BLM Bans Recreational Shooting in Bears Ears

The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) has proposed a ban on recreational shooting within the 1.36 million-acre Bears Ears National Monument in Utah, sparking backlash from sportsman groups and firearms associations. The ban, part of a management plan developed with input from Native American tribes, aims to protect the monument's cultural and natural resources while allowing for hunting. Critics, including the National Shooting Sports Foundation and the Sportsmen’s Alliance, argue that the ban violates the John D. Dingell, Jr. Conservation, Management, and Recreation Act by not providing legally justified reasons for the closure. They assert that the BLM failed to consider less restrictive alternatives and plan to challenge the ban in court. The BLM's plan also includes substantial restrictions on off-highway vehicle use in the area, raising concerns that similar bans could extend to other co-managed public lands. The plan is currently open for a 30-day protest period before final approval.