Preserving places to shoot on Public land.

I don't know if this really even belongs here, let alone on a Open Carry discussion forum. But, I thought I'd just wing it, and post it up here for all to read.

Over the past few years, I have gone shooting dozens of times. Out of all those trips, the places where I was able to learn the most was shooting with family and friends at "Shooting Pits" and other backwoods areas suitable for such an event.

All safety rules still apply of course, but most of the stress that comes with shooting at a crowded range is not present. It's just me and the target. Therapeutic in a sense, and very relaxing, not to mention FUN!(the fresh air is a bonus!)

So, over the past 3 years, I have been going to a Gravel "Shooting Pit" up by Oso, WA. It used to be a nice place according to my Half-Brother, but over the years, it has been filled up with trash, shell casings, and other hazardous materials(TV's, Computers, Poison Chemical containers, etc) And it's a darn shame to see such a nice area for target shooting go to waste.

2 Months ago, I decided to take a stand.

At first, no one seemed interested, and I even got ridiculed for presenting the idea. But I stood my ground. At that point, I figured if no one wanted to help me, then I'd have to do it myself.

Then, I joined another gun board(waguns.org). One of the members took me in, and told me that no one would ridicule me for wanting to clean up public land. And so I went. It still took another month before anyone noticed that I was serious! But I went on.

Then one day, a Man approached me wanting to know when I would be available to go up there. I was so excited that I now had someone actually interested in the place! And so after some negotiating, we went up there and did some clean-up work. After filling Five 30-gallon Trash bags with trash, and Two 5-gallon buckets with spent shotshells, the place looked better, but there was still a lot of trash and shells up there to be dealt with. The project is only beginning.

Now that I got someone to help, several other people have shown interest in going up there!

I just hope that I can get this place back to the way it used to be, and if anyone is interested, please help. Shooting Ranges are nice, but the sheer fun factor(Not to mention admission is FREE) offered by these Shooting pits is irreplaceable. Once they go, they are gone forever. Please do what you can to help.

Thank you for reading.

~Robert AKA "FMJ 911"

Your efforts are much appreciated by other responsible shooters. I too grew up in the "school of pit shooting" as well as my kids and grand kids. When we went shooting we took targets and then took them home, along with as much as we could carry of the other trash left behind by the less considerate.

What I have observed, most notably with the Sultan Pit and it's subsequent closing, is the growing number of shooters that think it's sport to not just shoot all the garbage bring with them into as many pieces as possible, but to also shoot up as much of the surrounding area as they have ammo for. I witnessed a coupe of shooters at the Sultan pit do their imitation of Mid-East celebrants, shooting full mags from their AK-47 into the air. During the summer months at the Sultan Pit the flies were thick due to all the pineapples, watermelons, eggs, and who knows what else was used for entertaining target material that nobody cleaned up.

We've had posters on this forum brag about cutting trees down with their gunfire.

The results of the above are obvious. More and more accessible areas are closed to shooting mostly due to the actions of those who for lack of a better description, just plain irresponsible, and we all pay for it.

Again, thank you for your efforts, and if you happen to leave anything behind, I'll do what I can to pick it up along with my target material.

I have never gone shooting at that pit, but it looks a hell of a lot closer than the one east of Bellingham that I normally go to.

Count me in after the holidays for a pit trip & cleanup.

I don't have a pickup, but I have two hands! :banana:

FMCDH said:

I have never gone shooting at that pit, but it looks a hell of a lot closer than the one east of Bellingham that I normally go to.

Count me in after the holidays for a pit trip & cleanup.

I don't have a pickup, but I have two hands! :banana:

Click to expand...

I have a 4x4 Dakota Truck. Two hands are all you need to contribute, just make sure you have some good gloves on! I'll even haul away the trash!

Thank you for at least reading my post, and helping to keep "AG"(The pit) Safe and Clean for all to use.

Remember, It's not "My" Shooting pit, it's "Ours". It belongs to all of us.