Outdoor shooting near PDX

[cooldudeinPDX]

Any places you guys can suggest. I really liked English pit in Camas. Thanks.

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[Mikej]

It's really unfortunate it's come to the point that a fellow shooter can't get info on places to shoot legally and safely. But I understand it. See, a number of members here go out in the forest several times a year and clean crapped-up shooting sites in the forest. And just about every time we hear back from shooters a month or two later, after they've been to these sites we've cleaned, we hear they are crapped-up again!! There's an element of the shooting public that are complete uncaring pigs! And you could imagine those same pigs may also be dangerous to be around while they're shooting. After all, if their going to leave a bunch of shot-up aerosol cans and trash, I can't imagine them caring much about safety? So it's come to the point, I think, that people just aren't going to discuss where they shoot on the open forum.

So, Mr @cooldudeinPDX , look around here and there is all the info you are looking for. Good luck. Be safe, follow all the basic rules of shooting in the forest, and bring out a little more than you took. Please, please, have a gallon or two of water and a shovel when you're going out during the dry of summer too.

 

[The Nothing]

English Pit is actually REALLY close in the grand scheme of outdoor shooting near PDX. Everything else (clubs aside) is going to be pushing a 1hr drive either east or west. I've been making the 50-ish minute drive to Wildcat for over a year now, and, before that, the 1 hour drive to spots in Tillamook SF. From my place in NE PDX, I can get to English Pit in about 25 minutes. (times all Wednesday mornings)
Right now my time is cheap, and so is gas. It's still cheaper (in gas) for me to drive to either forest location than gas+range fees at EP.

 

[Kristina]

There is a section here that lists outdoor shooting areas and a community outreach section that has many sites where clean ups have happened or are going to take place. The clean ups are a good way to find new spots and meet people. Also, by attending you show others you are a responsible person and others may be more likely to share their spots with you. But The Nothing is right: you are looking at about an hour drive out of Portland for anything.

 

[jlhopwo]

I've only been to Salmonberry, and found it easy to get to and empty on a weekday. A bit of trash, but not too bad. Hauled out a bag.

 

[Koda]

Mikej nailed it....

Im at the point I dont even want to encourage folks to explore and find their own spot, its really that bad out there. I have a secrete spot thats been discovered and now has a pile of junk, a burn pile, shot up bowling ball and left behind pallet for makeshift target stand.

Drove past the Salmonberry spots a couple weekends ago and the first one was a complete pigsty. We were even the first one to it (was surprised) and didnt use it, didnt want to wallow in the mess. I noticed one of the other spots (location 3) is now filled in with berms by the forest service, officially closed.
Were losing our spots to these folks and someday they will just close down the whole forest to shooting if something isnt done...

 

[PaulB47]

Private clubs... You need to own property to control it. Public shooting venues are like public toilets; don't be surprised at what you see.

It might be interesting to approach one of these timber companies with a group of vetted people, to negotiate a kind of shooting easement on their land. There's more than one way to skin a cat.

 

[nammac]

Something indeed does need to be done to hold people accountable for their behavior and left behind trash.

Back when I lived in Rhode Island, the state sponsored a pistol and shotgun range in The Great Swamp conservation area, abstate owned property. They maintained berms, shooting lanes, backstops and shooting benches...

They required those shooting to have a permit to use the range, which was free, as well as the permit. This provided the state with information regarding the person and their automobiles. You also had to sign a document that you read all the range regulations and would abide by them... Failure to domain would result in the revocation of the permit.

The caveat was that state conservation officers would regularly check the ranges, if you were there without said permit, you were told to leave and obtain a permit if you wanted to return.

The place was always relatively clean and orderly. Now I see they've built permanent facilities for the shooting line with shelters and concrete benches. This was a success story.

Perhaps something similar needs to be in our future... Not sure if this would be the solution, but something certainly needs to be done... Lest we lose all access to shooting in public lands...

 

[11Charlie]

Well I think @Cogs is doing a great job of working with the State to get more public shooting lanes opened for gun enthusiests. If you want to join in the cause there is a clean and shoot coming up on August 12th. You can find out the details in the events page here on NWFA.

These events are great way to meet like minded people and get to know safe places to shoot at the same time. I plan on attending this one since it is only 10 min away for me.

 

[Flymph]

Something indeed does need to be done to hold people accountable for their behavior and left behind trash.

Back when I lived in Rhode Island, the state sponsored a pistol and shotgun range in The Great Swamp conservation area, abstate owned property. They maintained berms, shooting lanes, backstops and shooting benches...

They required those shooting to have a permit to use the range, which was free, as well as the permit. This provided the state with information regarding the person and their automobiles. You also had to sign a document that you read all the range regulations and would abide by them... Failure to domain would result in the revocation of the permit.

The caveat was that state conservation officers would regularly check the ranges, if you were there without said permit, you were told to leave and obtain a permit if you wanted to return.

The place was always relatively clean and orderly. Now I see they've built permanent facilities for the shooting line with shelters and concrete benches. This was a success story.

Perhaps something similar needs to be in our future... Not sure if this would be the solution, but something certainly needs to be done... Lest we lose all access to shooting in public lands...

We should make it at rooster rock!

 

[Cogs]

We should make it at rooster rock!

Rooster Rock? Yeah! I get it! The annual 'Naked Trap Shoot' event! What fun!

 

[Flymph]

I'm missing something...

 

[Cogs]

I'm missing something...

I believe there is a nude beach at Rooster Rock.

 

[Oathkeeper1775]

A word about an alternative to shooting on public land...

The brass I scrap pays for my private club membership twice over each year; I sell more brass on top of that!

Less money spent on fuel, safer for the family, and its open 99% of the time I need it.

Some idiots shoot the frames or leave trash, some idiots at the gate, but way more good than bad....

 

[Ruger Rich]

My concerns are what the Forest Service/BLM might do in the future. I just can not understand why anyone goes out into the woods for the enjoyment of shooting and trashes the place. If the Feds ever get a case of the arse and close the woods down to shooting, well I cant say I blame them. They are the stewards of the woods and certainly dont have the resources to continually police the places where people shoot. There are many well intended groups that go out and clean up places where people shoot, and God bless them, but there's no keeping up. I'm fearful.

 

[Flymph]

I believe there is a nude beach at Rooster Rock.

I've never seen such a thing!

Nude skeet shooting is something I'll do privately, thanks.

 

[HuckleberryFun]

We should make it at rooster rock!

Watch out for hot brass.

 

[ageingstudent]

Watch out for hot brass.

I see what you did there.

 

[ageingstudent]

English Pit is actually REALLY close in the grand scheme of outdoor shooting near PDX. Everything else (clubs aside) is going to be pushing a 1hr drive either east or west. I've been making the 50-ish minute drive to Wildcat for over a year now, and, before that, the 1 hour drive to spots in Tillamook SF. From my place in NE PDX, I can get to English Pit in about 25 minutes. (times all Wednesday mornings)
Right now my time is cheap, and so is gas. It's still cheaper (in gas) for me to drive to either forest location than gas+range fees at EP.

It's definitely better overall since you have been visiting up there at Wildcat. I drive up there once in awhile just to take a drive and what you do is noticable. Big thumbs up and a thank you.

 

[oneshot223]

Guys hate to hear these things happening there, but we have the same thing happen here also, this must be a universal problem. I'm very lucky I have my own place at this time, 18 plus area's in a rural area just walk out my back door, have pistol range a lot of steel to shoot on and a 200 rifle side with steel plates, both with a good berm, was lucky got the dirt when the road was being widen the company was having to haul the dirt a long way, so I made a deal to let them put it on my place, and even use there equipment to shape it. just my 5 cents jj