Winter Rifle Range Closure

Winter can be a treacherous time of the year for wildlife, especially with the freezing temperatures and relentless winds we have been encountering lately.

Mike Porras with Colorado Parks and Wildlife, is reminding folks in Colorado. The seasonal closure of the Byers Canyon Shooting Range in Hot Sulphur Springs will begin on Jan. 9 and shooters are advised to seek alternative shooting areas during the closure.

Colorado Parks and Wildlife closes the range to human activity each winter in an effort to protect wildlife from human-caused stress during the coldest time of the year.

The range typically reopens in mid to late April; however, because of planned improvements coming this spring, CPW officials say it will not likely reopen until late May.

"We will be adding 4 rifle lanes, 2 more handgun lanes, including a 100-yard handgun range and a 50-yard lane for .22 rifles," said Wildlife Technician Doug Gillham. "We will also be replacing shooting benches, so the wait will be worth it for people that enjoy this popular range."

Gillham notes the generosity of Alpine Site Service of Westminster for the donation of several shade shelters.

"All of these upgrades just makes a great range that much better," he said.

CPW's Byers Canyon Shooting Range is popular with shooting enthusiasts from across the West Slope because of it's size, amenities and minimal wait times. The free, public range is also used extensively by Front Range shooters due to its proximity to Metro Denver.

For more information about CPW shooting ranges and alternative places to shoot, visit the CPW website.