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Old 01-07-2022, 02:20 PM
 
42 posts, read 63,837 times
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Does anyone know of a place to target practice in the west valley desert? i am not looking for pay ranges, just public land to shoot.
Thanks
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Old 01-07-2022, 03:15 PM
 
Location: Arizona
7,501 posts, read 4,349,181 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by wildbillhiccup View Post
Does anyone know of a place to target practice in the west valley desert? i am not looking for pay ranges, just public land to shoot.
Thanks
I don't know about the west valley? But what I've found is that there are plenty of desolate places throughout Arizona that you can drive to, pull off the road, wander out into the desert and do some target shooting. A lot of it is on BLM land where target shooting is allowed providing you don't destroy any property or leave any trash behind. As it should be.

Quote:
Arizona | Bureau of Land Management
Recreational Shooting in Arizona Target shooting is generally allowed on BLM-administered public lands, as long as it is done in a safe manner, without damaging natural resources or improvements on public lands. Click here for all details on recreational shooting on BLM lands.
http://www.blm.gov/programs/recreati...ooting/arizona
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Old 01-08-2022, 08:15 AM
 
42 posts, read 63,837 times
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I was hoping to make a regular spot to shoot and really don't want to drive hours to do that. With covid, the public ranges are open 3 days on the weekend, which means a long line to wait in. I don't really like indoor ranges.
Thanks
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Old 01-08-2022, 08:40 AM
 
Location: Phoenix, AZ
6,341 posts, read 4,896,476 times
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I had to give up desert shooting decades ago thanks to all the development expanding outward from Phoenix and Scottsdale.

I would recommend the Ben Avery Shooting Range at I-17 and the Carefree Highway.

Open from Wed through Sun. Needs reservations these days. $7.00.

There's some distance between shooters, looks like at least 6'. See video.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bK6Zn13MBqI
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Old 01-08-2022, 08:51 AM
 
Location: Sonoran Desert
39,073 posts, read 51,209,674 times
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Snowbirds are parked all over the BLM land I used to go to now. If not snowbirds, then it's ATVs everywhere. Where they aren't, BLM has closed the land for shooting because of all the destruction of vehicles and the mess left by shooters. You have to go out to Harquahala Mts to get away from all the tourists and shooting bans on BLM. If you do manage to find a spot, you can be sure there will be a nearby group or two of drunks and lowlifes firing all over the place. There are just way too many people now to find the solitude to do some shooting.
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Old 01-08-2022, 08:54 AM
 
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I've been to Ben Avery Range, its still a public range, which I prefer not to shoot at public ranges.
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Old 01-08-2022, 10:06 AM
 
Location: Sonoran Desert
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There's a public range at Robbins Butte on MC 85 near Buckeye. Weekends only.
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Old 01-08-2022, 11:36 AM
 
Location: Arizona
7,501 posts, read 4,349,181 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by wildbillhiccup View Post
I was hoping to make a regular spot to shoot and really don't want to drive hours to do that. With covid, the public ranges are open 3 days on the weekend, which means a long line to wait in. I don't really like indoor ranges.
Thanks
I don't like public ranges at all. I guess how far you have to drive depends on where you are? I live in a semi rural part of Arizona. Where I am I don't have to go too far. In fact there are places that I can hike to from my neighborhood. A lot of times I'll take a ride out towards Bagdad, obviously that's way out of the way for you. There's a lot of ATV trails that go out into the middle of nowhere. I've found a few good places to park my truck off the main road, and hike along those trails until I find a good spot.

There's just nobody out there for miles around. You could probably set off a nuclear bomb out there and nobody would hear it. As long as you do not leave any trash behind, disturb the landscape or destroy any property nobody will bother you. It's also a felony for shooting a Saguaro Cactus. Why anyone would want to is beyond me?

Quote:
popularask.net › is-it-legal-to-cut-down-a-saguaro Is it legal to cut down a saguaro cactus? | PopularAsk.net ...
In Arizona, cactus rustling — stealing or killing the state’s iconic saguaros — is a felony. It’s illegal to shoot or deface the iconic cactuses or to remove them from parks, where the slow- https://popularask.net/is-it-legal-t...aguaro-cactus/
Attached Thumbnails
Desert shooting locations in the west valley-img_2787.jpg   Desert shooting locations in the west valley-img_2789.jpg   Desert shooting locations in the west valley-img_2143.jpg  

Last edited by Ex New Yorker; 01-08-2022 at 11:58 AM..
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Old 01-08-2022, 02:18 PM
 
42 posts, read 63,837 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Ponderosa View Post
There's a public range at Robbins Butte on MC 85 near Buckeye. Weekends only.
I'll have to check that out, thanks!
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Old 01-10-2022, 03:08 PM
 
42 posts, read 63,837 times
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Well Robbins is a bust. I talked to an officer with the fish and game that out of chance happen to be there. He said all the area has now become a wildlife sanctuary and no target shooting. Back to the drawing board, any more places?
Thanks
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