Gun enthusiasts out for target practice making Ghost-Waiparous area dangerous, outfitter says
An outfitter northwest of Calgary says he and his guests are increasingly ducking for cover because of people firing guns on the public lands where he takes clients for trail rides.
Kevin Stanton has been guiding trail rides in the Ghost-Waiparous area for about 40 years.
He says he didn't start coming under fire until a couple of years ago, when the public gun range at Sibbald Flats closed.
"We've been shot at," he said.
"And then we even turned around and rode up to them and they said, 'well we're just target practising.'"
Stanton says he has re-routed trail rides and tries to limit weekend bookings to stay away from the shooting.
And it seems to be getting increasingly dangerous as more and more people use the Waiparous area for target practice, he says.
"I think people have discovered that public lands, there are no policies or any real rules, and that anywhere on public lands they can supposedly fire a target practice as long as it's in a safe manner."
CBC News reached out to Alberta Environment and Parks, but no one was available for comment.
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