Douglas Ridge Rifle Club

[Medic!]

Sorry to here about your Mom's passing.
Loosing a family member is a very emotional time.

 

[Schultzey]

Page 5 of the member handbook does state,
"Senior, Family Associate, Oldtime or Life members may bring no more than a combination of four (4)
shooting guests and/or regular Associate and Junior members with them at one time and shall be
responsible for the guests', regular Associate, and Junior members' actions and behavior.". Above that statement are the rules for guest sign in. The answers were in the handbook it sounds like you were referred to...

 

[P7M13]

@Jayborg, yes, it is a forum, with some semblance of anonymity. Had you popped on and lavished glowing praise onto DRRC, you would also have received comments like, "nice plug for the club, shill."
Having no cred or history puts you in the category of FNG, hence the critical, chilly reception, and your critique is relegated to the level of YELP.

I think we've all experienced RSOs, Club governing board members, and other members who think their dung doesn't stink. I had one offer to cram my guest's rifle up his bubblegum, another one telling me everything I was doing was wrong, etc. It's not that there was a lack of validity to some of what they were saying, it's how they conveyed it.
Seeing how you have interacted in this thread, I would ask that you look at yourself and your communication style, and consider if you played a part in the experience. It takes two to dance. One dancer can be truly horrible, and if the other partner is not adaptive, humorous or tolerant, it doesn't turn out well.
[ETA] Sorry about your mother, taking someone shooting is a great way to redirect their attention.
[2nd ETA] Their prompt refund was probably less a recognition of douchery, more like an eager acceptance of the opportunity to void your existence in the club. Most people act in self-interest first and foremost. While they may have truly been A-holes, we do not experience their drudgery of repetitive, easily self-answered questions, which I'm sure they do receive.

 

[Jayborg]

Yup it does say that but NOT specifically for LONG RANGE which has a host of special rules. I wanted to know for certain so I wouldn't bring my dad out there on the one day of the week reserved for LR and find out the undisclosed specifics washed us out. Pretty reasonable request I think. Apparently too difficult a question for them to just answer.

 

[Jayborg]

P7 - truthfully said. I regret popping back at medic. I was taken back by his comments. Not what I expected.

 

[Medic!]

P7 - truthfully said. I regret popping back at medic. I was taken back by his comments. Not what I expected.

It's OK. Medic knows he can be a Dick.

 

[Schultzey]

Yup it does say that but NOT specifically for LONG RANGE which has a host of special rules. I wanted to know for certain so I wouldn't bring my dad out there on the one day of the week reserved for LR and find out the undisclosed specifics washed us out. Pretty reasonable request I think. Apparently too difficult a question for them to just answer.

I see. I agree it would have been easiest for them to simply answer your email. The handbook does say that the rules on page 5 are specific to all ranges. Page 14 has the SOPs specific to long range shooting and it specifies, "Long Range specific orientation must be completed prior to using the long range facilities unsupervised. Approved long range shooters may supervise shooters who have not completed the long range orientation.". So if you completed the long range orientation you could bring guests to shoot.

 

[wb0s]

I was a member at DRRC for 3 years. I never had any negative interaction with folks shooting there or with the staff which included volunteer work days. I enjoyed the range and felt it was a good place to shoot whether on the indoor pistol range or one of the outdoor ranges. I was previously a member at Johnson Creek Gun Club which I also liked but DRRC had fewer restrictions on pistol caliber at their indoor range, and they had the added benefit of outdoor ranges.

 

[Jayborg]

I completed the long range training and saw the terms about guests. But again I didn't want to take any chances and wanted a full understanding of the rules around guests and LR shooting. The handbook is not clear enough. And yes it would have been nice if they just answered the stupid question....but then again they have issues. Hopefully they change their attitude and no one will ever hear about a bad experience again at DR.

 

[ZigZagZeke]

Doesn't sound like crying to me. Sounds like bad service at a facility that people pay money to join.
If he's full of it, then maybe he's a troll. But there has been corroboration, so probably not.

I have some issues w the range I belong to currently and won't be renewing my membership in '18, but it's not because the personnel weren't friendly (except for the one time I went in there before joining. I gave em a shot anyway). I gave some thought to joining DRRC but decided to hold off... maybe I'm glad I did.

His experience was the same as mine during Fall sight-in at DRRC. I left DRRC and went to Estacada Rod and Gun Club, just down the road. I also applied for membership at ER&GC. Unfortunately I made it to the top of their waiting list just after I moved to Eugene. I have since joined the Izaak Walton range down here in Eugene where there is no drama and no hassle. Everybody understands the rules. Everybody follows them. If there's a problem people are tactful and direct, but this only seems to come up with non-members during public sight in. I have personally seen the IW range officers deal with "noobs" in a respectful and helpful manner. I'm glad I chose to be a member there.

 

[ZigZagZeke]

Can you give a specific example of what happened other than "I can't explain their behavior but it was offensive"?

• Like, I was bumpfiring at a 25 yard target stand and the RO told me to knock it off and I didn't like that....
• Or I was minding my own business obeying the rules and some dick came over and started in on me for no reason...

Throw us a bone here Jayborg, because I can start in on all the dick move retarded things I have seen n00bs do at DRRC, but it's not my thread.

In my case it started when I was getting out of my truck about 6 or 7 years ago. I was parked maybe 100 feet from the range entrance. I was trying to manage a range bag and two rifles. During the process of putting one rifle on my shoulder with its sling, grabbing my range bag with one hand, and picking up my restored rolling block with the other I somehow let the vertical muzzle of the rolling block come to about ear level. Suddenly I hear somebody yelling for me to handle my rifle properly. I might add that I had the actions open and chamber flags installed. The dressing down continued as I walked the 100' to the range entrance where the person yelling at me was standing. I said something like "Sorry about that." All I got in return was more attitude about how I should know better, etc. I was then told to give him my rifle so he could inspect it. Sorry, I'm not about to hand my $3000, fully restored, heirloom rifle to some abusive, self-styled "authority" to have them drop it, set the butt down on the ground, or just generally fiddle with it. That's like asking to borrow my wife. I said no thanks and left.

In contrast, at the Estacada R&G Club just down the road I was asked to lay my rifle down on a carpeted table so they could run a wooden rod down the barrel to make sure it was clear. Nobody but me actually handled my weapons.

 

[rick benjamin]

Medic! - I'm just a dude sharing his experiences for the benefit of whoever cares to listen. If I insulted you by offering up this information I extend my sincere heartfelt apologies. Maybe you can suggest a better way for gun owners to share valuable information to fellow gun owners. I am sure a bright fella like you can come up with good options. Or should we all just remain silent? Or maybe you ARE Carl, Mike, or Bill from Douglas Ridge????

Hi, I'm the DRRC recording secretary (RSO, and know-all with extraordinary superpowers).
Douglas Ridge Rifle Club officers, board members, directors are not paid. Pay dues like all other members.
We volunteer our time to perform club business (hundreds and hundreds of personal hours yearly).
Carl is DRRC Highpower director, Estacada club highpower director, OSSA state highpower director also teaches new highpower shooters so they can participate in matches, and teaches long range orientation every month.
Mike is DRRC chief range safety officer. Also works full time.
Bill is DRRC vice president and filling in for the club president. Teaches new member orientation every month.
They are swamped with phone calls, emails, deluged even. DRRC is NOT A BUSINESS.
Didn't used to be so burdensome but since Obama took office, membership has gone through the roof.
The member handbook is 19 pages. Covers all eight ranges. Too bad you quit, been looking for some folks to re-write the member handbook.
Jay, had you brought your dad on Thursday, it would have worked out. Even if it didn't, you could have taken him to lunch at the Estacada diner or Carver Hanger. Any other day of the week any other range would have sufficed as a distractor for his attention and grief.

Somebody said the members are all expert with firearms. Not true, not close. Herding self-absorbed cats.
Member (Fairly well known PDX restaurant owner) came to me on the silhouette range, asked for help with his Ruger 9mm. Pointed at my belly. Nope didn't yell at him. Helped him along, then had my moment of reflection (shakes).

This being the wet season, don't drive on the long range grass, scares the gophers and elk.

 

[P7M13]

It's OK. Medic knowses he can be a Dickus, precious.

Fixed it for ya.


Medic wantses his Gins-n-tonicses!

 

[Jayborg]

Rick - that may all be true but it still does not excuse the way I was treated. If they are as busy as you say they could have saved themselves and me the drawn out drama and just answered the question. Maybe you didn't see all my comments but key to the whole issue was that before I had my dad drive all the way out from Camas to shoot I wanted to be 100% certain that he could in fact shoot. Taking him to lunch is not a substitute for shooting. Bottom line is those guys at DR are there for a purpose. That purpose is to serve the needs of the paying members. Pure and simple. And they failed in that not because they were busy. They failed in that because of the reasons I described. It has nothing to do with their being volunteers or busy. They are just arrogant dicks.

 

[slimmer13]

Ok sounds nice some of you asked for details here was the final straw that made me leave....I emailed one of the guys as instructed in the website asking (1) how many guests could I bring to long range day and (2) was there any special training a guest had to complete before shooting on LRD. After no answer I emailed again, and again. Finally received a terse email suggesting I consult the member manual. I responded that I did and found no answer. Received a response that maybe I should go through a LR refresher course. I responded that I just needed a quick answer to a simple question. No response. I tried another guy and got similar responses instead of just answering the question. Eventually got an email with a link to the website as if I didn't already have the website. The link was actually to douglas ridge homeowners association. Round and round and round. Finally emailed the president and he responded with some accusations of "a sense of entitlement" on my part which I found hilarious. Ultimately after 3 weeks of trying to get an answer to a simple question I told Bill (president) the reason for my initial question....my mother passed away on 11/19 and I wanted to take my dad shooting on LRD to get his mind of the tragedy but that 3 weeks of passive aggressive evasion from all 3 of those clowns I interacted with made that an impossibility. No apology. I demanded my fees back and I got my check in three days. So they were Jonny on the spot when they realized what duche bags they are. That's it fellas. I know...selfish of me.

Maybe post the email exchanges so people have some context instead of just some random new guy ranting and raving?

 

[P7M13]

Bottom line is those guys at DR are there for a purpose. That purpose is to serve the needs of the paying members. Pure and simple. And they failed in that not because they were busy. They failed in that because of the reasons I described. It has nothing to do with their being volunteers or busy. They are just arrogant dicks.

And there lies the rub: they're not there to serve you. They are there to serve the interests of the club first, and the overall membership second -- which does not include hand-holding, though I'm sure they do it a lot.
I would bet, if you conveyed that sense of entitlement in any of your communication, you went into the IGNORE list.

 

[Joe13]

And there lies the rub: they're not there to serve you. They are there to serve the interests of the club first, and the overall membership second -- which does not include hand-holding, though I'm sure they do it a lot.
I would bet, if you conveyed that sense of entitlement in any of your communication, you went into the IGNORE list.

Bingo. Members come and go. The club is there for life (hopefully).

I've met a few board members and RSO's at that club and never had any issues.

I have a Clark Rifles membership, it's been awesome and only had one sort of issue - right after getting ink on my arm and chest, in the summer, I wore a wife beater and shorts. Was watched constantly but never harassed.

 

[rick benjamin]

Jay already had the answers to his questions.
To get a gate card, Jay attended the new member orientation and received a copy of club bylaws and member handbook.
To get a long range permit, Jay attended the long range orientation.


Jay would have had to escort his entire group (4 guests + Jay) to hang the 1000 yard target.
Then Jay and group would go to the 1k berm to shoot.
Then Jay and group would lower and store the target.
Then Jay and group would depart club property

 

[308]

Jay already had the answers to his questions.
To get a gate card, Jay attended the new member orientation and received a copy of club bylaws and member handbook.
To get a long range permit, Jay attended the long range orientation.


Jay would have had to escort his entire group (4 guests + Jay) to hang the 1000 yard target.
Then Jay and group would go to the 1k berm to shoot.
Then Jay and group would lower and store the target.
Then Jay and group would depart club property

And there is a very good reason why Jay and his ENTIRE entourage are to be tethered together the whole time. One of which is the guests do not know the rules and have not been through orientation. Just like I mentioned in a previously post seeing a "guest" destroy one of our target stands on the dynamic range with his semi-auto shot gun...because "oh sorry, I didn't know"

 

[rick benjamin]

Rick - ... those guys at DR are there for a purpose. That purpose is to serve the needs of the paying members. Pure and simple...

Jay, you are wrong. The officers, board, directors, serve the club.
Members pay dues to (under rules) use club property.

Speaking only for myself, I share my paper targets with folks that didn't bring their own (member handbook)
Help them hang cardboard. Share my stapler and staples. Share my telescope.
Share my shooting and gun repair knowledge.
Carry an (IFAK) emergency trauma kit and maintain med training. Encouraged but not required by the club.
Just a few of my many other super powers
Oh yeah, and re-orient members (where did your bullet go after hitting the paper?).

Everybody be nice to others.
That old fart you just chewed on was freezing in Nov-Dec 1950 while killing NORKs.