citizens, Rifle organizations and other concerned groups
to arrive at a mutually agreeable and acceptable decision.
Brazell said, "We're proud of the Grasslands and we realize this area
represents different interest to different people. It is our goal to make
everyone's visit to the Grasslands a pleasant one whether people are target
shooting, hiking, riding a horse, fishing, bird watching or just enjoying
the peace and beauty of this area. The closure to open shooting and the
construction of shooting stations goes a long way to increasing the beauty
of the Grasslands for all to enjoy.
No date has been projected for the completion of the shooting stations.
--30--
5-97-11
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In June of 1997 a sign announced the closure of the LBJ Grasslands Unit 71
to all target shooting:
Notice of Closure
And New Regulations
Effective June 2, 1997 the shooting area within unit # 71 LBJ National
Grasslands is closed to open target shooting by order # GL-97/05 for the
protection of public health and safety. Unit # 71 will reopen in the near
future to target shooting within designated developed shooting stations
only. Please contact the Caddo/LBJ National Grasslands at 817-627-5475 for
additional information.
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As far back as 1993, the Forest Service recognized that target shooting is a
legitmate sport. However, their "solution" to make a safer shooting
enviornment at the Grasslands was faulty. They elected to close the +/-
20,000 acres of the Grasslands to target shooters and cram them all into 500
acres of Unit 71. This resulted in too many shooter in a confined area. It
was not unusual to have 15 or more shooters at the 2 or 3 safer areas at
Unit 71. Here is a copy of Forest Supervisor Alan Newman's order
restricting target shooting to just Unit 71:
August 12, 1993
News Release
LBJ Shooting Issue
(Decatur, Texas) -- Target shooting will be confined to about 880 acres on
two units of the Lyndon B. Johnson National Grassland under orders to be
issued Monday (Aug. 16) by the supervisor of the National Forest and
Grasslands in Texas.
Supervisor Alan G. Newman explained he is signing the orders to resolve
indiscriminate shooting problems on the area, 40 miles northwest of the
Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex.
"For years we've had complaints from our neighbors and visitors about near
misses, wounded livestock and damage to private property and resources. Use
of the area is increasing, and for safety's sake, we had to do something
about the shooting," Newman said.
Under his orders, recreational rifle and pistol target shooting will be
confined to a designated area of about 500 acres in the southeast portion of
the 20,000- acre grassland.
About 380 acres on the western border of the LBJ will be open to clay pigeon
shooting with shotguns.
Full automatic weapons will be banned.
The order also specifies that hunting weapons will be limited to shotguns,
black power weapons and bows and arrows.
"The LBJ is an area of intermingled private and federal land," Newman
explained. "in, fact, we manage only about one-fifth of the area within the
grassland's borders.
Newman explained that, because of the rifle and pistol limitation, 800 acres
of the LBJ that have been closed to hunting will now be open.
According to the forest supervisor, his orders are an interim solution to
the problem. The final solution will be a part of the agency's management
plan for the national forest and grasslands in Texas.
He explained that that plan is now being revised and should be published in
1995.
In the meantime, he said, additional changes may take place on the
grasslands.
"We hope we can sign up partners to develop shooting ranges, for instance.
We recognize target shooting and hunting as legitimate sports. In fact, many
of our employees, my self included, take part. But as an agency, we have to
provide a safe environment for visitors and our neighbors," Newman said.
According to the supervisor, the Forest Service consulted numerous
individuals and organizations while searching for solutions to the problem.
"We were presented options that varied from 'business as usual,' that is,
unrestricted firearms use, to complete closure. I believe the new rules
represent a pretty good compromise, yet one that will help ensure a safe
experience for anyone on or near the LBJ."
The new rules take effect Monday Aug. 16.
######
8-93-41
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I apoligise for the length of this and the html format that I had to put it
in. But I wanted to post some history so that some of you (I hope) will
take the time and write to the Forest Service to demand that they follow
their own plan and build safe shooting ranges that are high demand by the
public (according to their own documents)!
Please write to:
District Ranger
Caddo/LBJ National Grasslands
P.O. Box 507
Decatur, TX 76234
Include:
Name, Adress, Daytime Phone Number
Title of the document on which the comments are being made.
Specific facts or comments along with supporting reasons that you believe
the district ranger should consider in reaching a decision.
Deadline is March 25, 1999!!!!
Steven Springer
"We were presented options that varied from 'business as usual,' that is,
unrestricted firearms use, to complete closure. I believe the new rules
represent a pretty good compromise, yet one that will help ensure a safe
experience for anyone on or near the LBJ." See what you get when you
compromise???
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Please find out about rec.guns at http://doubletap.cs.umd.edu/rec.guns