NOTHING SHOULD BE FREE!!!!

[Que]

This range is located in a federal forest. Does anyone know if they have reserve officers for Forest Rangers? I would certainly like to volunteer to help out at this range on the weekends. The place is absolutely free, but people act like it's their back yards. There are signs that ask for patrons to clean up behind themselves, but I always see people shoot at boxes and just leave it there. Most times, it's there when they arrive, but I still believe it's everyone's responsibility to help keep the place clean.

I hope to get a spot in the preservation club at some point. When people pay for things, they tend to appreciate it more.

 

[Rocket]

Where is this free range?

 

[chezuki]

Where is this free range?

Virginia probably.

Some people treat places like that even worse than their own back yards. It's sad indeed.

 

[hornadylnl]

You're right. I don't have that problem on my range.

 

[Que]

Where is this free range?

Rocket, it's in the George Washington and Jefferson National Forest.

I just looked at their website and like anything else with the government, it's confusing. The signs posted on the range say, "Only paper or cardboard targets. Nothing else!" However, the website says, "Bring your own targets. No glass allowed." In another spot it says, "Shooters must bring their own targets; cardboard or commercial paper targets work well." I wonder which direction carries more weight? Hmmmmm...

 

[tv1217]

We have a couple free DNR ranges here in NWI. Sometimes people leave targets up and occasionally an empty ammo box can fall out of the garbage cans and be seen blowing around, but it never gets that bad. Even on weekends when the IL people come over.

 

[hoosierdoc]

That's awful. Good way to get it shut down. Reminds of of national mall after a liberal protest. Disgraceful.

 

[phylodog]

That looks better than the Atterbury range looked before the renovation and staffing.

 

[Que]

That looks better than the Atterbury range looked before the renovation and staffing.

Is Atterbury federal or state?

 

[BogWalker]

Wow, looks like a land fill.

 

[BehindBlueI's]

The range in the Henryville Forestry used to get the same way. The occasional water heater or sofa, as well.

I'm glad I've got my own land to shoot on. It just sucks I can't live on it right now. Stupid need for income resulting in having to work resulting in having less time to shoot resulting in crankiness.

 

[87iroc]

Is Atterbury federal or state?

State

 

[indyartisan]

That looks better than the Atterbury range looked before the renovation and staffing.

+1

 

[nascarfantoo]

Similar to one near here on DNR property, only much bigger and better equiped. Lots of trash. Lack of care by some people using it.

PS ... I refuse to go back to the local one for safety reasons. Encountered a woman that I believe was higher than Apollo 13. She would not make her weapon safe, or even try, when I asked her to do so. After the very loud and firm 3rd request she finally placed her gun on the bench. I backed ... yes, backed ... with my hand on my holstered gun, towards my target stand, picked it up, and immediately went to the truck. Never been back.

 

[shibumiseeker]

I manage a nature preserve for a non-profit and people are free to come and use the property at no charge but they have to put in a request in advance and there is a locked gate to get in and we are ALWAYS picking up garbage and cleaning up graffiti. While I think the ultra-conservationist take it way too far, I really believe that the general public cannot be on public land unsupervised without trashing it. I've never seen evidence to the contrary.

 

[indyartisan]

I manage a nature preserve for a non-profit and people are free to come and use the property at no charge but they have to put in a request in advance and there is a locked gate to get in and we are ALWAYS picking up garbage and cleaning up graffiti. While I think the ultra-conservationist take it way too far, I really believe that the general public cannot be on public land unsupervised without trashing it. I've never seen evidence to the contrary.

We took 2 trash bags full out of the basin below Clifty Falls last time we went down. I thought it looked a little better after. Beautiful place to leave your trash.

 

[GodFearinGunTotin]

It only takes a few to ruin it all for everybody else, that's for sure. There used to be a small, free range near where I used to live in Tennessee. It finally got closed down because of vandalism and abuse. My brother is a paying member at a place, near where he lives in Tennessee--even that place gets its share of vandalism by its paying members.

There was a small, privately owned, lake near where my mom lived that the owners made available to the public for $1/day--one measly dollar. Folks would trash that place up like crazy. It wasn't unusual for us to bring trash bags with us to help pick up after the slobs so the owner wouldn't close it off. After we moved away/quit going, it wasn't too many years later and the lake is now closed off.

 

[avboiler11]

The range in the Henryville Forestry used to get the same way. The occasional water heater or sofa, as well.

The worst part of that is the metal outhouse full of bullet holes.

I would join SoINRPC in an instant if my work/family schedule allowed me to make the two meetings they require, just so I didn't have to deal with the full retardation that often occurs in the forestry.

 

[Mark 1911]

I used to hunt deer at Willow Slough, Area 5, starting in '89 and up until '94 or '95 when a fire severely damaged a big chunk of Area 5, adjacent to the gun range, same woods I liked to hunt. Rumor has it that it was started by some yahoo firing tracer rounds over into the woods. Last time I took a walk through there nature had done a good job of restoring itself, but it doesn't look anything like it did when I hunted there.

 

[actaeon277]

I hate to say it Que, but if people pay for it, then they'll shrug it off and say, (I pay for it, they can hire someone to clean it).

Put a ranger there.