Lane County Public Lands: Anywhere to shoot?

[GripItAndRipIt]

OK, I'm not asking anyone to give up their "secret spot," but I'm looking for somewhere I can go plink a few targets on public lands in Lane County. I can rattle off a dozen such spots in Bend/Redmond/LaPine Central Oregon, but I'm trying to get a bead on the I-5 corridor. Closer to Eugene/Springfield would be a bonus, but not a dealbreaker to be a little further out. Could be BLM/NFS or ODF? Happy to hear your recommendations. Thanks!

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[Koda]

caltopo.com then toggle their public land layer. I would guess your closest option is out hwy 58.

 

[The Heretic]

Where I used to shoot was the powerline behind LCC - but that was 40 years ago and I am pretty sure it isn't safe to do so now - would probably get you arrested.

I used to go up into the Coburg hills on the road behind the gun club that was there. Again, unsure as it has been a LONG time - dirt bike riders would ride up there too.

There is the Izaak Walton League. https://www.izaakwaltoneugene.org/

 

[solv3nt]

Always stay strapped shooting in public. Lots of crazies out there.

 

[lucusloc]

I can tell you lots of places you can't shoot anymore. Shotgun Creek out Mohawk had a lot of private land sales recently and lots of new homes built. The entire road is now a safety corridor (for good reason), and unfortunately is not a good place to shoot anymore. Old Camp Creek road is similar, though if you go far enough up the mountain you can still find safe shooting lanes, you just have to know that the no-shooting safety corridors only run about a mile up the access roads, past that it should be ok.

 

[Mikej]

OK, I'm not asking anyone to give up their "secret spot," but I'm looking for somewhere I can go plink a few targets on public lands in Lane County. I can rattle off a dozen such spots in Bend/Redmond/LaPine Central Oregon, but I'm trying to get a bead on the I-5 corridor. Closer to Eugene/Springfield would be a bonus, but not a dealbreaker to be a little further out. Could be BLM/NFS or ODF? Happy to hear your recommendations. Thanks!

@Rem700..300 and his dear his wife are stewards with Trash-no-Land down in that area. They spend a bunch of money and time cleaning up after Pucking Figs in Lane County public land dot org. He "may" pop in here, or shoot you a convo of somewhere to go. Cleaning up more than you take, even a little bit if you can, goes a long way toward the help you're asking for.

Thanks!

 

[Flounder]

Although you said public, if you are looking at a decent and clean range then there is always Emerald Empire (http://www.emeraldempiregunclub.com) up the McGowen Creek Road near Marcola. Have to deal with "uptight" RSOs, but everything is there for you if you want. There are a few rock pits up that same road (maybe 2-3 miles keep veering to the right) but they are usually trashed (literally) and always require cleanups. Lots of Weyerhaeuser (private property = no target shooting allowed), but up on top is BLM/public. Lane County Sherriff patrols up there frequently, so always know where you are.

 

[The Heretic]

Although you said public, if you are looking at a decent and clean range then there is always Emerald Empire (http://www.emeraldempiregunclub.com) up the McGowen Creek Road near Marcola. Have to deal with "uptight" RSOs, but everything is there for you if you want. There are a few rock pits up that same road (maybe 2-3 miles keep veering to the right) but they are usually trashed (literally) and always require cleanups. Lots of Weyerhaeuser (private property = no target shooting allowed), but up on top is BLM/public. Lane County Sherriff patrols up there frequently, so always know where you are.

That sounds like the area I was thinking of where I would keep going up the road past the club into the Coburg hills from the "back side" of the hills. Once on top there are some nice views down onto the valley to the west.

 

[GripItAndRipIt]

@Rem700..300 and his dear his wife are stewards with Trash-no-Land down in that area. They spend a bunch of money and time cleaning up after Pucking Figs in Lane County public land dot org. He "may" pop in here, or shoot you a convo of somewhere to go. Cleaning up more than you take, even a little bit if you can, goes a long way toward the help you're asking for.

Thanks!

Thanks. I was taught to leave a place better than I found it. I generally do my best to live up to that ethic. Nothing boils my oil like a pile of bright yellow shotgun shells littering my public lands.

 

[GripItAndRipIt]

Although you said public, if you are looking at a decent and clean range then there is always Emerald Empire (http://www.emeraldempiregunclub.com) up the McGowen Creek Road near Marcola. Have to deal with "uptight" RSOs, but everything is there for you if you want. There are a few rock pits up that same road (maybe 2-3 miles keep veering to the right) but they are usually trashed (literally) and always require cleanups. Lots of Weyerhaeuser (private property = no target shooting allowed), but up on top is BLM/public. Lane County Sherriff patrols up there frequently, so always know where you are.

Awesome. Thank you.

 

[Rem700..300]

I heard McGowan creek many times at the Eugene Sportsman show this past weekend. Use Onyx or another way to determine property owners. Thank you for picking up. Sounds like there will be plenty of opportunity to clean from what the locals reported. Have a great time

 

[Saladfarmer]

Out towards Dexter lake, Willamette National Forest Lands? We get our Christmas tree out there every year. People were definitely shooting out there.. We weren't, There's several roads going into the hills there that are long and windy and several great natural backstops. Again, is it legal to shoot out there? I don't know, but there was evidence, we picked up some trash and brass we found. But we were there for the Christmas tree.

 

[Koda]

Here's a screenshot of public lands overlayed onto Lane county in Caltopo.com. Green: nat forest, Brown: BLM, blue: state lands, all legal to shoot on.
there isn't a close to town option. Best you can do is dedicated one or two Saturdays to drive out exploring and mark several spots on a map. Ive had to do that myself and its paid off as I dont have to think about it now. Note: If you head out 58 the area around Oakridge is popular with mt bikers and theres even a weekend race event once a year there.

 

[Mikej]

Thanks. I was taught to leave a place better than I found it. I generally do my best to live up to that ethic. Nothing boils my oil like a pile of bright yellow shotgun shells littering my public lands.

I'm with you on that one. So damned easy to pick up, but the slobs leave those things lay.

 

[GripItAndRipIt]

I'm with you on that one. So damned easy to pick up, but the slobs leave those things lay.

I got caught in the act one day by a BLM ranger at Mayfield Pond in Deschutes County. As I was literally raking a couple hundred spent shotshells into a cardboard box I carry for cleanup he stopped and said "are those all yours?"

"No sir, I'm shooting rifle and pistol today," taking great care not to put my hand anywhere near my holstered P320 in plain view. He also made note of my paper and steel as most people out there use household junk for targets.

He shook my hand and thanked me. He seemed to genuinely care about the land beyond just "the law." I appreciated that.

 

[Mikej]

I got caught in the act one day by a BLM ranger at Mayfield Pond in Deschutes Coutu. As I was literally raking a couple hundred spent shells into a cardboard box I carry for cleanup he stopped and said "are those all yours?"

"No sir, I'm shooting rifle and pistol today," taking great care not to put my hand anywhere near my holstered P320 in plain view. He also made note of my paper and steel as most people out there use household junk for targets.

He shook my hand and thanked me. He seemed to genuinely care about the land beyond just "the law." I appreciated that.

Thing is, what you were doing is nothing special. I'd be doing that too. Nothing special. That's the way it's supposed to be! And I have no doubts that those officers that work these forests have a special deep respect for the land. Things have gone way off track the way people treat the forests. I think there's a huge issue in the forests now of non target shooters going out there and just dumping rubbish.

 

[GripItAndRipIt]

Thing is, what you were doing is nothing special. I'd be doing that too. Nothing special. That's the way it's supposed to be! And I have no doubts that those officers that work these forests have a special deep respect for the land. Things have gone way off track the way people treat the forests. I think there's a huge issue in the forests now of non target shooters going out there and just dumping rubbish.

He man don't even get me started on China Hat out my way. I've got my secret BLM spots that stay pretty clean, but every once in a while...