For shooters whose range is the BLM/NFS land around you

[Redcap]

1. Always bring a friend.
2. Always be armed.

No exceptions.

 

[Blitzkrieg]

I guess I have been lucky so far. All my years of shooting all over Central Oregon and I have never had anything close to some of the encounters described. If anything I have met some great people out shooting and have swapped shooting guns with others. Probably one part luck, one part always being armed and one part staying aware. I have driven past some shady looking situations but just kept going.

My experience I described I was out with my gal shooting a new AR15 and these two tweekers just pull right in alongside my war wagon in a tight shooting area only big enough for one small party. They were so close to my wagon they almost blocked the driver's door.. I think they were armed and hoping to catch some yuppies out shooting so they could rob us. After they got a look at me and my AR held at low ready behind the wagon (and I gave them a cold response) they backed off. It was mostly bluff, I had three rounds left of .45 ACP in that AR, no reload mag on me. I guess I could have taken one of them out for sure if it came to that. My gal was armed with her .357 and reloads, she was out taping off the targets. I did have a 1911 and reloads in the vehicle, in a fanny pack, out of easy reach, and the .38 derringer in my hip pocket

This was in the WA State Capitol Forest, West of Olympia. I have had even scarier experiences when out shooting in Northern California

 

[sheepdip]

i always take the mini 14 with a twenty round clip in it to check targets, kindof a pain but i would rather not be caught unarmed. always guns on the tailgate

 

[Blitzkrieg]

1. Always bring a friend.
2. Always be armed.

No exceptions.

Good advice. My wife or a buddy or my posse is always out with me. Besides it's more fun than shooting alone. Some of the best experiences in my life has been shooting with friends or family

 

[Blitzkrieg]

for some reason this reminded me of a scene from a book, Robert A. Heinlein's Time enough for love, its scifi, but the scene is he was homesteading with his wife and some bad guys show up, he ends up taking them in and serving them dinner, cause that is what you do when you are hospitable, well the bad guys end up threatening them, and because the main character was well prepared, he out foxes them and ends up killing the bad guys. During the dieing moments of one of the bad guys, the bad guy complains that they were not given a chance, he thinks this because they were so soundly defeated, and the main character points out they were given every chance.....

don't know why, but that comes to mind.

This exact scenario ended what was called "Highland Hospitality" (an ancient tradition) and I believe it was the basis for Heinlein's fictional reverse-outcome version. It was called the Glencoe Massacre, and it did not turn out as well for the McDonalds..

Glencoe Massacre

 

[Camtender]

1. Always bring a friend.
2. Always be armed.

No exceptions.

Could not agree more.

I have been shooting at BLM land for over 20 years and came across a funny phenomenon. For the last two years when I would go shooting, vehicles that would normally pull up and ask if they could shoot in the same area would just stop 100 feet short and turn around. This happened on about six different trips until one of my friends figured it out - the sight of my AK47 in my hands seemed to keep people from approach us.

Having said that, my experience with meth heads is that the sight of a bazooka would not deter them. Be safe.

 

[gunslinger1911]

+1 I keep my personal defense load magazines separate from the ones I use for target shooting when pistol shooting, and they go into my mag holder and the pistol when I'm done.

 

[i8asquirrel]

I sometimes shoot in the forest east of Salem and have arrived at one of my favorite shooting spots to find it occupied with other shooters. My normal procerue is to pull up and ask if I can join them ( its public property so they really cant say no) I will then pull to my parking spot and remove my Ak and put in a 40 round banana mag. and rack the bolt. I normanl have a water bottle in the truck ( a plastic half gallon Clan Mcgregor whiskey bottle ) I take a huge gulping drink whipe my mouth with my wrist gasp alittle and say lets get started in a slightly raised voice............................some times they leave burnout marks!

PS. I never leave a weapon out in the open when going down range and always go armed.

 

[drew]

+1 I keep my personal defense load magazines separate from the ones I use for target shooting when pistol shooting, and they go into my mag holder and the pistol when I'm done.

Sounds like my routine. Unload the defense rounds when I get there and put the mag back in when finished target shooting. The magazine is always with me too.

 

[Blitzkrieg]

Not at all.. he's being cautious as he exits a scenario

 

[Blitzkrieg]

I sometimes shoot in the forest east of Salem and have arrived at one of my favorite shooting spots to find it occupied with other shooters. My normal procerue is to pull up and ask if I can join them ( its public property so they really cant say no) I will then pull to my parking spot and remove my Ak and put in a 40 round banana mag. and rack the bolt. I normanl have a water bottle in the truck ( a plastic half gallon Clan Mcgregor whiskey bottle ) I take a huge gulping drink whipe my mouth with my wrist gasp alittle and say lets get started in a slightly raised voice............................some times they leave burnout marks!

PS. I never leave a weapon out in the open when going down range and always go armed.

I'm a MacGregor guy and this scares me

 

[RVTECH]

I'm a MacGregor guy and this scares me

Well I am not a MacGregor guy but I would probably introduce myself and hopefully be offered a drink. Sometimes a little 'controlled' weird behavior on our part is what is needed to keep the others at bay, The tweekers and other degenerates know what works for them to intimidate others so we just need to level the field. It is too bad the Law OF Natural Selection doesn't weed these types out quicker.

 

[i8asquirrel]

I am saying be careful ....these Idiots will kill each other for a $20 rock , you better believe some one with a few thousand in guns and scopes might be pretty juicy looking target if dont have your head on a swivel

 

[RallySoob]

this happened in 86' but relevant none the less. People killing multiple target shooters

Robbers Might Be Killing Target Shooters For Cars - Orlando Sentinel


Hunter Robbed last deer season:
http://readingeagle.com/article.aspx?id=253949

 

[olydemon]

This was in the WA State Capitol Forest, West of Olympia. I have had even scarier experiences when out shooting in Northern California

Where at in the Cap Forest did this happen? I havent been shooing out there yet, but have ridden mtb out there for 10+ years. Been wanting to go out there, but now I dont know about doing it alone. I dont know anyone local to go shooting with and have wanted to avoid the big gravel pit.

 

[Blitzkrieg]

Where at in the Cap Forest did this happen? I havent been shooing out there yet, but have ridden mtb out there for 10+ years. Been wanting to go out there, but now I dont know about doing it alone. I dont know anyone local to go shooting with and have wanted to avoid the big gravel pit.

Rock Candy Mountain

 

[Blitzkrieg]

Well I am not a MacGregor guy but I would probably introduce myself and hopefully be offered a drink. Sometimes a little 'controlled' weird behavior on our part is what is needed to keep the others at bay, The tweekers and other degenerates know what works for them to intimidate others so we just need to level the field. It is too bad the Law OF Natural Selection doesn't weed these types out quicker.

I'm just kidding in your case but once my gal and I were out at our usual (and really nice) shooting spot in Cali and as we drove in two totally drunk hillbilly dudes were passing a Jack Daniels bottle as they fired at a car carcass, backdrop was the Bear River and orchards. I made a U turn and we scrammed

 

[Mica]

If anyone here is around Eugene up fisk rd shooting. you are welcome to stop by and shoot with me anytime. just look for a dark green blazer. Im friendly enough, however every time I wave at folks to say hi. they usaly whip around and leave. figure those are the unsavory type. I know I dont look like a threat, except for a gun or two.

 

[mjbskwim]

Well I never leave a gun out in the open unless I do have someone with me.Otherwise they are in the cab of the truck. And I always have a loaded pistol on my person when at a gravel pit.Or off the main hiways.If I leave the main roads to go exploring,the gun is tucked in between the seats ,right next to my right knees.

Years ago I would go up to North Bend,below Mt Si.There was some great pits up there. Lots of good shooters but every once in a while you just had to pack it in.

As stated before,always keep a couple of defense mags at the ready and at least a hand gun on your side.
You don't want to get shot,but you sure don't want all those guns taken from you by some tweeker.

And the movie scene that comes to me is from Silverado where Scott Glen is practicing and goes to check the targets when the bad guys come to get him.

 

[Kevatc]

I'm just kidding in your case but once my gal and I were out at our usual (and really nice) shooting spot in Cali and as we drove in two totally drunk hillbilly dudes were passing a Jack Daniels bottle as they fired at a car carcass, backdrop was the Bear River and orchards. I made a U turn and we scrammed

Heading home after shooting I came up to a sharp turn in the road where there were several milk jugs sitting in the middle. I stopped about 40 yards short thinking that was really weird. Without warning a huge amount of gunfire tore up those jugs. Must have lasted 30 seconds or better. When it finally stopped I hit my horn three long times and crept up to the corner. As I came around I felt like I had just landed in the midst of a skin head meeting. Everyone had a beer in their hands. I gave a nod and a smile and got out of there as quick as I could.

There is a nice old gravel pit up behind Scott Mtn which is just east of Glide, OR. Really a great place to shoot ... width wise you can shoot out to about 50 yards and length wise out to 100 or a little more. High dirt banks serve as a backstop for about 120* of the pit. There is a road that comes in at one end and skirts the edge of the area and continues on around to the far end. I had been there several hours and had placed a bunch of pumpkins and milk jugs at one end so I could shoot the 100 yard range. I was just getting ready to shoot when an old codger came driving up. He continued to the far end where all my targets were set up. I sat there and watched him for 5 minutes trying to figure out what he was going to do. It was obvious what I was doing as I had my AR slung across my chest and was facing the row of targets. He finally got out of his car and loaded up a small rifle. Ye yelled over at me to ask what I was shooting at. I just pointed at all those jugs and pumpkins that were literally right in front of him. He got totally pissed and said I was suppossed to shoot the width ways of the pit. I just shrugged and pointed at the targets again. He yelled something again and I just replied with I was there first. I guess I could've collected all those just and pumpkins and moved them but I was pretty irritated that I had been there quite awhile and all of a sudden he expected me to pack up my stuff and to accomodate his wants. I stood there for a few more minutes and he finally got really pissed, literally threw the rifle into his front seat, kicked up a bit of dirt as he drove off, and as he went by me gave me the finger and yelled that I was a mother fornicator.