A Bureau of Land Management ranger responded to a report of shots fired in Canyons of the Ancients National Monument about 12:30 p.m., according to Sheriff Steve Nowlin.
Nowlin said someone called 911 to report that target shooting was taking place in the area of BLM Road 4726 west of the northern trailhead of Sand Canyon.
The emergency call was received by the Navajo Police Department, Nowlin said, which contacted the Sheriff’s Office.
BLM Ranger Tyler Fouss said the BLM officer who responded to the incident reported that a man was target shooting “in a safe manner” but the activity is not allowed on the monument.
Hikers camped in the area called 911 to report the activity. There were no injuries, and nobody was shot at, Fouss said.
Target shooting is prohibited on Canyons of the Ancients National Monument, according the Resource Management Plan, Fouss said. Hunting on the BLM monument is allowed during legitimate seasons and with proper permits.
The target shooter had set up in an area with a good backdrop, away from vegetation, and had picked up the shell casings, Fouss said. But the man was in the wrong area, and was educated that the activity is not allowed in the monument.
Illegal target shooting has occurred in the area of the monument before, and Fouss advised target shooters to only practice on public lands where it is allowed.
The target shooting was taking place in an area southwest of the Sand Canyon Pueblo and trailhead.
The 911 caller informed dispatch that there were no injuries, and that a person shooting had a makeshift target set up across the ridge from them, according to scanner traffic.
jmimiaga@the-journal.com
