Bullet holes in
bungalows
In Prescott,
Ariz., living near a national forest can be dangerous. Stray slugs
from target shooters have pockmarked residents’ hot tubs, porches,
roofs and patio furniture. “They think they’re out in the middle of
nowhere and they can just shoot,” says Carol Brownlow, a Prescott
homeowner, in the Arizona Republic. On Nov. 29, the Forest Service
took action, banning all shooting within 3 square miles of the 1.2
million-acre Prescott National Forest. Licensed hunters may still
shoot game during hunting seasons, but other shooters could pay up
to $500 and spend six months in jail. Although known for its
pro-gun stand, the National Rifle Association took a different tack
on this issue. Bob Corbin, the president of the National Rifle
Association and former state attorney general, happens to own a
home bordering the Prescott National Forest. “I’d be griping too,”
he said. “We’re not going to step in and defend irresponsible
people.” Prescott forest staffer Malcolm Hamilton says that he has
warned several target shooters since the ban, but no one has been
arrested. Hamilton worries that irresponsible shooters will move
their spray of bullets to areas outside the ban. Residents
bordering other parts of the forest have already filed new
complaints.
This article appeared in the print edition of the magazine with the headline Bullet holes in bungalows.
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