• 2015 Volunteer Program Forecast

[Cogs]

We did okay in 2014. We started a few group organized clean ups in Washington and Oregon and learned a lot from those. All who participated came away with a sense of 'Ownership' for the land they worked on and it was great! We enjoyed each others company, did good things to be proud of, spent time in the woods and had a 'blast' with some target shooting. These events were fun and we're looking forward to many more.

Here's my vision for the 2015 year. More clean up projects. More 'Eyes' in the woods. Launch a public awareness campaign.

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Clean ups: Our privilege of Recreational Target Shooting is in jeopardy if we don't do anything about it. Therefore, cleaning up target shooting locations will be a top priority for our NorthwestFirearms.com community. With the recent increase in gun sales and the waiting lines at gun clubs, more and more people are heading into the forests to do their target shooting. Of course, it means more pressure on the woods and more trash. We need to be out there setting an example and teaching by doing.

There will be many more clean up projects around the Portland and Vancouver area, however, we'll be looking for opportunities to help out at all corners of Oregon and Washington.

Please join us as we work to save our places to shoot and help preserve our natural forests.

Eyes in the woods: We need more folks to be in the woods more often. Have phones, cameras and GPS handy and ready to record and report illegal activity and dump sites in our forests. There are 'Forest Watch' programs we can get involved with that will help authorities be more effective in their jobs and will help result in cleaner and healthier forests.

There's a lot of land out there that needs our help. I'm hoping to get more NWFA folks volunteering for Eyes in the woods.

Public awareness: This year we will be working hard at raising public awareness of rules, ethics and etiquette of target shooting in the forest. We will be working with USFS, Dumpstoppers, State agencies and others to help shooters find good/safe places to shoot, encourage trash removal and promoting the importance to preserve our privilege to shoot on public land.

You will soon be hearing more about our new program that reaches out to target shooters and promotes the values we all share. I know you'll want to get involved in this one.

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Together, we can make a powerful difference in 2015. Looking forward to that!​

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[Joe Link]

I'm really looking forward to expanding this; 2015 is going to be a great year!

 

[DieselScout]

I am hoping I can participate this year. My current work schedule gives me some weekends off and I've got a car with four wheel drive and ground clearance again (Scout is still in pieces), so I am going to try to make it to a few clean ups.

 

[Swedish K]

When I lived down south a friend's dad ran the CAMP program in his area for the forest service - he also sat on the board of the range I used to frequent and set up clean up days about 3x a year. Unfortunately some of the back woods shooting areas were also frequented at night by portable meth labs and one of the guys helping on the cleanup had the misfortune of picking up a trash bag full of kitty litter loaded with chemicals. The bag ripped open and his arms ended up bright red and inflamed from chemical exposure so be careful out there and take extra care if you find anything with strong chemical odors. Fortunately I haven't seen anything like that up here so far...

 

[BoonDocks36]

Is anything going on in the GREATER Eugene area, that would, IMO, EAST of Springfield, South & North of Eugene West into Veneta, even Crow, and the Highway 36 area South & West of Junction City...

Yes, a Wide area, but I for one would be open to whatever we can organize in that zone... and can 4 wheel in and out, but my vehicle is single occupancy!!!!

philip

 

[Cogs]

I haven't heard of anything yet. Can't seem to read all the posts, so, there might be some concern out there for clean ups. Let me know if you find any!

Bill

 

[BoonDocks36]

I will do that, Bill...

 

[Dreams of Steel]

I will be keeping an eye out for programs and events coming to my area. I always drag out at least 2-3 bags of junk from my frequent spots and I stop along the way out to gather anything else I can carry in my truck. I'll post pics Sunday afternoon once I get back, I am going to break in my new Kahr T9 this weekend *finally*

 

[edison bulb]

This is a good thing that NWF is expanding cleanup efforts. For non-shooters, left-behind trash and cartridges give a bad image of all target shooters. I know I'm the guy that hunts for every .45 shell that missed the tarp...

Please pick up your trash! If we want to continue being able to target shoot in the woods, we needs to do our part to clean up OUR mess and often times OTHERS mess (unfortunately).

 

[Cogs]

So far, in 2015, we've done clean up's in Tillamook State Forest (March), Mt Hood Nat Forest (April) and next is in Washington Yacolt Burn State Forest (May 2nd).

We've opened and operated our Target Shooter Information Program since Feb, and are continuing that in Mt Hood Nat Forest in an on-going basis, (hoping to have enough volunteers to be able to run that program every weekend, as well as, in other forests).

A few of our members contributed to the April 18th SOLVE Earth Day clean up at Browns Camp on Tillamook State Forest and we were named, by Oregon Dept of Forestry, as contributors to the efforts.

Yes, we're doing something! Support is growing and encouraging. Bigger business are sitting up and taking notice of our efforts. They're teaming up with us in hopes of encouraging more to join in. Sportsman's Warehouse, Cabela's, Tactical Ammuntion and Butcher Boys Meats... Thank you!

Hope you can join us in being positive 2 A Reps when you can!

Cogs