Memaloose Closed !

[Brandon44647]

I was just watching channel 6 news and they closed the Memaloose Rd shooting area for at least the rest of the summer. They are saying it is due to high amounts of garbage & debris left in the area by shooters, I always clean up after myself, also a family camping in the area reported a stray bullet coming through their tent. If caught shooting there it will be a $300 fine. Clean it up and be a little more responsible or it will soon be like this everywhere !

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[unionguy]

I was just up there, backpacking with the family up to Memaloose Lake. Unfortunately, we found tons of shell casings around the lake (this is a steep 1.5 mile hike up from the road). My boys found over 50 .22lr shell cases and a half dozen .30-.30 shell casings laying just around the lake. On the drive up, I saw many of the shooting areas...they did look pretty trashed.

I can believe the story of the family with a round through their tent, based on what I saw.

The signs I saw said only no shooting within 6.8 miles of the main road...did the news say they were shutting them all down? If so, its a damn shame...but we as shooters have to instill better values...leave no trace, maybe!

 

[BlvdKing]

We should have a meet/shoot once a month at known and non-known shooting areas and shoot and then clean the whole area up so this never happens again.

 

[Grizzly_A]

Where are the non-known shooting areas?

 

[finch6013]

I'll come along to some of the non known spots!

One of my spots is in danger of being closed I'm sure. It is always trashed and seems there is always a new tree shot down.

 

[Brandon44647]

I wonder if we can contact someone with the BLM or Forest Service for areas that need to be cleaned up, I'd be willing to make a day of it to help keep those places open. Perhaps we could do a get together/BBQ or something like that ? Anyone got any ideas ?

 

[Petes]

BlvdKing I like your idea. I am ready to go to memaloose and spend some time cleaning up. I dont think it would take all day. It is mainly the trash targets and easy to pick up loose casings.
As best I can tell there is only 2 or three places to shoot in the rock quarries that are above the 6.8 mile marker. I would think a few pick ups and a bunch of guys should do it.
I dont have a truck but I am willing to be part of the effort.

Pete

 

[mudslinging79]

i was just up there today, didnt see anything bout it being closed, just the no shooting signs 6.8 miles etc etc. and for once i didnt see a lot of trash left behind, i even picked up a bag someone left as well as my mess. a group of yopunger people were even cleaning up their mess, i got a bunch of hulls from them. maybe people are starting to smarten up about whats gonna happen????

 

[timbernet]

From the USFS Website:

For Immediate Release
Media Contact: Rick Acosta at 503-706-4497 (cell)

Area Closed to Target Shooting

Sandy, OR – In order to ensure the safety of the public, all target shooting is now prohibited within an area surrounding the first approximately seven miles of Road 4500 (commonly known as the Memaloose Road). Shooting is also prohibited on all connecting spur roads along this stretch of road. There has been an increase in target shooting within this area of the Clackamas River Ranger District. The closure to target shooting in this area is due to its lack of adequate backstops to provide safe shooting and because of the potential risk of bullet shells landing near camp sites, roads, and rivers where people recreate. While this specific area will be closed to target shooting, there still remains many areas, such as some rock quarries, where visitors are allowed to practice target shooting.

The target shooting has also been causing damage to the surrounding vegetation and river habitat. Many trees are dying or even being felled as a result of the shooting. While operating guns is a permitted form of recreation on public lands, there are certain restrictions imposed to protect both the natural lands as well as the visiting public. Safety is always of utmost importance to the Forest Service. According to the Forest Service regulations, operating a fire arm within 150 yards of a residence, across any Forest Service road or body of water, or in any way that may harm human life, is prohibited on public lands.

The Forest Service reminds gun operators to practice safe shooting techniques including using a safe back stop (not rocks, trees, electronic devices, or home appliances), being conscious of where your bullets are going and the impact they might have on the surrounding area, caring for the land by packing out what you bring in including any trash or spent shells, and scouting out the area for people that might be within the shooting range. The new road closure is being enforced by law enforcement officers from the Clackamas County Sheriff Department, Bureau of Land Management, and Forest Service. Clean up and public education is provided by Clackamas County Dumpstoppers. For more information, please contact Sharon Hernandez at 503-630-6861.

 

[ZeroRing]

I am not in that area but for those who are, perhaps a call to the Clackamas County Dumpstoppers is in order? Maybe if the "responsible" shooters flooded them with calls of support and offers of help then perhaps the powers that be will revisit the closure??

 

[eldbillbo]

its not always shooters that are leaving a dump the place i shoot i noticed some garbage left by people partying and once the area got closed once because of a conflict between a couple shooters and a couple arches the arches cut down a tree on the only road going in because the shooters were shooting in the pit and they being the mighty archery hunters wanted to hunt near the pit known for shooting.

find a couple left over targets and shells and the whole mess is blamed on shooters . so its up to us to be the garbage man and clean up after a bunch of bozos

but shooters do need to pick up i sure do see a lot of left over hulls

 

[TonsOfOregonBrass]

My company was formed to fight this exact problem. We are working very hard to keep Memaloose rd open. but we need help. Every weekend we go out and clean up a range at Memaloose. We sell the brass we collect to fund our clean up efforts and soon for the legal fight to open up some "Safe" ranges. We need everyone's help. if you go up there, take more out then you brought in.

We are organizing group shoots, and clean ups after the shoots. We may need to start organizing these every month instead of every three months. The next shoot is scheduled for sept 20th.

Please help us keep this area open. If you reload, buy some brass. If you have a truck help us haul trash out. if you have time, help us pick it up. If you have extra money, donate some.

We need everyone's help to keep public ranges. As i am sure all gun owners are aware, restrictions usualy start small. Like closing a public range, then it becomes whole areas. Eventually leaving no where to shoot your guns.

Help if you can.

 

[timbernet]

We are organizing group shoots, and clean ups after the shoots. We may need to start organizing these every month instead of every three months. The next shoot is scheduled for sept 20th.


Help if you can.

I appreciate what you and your company do and hope to make it to the September shoot.



I was wondering if building "trash can corrals" (wooden cages for trash cans to sit) and placing them at the different shooting areas might cut down on the damage? The issues with that would be if people threw food away (animals) and also who would empty the trash cans... but there has to be some proactive ways to deal with the trash problem and not just reactive...

 

[TonsOfOregonBrass]

we are setting up a meeting with the Estacada ranger shortly to discuss options to keep the ranges open or create new ranges. The Clackamas county sheriff and the Forest Service Law Enforcement both want the ranges to remain open. They understand the problem will just move somewhere else. As soon as we can come up with a time for all groups to be able to meet we will be discussing this further, and if need be elevate it to the Forest supervisor in Portland. It will probably be a little while before we get some ranges back open, or new ones created, but we are working on it.

as for the trash cans, we would gladly have them built. But we have to have the Forest services permission, plus get the funding from either donations or through brass sales.

 

[finch6013]

I would love to see trash bins but I am affraid they would just get shot up by stupid people

 

[TonsOfOregonBrass]

unfortunately they would get shot up, crapped in / used as a toilet, burned, painted or other that would destroy them. but if it keeps the area open, than it might be worth it.

 

[finch6013]

I would like to see anything that keep our shooting area's open. Another one that concerns me is the gravel piles up the molalla. I shoot there some times and its always a dump. Its close to camps and recreaction as well so I hate to see it fall to the same excuse as memaloose

 

[UncalledForGabe]

Hey Tons-o-Brass, I like what you guys are doing up there. Hopefully we can get our range back!

 

[TonsOfOregonBrass]

thanks for the support. we are working hard to get some new ranges up there.

 

[Oldfart]

I drove up there yesterday. I hadn't been there for about five years and was surprised at the change. I used to shoot at any of the several spots in the first four miles but now they're all closed and - for the most part - cleaned up. The rock quarry at about mile 6.8 is open and active as are several other quarries further along the road. I also saw "Dumpstoppers" notices at several of the old sites. The area seemed to look better so perhaps this is one of those rare cases where government intervention has been a benefit.