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Looked good up there today, for the most part

Are the coordinates correct? Looking on google maps, it looks like the marker is right on an open area in the trees. Just wanted to make sure, since some of you were talking about other locations. Thanks!

Coordinates are correct. You can see the rocks that pretty much denote the parking area.
 
Thank you, The Nothing. We'd hate to make the drive and find out its closed or the wrong place. We would love a "secret" spot anyone might be willing to share via private message. My friend and I are respectful of your privacy and we always clean up our junk as well as carry out anything we see that wasn't ours.
 
Years ago, you could shoot in the old gravel quarry just south of there.
The problem was the Douglas Ridge Trail ran right through the quarry and hikers would have to climb up and over the top of the excavated quarry walls to gain the trailhead access.
Very unnerving for hikers while people were shooting into the cliff backstop right below them.
There's a great view from the quarry looking south and would make a great place to view the coming eclipse.
Even better would be the view from the top of Wildcat Mountain itself.
 
Gate closure, most likely, may be because of snow conditions or hazards up the road. I'm sure they will open it in spring. You could check with the Estacada FS office for an official answer .
 
36 pit is still open.
I'm not sure why they would close access to Wildcat, but most definitely a snow issue

However.

When the snow melts, I wouldn't be surprised if they shutdown Wildcat. The last time I was up there there were MORE trees that had been shot down, one that went partially across the paved old 3609 road, larger trees with significant damage, and so on. The level of abuse the place has taken in the last year has been significant enough for me to lose hope in Wildcat.

ODFW had been shutting down a lot of places this last fall, and I don't think they're going to stop any time soon.
 
That's really too bad to hear. But, if no one gets involved, that's what we get.

I've been hoping for someone to take a shooter liaison position to the USFS. We need to touch bases with them on a regular basis and assure them we care and are working to make things better. We should flood the local communities with shooting brochures and do some extra random acts of cleanups.

I can't do that by myself but I do try to be involved with them. It's just too much for me to be actively involved on a regular basis and I'm a bit far away.

So, if anyone would like to help save a few places to shoot , let me know and I'll help get things rolling.

I sure miss Officer Lars! He was our best asset in Mt Hood!
 
36 pit is still open.
I'm not sure why they would close access to Wildcat, but most definitely a snow issue

However.

When the snow melts, I wouldn't be surprised if they shutdown Wildcat. The last time I was up there there were MORE trees that had been shot down, one that went partially across the paved old 3609 road, larger trees with significant damage, and so on. The level of abuse the place has taken in the last year has been significant enough for me to lose hope in Wildcat.

ODFW had been shutting down a lot of places this last fall, and I don't think they're going to stop any time soon.
I ended up going to 36 pit today nice place to shoot just that no one keeps it clean
 
Did some clean up after a good time teaching my mother in law to shoot the 22lr rifle. But it appears that some one took down the sign and used it for a target board. Was not like that last time I was out there. Very sad to see.

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Did some clean up after a good time teaching my mother in law to shoot the 22lr rifle. But it appears that some one took down the sign and used it for a target board. Was not like that last time I was out there. Very sad to see.

View attachment 611647 View attachment 611648 View attachment 611649 View attachment 611650
Thanks for the report, TCCAE! That could have been a mistake... teaching your mother-in-law how to shoot! Hope you're on good terms!

Man, that place doesn't look like it used to! Graffiti on the rocks, (even though it says pick up your trash, it still makes the place look trashy), targets on the trees, lots of trees shot up and the kiosk sign gone.

We could get it back to good condition and perhaps even save it from being closed. Clean it up and remove the graffiti for starters. I could see if the Forest Service would build a new kiosk and we could post new info.

The problem with this place is the short backstops (targets are put on top of that little pile of dirt and all the trees behind it get shot up), and no real good firing line established. The boulders don't really provide an obvious or good line to set up your gear.

There's a lot that could be done with this place but we'd have to get the Forest Service approval to do it. It will still get used as it is, so, why not make it better for the environment, safer to use and be a place that shooters can respect?

Thanks again. Good to hear what's going on out there.

Be kind to your mother-in-law! ;)

Bill
 
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