Shooting In/Around Sedona, AZ

[kingpin008]

Hey ya'll - the wife and I will be honeymooning for two weeks in Sedona in January, and we're planning on bringing a few pistols with us. We're hosting some friends from Scottsdale one weekend while we're down there, and I was hoping to spend one of the days with them teaching them how to shoot.

Ideally, I'd like to do so in an informal setting, outside of an actual range. Partly because we'll have very little actual spending cash during our time there, and partly because I've never had the chance to just go out in the desert and make some tin cans dance, ya know?

So long story short, I'm looking for tips and advice on finding suitable (and legal!) spots to shoot not too far from Sedona. I know that it is possible to do so (as long as it's BLM land, or something like that) but I also want to make sure we won't be trespassing or putting anyone in danger.

Thanks so much!

 

[Blackrock]

Pick up a De Lorme Arizona Atlas. That will show you Federal, State and priate lands. I am not familiar with the back country around there but I am sure there are plenty of spots to shoot in.

 

[kingpin008]

I'll do that, thanks. I'm assuming we can shoot on state lands, but not private or Federal, yes?

 

[loop]

In Arizona you can shoot anywhere that is not within 1/4 of mile from an occupied building and is either public land or is not posted.

Although you may legally shoot in many places you must use common sense to avoid potential "endangerment" situations.

Much of Arizona is available for shooting because 83 percent of the state is owned by government or tribes.

In the area around Sedona I usually go north of town up Oak Creek and go off on one of the two track trails into the Nat'l Forest. Shooting is permitted there and it is usually nice and cool.

The area has seen a lot of development so you have to be pretty thorough when going out in the desert and make absolutely certain there isn't a house tucked away behind some rocks. The most "open" desert land is to the west of town.