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English: Target shooting can be a fun and rewarding activity for the whole family and a great way to enjoy our public lands. As fire season progresses and the Apache-Sitgreaves National Forest moves into Stage II fire restrictions, opportunities for dispersed target shooting become limited. Fortunately there is a great facility for target shooting located on the National Forest that remains open despite the restrictions. Located about six miles east of Show Low, AZ on FR 206, the Second Knoll Shooting Range is operated by White Mountain Shooters Association and funded by the Arizona Game and Fish Department and their grant program.

Positioned in close proximity to the city of Show Low and the town of Pinetop-Lakeside, the Second Knoll Shooting Range is situated on an 80-acre site previously held for cinder extraction by the Arizona Department of Transportation. In order to mitigate noise levels, the shooting range is located at the bottom of a 75-foot pit, and the inherent lack of vegetation and waterways on the site ensures that damage to natural resources is minimized.

The goal of the Second Knoll Shooting Range is to offer a safe, educational and family-oriented public shooting facility, where the next generation of shooting enthusiasts can be educated in a controlled environment. This will help to minimize the impact of unregulated, dispersed shooting on public lands. Consequently, it will also reduce the time and resources spent on citing people who leave trash and debris in the National Forest.

Currently, the target range features a 100 yard all-purpose range, a 50 yard pistol range equipped with turning targets, four training and competition bays, range officers from the White Mountain Shooters Association, and more. For event and competition information please visit the White Mountain Shooters Association's website.