Las Cruces Police are encouraging gun enthusiasts to utilize the Butterfield Shooting Range and refrain from illegally firing weapons within city limits or within close proximity to residential areas.
City ordinance Sec. 19-164 prohibits the firing or discharge of any gun, pistol, rifle or other firearm – including air rifles and BB guns – within city limits. Many portions of the East Mesa, specifically undeveloped land directly east of Sonoma Ranch Boulevard and Pagosa Hills Avenue, are within city limits and therefore off limits to hunting or recreational shooting.
The Las Cruces Police Department has received a handful of reports of recreational or target practice shooting that is occurring on undeveloped land east of Sonoma Ranch Boulevard and Pagosa Hills Avenue.
Anyone firing a weapon outside city limits must be no less than 150 yards away from any building or residential area, and fire only in a direction that has a safe trajectory.
The Butterfield Shooting Range is off Interstate 10 on the city’s West Mesa, and is free and open to the general public during daytime hours except 6 a.m. to 3 p.m. Thursdays when it is closed for regular maintenance. The Butterfield Shooting Range is accessible from Corralitos Road off I-10 Exit 127.