36 Pit

[G0nefishin]

Anyone know of another spot close to 36pit? I use to go up fish creek but supposedly it has been closed. Might go check it out myself. Thanks in advance.

 

[Flymph]

Best advice I can offer is to look at a map that shows where target shooting is allowed on public land.

 

[G0nefishin]

Best advice I can offer is to look at a map that shows where target shooting is allowed on public land.

Hey thanks for the advice. I appreciate it

 

[ob1]

You may have a problem getting to the other areas now. Was up there yesterday and the show gates have been locked for the season it appears.
I even broke down and returned to the 36 pit because I needed to do some function tests. It was totally packed by the same people for hours who didn't give up until it got dark.

 

[G0nefishin]

You may have a problem getting to the other areas now. Was up there yesterday and the show gates have been locked for the season it appears.
I even broke down and returned to the 36 pit because I needed to do some function tests. It was totally packed by the same people for hours who didn't give up until it got dark.

Oh man I always try to get there real early in the morning before everyone else or when it's nasty weather & most other's are inside & don't want to get wet. Hey thanks for the info in general I'm sure others are going to find it helpful. Have a good one

 

[Flymph]

You may have a problem getting to the other areas now. Was up there yesterday and the show gates have been locked for the season it appears.
I even broke down and returned to the 36 pit because I needed to do some function tests. It was totally packed by the same people for hours who didn't give up until it got dark.

I forgot that my old spot get closed in winter due to snow... so there is that!

 

[ob1]

I forgot that my old spot get closed in winter due to snow... so there is that!

Your spot ! That's my spot. How did you find my super secret spot.

 

[Flymph]

Your spot ! That's my spot. How did you find my super secret spot.

Easy! I looked at a map and read the rules, then I followed both!

 

[503shooter]

Is this place opened or is it closed because the weather?

 

[ob1]

Is this place opened or is it closed because the weather?

It should be open, it's right off of the highway. The gate is always locked. Just walk around it and up the hill.

 

[503shooter]

It should be open, it's right off of the highway. The gate is always locked. Just walk around it and up the hill.

Alright thanks

 

[141]

I often suspect that's how they plan to control shooting on public land. Give the land away to less intrusive recreation groups. After all, do they ever give the recreational shooting sports anything at all? Only Oregon Dept of Forestry in Tillamook State Forest so far. Certainly not USFS or WA DNR.

Most of it, however, is the lack of an organized recreational shooting community. We are not at the regular or important meetings representing our kind of recreation and asking for places to shoot. We need to get involved with the process and start making some headway. Meanwhile, the OHV and Mtn Bikes get more trails, signage, bathrooms and attention. We get nothing because we're not involved.

I`m a member of the 4x4 club currently sponsoring La Dee Flats. I was also a member of the first club that started the OHV trails there. Lots of man hours donated as well as money to help make and maintain the trails. We have yearly official clean-ups with USFS, dump stoppers and the sheriff's involved. Last year was over 6,000 lbs of garbage collected. We were able to get a pit bathroom installed last year and some bubblegum hats just shot the bathroom up. Pretty disappointing to say the least.

Not sure what it's going to take to get the gun people together and organized, but it needs to happen if we want to keep enjoying our ability to shoot on USFS land. USFS basically matches the work hours donated. There are grants and funds available, but it requires organized groups attending meetings and putting in the time and money.

 

[Cogs]

I love what you guys have done at La Dee Flats! It's been a long hard road and has paid off nicely.

Exactly, @141 . I've been trying, for several years now, to find someone who can be a liaison to the Mt Hood Nat Forest agency and get involved. Our organization, Trash No Land, is continuing an ongoing work with them, however, we need someone to step up and take a leadership roll. Sadly, not many are willing to do it, (or at least they haven't committed yet). As a nonprofit, we are in a prime position to cause a change.

I would, and have been very involved, but I can't devote the extra effort it needs when my focus is on the bigger picture of improving shooting in several forests in the NW (plus I work a regular full time job, and, live on the North side of the river!). I need someone who can focus on the Mt Hood area.

We've done a lot of cleanups in Mt Hood that have resulted in thousands of pounds of trash removed from shooting sites each year, however, that seems to be where it stops. There is so much more we could be doing, if someone where involved on a regular basis.

And yes, there are grants available, however, the agency has to be okay with us using those grants. The grants have specific requirements for what they can be used for and if the agency doesn't have a plan for recreational shooting, what is the purpose of applying for the grants in the first place, if we can't use them? It's really too bad. We need to change that, and we're working on it.

I look back on the efforts it took for OHV trails to get the 'Okay', and I can see this could take a while. But it will never happen without active/organized involvement.

Good post, 141. Thanks!
Bill

 

[141]

Yep, they for sure don't make it easy. It takes years and "environmental impact studies" to get stuff approved. I've been involved with other groups on DNR land and they are tougher to deal with than USFS.

It really takes a group of people to keep up on things. We like to say the good will push out the bad, but sometimes it feels like swimming upriver. Tweakers stealing cars and dumping them up there. Constant garbage, idiots tearing up the ditches and knocking down fencing and signage. I'll see if our presidents contact at USFS can point me in the right direction and see if there is anyone that might be friendly to our cause there.

 

[Cogs]

Cleanup event started for the 36 Pit. 4-20-19 36 PIT CLEANUP

 

[Gris]

Was out there today. A big tree has come down on the initial path right before it turns right due to being shot down. That will likely need to be moved before most vehicles can get up on to the top part.

 

[Cogs]

Was out there today. A big tree has come down on the initial path right before it turns right due to being shot down. That will likely need to be moved before most vehicles can get up on to the top part.

View attachment 562900

Thanks Gris, that's what we needed... a good pic of what it is. We can handle that!

I had a chat with Dump Stoppers Dave and he'll try to stop by in the morning, then he has another cleanup somewhere in the forest but he'll be back to load up our stuff. We'll want to drive our trucks in, load them up and stack piles along side the parking lot. Those of us who stay for some shooting fun, will need to help him load once he gets there.

Also, Ben (USFS) will be there early to unlock the gate. I hope we get enough people to easily clean it all up! I see USFS has shared our Facebook Event and that sparked a bit of interest. Estacada news is calling me tomorrow to do a pre-event story. We should have a good turnout, although you can't tell from the vote count above... yet. Usually, the Mt Hood cleanups are mostly NWFA people. We may have a good mix on this one. Opportunities to promo NWFA!

Thanks again, Gris. Hope you can make it on April 20th.

Bill

 

[Gris]

Thanks again, Gris. Hope you can make it on April 20th.

Bill

Going to try to make it out, depends on work and family of course. Either way thanks for what you're doing here!

 

[Obie]

Anybody aware of an incident over the weekend here? On Saturday I went out with some buddies, was going to stop here but it looked darn full, probably 8 vehicles. We drove on a ways up into the woods and found a more secluded area.

On the way back, probably around ~4:15 there were several ambulances and a firetruck at the pit.

Hope everyone was alright, stay safe out there

 

[Savage Jav]

Wasnt aware of anything. Though we left around 11am