It's only one piece of America's extensive system of National Forests,
but Tonto is being watched closely as the "proper authorities"
take steps to outlaw the use of arms -- or even access -- on public
lands by the public, who are its rightful owners.
Links to official Tonto
Closure Maps (8/23/01)
This link takes you to the National Forest Service maps of new firearms-restricted
areas in the Tonto National Forest.
Forest Closures Planned
and Executed (8/8/01)
An anonymous Associated Press story, produced and timed for release
by federal bureaucrats running the Arizona Tonto National Forest,
will appear in many of tomorrow's newspapers nationwide, announcing
the closure of 80,000 acres of the forest to outdoor marksmanship.
The areas to be closed, adjacent to the Phoenix metro area, have
been in continuous use for decades, without incident, by citizens
conducting traditional firearms practice.
The Real Tonto Closure
Problems (8/3/01)
Why, really, are the authorities closing the accessible areas of
Tonto National Forest to marksmanship? The answers are ugly, and
the mainstream media doesn't want to deal with it, preferring instead
the "safety" pablum officially circulated. You should
ignore of course the fact that no fatality from outdoor marksmanship
is known, and that 54 dead bodies were removed from Tonto last year
(fairly typical according to officials) related to crimes and non-gun
accidents, and of course unreported anywhere (except here). The
real reasons for closures -- read about it here -- concern sex,
a corrupted judiciary, law enforcement failures, and the bureaucratic
mindset, but what else is new.
Will Our Employees Close Our Forests?
(7/25/01)
The federal bureaucrats running the Tonto National Forest (2.9 million
acres of public land basically north of Phoenix) are talking about
closing sections to public access. There reasons have caused serious
concerns among people who use the land. Here's the inside scoop,
with newest items listed first.
Tonto National Forest
Unified Proposal (6/6/01)
Regarding: Preservation of Free-Range Marksmanship, Outdoor Target
Practice and Recreational Shooting Sports on the Tonto and Other
Arizona National Forest Public Lands. This proposal reflects a general
consensus of hundreds of concerned Arizonans who have reviewed its
contents, and the state rifle association which has endorsed it.
These are reasonable, common-sense plans for keeping the forest
open to the public, but which the authorities seem intent on ignoring.
Packed with good ideas for RKBA and use of public lands.
