A popular public shooting range north of Spokane will close Thursday amid neighbors’ reports of bullets striking vehicles and nearby buildings.

The area, known as Boggs Pit, on Washington State Department of Natural Resources land 7 miles north of Deer Park has been used as a free target practice destination for more than 40 years.

“We understand that this is a popular area for target shooting, but there’s no excuse for shooting homes or vehicles,” Commissioner of Public Lands Hilary Franz said in a statement. “The irresponsible shooters at Boggs Pit are putting people’s lives in danger and have left us no choice but to shut down shooting here to ensure our neighbors are safe.”

About a dozen sportsmen were there firing their final rounds Wednesday afternoon.

“It sucks,” said Brandon Lewis, who was shooting a plywood target with an AR-15. “There’s not many places you can come to and just shoot.”

Nearby residents formed a group called Boggs Pit Neighbors, which seeks “safer, regulated use of the outdoor shooting area.” Their website documents incidents and complaints, and provides instructions for how to report to DNR and the Stevens County Sheriff’s Office.

In Lewis’ experience, users of Boggs Pit are responsible.

“This is the safest way to do it,” he said. “It’s controlled, in an area where people know there’s shooting happening.”

The dirt pit has various arms trenching in different directions that allow separate groups to shoot at once. The hillside banks about 40 feet high, and there are no residences immediately behind.

Courtney James, a DNR spokesperson, said the incidences involved people shooting away from the range and toward residential areas.

A notice about the closure posted by the gate in front of the pit had been x-ed out with spray paint, and a metal sign indicating the area requires a Washington State Parks Discover Pass was riddled with bullet holes.

A DNR news release said additional reports revealed the use of Tannerite explosive targets at the site.

Shooting explosives on DNR land is illegal. It can also start wildfires.

Multiple wildfires in and around Boggs Pit in recent years have been attributed to target shooting, including one blaze earlier this year. DNR has temporarily closed the area to target shooting in the past due to high fire danger and prescribed burns.

Boggs Pit has become much more popular in recent years, partly due to population growth and partly due to other nearby ranges closing for similar reasons.

Last year, DNR closed shooting at the “Stonelodge” range west of Suncrest off Highway 291, due to safety concerns around residential development.

The majority of DNR parcels still allow target shooting, except where prohibited by local ordinance or where no-shooting signs are posted.

Shooting on DNR land is allowed 30 minutes after sunrise to 30 minutes after sunset and requires biodegradable targets and an earthen backstop.

Lawful hunting is still allowed at Boggs Pit.

Boggs Pit was never officially designated as a shooting range, James said. Locals over the years just recognized it as a good place to shoot. DNR has no formal shooting ranges.

The state agency manages land for various, sometimes competing, recreational uses.

“Traditionally, target shooting has not been included in these discussions,” the DNR website says.

In addressing the growing conflict between target shooters and nearby residents, the DNR has taken ideas from the public and researched what has worked for other states, but there is no defined timeline for this effort.

Any approach will be tailored to each unique landscape.

James said there is no immediate plan for Boggs Pit, but an environmental assessment and clean-up are likely.

“Although the Stevens County Sheriff’s Office finds the closure of Boggs Pit unfortunate, we do support the closure,” said Stevens County Sheriff Brad Manke. “While the rules surrounding the use of the area on DNR land for shooting are clearly posted, they are frequently disregarded and have created a public safety issue.”

The Sheriff’s Office has responded repeatedly to Boggs Pit, Manke said, for littering, fires, shooting after hours, bullets ricocheting near adjacent landowners’ homes, people shooting incendiary targets, shooting during fire closures and, most recently, a nearby landowner finding a bullet hole in their vehicle.

The site is covered in shell casings, debris from decimated targets and ordinary trash.

Nick Scheuring, a retired Deer Park resident wearing an orange vest, picked up some of the garbage using an extendable grabbing tool Wednesday.

He often picks up litter from parks and public lands as something to do.

“I have found in the past, once you start cleaning up a place, it stays clean,” he said. “It’s really weird, if people see a clean place, they carry their trash out.”

James Hanlon can be reached at (509) 459-5467 or by email at jamesh@ spokesman.com.