DOUGLAS COUNTY, Colo. (KOAA) — The Forest Service said they’ve issued 10 citations with mandatory court summons for people violating a shooting closure at Turkey Tracks Shooting Area.
The federal agency took the drastic step of restricting recreational target shooting in the Pike-San Isabel National Forest from April 1 through August 1 due to elevated fire danger.
Violating the closure by discharging a firearm, air rifle, or gas gun is punishable by a fine up to $5,000 for individuals, $10,000 for an organization, imprisonment for six months, or both.
Turkey Tracks, which is within the Forest Service closure boundary, is a site of constant wildfires due to target shooting. Turkey Tracks is one of just six sites that allow target shooting in all of Pike National Forest.
- Watch News5's coverage of the wildfires at Turkey Tracks below:
In April 2025, a 128-acre fire came close to crossing the highway, which increased fears for nearby neighbors. The federal agency has previously said the shooting area triggers five to 10 wildfires a year.
“Going into restrictions is not taken lightly by the Forest Service,” said an April 1 press release. “Restrictions are necessary due to dry fuel conditions, persistent fire weather patterns and the danger of human-caused wildfires from recreation usage across the forests and grasslands. Recent dry, windy and hot weather conditions have resulted in an elevated potential for wildfires.”
The proactive closure was welcome relief for nearby residents like Dan Voth, who’s been very outspoken about the target shooting.
He’s previously pushed for Douglas County Sheriff’s Office (DCSO) to close the range when fire danger is high, but the sheriff said he doesn’t have the jurisdiction to do so since it’s on federal land.
- Watch News5's coverage of the jurisdiction issue below:
“This is a good temporary solution,” said Voth. “We're on a good path here, although I don't think it's a permanent solution because I would anticipate the forest order expiring on August 1, and I don't see anything that would prevent them from opening back up to recreational shooting after that.”
Voth is hopeful that Douglas County will be granted a Forest Service Special Use Permit, which would allow DCSO to shut the site down during high fire danger days.
But as News5 previously reported, the permit is facing bureaucratic delays. At the last update in December, the Forest Service said there is no timeline for when it might be issued.
- Watch News5's coverage of the bureaucratic delay below:
Apart from that, Douglas County and the Forest Service also plan to build out Turkey Tracks into a formal shooting range.
Douglas County Commissioner George Teal previously said grant money would transform the "currently unmanaged site to a series of safe, well-defined, structured, shooting galleries."
But the timeline on that build-out also remains unclear.
Until then, the Forest Service said they’ve increased patrols of Turkey Tracks during the closure and increased signage to inform more people trying to shoot that it's prohibited.
The Forest Service also said they’re coordinating with DCSO to increase enforcement prohibition.
A DCSO deputy was observed at the Turkey Tracks gates when reporting this story. The deputy said target shooters are still driving in from around the state to the area. He noted some have come in the middle of the night to shoot in an apparent effort to avoid law enforcement.
“Most of the neighbors are very attuned to obviously the fire risk out here, and they're very attuned to the night shooting because [the] response is even slower at night,” said Voth. “Notwithstanding this current weather condition we're in right now, the fire hazard is pretty much the same day and night, so it's of grave concern to the neighbors who hear the shooting.”
Despite the closure, the gates to Turkey Tracks remain open. The DCSO deputy said that's at the request of the Forest Service so that the public can still have access to the land.
Though the state has seen some snowstorms in recent weeks, which is welcome relief from the record warm winter, Voth said he hoped the much-needed moisture doesn’t cause the Forest Service to immediately reopen the shooting range.
“As soon as this snowpack goes away and drains off from this storm, within a day, this grass is going to be right back to the same level of humidity it was before the storm hit,” said Voth. “This snow, it's very welcome. But, it's a very temporary reprieve from the fire hazards out here.”
Email Senior Reporter Brett Forrest at brett.forrest@koaa.com. Follow @brettforrestTV on X and Brett Forrest News on Facebook.
Colorado Springs prioritizing northern city areas, busier roadways during May storm
Colorado Springs deployed its fleet of 55 snowplows as a winter storm brought wintry conditions to the area, with city crews responding as temperatures dropped and snow began to accumulate.
____
Watch KOAA News5 on your time, anytime with our free streaming app available for your Roku, FireTV, AppleTV and Android TV. Just search KOAA News5, download and start watching.
