Non range plinking

[woodbry07]

Is there anywhere in Washington state that i can go and shoot at some targets other than a shooting range or club.

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[Andy54Hawken]

Lots of public land in Washington is open to shooting.

That said...

Please pick up after yourself and others...
Make sure you have a good , safe back stop...
Be aware that others who view you , may ( will ) judge all gun owners by your actions...
Some traditional targets , like cans are no longer allowed..steel silhouettes and bio-degradable clay birds are your best bet here.
Andy

 

[PORSCHE928S4]

And definitely don't use tracers or tannerite you won't make any friends doing that !

 

[woodbry07]

Is there anywhere in Washington state that i can go and shoot at some targets other than a shooting range or club.

I basically just want to go and shoot some targets without paying a fee and being held down by rapid fire rules and cold range hot range warnings, I have every intention of being responsible with a back stop and cleaning up after myself, I just don't want to be eyeballed by a range officer while I'm doing my thing.

 

[Yarome]

Laying hand on a land usage map for your area is extremely useful. blm.gov might be a good place to start, then navigate to your local area. Some sporting goods stores might also have paper maps on hand, which I prefer for making on the fly notations. Some bi-marts will have them on the cheap as well.

Some states are much better than others in having detailed digital maps readily available. I dunno about Washington.

Another fantastic resource is your local DFW. They'll have maps and boots on the ground info that can be invaluable for specific regions. Particularly road acess, no shooting zones, designated backwood camping areas you want to avoid, etc.

 

[Mono1]

Is there anywhere in Washington state that i can go and shoot at some targets other than a shooting range or club.

Try the List at Washington Resources:

Washington Resources

Reviews, information, and discussion of gun shops, shooting ranges, firearm training, gunsmiths and other firearm-related resources in Washington.

www.northwestfirearms.com

 

[Yarome]

Oh yes.. and be aware of public land shooting regulations. Ie., Required fire fighting equipment.

 

[Yarome]

Just to add... being new to an area usually requires a little bit of legwork. Making a day of it driving the back logging roads and scouting a good location... possibly over multiple trips to find that "perfect spot" may be required. Many, I would say, are reluctant to share exact locations out of fear of it being overrun or damaged by negligent shooters. No different than keeping your favorite fishing hole a guarded secret.

Don't get discouraged. There are countless areas very well suited.

 

[woodbry07]

Just to add... being new to an area usually requires a little bit of legwork. Making a day of it driving the back logging roads and scouting a good location... possibly over multiple trips to find that "perfect spot" may be required. Many, I would say, are reluctant to share exact locations out of fear of it being overrun or damaged by negligent shooters. No different than keeping your favorite fishing hole a guarded secret.

Don't get discouraged. There are countless areas very well suited.

Thank you I figured this would be the case more than anything, people DO know a place but they'd rather keep it a secret which I totally get. Looks like I'll do some legwork to find my spot

 

[gmerkt]

These days, you are required to have a use pass when you step onto state or federal owned lands. For state lands, it's called the Discover Pass. I think it costs about $35 per year. I forget what the comparable federal pass is, I have the senior pass which is a one-time purchase and good for life. America the Beautiful Pass? Since I mostly use state lands, I don't remember much about the federal pass.

When I've gone out shooting, I see many other shooters who do not display the pass. Maybe they have one, and maybe they don't. You're supposed to display it (hang from inside rear view mirror) when on state lands. As I understand it, it's not required to drive on the roads, but once you park and get out, it's needed. You may never be challenged for the pass. BUT: One time I was out on state lands, one of the rangers came by, we had a nice chat, not a word was said about the pass which I was displaying. The fine for not having the state pass is $99.

Get a map of state lands, be sure where you are. It's easy enough to cross over an imaginary line. Use a GPS. Lots of forest parcels are in a checkerboard pattern and it's not difficult to stray off. Private forest land, even if it isn't fenced the law requires you to have written permission in possession to be on it. It's not good enough to assume, "Oh, this is Weyerhaeuser land, it's okay to shoot on it." I used Google Earth to get an actual look at the ground.

 

[gmerkt]

Not an issue west of the Cascades. But I've driven all over the West, you can be driving along in Hwy. 95 in Nevada and notice that the land is barb wire fenced along the road. I've wondered, "Why do they fence all this off? It's open federal land." Well, one answer I've gotten for Nevada anyway is that the feds to that to keep wild burros and horses off the road.

Then you see fences on USFS and BLM land that is leased for grazing. Grazing permits do not convey any title to the land, control over the land, all they grant is access to forage. So, I've been told, correct me if I'm wrong, by rights, you could climb over that fence and have public access to that land that is leased for grazing. Heaven help you if you shoot a cow by accident, that will cost you way more than a ticket from the ranger.

Aiways check ahead of time before you pull a trigger, the state and feds sometimes suspend shooting activities for various reasons. Fire danger, maintenance, etc.

 

[RVTECH]

I forget what the comparable federal pass is,

If you happen to remember what the 'Comparable Federal pass' is please describe it because I have NO knowledge of such - and never have.

Oregon has a requirement for certain STATE parks, public areas, parking areas etc. but NOTHING with regard to Federal land such as Forest Service or BLM.

So, I've been told, correct me if I'm wrong, by rights, you could climb over that fence and have public access to that land that is leased for grazing.

This is correct and was a fairly big 'issue' about 20 years ago when many BLM areas were getting 'No Trespassing' signs hung on the fences and a LOT of public access gates being locked.

Many lessors of BLM land got their hands slapped for this and the no trespassing signs and locks were removed.

 

[gmerkt]

If you happen to remember what the 'Comparable Federal pass' is please describe it because I have NO knowledge of such

Passes and Permits | US Forest Service

www.fs.usda.gov

Parking Passes & Wilderness Restrictions

This page provides information about the various parking passes and wilderness restrictions in place for our land managers.

www.mountaineers.org

As I said, I don't go onto federal lands all that much so don't know all the ins and outs. To just walk onto USFS land, I don't know that the pass is required, but all trailheads and parking lots require them. Which normally you have to access to get to the land you want to walk on. I also don't know if dirt turn-outs count as trail heads or parking lots. You get the pass, you don't have to think about distinctions. What I do know is that USFS rangers are not shy about writing tickets.

The America the Beautiful Pass hasn't been around all that long.

I buy the annual Wash. state Discover Pass at Cabelas. I forget where I bought my America the Beautiful federal pass, maybe by mail? You can find out online.

Oh, I just read that veterans can get a free federal pass.

 

[oremike]

This is the pass I've got from the feds: https://store.usgs.gov/access-pass
and this from Oregon: https://stateparks.oregon.gov/?do=v.page&id=19

 

[41mag]

I've got an "Access Pass" American the Beautiful covers free or discounted access to National Forests. Have driven thru/into various parks without entry fee. Print is so small on the back I can't tell for sure what it actually does. Don't think 'target plinking' is mentioned in the fine print.

 

[41mag]

oremike: I see we have the same pass with different photos but similar regulatory language.

 

[Yarome]

This is the pass I've got from the feds: https://store.usgs.gov/access-pass
and this from Oregon: https://stateparks.oregon.gov/?do=v.page&id=19

Passes are only required in national and state parks and forests where use/access fees are charged. Like parks or other designed recreational use areas, but not required for "general" BLM land access or usage.

Examples: Crater Lake area access... or... Mt. Hood recreational areas would require passes. Driving up into the Cascades, picking a logging road to lead you up into open BLM land, would not.

 

[gmerkt]

State lands in Wash., any managed by the parks, the DNR, Wash. state schools trust lands (which are open forest), those all take a pass. Some of the "shooting sites" (pits) have little signs posted stating the requirement. Whether or not the sign is there, the permit is required. If you stay on the road and keep going, you don't need the pass. If you pull off and park at the pit, you need the pass.

 

[Yarome]

That's important to note. National and State lands can differ greatly. Personally, I avoid state land/forests for camping and shooting. Not that you can't, but more due diligence on what is allowed, what isn't and where can be more confusing. You also have to pay-to-play.

National forests/BLM are much easier in that respect... and it's Free! (with some exceptions)