Garbage Or not Garbage?? That is the question.

Beltfed · Apr 17, 2018

I've been picking up trash (beer cans, water bottles, and card board) and spend shell casings for the past month at my local shooting spot (Cole Mtn). Last week I hauled out a truck load of wood that shooters trucked in for Target stands, was its wrong? Being a Marine and remembering every time I went to the range, We left the range the way we found it, I also feel that people who shoot on public lands should own steel targets (transport in and transport out. So my question is, was I wrong for hauling out the wood? For all the guys that try to keep their local shooting spots clean "what's garage and what isn't garage"?

Stomper · Apr 17, 2018

Remember doing "dress-right-dress" Police-call of the grounds in the military? If it didn't grow there, or is "man-made/modified"... it's garbage.

2DaMtns · Apr 17, 2018

Yep, if you haul it in, you should haul it out. The only exception is if you're shooting apples or something that explode into tiny pieces that will be eaten or rot quickly.

Cogs · Apr 17, 2018

The attitude is 'Leave it for the next guy'. Not good, because the next guy has no ownership of it. It was there before he got there so it's not his responsibility to take it out.

So, yes, you were right. Take it out when you can. You can only hope they will see that someone is caring for the place and desires a clean place to shoot. Stomper is dead on when he says "If it didn't grow there, or is "man-made/modified"... it's garbage". Garbage has no place in the woods. You did the right thing by taking it out.

Yep, if people would invest in targets and stands, they will take their investment back home to use another time. We spend a lot of money on the gun and accessories, but when it comes to what we shoot at, or what we'll do with it afterward, no thought or preparation is given.

Thanks, Beltfed. Don't let them get you down!

2DaMtns · Apr 17, 2018

At a range I used to go to in another state, they had to shut it down one day a week just to clean it. Completely ridiculous.

KKG · Apr 17, 2018

I was always taught leave "IT" cleaner than you found it. My Army time was the same. I firmly believe that if you brought it in, you take it out. I just wish Other people did the same. I've watched more and more areas being closed to Shooting and/or Hunting because of the Slob Shooters that don't seem to care about the Land.

808hondacrguy · Apr 17, 2018

I always pack out what I brought, and then I always have a couple of garbage bags with me that I fill up with other peoples crap. But, everytime I go back, the place is just trashed worse than ever, and my little truckload of removed stuff doesn't even dent it anymore. I still do it, but it is frustrating.

CountryGent · Apr 17, 2018

If you pack it in, pack it out, to quote the eldest brother in my family. I do 95%+ target shooting on our own property these days. But those that shoot on public land and/or the club, there is a simple, easy rule: don't be a jackass, clean up afterward, and call it good.

JRuby · Apr 18, 2018

I have started to write my name and address on my target boatds. There is no question who they belong to.

Alexx1401 · Apr 18, 2018

That attitude is not just in the outdoor spots sadly. Monday I went to indoor range. There were 2 or 3 others in the same bay got done before me. I picked up my stuff and saw they had left brass all over the floor where they had been. Place has just opened so the worker had forgotten to put a broom back there. On my way out I mentioned to him that there was no broom or I would have cleaned up after the slobs who thought their mothers worked there. I hate that attitude of come in, make a big mess, then walk off and leave it. When I get there at first open and head back if there is not a broom I ask for one. Others just figure too bad someone else will clean up my mess.

Argonaut · Apr 18, 2018

This is another activity that gives tree hugging liberal anti's ammunition to use against us. One day the legality of shooting outside of a formal organized range will be challenged. The lack of backstops and trash are both huge issues.

Medic! · Apr 18, 2018

JRuby said:
I have started to write my name and address on my target boatds. There is no question who they belong to.

What a strange coincidence?
I've been weighting your name and address on my Target's as well.

deadeye · Apr 18, 2018

Beltfed said:
I've been picking up trash (beer cans, water bottles, and card board) and spend shell casings for the past month at my local shooting spot (Cole Mtn). Last week I hauled out a truck load of wood that shooters trucked in for Target stands, was its wrong? Being a Marine and remembering every time I went to the range, We left the range the way we found it, I also feel that people who shoot on public lands should own steel targets (transport in and transport out. So my question is, was I wrong for hauling out the wood? For all the guys that try to keep their local shooting spots clean "what's garage and what isn't garage"?

I don't see where anyone else stated this but here.....3 Bags of Trash = NWFA Bronze Membership!
@Joe Link

KKG · Apr 18, 2018

deadeye said:
I don't see where anyone else stated this but here.....3 Bags of Trash = NWFA Bronze Membership!
@Joe Link

I do like what you guys do but some folks do it just because it's right.

Member 34319 · Apr 18, 2018

Beltfed said:
I've been picking up trash (beer cans, water bottles, and card board) and spend shell casings for the past month at my local shooting spot (Cole Mtn). Last week I hauled out a truck load of wood that shooters trucked in for Target stands, was its wrong? Being a Marine and remembering every time I went to the range, We left the range the way we found it, I also feel that people who shoot on public lands should own steel targets (transport in and transport out. So my question is, was I wrong for hauling out the wood? For all the guys that try to keep their local shooting spots clean "what's garage and what isn't garage"?

Sadly it is a gun culture thing. One that has been around for a really long time. Even talking to older folks that shot with their dads can tell you there was always places that were known for shooting that would have garbage left.

In my opinion the problem lies with us. The good ones. Yes, even some here utilize whatever they have lying around the house to use as targets. It's the culture, their dad did it, theirs before them. Some old soup cans, beer bottles, etc. Though we, the good ones, do pick up after ourselves, the image of shooting these things is there. Hell, even I'll shoot at some of the stuff before going and picking it up afterwards. It's just part of plinking.

In some ways that was the freedom of going "plinking". However times have changed and recreational shooting has grown exponentially with the exponential growth of gun ownership.

So new shooters, those that are the ones that tend not to clean up what they bring out, learned to shoot certain items from generations of our culture doing so and just leave it there. The last part isn't a culture thing perhaps, maybe generational. Just plain lazy not to clean up.

It is a tough cookie, and I struggle with it a lot working with Trash No Land.

I keep at it though. I try to push for shooters to invest in proper targets. Especially reusable targets like steel. I preach pack in pack out at every opportunity.

It is better in some places.

Take North Fork Wolf Creek for instance. Though it gets beat up on a very regular basis. It never has gotten too bad in the almost 2.5 years it has been in place.