WA State Suddenly Closed Target Shooting on State Managed Lands...

[Cogs]

Target Shooting is suddenly closed for all WA State managed lands for reasons of hot/dry weather. Notice is currently being posted at common shooting sites throughout the state.

Would have been best for everyone with a little advanced notice! It's not like the forecast suddenly changed late last night and they had to call an emergency closure overnight! They could notified us yesterday and we may have been able to help save some folks a bit of time, gas, effort and grief (me especially, driving from Washougal to the Triangle Pit in Capitol SF near Olympia this morning!). Several folks were rather PO'd that they drove so far for nothing and were not aware. More later.

Read More

 

[oldcorpgunny]

I retired from WDFW as a Regional Lands Manager. It wasn't uncommon to get a call from Olympia telling us that fire danger was now too high to risk an accidental fire from target shooting. With temps at or near 100 degrees today and tomorrow, it seems prudent to do all that we can to reduce wildfires. Those firefighters are going to be needed rested and ready.

 

[ZA_Survivalist]

I dont like it, but I get it.

WE are responsible.. but Ive seen the remanence left behind by the folks that make us look bad..THEY would be the types to accidently start a fire then just run like cowards and trash monsters they are. Even with the best of us, accidents can happen.

I just hope this doesnt become weaponized and a means of controlling where people can shoot.

 

[Cogs]

I retired from WDFW as a Regional Lands Manager. It wasn't uncommon to get a call from Olympia telling us that fire danger was now too high to risk an accidental fire from target shooting. With temps at or near 100 degrees today and tomorrow, it seems prudent to do all that we can to reduce wildfires. Those firefighters are going to be needed rested and ready.

10-4 on that. I don't mind either and fully understand. We always expect it and accept it in the summer time, however this time it was a midnight decision that Governor J. Inslee made and even surprised DNR staff this morning, as well as all shooters. With not even 1 day advanced notice, it was a bummer in the summer. It would have eased the impact with a little advanced notice.

I sure appreciate your service as a WDFW Regional Lands Manager, @oldcorpgunny ! I'd like to learn of your accomplishments from your service.

Bill

 

[oldcorpgunny]

I dont like it, but I get it.

WE are responsible.. but Ive seen the remanence left behind by the folks that make us look bad..THEY would be the types to accidently start a fire then just run like cowards and trash monsters they are. Even with the best of us, accidents can happen.

I just hope this doesnt become weaponized and a means of controlling where people can shoot.

I understand and have the same concerns, but public lands are public lands and are available to hunt on. Firearm safety is a critical part of Hunter education. There may be some effort to stop the public from shooting on those lands but if we continue to vote for a particular party, chances are we'll be banging away for the foreseeable future.

 

[ZA_Survivalist]

I understand and have the same concerns, but public lands are public lands and are available to hunt on. Firearm safety is a critical part of Hunter education. There may be some effort to stop the public from shooting on those lands but if we continue to vote for a particular party, chances are we'll be banging away for the foreseeable future.

Agreed. That is what Im worried about.

 

[XoXSciFiGuy]

Well, even if the state lands are closed to shooting, usually the National Forests are not. You can find out by Googling up the official website for your nearest National Forest and look for category called 'Alerts and Notices' on the right hand side of the page. If there is no signed order, there is no restriction. Alerts and Notices ALWAYS come with a signed order at the Fed website. Usually the signatory person is the actual Top Dog Admin for that particular National Forest.

 

[JohnnyMac]

10-4 on that. I don't mind either and fully understand. We always expect it and accept it in the summer time, however this time it was a midnight decision that Governor J. Inslee made and even surprised DNR staff this morning, as well as all shooters.

Funny how he was all over that, but was unaware that CHAZ/CHOP existed......but I digress. It was hotter than a hoo-haw in Cathlamet today and I can totally understand why things were shut down. Not much work got done around the house today thats for sure. Other than lifting a few weights 12oz at a time....

 

[Alexx1401]

Well, even if the state lands are closed to shooting, usually the National Forests are not. You can find out by Googling up the official website for your nearest National Forest and look for category called 'Alerts and Notices' on the right hand side of the page. If there is no signed order, there is no restriction. Alerts and Notices ALWAYS come with a signed order at the Fed website. Usually the signatory person is the actual Top Dog Admin for that particular National Forest.

Wife and I were out on a drive yesterday just for the fun of it. Spent some time in the NF and the only no shooting signs were at each end of the NF Road when we were going from NF road to a county road again. Of course for most of us that is one hell of a drive just to shoot but, plenty of places we could have stopped and shot if we had wanted to. Sadly a lot of SUPER irresponsible MORONS ruin things for everyone else. The "shooting community" has more than our fair share of real jerks. The people here who arrange the clean ups of shooting sites see this. The mess some of these morons make that ruin it for everyone else with their idea that their Mom is going to come along behind them and clean up the mess they make

 

[EPS]

Well me and @Melmelhunter have spent the last two weekends shooting at Greens gun shop and gun range.
We are limited to what we can shoot.
No high power rifle .
Basically 22s and handguns and black powder.
But we are still shooting.
It's that time of year to really think is it worth it.
To go shooting in the mountains.
Just saying .
I don't want to burn down somebody house
Just because I wanted to shoot a target.
Just wait three weeks it will be raining again.

 

[Andy54Hawken]

Maybe with all the COVID issues this year...the decision was put off to the last minute ...
To try and give folks a break...or Just to see if it was indeed going to get that hot...
Who knows...
Just hope that this last minute closure does not become a regular thing.

In any event ...when shooting on public lands...
Be safe and clean up after yourself and others.
Andy

 

[Certaindeaf]

Sounds like they need something like the bat light.. but instead of a bat, a gun with a line through it?

 

[Andy54Hawken]

So how does this closure affect hunting season....?
Bear season is going on...and September 1st is when small game season starts....
I am really looking forward to grouse season...
Andy

 

[Cogs]

So how does this closure affect hunting season....?
Bear season is going on...and September 1st is when small game season starts....
I am really looking forward to grouse season...
Andy

No change to hunting. They put that note at the bottom of the closure sign... Hunting is allowed under WDFW Regulations.

 

[Andy54Hawken]

No change to hunting. They put that note at the bottom of the closure sign... Hunting is allowed under WDFW Regulations.

YAY....thanks Cogs...that is good news.
Andy

 

[oremike]

I'm not sure about Washington, but in Oregon we went to a level 4 industrial and extreame fire danger wwith a red flag warning to boot. That's a total shut down of the woods. And yes target shooting is part of that.

 

[Cogs]

I'm not sure about Washington, but in Oregon we went to a level 4 industrial and extreame fire danger wwith a red flag warning to boot. That's a total shut down of the woods. And yes target shooting is part of that.

I haven't seen anything from forest officials on that yet. Their recreation department always puts out a notification of a shooting closure. I'll search around to see if I can find anything. (I thought it's kind of wierd that WA DNR has not released an official announcement about yesterdays closure. Only has put up signs. Wonder why.)

 

[oremike]

Yeh, the weather is unpredictable in the finite sense, working it the woods this time of year it was not uncommon to work one day and not the next due to the fire danger.

 

[Cogs]

Here's the story of what we did yesterday... Information and Surprises handed out in the Capitol State Forest. Aug 15, 2020.

 

[waltermitty]

I used to fly forest patrol outings part time and would get pennies in compensation
but the nice thing was that it offset the cost of the plane expenses. These flights
were mostly in the Cascades and I would call in coordinates if I saw smoke. It's
not as if the trees or conditions have primary monitoring devices which provide
Amazon Prime speed of information rather, rely on best guess, secondary efforts
to evaluate the conditions. I'm happy defering to the state's efforts for now and
presume good faith...just I do when planning winter alpine travel and receiving
avalanche warnings etc. I can always plan on having a back up plan such as
heading to a shooting range