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.'"

The Ghost-Wairparous area, about 60 kilometres northwest of Calgary, is popular with hikers, trail riders and gun enthusiasts. (Robson Fletcher/CBC)

Stanton says he has re-routed trail rides and tries to limit weekend bookings to stay away from the shooting.

Local rancher Eric Butters says it's been an ongoing problem for years that is worsening.

"People have the idea public lands are just there to do anything, anywhere, anytime and so we get into people that are bringing guns out and blazing away," he said. "And it's perfectly legal, there's nothing illegal about it."

Even though shooting is within the law, it can be offputting, said Butter.

"If you want to go up there and just hike or mountain bike or something and you hear gunfire, you start looking around, where are they, where are they shooting?," he said. "It's unnerving for people."

CBC News reached out to Alberta Environment and Parks, but no one was available for comment.