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EAGLE MOUNTAIN — Conflicts over target shooting are flaring up again along the western shores of Utah Lake.
In December 2012, there was so much shooting going on near Lake Mountain that target shooters were in danger of hitting each other, and wildfires sparked regularly. Officials from the U.S. Bureau of Land Management and Utah County reacted by closing the area to shooting — but that's not a permanent solution, and the problems are not over.
BLM officials say the 900-acre closure has been effective for public safety, but the damage has moved up Soldier Pass.
"There's Native American rock art on the hill that is getting pecked out with bullets and paint splatter from inappropriate target usage," said Kevin Oliver, BLM West Desert district manager.
Utah County residents Steven and Diana Acerson, who love to hike in the area, have also noticed the growing problem. Along with the rock art damage, they’ve spotted garbage and about a dozen old juniper trees riddled with bullets.
"That just really upset me because it looks like blatant destruction," Diana Acerson said.
A year ago, the Acersons helped a large group remove 13 tons of garbage from the area.
"It's a very small group that is doing those types of things,” said Steven Acerson. “We need to let them know that we don't want that to happen around here."
Shooters even dumped illegally shot animal carcasses at a parking area.
"I don't know if that’s some kind of comment that ‘we have the right to shoot,’ but that's just the destruction of living things,” Steven Acerson said.
Most BLM lands are open for public shooting, and Utah County has applied for a 160-acre shooting range on BLM land.
The agency urges target shooters to be responsible by using paper targets and a good backstop, and to clean up afterwards. "The most important thing is that people are safe and pick up their trash after they get done shooting,” Oliver said.
The BLM recently announced it will be gathering public input to put together a plan for all users. Public meetings will be announced on the BLM website, www.blm.gov/ut/st/en.html, and comments can be emailed to blm_ut_sl_comments@blm.gov.
