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Sorry about the length of this "novella," but after the last year or so of DNR horsepucky I feel the need to vent from the proverbial soapbox....
Since the fall of 2019, a DNR law enforcement officer has been regularly visiting the Basin (my family has lived on the basin road since WWII). At first locals were pleasant and helpful...I for one am extremely pro-LEO. That being said this gentleman has apparently made it his purpose in life to harrass public lands users, in particular local residents.
This spring at least eight new locations have been posted "no shooting" by DNR, most recently the clearcut area behind the gravel pit that requires a 15 minute hike to get in to. Local shooters had improved a shooting platform in a small fire footprint and placed long distance targets in safe locations. The DNR leo has repeatedly harassed users, and now it's posted. Lasted week DNR destroyed the shooting pads at the location...a petty action indeed.
This officer overtly threatened several people during covid closures, and this spring has threatened several shooters with "red flag" action against their gun rights.
Unfortunately every action has a reaction. Two small groups from the Sky Valley regularly go up in the Basin and clean the garbage that non-local shooters (and yes, it isn't locals leaving a mess) regularly deposit. The DNR doesn't clean things up...the only DNR "improvements" in the Sultan Basin are the Discover Pass and no shooting signs, and their ticket-writing personnel.
Anyway, you'll likely notice that things are a lot messier this year....because after several months of constant focused harassment by one officer the local volunteer "cleanup crews" have decided enough is enough. It grows tedious spending time cleaning up after others and paying dumping fees, only to have the state agency's LEO harrass and harangue anyone shooting on public lands, particularly if it's your "backyard."
I was recently informed "off the record" by an officer from another state agency that DNR decided they were going to do whatever it takes to gradually eliminate all public lands shooting in the Sultan Basin and several other relatively isolated locales. In other words, this is a purposeful and focused action from Olympia. One zealot in uniform has certainly made it more difficult for personnel from other agencies to do their jobs.
There's been no specific safety, natural or cultural resource management issues involved with this recent effort. No request for public comment was made either. The locations in question are well beyond the 100 yard no shooting zone along the Basin Rd...in fact the one spot is well over a mile away and behind a ridge.
Several individuals have written formal letters of complaint to DNR. Can't hurt for others to write questioning these actions. Of course, these days Olympia seems to do whatever it wants, since the state only answers to voters in urban Seattle. I hope Commissioner Franz has budgeted for more garbage collection crews in addition to her phoney efforts at forest mgmt and fire suppression.
Remember, your "backyard" may be next.
Since the fall of 2019, a DNR law enforcement officer has been regularly visiting the Basin (my family has lived on the basin road since WWII). At first locals were pleasant and helpful...I for one am extremely pro-LEO. That being said this gentleman has apparently made it his purpose in life to harrass public lands users, in particular local residents.
This spring at least eight new locations have been posted "no shooting" by DNR, most recently the clearcut area behind the gravel pit that requires a 15 minute hike to get in to. Local shooters had improved a shooting platform in a small fire footprint and placed long distance targets in safe locations. The DNR leo has repeatedly harassed users, and now it's posted. Lasted week DNR destroyed the shooting pads at the location...a petty action indeed.
This officer overtly threatened several people during covid closures, and this spring has threatened several shooters with "red flag" action against their gun rights.
Unfortunately every action has a reaction. Two small groups from the Sky Valley regularly go up in the Basin and clean the garbage that non-local shooters (and yes, it isn't locals leaving a mess) regularly deposit. The DNR doesn't clean things up...the only DNR "improvements" in the Sultan Basin are the Discover Pass and no shooting signs, and their ticket-writing personnel.
Anyway, you'll likely notice that things are a lot messier this year....because after several months of constant focused harassment by one officer the local volunteer "cleanup crews" have decided enough is enough. It grows tedious spending time cleaning up after others and paying dumping fees, only to have the state agency's LEO harrass and harangue anyone shooting on public lands, particularly if it's your "backyard."
I was recently informed "off the record" by an officer from another state agency that DNR decided they were going to do whatever it takes to gradually eliminate all public lands shooting in the Sultan Basin and several other relatively isolated locales. In other words, this is a purposeful and focused action from Olympia. One zealot in uniform has certainly made it more difficult for personnel from other agencies to do their jobs.
There's been no specific safety, natural or cultural resource management issues involved with this recent effort. No request for public comment was made either. The locations in question are well beyond the 100 yard no shooting zone along the Basin Rd...in fact the one spot is well over a mile away and behind a ridge.
Several individuals have written formal letters of complaint to DNR. Can't hurt for others to write questioning these actions. Of course, these days Olympia seems to do whatever it wants, since the state only answers to voters in urban Seattle. I hope Commissioner Franz has budgeted for more garbage collection crews in addition to her phoney efforts at forest mgmt and fire suppression.
Remember, your "backyard" may be next.
