BLM to shut down target Shooting...

Cogs · Jul 11, 2015

Good post ocarolan.

rick · Jul 12, 2015

I'm not sure if I'm interpreting all the administrative mumbo jumbo in these plan documents correctly, but it is looking to me like the Marys Peak RMA (which apparently includes not just the BLM lands around the peak/Harlan/Burnt Woods, but also includes all the BLM lands around Philomath and Bellfountain) would be off limits to shooting in plan alternatives A, B, and C, and the only plan that does allow shooting in these areas is plan D. Can anyone confirm?

KayDee7 · Jul 23, 2015

one place to start is to make handbills with the rules and regs on it, to pass out... and place them at the gun stores... bigger ones too.. because i have heard conversations go like...
Customer; well where can i go shooting...?
clerk; well there are some ranges about ... and the woods...
Customer ; where in the woods...?
clerk ; oh just go out in the woods...

we need to educate all the people and i think that asking the stores to assist is a good thing...

was out and about this week east of Vancouver on L-1000 and found out some of the rules... if we work together with the State and Forestry people we will get to keep good places to shoot... also the Forum has a decent Reputation out there... lets keep up the good work ! !

Cogs · Jul 23, 2015

KayDee7 said:
one place to start is to make handbills with the rules and regs on it, to pass out... and place them at the gun stores... bigger ones too.. because i have heard conversations go like...
Customer; well where can i go shooting...?
clerk; well there are some ranges about ... and the woods...
Customer ; where in the woods...?
clerk ; oh just go out in the woods...

we need to educate all the people and i think that asking the stores to assist is a good thing...

was out and about this week east of Vancouver on L-1000 and found out some of the rules... if we work together with the State and Forestry people we will get to keep good places to shoot... also the Forum has a decent Reputation out there... lets keep up the good work ! !

Good words from a responsible shooter! Thanks KayDee! You will want to read this... I think you'll like it!

https://www.northwestfirearms.com/t...fa-target-shooter-information-program.193318/

We're hoping to get enough people involved to do this same information program here in WA.

BaySailor · Jul 25, 2015

To sum it up and make it easy for me, what is the best thing I can do to help with limited time? Email my thoughts?

YOURSUPREMECOMMANDER · Jul 25, 2015

Cogs said:
Well, for what it's worth, I sent off my letter to BLM. Not real sure that this hits the target. If you go to their link, good luck trying to find where they discuss closing target shooting! I spent a couple hours trying to locate that information and haven't found it yet. So, I'm trusting that the NRA had found it and that it's true. I wish they would have included a reference link that directs you the the place where this info can be easily verified.

This email is kind of long... sorry!
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
To whom it may concern,

I am Bill Cogley, Volunteer Coordinator for Northwest Firearms dot com. We are a web site organization, of over 34,000 members, designed to support gun owners of the Pacific Northwest. I would like to express my concerns about the current, and future, use of our public lands as it pertains to Recreational Target Shooting and Hunting.

Our organization strives to impress, upon our members, the importance of good stewardship of our public lands and forests. We have had multiple conversations about target shooting, hunting, access, ethical conduct and rules on public land. We conduct volunteer clean up events, of target shooting locations, that have resulted in several thousands of pounds of trash removed from public land. Those efforts have been conducted in Mt Hood National Forest, Tillamook State Forest, BLM land in Benton County Oregon, and in Washington State Yacolt Burn State Forest. Our clean up efforts have tripled this year, over last, and we are planning more for 2015. We do this because we care about how our public land is being treated and that we desire to preserve our inherited American right to shoot outdoors.

This year we have developed, and implemented, a new outreach program designed to educate and raise awareness of target shooting rules, ethics and conduct on public land. Our Target Shooter Information Program, developed in cooperation with the Mt Hood National Forest Service Ranger District office in Estacada Oregon, is operated by volunteers who staff an information booth in the forest and communicate one-on-one with target shooters who are on their way to shoot for the day. We hand out fliers, from USFS, about the rules for Recreational Target Shooting, maps that highlight closures and trail areas, inform of any current hazardous conditions, offer free legal targets, ear plugs and trash bags. We also caution about resource damage and direct people to locations that are acceptable and safe for shooting.

We believe this program has the potential to increase awareness of our concerns and will begin to make a difference in the sport of Recreational Target Shooting. While this program is still in the early stages, we are currently planning to expand into other public lands in hopes of achieving a greater impact with our message. A message, we hope, you will embrace as well.

We all understand, there has been a problem with trash on public lands for many years. Some caused by household and construction dumping, some by campers and other recreationalists, and some by target shooting. The target shooting problem has only escalated in recent years, in the Portland Metropolitan area, and, I believe, could be attributed to the increase in gun sales along with long waiting list lines at the local gun ranges. This situation has sent many target shooters onto public land for their recreational activity.

I am one of those who is fairly new to public land shooting. I have found it has been very difficult to identify who manages the land and what their rules are. Many others, I have talked with, are experiencing the same frustration.

Here are a few suggestions that may help in our fight to battle trash on public land.

Make your rules easily accessible and well known.

Increase the promotion and participation of a Forest Watch program.

Increase Law Enforcement efforts, to establish a sense of seriousness for disobeying the rules.

Encourage gun owners to participate in clean ups, habitat restoration and other resource saving efforts.

and

Consider developing designated target shooting locations, attractive to target shooters, that would encourage participation over undesirable places.

Most people, I believe, are of a sound mind with a good heart and a healthy desire to recreate responsibly. Their intentions are good but may lack an understanding of the rules and conduct expected concerning this type of recreational activity. Please do not punish all, by closing down target shooting and hunting, just because of the few bad ones. I believe the answer, to our problem of trash on public land, will be found in communication, awareness, participation, enforcement and partnership. I am sure, the answer will not be found by closing down recreational opportunities.

With renewed efforts to address this problem, we can do good things... Together. I urge you to consider the 'good' that could be done.

Thank you,

Bill Cogley
Northwest Firearms
Volunteer Coordinator

Web site: Northwestfirearms.com
Volunteer Center
Mt Hood Partnering Video

First of all - Thank You for taking the time to write such a well thought out and compelling letter. I would speculate that the majority of NWF members appreciate the effort.

Also, As per one of your recommendation's, I have noticed large, well placed, signs that have recently sprouted up spelling out the rules at Wolf Creek, Salmonberry, Browns Camp & Story Burn Road, Memaloose Rd - to name just a few.............

OLDNEWBIE · Jul 26, 2015

3MTA3 said:
This land's not your land, this land's not my land,
From California to the Sauvie Island;
From the Wallowa Mountains to the Pacific waters
This land has no more Liberty.

We are so lucky as to where we can still shoot outdoors in the woods, compared to other States considered "gun friendly" in the South East.
Like many here I despise ranges. If that was my only option I think I would hardly shoot anymore.

Wife is suddenly hot to move within a year and is floating States like Tennessee, N.C. maybe even Kentucky.
Not Idaho

as I have been pressuring her about, but she's pretty open to the parts of the South East that are hilly/mountains and lots of trees so GA and FL are out.

My problem is all the research shows target shooting in the forests in these States is verboten except at a few designated ranges!

Fight hard what you have here in Oregon/Washington with shooting on public lands. When it's gone you'll never get it back!

Cogs · Jul 26, 2015

OLDNEWBIE said:
We are so lucky as to where we can still shoot outdoors in the woods, compared to other States considered "gun friendly" in the South East.
Like many here I despise ranges. If that was my only option I think I would hardly shoot anymore.

Wife is suddenly hot to move within a year and is floating States like Tennessee, N.C. maybe even Kentucky.
Not Idaho as I have been pressuring her about, but she's pretty open to the parts of the South East that are hilly/mountains and lots of trees so GA and FL are out.

My problem is all the research shows target shooting in the forests in these States is verboten except at a few designated ranges!

Fight hard what you have here in Oregon/Washington with shooting on public lands. When it's gone you'll never get it back!

Exactly why we're doing what we can for now. Until something better comes along, we do what we got to do. Get involved and stay involved. They notice us. And they are asking for our help to find solutions.

Dbltap · Jul 26, 2015

OLDNEWBIE said:
We are so lucky as to where we can still shoot outdoors in the woods, compared to other States considered "gun friendly" in the South East.
Like many here I despise ranges. If that was my only option I think I would hardly shoot anymore.

Wife is suddenly hot to move within a year and is floating States like Tennessee, N.C. maybe even Kentucky.
Not Idaho as I have been pressuring her about, but she's pretty open to the parts of the South East that are hilly/mountains and lots of trees so GA and FL are out.

My problem is all the research shows target shooting in the forests in these States is verboten except at a few designated ranges!

Fight hard what you have here in Oregon/Washington with shooting on public lands. When it's gone you'll never get it back!

Check out 3 day shoot in bullet county Kentucky