"Shooting Range" closed in Colorado

P

pd_buster

New member
I went to the "shooting range" that I've been going to for years today and it was closed. The reason I say "shooting range" is because it wasn't actually a range, just an area on Forest land that was half way close to Denver that we could shoot. There wasn't any benches or anything like that.

I know that legally I can shoot about anywhere on the Forest land, but it was nice to have an area to go to that I know is public land, etc. One of the reasons it was closed was because most people (it seemed) didn't pack out their trash. It was a dump. But my thinking on that is if people are going to trash an area, lets have it all in one place, instead of people shooting anywhere and leaving their trash...

Here's the story

I guess I'll have to get a BLM map for the area and find another spot, I just hate to see stuff like this...
 
That is a peeve of mine....

It is also what we can expect on public land from people not caring enough to pick up after themselves. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smiliesmack.gif

There are areas in the BLM here I could take a picture of that would horrify you....but, I'll leave it off the net.

Once an area has been closed, it probably won't be opened again. Ever.... /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/mad.gif

I'll bet that those that trashed the place out the worst will cuss the loudest when they can't play there anymore. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/crazy.gif
 
I am not surprised. People who dump their trash on public land and shoot garbage and leave it, ruin things for everyone else.

Personally I am all for extremely heavy fines for trashing public lands. I know a number of areas close to larger towns and cities in Idaho that have had the same thing happen.

If you are dumping an old TV or water heater or mattress off on public land, then you deserve to get hit in the wallet as far as I am concerned.
 
Quote:


If you are dumping an old TV or water heater or mattress off on public land, then you deserve to get hit in the wallet as far as I am concerned.



As well as the mouth! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/shocked.gif
 
As well as the mouth!

Amen to that!!! It's funny how the minority can ruin things for the majority of us that take care of places like that. Should be that we could also clean up the areas and dump it in their lawn and see if they like it. Bet they would clean up after themselves better if it was a fine, public beatings, and all of their trash dumped in their lawns.
Sorry that idiots like that had to ruin your shooting spot.
 
That area is right up the road from my house and I can tell you its probably better that it is closed. Trying to shoot your guns with Jeeps buzzing all over the hillsides don't really go together. There is another area up at Hwy 7 and Peak to Peak that you can go to.
I have begun to go to the public weekend dates at Boulder gun club It costs 10 bucks and you know it is (you are) safe there.
 
Take a drive out to the Pawnee Grasslands and check out some of the places where people have shot. You will see such shot up items as TVs, computers, home appliances, couches, chairs, paint cans, glass of every color and endless lists of other things. To be honest I am surprised some of these places have let it go on this long. I'm a shooter, have been almost all my life but that doesn't mean I like everything shooters do. We all know there is a huge responsibility in owning guns but it goes well beyond the safety and hunting part. Included in that is the responsiblity that goes with our chosen targets and what we do with them after the terminal effects. Don't be surprised if more places shut down very soon.

There are some unofficial shooting ranges located in
Harris Park
Poudre Canyon
South park
Pawnee National Grasslands
Cherokee Park
and more
 
I got the licence plate and turned a guy in for dumping an old washing machine once!! What helped is I called a city LEO that I had known.

Saftey
I dont shoot public ground (for other peoples saftey) or public ranges (for fear of my own life!) anymore for that reason. Hunting yes, target practice, load testing, etc. takes place at a private gun club. I would urge everybody if you have a place to join and the means to do it, its worth the time and money.
 
Quote:
I got the licence plate and turned a guy in for dumping an old washing machine once!! What helped is I called a city LEO that I had known.

Saftey
I dont shoot public ground (for other peoples saftey) or public ranges (for fear of my own life!) anymore for that reason. Hunting yes, target practice, load testing, etc. takes place at a private gun club. I would urge everybody if you have a place to join and the means to do it, its worth the time and money.



I don't shoot public anymore either....in fact I rarely hunt public lands any more for all the same reasons.
 
I am a big supporter of our local club for all the same reasons. We have several "treasure to trash" shooting ranges around here that are in similars states. Of course I think that eventually they will get closed down too and another will spring up elsewhere. Same problem when I lived in Flagstaff...
 
Same thing has happen to several spots around here. The Forest Service has said they will be prosecuting anyone they catch dumping on Forest Service land. It's to the point that even though I have to drive further to get to it, I shoot at a private (very private) range most of the time. You have to be careful about the owners livestock but they are usually in a group so not that big a problem.
 
I shoot at a firing range at our NATIONAL FOREST and when Im done I try to pick up all my brass. We have a metal canopy over the benches for shade and some IDIOTS and I mean IDIOTS shot holes all in the top of the canopy! There is always some real smart people who ruin it for everybody else and the first ones to gripe about something taken away and they are the reason for the privilage to be taken away!
 
In most cases the shooters are shooting the junk others take out. I got this from a local Tonto Nat Forest Ranger. He says the shooters like to go shooting at areas that are close to the city. What happens is the high schoolers and illegal dumpers go to the same convienent places. The kids will get into trouble even if the beer cans are empty so they leave them out in our nearby deserts. The shooters then use these beer cans and illegally dumped refrigerators as targets. With these items now full of holes, it looks like we are the ones at fault. If you use something as a target, you need to take ownership of it and dispose of it responsibly. Also leave the area cleaner than before. Beware, we've had some cases of the meth cookers dumping there illegal hazmat too. So be carefull what you pick up.
 
I shoot occasionally at a natl forest "range" up near Buffaloe Creek and the same problems prevail there. Only time I ever shoot there is if we camp in the area and then it's fun to go over and pop a few rounds. If there are other shooters on site I watch them very carefully before getting out of the car. Most of em are clueless regarding safety and plain old good manners.

The vast majority of my shooting is done at my club and I invite you to join. At this time we have openings but there is a membership cap that could top off at any time. We have plenty to offer and you can go there and shoot just about 365 days out of the year from first light to dark. And, yes, there is a membership fee but you can do one work party and cut it nearly in half. It would be a shorter drive from Brighton to Watkins and over the course of a year you would save the membership fee in gas /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grinning-smiley-003.gif

Here's a link for you to check it out:

web page
 
Back
Top