The Dec. 16 article, “Do We Need More Gun Ranges?” was way off the mark. Instead of delving into gun ranges and public shooting locations, the reporter spent too much of the story talking about gun sales, social unrest and presidential elections.
There are plenty of places to shoot in the Four Corners area. Cortez and Farmington, N.M. have superb gun ranges and shooting activities. There is also lots of public land available. The author didn’t ask public land officials what rules apply to casual shooters using public land. I shoot on public land a lot, making sure my location is safe, has a good backstop and no dwellings nearby. I only shoot at paper targets on my own target stands (not attached to any trees) and pick up any litter that might be left behind.
There are lots of private instructors available, teaching novices on gun safety, concealed carry and basic marksmanship. Gun Ranges and the clubs that operate them can be found at 4cornersrifleandpistol.com (Cortez); durangogunclub.org (Durango) and sjwf.org (San Juan Wildlife Federation, Farmington, N.M.) They also have information on certified instructors and classes available.
Too bad the reporter didn’t do his homework and a little more research instead of bringing politics into the story.
Roger Lawrence
Dolores