Bozeman, MT, April 1, 2024— As the winter season comes to an end and the weather starts to warm up, many visitors are expected to flock to the Custer Gallatin National Forest for recreational activities such as target shooting and sighting in rifles for spring hunting seasons. Forest officials are reminding visitors to abide by forest regulations when using the shooting range. Shoot only approved targets like paper and metal, and be sure to pack out all targets, trash, and brass when leaving.

Forest officials are also reminding visitors to adhere to the food storage order to prevent any potential negative encounters with bears. Shooting food items and beverage containers can spread food and scented substances on the ground, which can attract bears, ultimately leading to future bear conflicts.

“We are observing a significant amount of general refuse, including mostly pallets, wood, boxes, paper, and similar materials, along with items that violated the Food Storage Order,” stated Randy Scarlett, a Wildlife Biologist for the Custer Gallatin. “These items encompassed full beverage and beer cans that had been used as shooting targets, resulting in their contents being scattered everywhere, fruits that had been shot at, and oil containers used similarly. We must improve our practices in cleaning up after ourselves and utilizing appropriate targets.”

The Custer Gallatin National Forest encourages all visitors to assist in keeping both humans and wildlife safe by following forest regulations. To learn more about bear safety and food storage guidelines, please visit Custer Gallatin National Forest – Outdoor Safety & Ethics (usda.gov). For information on IGBC-approved products, such as containers and electric fencing, please visitwww.igbconline.org. Additionally, it is important to properly dispose of waste to preserve the environment. Check outPrinciple 3: Dispose of Waste Properly – Leave No Trace Center (lnt.org) to understand the significance of disposing of trash correctly.