In 2005, the Los Padres National Forest was formally closed to target shooting due to “increasing numbers of national forest users, concerns for public health and safety, resource damage to areas where the activity has been concentrated, and the documentation of numerous wildland fires that have been caused by recreational target shooting.” The closure does not apply to hunting with a valid license, or at permitted ranges like the Ojai Valley Gun Club and the Winchester Canyon Gun Club.
Due to ongoing resource damage and public health and safety issues, the Forest Service began actively enforcing this closure on January 14, 2019. Citations result in a Mandatory Appearance before a federal judge in U.S. District Court, plus a fine of up to $5,000.
Use the map below to find outdoor and indoor shooting ranges where you can practice marksmanship legally and responsibly. This map shows ranges in Santa Barbara, Ventura, San Luis Obispo, and western Kern counties. The National Shooting Sports Foundation also maintains a comprehensive database of shooting ranges throughout the state of California.