A pitch about outdoor ranges and clean-up

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Yea! Use paper targets only!

I've been to a lot of uncontrolled ranges in my day... even up in Colorado, most shooters are pigs and retards... leaving crap all over the place, and dumping stupid stuff to shoot up like refrigerators and jet-skis (yes, jet-skis...) and generally trashing the place.

Where I shoot now, near Laughlin, NV, they have to bring a Bobcat in every so often to push all the debris these morons leave off to the side.
 
Targa said:
Exact situation at a range I shoot at south of you near Deckers USNRet93. Great place that is apparently used by similar, all about me, lazy, self serving people.
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Been there many times(pretty long drive from the republic)..there used to be a dumpster at the parking lot but it was gone last time I was there. I guess people are happy with the $20(++) per hour, sterile, some unfriendly, indoor ranges..Not me..
 
Not impossible to help, fix "Stupid"

USNRet93
A number of years ago, my division officer made the following comment, in regards to a problem, in our gang. …..
"If you can't do something about it; Don't worry about it."
Well, you are doing just that, by posting this common and predictable problem. The only time I go to the public range, is when I'm trying to confirm a fix. I always wear my volunteer DNR cap. I am a RSO and when I see some safety concerns, I kind of take charge and so far, have not had any issues. In fact, most folks respond very positive. …. :)

Be Safe !!!
 
Well, you are doing just that, by posting this common and predictable problem.
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Labeling people as "part of the problem" for posting about an issue being widespread and loathsome does not make you a better man than the rest of us.
It just comes off as arrogant, pretentious, and snobbish.

How are you to know what anyone may or may not be doing behind the scenes?
Just because the members here discuss graffiti, property destruction, dumping, and misuse of facilities being common across the country, does not mean that their only response is to walk away and complain about it on the internet.

Please, get off your soapbox and stop looking down your nose.
You may find something worth seeing if you open your eyes once in a while.
 
Mike38 said:
Uncontrolled public ranges are scary.
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I don't disagree. At the private clubs to which I've belonged, the ethic is that everyone is a range officer, responsible for safety and clean up. There are plenty of people to whom the concept of a firing line is unknown. I know this because I see them at controlled state ranges before they've internalized basic range rules.
 
Judging a book by it's cover.

Please, get off your soapbox and stop looking down your nose.
You may find something worth seeing if you open your eyes once in a while.
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I was agreeing with his post and complimenting him on bring it to our attention. Hopefully others who read this thread will take note and do better, in the range and field. …… ;)

I sometimes teach "Ethics" during our Hunter Safety classes and ask the students how one minute a candy bar is food and the next minute the wrapper is garbage. "Just put the wrapper back in your pocket and take it back home to dispose."

A number of years ago, I read where the state of Iowa, had spent one million dollars to replace the shot-up signs, across the state. I asked the students. what is the first thing that citizens think of when they see these. …. ?
HUNTERS @ KIDS

Be Safe !!!
 
Years ago I was in Tucson, Arizona, on business and I took some spare time to drive a short loop through Saguaro National Park. I was astonished to see that many of the majestic cacti were full of bullet holes. I didn't think then, nor do I think now, that those holes were made by hunters. I'm fairly certain that they were made by drunks with guns.

The problem we, as responsible shooters, face is how to differentiate ourselves in the public eye from drunks with guns, and their ilk.
 
What can we do to make it better.

At our public range, we use to have a yearly Field-Day. A group of volunteers would close the range and clean up "most" of the mess. A local DNR volunteer had a list of folks to call and we usually had about a dozen folks who helped clean up. …… :)

Also, whenever I go to this range and it's not busy, I take a rake and rake up a bunch of hulls, from the shotgun area as well as around the benches. Really doesn't take much time and effort. …… :cool:

Be Safe !!!
 
I'm a member of a private range, and we self-police ourselves without RO's. After reading some of the posts above I feel grateful for that place, as we have none of those issues.

No matter where I go shoot, I try and leave it better than when I came. Evidently too many people were raised with no manners or values.
 
My club hosts various action shoots on a locked but unattended range. Result, perforated barrels and barricades.
It was worse on our old range where dues were lower and membership larger.
 
I was agreeing with his post and complimenting him on bring it to our attention. Hopefully others who read this thread will take note and do better, in the range and field.
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I see, now.
The context was not clear.
 
Pahoo said:
The context was not clear.
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No but you jumping to conclusions was very clear. !!!!
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In any exchange of thoughts/ideas/information, the responsibility for clarity of transmission lies with the person making a statement, not on the recipients.

Kindly confine the discussion to the topic (range desecration), and leave personal disputes to the private message system.
 
I belong to a indoor range myself, but I'm not crazy about shooting long guns indoors.

Around here most people shoot on BLM land. The "usual" places are a mess. Trash shooters leaving garbage everywhere, few people policing their own brass, etc.

We're going to lose access to these lands if people don't pick up after themselves.
 
Another consideration

At our private range we have a retired police officer. He is the sergeant at arms and range property manager. Our grass in cut and the facilities are in good repair.
Also, I had to call in a rules violation. He was there in a few minutes to resolve the situation. It's up to the members to deal with most minor situations. All the ranges are clean save one that looks like the city dump. That's where you shoot tin cans etc. Members are good about cleaning up after themselves on the pad.

The real threat is from the outside. The property was in the boondocks originally. With the passing of time the upscale homes have been built to the property line-literally. Home owners took the range to court due to noise. Judge told them the range was there when they bought the houses. On the downside were some limitations on extending shooting ranges. The story goes that real estate agents would only show the property on Sunday night. It's just a story.
 
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Pahoo said:
USNRet93
A number of years ago, my division officer made the following comment, in regards to a problem, in our gang. …..
"If you can't do something about it; Don't worry about it."
Well, you are doing just that, by posting this common and predictable problem. The only time I go to the public range, is when I'm trying to confirm a fix. I always wear my volunteer DNR cap. I am a RSO and when I see some safety concerns, I kind of take charge and so far, have not had any issues. In fact, most folks respond very positive. …. :)

Be Safe !!!
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I'm TRYING to 'do something about it', by bringing it up here. If you think everybody on this forum are model citizens, you are being naive. This 'might' make that next guy in a uncontrolled range pick up the last guy's junk..or maybe take an extra 10 minutes to pick up ALL his own trash, after reading this thread about being a gun owning slob.
If you think I haven't politely asked some of these guys to pickup..you'd be wrong..politely, they are armed, after-all.

It's getting harder and harder to shoot outdoors, at least around here, without the $, and oftimes snide, political range people monitors...I know it's just CYA but taking a rifle to a 25yd indoor range ain't much fun.
 
In our own Best-Ways

I'm TRYING to 'do something about it', by bringing it up here.
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That you are and as stated previously, my compliments. …… ;)
When dealing with the hunting grounds or shooting ranges, we need to do our best, in our own best ways. I know we can all do better. ….. :)

I use to be a Scout Master and in the process of earning their "Rifle" merit badge, I took my troop to "that" local public range. We were well into shooting then two "Adults" showed up; a can of beer in one hand and a rifle in the other. When one can was empty, they would throw it in the air and shoot at it. Two beer cans later, we were packed and backing out. I heard one of the "Adults" comment; "what's wrong with those guys?". Later we went back and picked up what was left of our targets and then some. …… ;)

Be Safe !!!
 
I shoot at a private club range & we still get trash like milk jugs that people fill with water or soda pop bottles. Sometimes it just the targets people shoot & leave standing for the wind & rain to carry away.
Come on people if you care for any shooting sports or participate in any shooting activity you need to pick up after yourself or the ranges will go away quickly.
A range close to me put up a new aluminum flag pole on top of a berm & the shooters shot it down. ????
My range puts up steel gongs & there is always that one shooter that tries to shoot through it. ?? It's not a test we don't need them destroyed, use them but care for them.
You are not a better shooter because you can make or buy a bullet that will go through the gongs.
Stupid runs deep in some gun owners.
 
I’m fine with repurposed targets like jugs, cans, bottles old DVD players as long as it’s cleaned up.

I’ve reused things as targets all my life, so I know you can shoot then clean your mess.
 
I'm TRYING to 'do something about it', by bringing it up here. If you think everybody on this forum are model citizens, you are being naive. This 'might' make that next guy in a uncontrolled range pick up the last guy's junk..or maybe take an extra 10 minutes to pick up ALL his own trash, after reading this thread about being a gun owning slob.
If you think I haven't politely asked some of these guys to pickup..you'd be wrong..politely, they are armed, after-all.
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You could start a social media page dedicated to the shooting site and then solicit membership from other responsible shooters. From there you could use game cams or other forms of surveillance to expose bad behavior.

I'm wary of public shaming online, but in some cases it's warranted.
 
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