A planned shooting complex that will disrupt native wildlife is moving forward despite various warnings from biologists and residents.
What's happening?
The massive Wyoming State Shooting Complex is set for a location in Park County, just south of Cody, where sage grouse, mule deer, and other animals thrive, WyoFile reported. The so-called "world-class shooting operation" is expected to "draw gun enthusiasts from far and wide." Construction could begin in July after the state distributes $10 million for the facility.
Pronghorn and elk also roam the 2,036-acre site, which was approved by a task force that did not sufficiently weigh an alternate location in Campbell County with "far fewer concerns with wildlife," according to WyoFile.
"Ground-disturbing activities and extensive human presence can result in the disturbance or displacement of wintering big game and loss of habitat, potentially impacting the viability of local populations," cautioned Wyoming's Game and Fish Department. It stated that 76 species of the greatest conservation need will be affected.
Park County resident Greg Mayton, a former biologist and former WGFD employee, said the agency actually pushed for support of the site, minimizing wildlife concerns.
Andy Quick, a former Cody town councilor, told WyoFile that the Cody location is actually better than another proposed spot north of town "that was really a bad idea," as it is a designated elk birthing area.
Why is this important?
Other officials have backed the plot, which is just over three square miles. Former Park County Commissioner Lee Livingston, who played a big role in pitching the complex for this site, said all of Wyoming can be called a wildlife habitat. State Senator Larry Hicks and National Shooting Sports Foundation lobbyist Nephi Cole claimed that wildlife learn to coexist with gunfire, infrastructure, and human activity.
"Other large ranges, they're typically fairly non-invasive, believe it or not, for wildlife," Cole told WyoFile. "They accustomize to it, they don't view it as a hindrance. You end up getting deer, antelope and elk all over ranges, to the extent you have to move them for competitions to make sure that they're not around targets."
Hicks said seasonal schedules and a mitigation plan could help protect native species. However, WyoFile noted that the federally protected sage grouse are "particularly sensitive to noise. The birds' core habitat covers about one square mile of the site, which includes two breeding grounds. Additionally, mule deer — a species in decline across the state because of habitat loss and human development — use almost the entire space as crucial habitat, especially in winter.
"It's just going to fracture more habitat and it's just one more step in the wrong direction, as far as I'm concerned," Quick told WyoFile. "I think recreation and hunting are also going to lose out. I know that the state land can be managed as de facto private land, which is inherently a problem in and of itself."
TCD Picks » Upway Spotlight
💡Upway makes it easy to find discounts of up to 60% on premium e-bike brands
|
Do you think governments should ban the production of gas-powered lawn equipment? Click your choice to see results and speak your mind. |
Absolutely 💯 What's being done about the shooting complex?
The Game and Fish Department will not formally comment on the plan unless it is asked to do so by the Office of State Lands and Investment, Warden Dan Smith told WyoFile.
However, Melissa DeFrantis, public information officer for the State Board of Land Commissioners, said a formal review was the general practice.
If WGFD does comment, and its recommendations mirror those of the existing review, the complex "could be saddled with significant restrictions that inhibit its construction and operations," according to WyoFile.
WGFD said that to protect sage grouse breeding sites, construction and development should not occur from March 15 to June 30. It advised a similar ban on human activity at the complex from Nov. 15 to April 30 to protect mule deer.
Join our free newsletter for good news and useful tips, and don't miss this cool list of easy ways to help yourself while helping the planet.
Cool Picks
