Slobs jeopardize recreational shooting

[seamusTX]

Slobs who shoot up junk and leave trash are jeopardizing recreational shooting on public lands in the few area where it is still permitted.

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This is also a problem on private property. Shooting on private property without permission is criminal trespass and usually malicious mischief, but it is difficult to stop in remote places like oil leases.

- Jim

[The Annoyed Man]

When I lived in California, there used to be a public shooting area on National Forest land at Kentucky Flats, off of the Angeles Forest Highway, near Palmdale. Twice a year, the Forest Service used to send in cleanup crews to haul out 5-6 dumptrucks worth of JUNK left there by shooters - old washing machines, refrigerators, bowling balls, brass, shotshell hulls, TVs, water jugs, beer kegs, etc., etc., etc. The cleanup usually took several days, and it cost money.

During the Clinton administration, the local Forestry Service office for the Los Padres National Forest and Angeles National Forest was facing some budget cutbacks, and they took a hard look at land usage in the local area. One of my friends from my Sunday school class worked for the forestry department, and he was part of the committee that had to decide what they could get rid of so they could keep paying for what they wanted to keep. Guess what went by the wayside? It wasn't long before Kentucky Flats, and another shooting area higher up in the mountains at Horse Flats, got shut down for good. It was utterly predicable, and as of three years ago when I left California, they were still closed... ...all because a bunch of morons had enough foresight to bring things in to shoot at, but not enough brainpower or conscience to haul it back out with them when they left.

Yes, Slobs can jeopardize recreational shooting. What you do on your own private land is your own business. But what you do on public land has the capacity to ruin it for everyone who shoots, so if you do shoot on public land, PLEASE be responsible and police up your area when you're done, and don't leave any junk behind.

[The Annoyed Man]

BTW, I would add that the behavior of the slobs who trashed the national forest lands did NOTHING to help the public perception of gun owners in California...

[joe817]

It sounds like it's people using the shooting range as a trash dump. I mean....washing machines, old TV's, etc?

I'm sure there are some shooting slobs out there, but to that extent?

[seamusTX]

Shooting up junk is a common recreational activity, especially TV sets and computer monitors.

Once an unauthorized dump gets started, all kinds of shady activity goes there -- illegal dumping, illegal burning, this kind of irresponsible shooting, underage beer blasts, dog fights ...

- Jim

[USA1]

all kinds of shady activity goes there -- illegal dumping, illegal burning, this kind of irresponsible shooting, underage beer blasts, dog fights ...

- Jim

is there something we should know about you ?

[seamusTX]

is there something we should know about you ?

I try to be aware of my environment, particularly of illegal activity in my environment.

I used to spend a lot of time in the countryside and knew the locations of several of these areas.

- Jim

[USA1]

is there something we should know about you ?

I try to be aware of my environment, particularly of illegal activity in my environment.

I used to spend a lot of time in the countryside and knew the locations of several of these areas.

- Jim

[Mike1951]

We lost 1 formal and several informal shooting areas in the Sam Houston National Forest for the same reasons.

[The Annoyed Man]

It sounds like it's people using the shooting range as a trash dump. I mean....washing machines, old TV's, etc?

I'm sure there are some shooting slobs out there, but to that extent?

Absolutely. I witnessed people bringing stuff like that in and shooting it up. You bring in your old washing machine, set it up down on the target line, step back 100 yards, and fill 'er full of holes. I saw it a bunch of times.

[ninemm]

... You bring in your old washing machine, set it up down on the target line, step back 100 yards, and fill 'er full of holes...

Maybe some people just really don't like to do laundry.

[RECIT]

My parents have allowed me to shoot on their private property. One of their biggest rules is if you came with it you leave with it! Except for spent casing of course. I have shot everything from Halloween pumpkins, to car doors, to plywood. And anything else that would look good with holes in it that my Dad didn't want around. If it gets shot it leaves with me. They live in a rural area and do not have trash pick-up so if it can not be burned it has to leave with me. Sorry to hear about the loss of recreational shooting areas anywhere. I believe it is mostly a thing of the past.

[mr.72]

I have the good fortune of being allowed to shoot on a private range as a guest. There are a handful of other guests that shoot there as well from time to time. But some dufuses have taken to dumping junk there. They also tend to come in and fish (it's river front) without permission. Clear signs, no-trespassing, property belongs to a county judge. Some of these trespassers are extremely bold. My friend who owns the property tells me of a time when he was out there shooting, I mean, loaded gun in his hand and a couple of hundred rounds of "pop-pop-pop", and then he sees some people driving up to go fish uninvited. He said he confronted these people, again, with a gun in his hand and with other friends there who were also presently armed, and says "hey what do you think you are doing?". They say, "going fishing" and he says "did you not see the 'no trespassing sign'?" they argue, hey give me a break dude what a jerk etc. right in the face of the property owner with a gun in his hand. Some people...

Anyway, I guess I never figured why people think, ooh I hear shooting over there, let's dump our old deep freezer next to the shooting bench!

[shootthesheet]

We lost a good place to shoot that was private property because people dumped items there and others came along and shot them. They even shot up a working phone box and shot at electric wires that ran along the property. I see this as little different than shooting signs on a highway. It is just dumb but I did do some of it when I was younger too. I never thought twice about it since it had been going on since before I could hold a gun. I talked to the owner a few years ago and he was telling me about how people had not respected the place and he was not going to allow shooting there anymore. That was the last time I shot there but when I left I took a load of stuff to the dump and passed the word that he didn't allow shooting there anymore.

And it is true about underage drinking as well as drug use and a place kids went to "be" together. I have a small range myself and have offered to allow friends and family to shoot here if the want or need. I just tell them to use targets and take them when they go. So far, my limiting the people that shoot has kept the place mostly clean. I guess it helps that it is about 150 yards from my house too. If I could find and afford more ammo I might actually get some use out of it while the weather is still warm.

[joe817]

I just don't get it......I used to completely enjoy shooting a plastic milk jug or 2 liter soda bottle and watch it leak water, like a fountain. Not to mention what happens when you shoot a watermelon with hollow point ammo at 20 paces. Besides, with watermelon or cantalope, the birds get to eat up what you leave. That's doing something good for the environment, isn't it?

Seems like a washing machine or TV or something is just so much more trouble, and not near as enjoyable, unless.....someone was going to dump it anyway...to treat where they shoot like a trash dump.

Like I said, I just don't get it.