"With the extreme dry conditions, any spark can start a fire. With firearm target shooting, sparks from metal targets, a bullet or other projectiles glancing off a rock is all it takes to cause a spark and a fire."

310,000 acres burned already — more than the last four years combined — and two WMA fires in 2020 were traced directly to target shooting. That's not speculation, that's paperwork. If you've ever seen what a ricochet off a rock does at a desert range in August, you know exactly what Edgley is describing.

The order is worth reading carefully before you head out. Legal carry, transport, and hunting aren't touched — this is specifically about target shooting on WMA land in those 17 counties. Lee Kay and Cache Valley are still open, and the order gets reviewed every two weeks, so it's not necessarily a permanent summer situation.

For anyone who does most of their practice on WMA ground — have you already shifted to one of the state ranges, or do you have a private spot that's not affected?

Read the full article in The Handbook → | By Steve Duskett