Poll: Mt Hood National Forest & NWFA Target Shooter Information Program

[Cogs]

We're excited to announce a one of a kind program, sponsored by Northwest Firearms and the USFS Mt. Hood National Forest! (Video posted below).

This is an on-going volunteer program that needs your continued support.

Please join us!​

Northwest Firearms and Mt Hood National Forest
Target Shooter Information Program​

"Partnering to preserve our recreational target shooting rights"​

You are invited to be part of this program!​

​

What is it? NWFA Target Shooter Information Program is a program where we set up a booth in the woods, to offer information and assistance to target shooters, by communicating rules, ethics, places to shoot and offering tips to help enhance their target shooting experience. We hand out literature, from Mt Hood National Forest and NWFA, to shooters who are on their way up to shoot. We hand out rules from the Forest Service, tips & ethics from NWFA, maps of good/legal places to shoot, offer free ear plugs and free legal targets to shoot at. We are here to help, inform and enhance the target shooting experience.

This program, to our knowledge, is the first of its kind and we know of no other community of gun owners who are actively addressing this issue as we are here. This is a unique opportunity to help deter bad behavior and produce a positive difference for the good of our forest. It also has the potential to improve the Sport of Recreational Target Shooting and helps maintain our privileges to shoot on public land.

Join us and be a part of this new and unique effort. We hope to expand this program to other National and State forest lands.

​

Why? We are all aware of the trash and mess in the woods caused by target shooting. This problem plagues out forests and threatens our privilege, our inherited right, to shoot on public land.

With the rise in gun sales and long waiting lists at many gun ranges, our forests are seeing a greater impact from recreational target shooting. Namely, more trash and more resource damage. A large part of this problem is attributed to target shooters being unaware of basic rules and ethics about recreational target shooting on public land.

We believe we can change this through outreach and education. Our plan revolves around setting up a volunteer-staffed booth near popular outdoor shooting locations. From here we will interact with the general public, educating, answering questions, and providing a positive presence in general. We will also be distributing educational literature, area maps, paper targets, and more. Getting ahead of this issue, encouraging ethical behavior, and handling this ourselves will no doubt shed a positive light on us as outdoor target shooters, as well as gun owners in general.

When? This will be an ongoing program, with booths setup as often as we have volunteers to staff them. Every weekend throughout the Spring, Summer and Fall would be ideal! As we start, we are working Saturdays from 9 am to 3 pm. Sundays could also be okay.

Who? You! This program has been developed and made possible through our close partnership with the USFS Mt Hood National Forest. Volunteers will be working closely with USFS Rangers for various tasks, such as setting up the booth.

Where does this happen? Anywhere in the forest where target shooting is popular. We have set up the booth along the NF 45 road, (down Hwy 211 off Hillock Burn Rd), and most recently on HWY 224 just past the Memaloose Rd at Pit 36..

Tree after tree shot down by target shooters. No backstop! (NF 45 Rd)
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Map Link: Current location...Booth Site Pit 36 (Google Maps)
GPS: 45.196489, -122.180161

Map Link: Previous Location... Booth Site NF 4500 Rd. (Google Maps)
GPS: 45°10'50.37"N 122°14'51.08"W

Experience so far: We have been working on this program, with a special team of NWFA members, for close to a year. We've been tuning the program to work out the kinks. So far, we have successfully worked this program in the field for several months and have experienced positive results from shooters and non shooters alike. While still in the early stages, we feel it is now ready to present to the Northwest Firearms membership.

Special thanks of appreciation go out to our NWFA Start Up Team members; rangerlars, ZigZagZeke, Ed Guinn, Liberty97045, ZA_Survivalist, Qjay, PDX, Peteralexander78, PotshotJim, Joe13 and doomsday. We thank you all for your help.

Additional kudos to Clackamas County Dumpstoppers and, of coarse, the supportive team at Mount Hood National Forest.

Interested in volunteering?​

Those interested in volunteering for this program may vote in the poll above, message our Volunteer Coordinator, Bill Cogley (@Cogs), or simply reply to this thread.

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Read More

 

[Cogs]

This has been a good thing! I've enjoyed working the booth. Good times, good folks, good deeds!

 

[GunRightsCoalition]

If there are any set up over in this area be sure to put me on the list.

 

[Cogs]

We hope to have this program in several forests, including Washington.

 

[ZigZagZeke]

Likewise, Cogs and Ed. I've enjoyed your company and liked helping the people we've talked to.

 

[Ed Guinn]

We hope to have this program in several forests, including Washington.

I did this last Saturday with Cogs, ZigZagZeke, and members of Law Enforcement.

It was nothing but good times all the way.

Every person that stopped at the booth was grateful for this much needed action.

When talking to the many people who stopped by, common threads developed that seemed to unite everyone: a love of the activity and the area, the importance of education, and encouragement to "do the right thing".

Maybe most memorable, and important, was the fact that folks gained the awareness that they were no longer alone; organizations were now united to make a positive difference.

The cooperative nature of the Program fosters inclusion in the community too; by letting folks who care know that something has been organized to finally address the growing problem of bad behaviors in the forests.

People were able to witness the effect of cooperative volunteerism by groups in tackling problems beyond the abilities of even the best equipped and intentioned individuals.

The hand-outs were enthusiastically received by all - especially the excellent map clearly showing all the designated safe sites to shoot in Clackamas County.

Sharing the knowledge of what's legal and allowed, plus what makes a site safe to use for target shooting, will help when people set up in non designated areas too. (completely legal - unless posted as unlawful)

I would say too, that giving out the NortwestFirearms.com cards and targets with link on them should increase viewers, and probably membership, no doubt.

I'm proud to be a part of this, and expect the impact to be greater than we all realize.

Way to go start up team!
Ed

 

[Mikej]

Hey this is good. I didn't realize you already had set up for a day. I and maybe Wifey sometime could participate in one of these Saturdays. It's tough this time of year for me, really busy with work, and Wifey did the Tillamook Forest clean-up because she asked for the day off special. She works weekends and I do too.

You need to cough up some more pics from these set-ups, might interest more people to join. So, did you guys check and see if shooters were picking up the shotgun hulls at the end of the day?

Mike

 

[Cogs]

So, did you guys check and see if shooters were picking up the shotgun hulls at the end of the day?

Mike

Actually, Mike, the booth site was in worse condition the second time as it was the first time we set up there. It was kind of wet that day and we didn't like standing in a pile of shot shells.



So, one of us started to pick up some trash, another joined in, and before you know it, we had that place looking pretty fare. Still a mess, but better. It still looks like a shooting place and will prompt people to stop and shoot. "Just because it looks like others have done it for a long time, it must be okay!"



If we can do this booth program on a regular basis, I'm sure that most people will get the message and begin to haul out their own trash.

One thing we're planning to do soon, is to have those shot-up tree stumps cut off low to the ground. Also do a good clean up of that site and perhaps better blocking of the parking area. That should send the message that it's not a shooting place. It's just not safe without a backstop and illegal to shoot trees.

Here's one I snapped at the last booth set up. That tree was not like this 3 weeks before!


We all appreciate your concern and interest, Mike. I was glad to have met you and Wifey at the Tillamook clean up. Good people like you are always a treasure to find. Hope you can join us again real soon!

Bill

 

[ZigZagZeke]

Thanks, Mikej and Spookshack. I hope you'll be able to find some time to participate in this program. It's worthwhile. It's good public relations both ways. The public sees the USFS as a partner and helper, and the USFS gets to see that there are concerned, responsible members of the shooting public that want to do things right. It should give our voices a little more weight when coordinating multiple uses of the forest is considered.

 

[F2CMaDMaXX]

This looks pretty good, but i voted before i saw the location and it's too far for me on this occasion.

 

[Cogs]

This looks pretty good, but i voted before i saw the location and it's too far for me on this occasion.

Quite alright, F2. I know you would like to do this, as I have had the pleasure of experiencing your company at the Tillamook Clean Up. I really hope to get this booth program started in Tillamook State Forest, where perhaps, you could be of help there. We just need to get this Mt Hood program up and running smooth, then poke our heads up over the hill and see what else we can do.

Thanks again,

Bill

 

[Cogs]

This looks pretty good, but i voted before i saw the location and it's too far for me on this occasion.

Oh, F2, if you look at the VOTE BOX, you'll see that you can 'Change you vote'. Welcome to give that a try.

 

[F2CMaDMaXX]

Nice edit, done, thanks.

 

[Ed Guinn]

Hey this is good. I didn't realize you already had set up for a day. I and maybe Wifey sometime could participate in one of these Saturdays. It's tough this time of year for me, really busy with work, and Wifey did the Tillamook Forest clean-up because she asked for the day off special. She works weekends and I do too.

You need to cough up some more pics from these set-ups, might interest more people to join. So, did you guys check and see if shooters were picking up the shotgun hulls at the end of the day?

Mike

Here's a good one - In support of NWFA's TSIP Program:
Sportsman's Warehouse Store Manager commits to creating a prominent display for TSMHNF flyers in-store, along with pledges for further support TBD for this, and other outstanding NWFA projects.
Ed Guinn with Matt Selders at the Clackamas Sportsman's Warehouse; 9401 SE 82nd Ave. 97086

 

[Cogs]

Here's a good one - In support of NWFA's TSIP Program:
Sportsman's Warehouse Store Manager commits to creating a prominent display for TSMHNF flyers in-store, along with pledges for further support TBD for this, and other outstanding NWFA projects.
View attachment 221766 Ed Guinn with Matt Selders at the Clackamas Sportsman's Warehouse; 9401 SE 82nd Ave. 97086

Thank you, Ed. Nice work! I stopped by last Sat and saw the flier displayed next to customer service. They said it will also be at their gun counter soon.

This is one of the fliers we hand out from our Information booth in the woods. It has info from USFS Mt Hood Nat Forest that also includes Target Shooting Rules. It has our NWFA logo and Smart Phone QR codes.

Ed will help Sportsman's Warehouse to keep stock of these fliers. Thanks for taking this on and working it through, Ed Guinn!

Bill

 

[Cogs]

Anyone remember this story? This is the same location where we set up our booth. This is a big part of what we are trying to change.

<broken link removed>

 

[Ed Guinn]

Anyone remember this story? This is the same location where we set up our booth. This is a big part of what we are trying to change.

<broken link removed>

Good catch Cogs. This is exactly the kind of thing to expose; alongside cooperative actions being taken NOW. Pair this up in a PSA, and cast a broader net. We're growing stronger together.

 

[Cogs]

You mean a PSA like this? Last year, Earth Day. Mt Hood may be doing this again at this clean up. We'll see.

 

[Ed Guinn]

You mean a PSA like this? Last year, Earth Day. Mt Hood may be doing this again at this clean up. We'll see.

Yes! That's a good one. A few of these types of messages, released again now, in addition to the Press Release you guys are putting together would go far in affecting public perceptions.
Combined with changes in discussion language ("Gun Abuse" vs. "Gun Violence" - as an example) can alter perspectives.

 

[Fippy Darkpaw]

The wife and I might like to work the booth Once in a while if no clean ups going on