Billings and Pompeys Pillar National Monument

Resource Management Plan Revision

FACT SHEET: Target Shooting Policy

Program Contact: Tim Finger, Outdoor Recreation Specialist (406) 896-5248

It is the policy of the Bureau of Land Management to allow the safe use of firearms on public lands as long 

as such activity is permitted by federal, state, and local laws. On public lands in the Billings Field Office 

there are no designated target shooting sites managed by the BLM. Currently, target shooting is prohibited in 

some areas due to high public use and resource concerns. These locations include high use recreation areas

and certain other areas where posted, like Pompeys Pillar National Monument and ACEC.

Through the Billings and Pompeys Pillar National Monument Draft RMP/EIS, the Billings Field Office has 

identified other areas proposed for target shooting closures. These additional areas were identified due to 

damage to natural or cultural resources or for safety concerns. The Billings and Pompeys Pillar National 

Monument Draft RMP/EIS would allow target shooting in appropriate areas and prohibit target shooting in 

areas with resource conflicts (refer to management actions by alternative in the table below for areas 

available/prohibited to target shooting). 

The Billings Field office does not designate specific target shooting sites but would pursue or facilitate the 

transfer of fee title ownership of suitable areas commonly used for shooting areas to interested local 

governments or organizations. The Billings Field office can also employ the patent provisions of the 

Recreation and Public Purposes (R&PP) Act, 43 U.S.C. § 1721, to convey ownership of lands for shooting 

ranges to non-profit organizations or local governments with the stipulation of non-revision of fee title and 

with no monitoring requirements by BLM (refer to the Land Tenure and Access section).

The following table summarizes the total acres available for target shooting, specifically identifies the locations for target shooting 

closures, and provides rationale for closures.
Areas Identified with Resource or Safety Concerns

Alternative A

(No Action) Alternative B Alternative C Alternative D(Preferred)

17 Mile 

Recreation Area

 0 acres closed

 2,080 acres open –

ERMA

 0 acres closed

 2,080 acres open

 SRMA established -

Management emphasis 

on shooting

 0 acres closed

 2,080 acres open

 ERMA established - No management emphasis

Four Dances 

Natural Area 

ACEC/SRMA

 784 acres closed for 

resource and safety 

concerns.

 0 acres open

 784 acres closed for resource and safety concerns.

 0 acres open

 Managed as SRMA

Sundance Lodge 

SRMA

 387 acres closed for 

resource and safety 

concerns.

 0 acres open

 387 acres closed for safety concerns

 0 acres open

 Managed as SRMA

Acton Recreation 

Area

 3,697 acres closed for 

resource and safety 

concerns.

 0 acres open

 3,697 acres closed for resource and safety concerns.

 0 acres open

 SRMA established for general recreation activities

Shepherd Ah-Nei 

Recreation Area

 4,689 acres closed for 

recreation safety 

concern.

 0 acres open

 4,689 acres closed for recreation safety concerns.

 0 acres open

 SRMA established for OHV and general primitive recreation.

South Hills 

Recreation Area

 1,357 acres closed for 

safety concerns.

 0 acres open

 1,357 acres closed for safety concerns.

 0 acres open

 SRMA established for OHV activities

Pompeys Pillar 

National 

Monument and 

ACEC

 432 acres closed for 

resource concerns

 0 acres open

 432 acres closed for resource concerns

 0 acres open

 Historical emphasis

Castle Butte 

ACEC

 0 acres closed

 184 acres open

 184 acres closed for resource concerns

 0 acres open

Weatherman 

Draw ACEC

 0 acres closed

 4,365 acres open

 4,986 acres closed

 0 acres open

 12,277 acres closed

 0 acres open

Petroglyph 

Canyon

 0 acres closed

 240 acres open

 240 acres closed

 0 acres open

Pryor Mountain 

Wild Horse 

Range and East 

Pryor ACEC

 0 acres closed

 29,550 acres open

(PMWHR and ACEC)

 8,301 acres closed for 

resource concerns

 0 acres open

(PMWHR and ACEC)

 0 acres closed

 32,767 acres open

(PMWHR and ACEC)

 Not allowed in T.8 S., R. 28 E., 

from Memorial Day through 

Labor day for resource concerns

 Approximately 6,720 acres 

(PMWHR and ACEC)

Asparagus Point 

Area

 2 acres closed for 

safety concerns 

(parking area)

 156 acres open

 Managed as ERMA

 2 acres closed for 

safety concerns 

(parking area)

 156 acres open

 Managed as ERMA

 2 acres closed for 

safety concerns 

(parking area)

 156 acres open

 Managed as SRMA

 2 acres closed for safety 

concerns (parking area)

 156 acres open

 Managed as SRMA

Stark Site ACEC

 0 acres closed

 799 acres open

 799 acres closed for 

resource concerns

 0 acres open

 0 acres closed

 799 acres open

 799 acres closed for resource 

concerns

 0 acres open

Grove Creek 

ACEC

 0 acres closed

 8,251 acres open

 8,251 acres closed for 

resource concerns

 0 acres open

 0 acres closed

 9,445 acres open

 0 acres closed

 8,251 acres open

Total Field 

Office – BLM 

administered 

public lands

 11,348 acres closed to 

target shooting 

 422,185 acres open to 

target shooting (Map 

102) 

 34,109 acres closed for 

resource/safety 

concerns (Map 103)

 400,045 acres open to 

target shooting

 24,049 acres closed for 

resource/safety 

concerns (Map 104)

 410,105 acres open to 

target shooting

 31,586 acres closed for 

resource/safety concerns (Map 

105)

 402,568 acres open to target 

shooting