People just do not listen

[Gil Martin]

I was at the state gameland public shooting range today scrounging for brass. Keep in mind that on Sundays, the rifle range opens at 12:00 noon. It was about 10:30 A.M. and three fellows set up their gear on shooting benches. I was picking brass out of the trash barrels when the guys started shooting. I immediately walked down to them and advised them of the starting time. In addition, I pointed out that a Deputy Warden lived nearby and might respond and would likely write them up for a fine and/or possible loss of firearm. My advice was to pack up and make tracks. They acted like I was intruding so I backed away.

About ten minutes later a fellow approached me at the trash barrel and asked if I had done any shooting. I told him I did not have a firearm with me and was simply dumpster diving. I asked if he was the Deputy Warden and he said he was. He then dealt with the three early shooters. I saw him with a fistful of drivers licenses and saw him writing field receipts.

I usually warn folks about the dangers of early shooting and get mixed responses. I believe I will keep quiet from now on. All the best...
Gil

[GoodOlBoy]

At least you tried. Had I been one of the three, I woulda thanked you, promptly cleaned my gun, and hung a new target, then waited for the proper shooting time.

GoodOlBoy

[buckhunter]

This is why we now lock our outdoor range. Someone over time will screw this up for the majority. Even tho its not a big deal to swipe a key card it could become one if you happen to forget it.

When firearms are involved you gotta play by the rules otherwise it will not only hurt you but hurt others either directly or indirectly.

You tried.

[fabsroman]

Originally Posted by Gil Martin

I was at the state gameland public shooting range today scrounging for brass. Keep in mind that on Sundays, the rifle range opens at 12:00 noon. It was about 10:30 A.M. and three fellows set up their gear on shooting benches. I was picking brass out of the trash barrels when the guys started shooting. I immediately walked down to them and advised them of the starting time. In addition, I pointed out that a Deputy Warden lived nearby and might respond and would likely write them up for a fine and/or possible loss of firearm. My advice was to pack up and make tracks. They acted like I was intruding so I backed away.

About ten minutes later a fellow approached me at the trash barrel and asked if I had done any shooting. I told him I did not have a firearm with me and was simply dumpster diving. I asked if he was the Deputy Warden and he said he was. He then dealt with the three early shooters. I saw him with a fistful of drivers licenses and saw him writing field receipts.

I usually warn folks about the dangers of early shooting and get mixed responses. I believe I will keep quiet from now on. All the best...
Gil

Who knows, maybe they listened to you quite well and made a calculated decision to take on the risk. They probably knew about the rule before they even started shooting and had decided to take on the risk anyway. Kind of like people hunting before sun up, hunting after sun down, shooting over the limit, etc. They know the rules but consciously break them anyway. Not everybody is honest like you and I, and even then I usually drive 5 mph over the speed limit anyway because EVERYBODY does.

[Goody]

I find the same thing here at the public range. Shooting starts at 12. A lot of people want to beat the crowd and start at 10:30. Seems like people throw there trash all over the place too. I mentioned this to a guy one day at 11:00 and he told me to go screw myself.
Goody

[Adam Helmer]

Gil,

Were the Range Rules prominently posted? Were the shooters hunters who support the range with their hunting license fees?

I often hear folks shooting before the 10:00 A.M. start time at my nearby range. I usually go by and point out our posted range rules. About 50% of the time the shooters are NOT Club Members. I never confront armed folks unarmed. My M1911 is under my coat/vest in case of need. I tell the club members to wait until 10:00 a.m. and the non-members are directed to leave or I will dial 911.

Adam

[GoodOlBoy]

The range we typically attend is a private pay to use range, people STILL don't listen or read. They have finally gotten to the point where during a cease fire you are not allowed close to the shooting benches, they pull a rope up and if you approach it you are booted off of the range. It amazes me. I remember a day when everybody was alot more courteous and cautious.

GoodOlBoy

[Mr. 16 gauge]

They know the rules but consciously break them anyway.

I think that this is more the gist of it than anything else.....people don't like a rule, then the hell with it.....it doesn't apply to them, and they do as the please.

....and then they gripe if they get caught & there are consequences.....just look at some of the threads out there on various websites (not just hunting and fishing websites), and you'll find this to be quite a typical thread in some instances.
Example: "I was ticketed because I was running my wave runner and the *$%#&$ DNR gave me a ticket because I was going too fast in a no wake zone!"
..."Did you know that it was a no wake zone?"

...."Yeah, but I didn't think that they'd be out there! I've done it before and didn't get caught!"

The list goes on and on.....................

[Gil Martin]

The gamelands range rules are posted at every shooting bench on the line. Proper shooting times are item #1. The Deputy Warden reviewed the shooting times after he wrote up the offenders. All the best...
Gil

[dovehunter]

It's just that sort of mindset that caused the Virginia Dept. of Game and Inland Fisheries to start closing their ranges from April 1st through August 31st. They used to keep the ranges open year around and they were free to everyone. A few jackasses ruined it for everyone.

[Adam Helmer]

dovehunter,

You need to HAMMER the VA Dept of Game and Inland Fisheries and TELL them a few idiots are NOT JUSTIFICATION to close ranges.

I would suggest they FIX responsibility to the wrong doers and LET the HONEST folks alone to use the ranges year round! I would also advise them that IF they enforced their own rules on ranges, ONLY the BAD GUYS would be excluded and that closing ALL ranges April through August merely shows they do not have a clue about ENFORCING Range Rules! I bet ALL Officers KNOW to the penny the amount of their next paycheck, BUT they have NO clue about enforcing Range Rules. WHY?

Adam

[Goody]

I went past the public range yesterday. Everything is all cleaned up there. Not really sure who did it but it looks good now.
Goody

[skeeter@ccia.com]

In Pa, they just closed down the range about 2 mi from here...No matter how much time spent there with clean up etc etc, they still managed to drag old stoves, washers, glass etc etc onto the range and blow up...oh and then leave it there.....so solution, close for the rest of us....thing is, you can never seem to catch those that do this sort of thing. Now what you have to watch out for is this...my nephew spent some time gathering everyone elses trash, bottles, junk etc etc left along his favorite fishing spot and had stacked it in a corner by a tree..along came the fish warden and local cop and wrote him up for littering etc etc..said they had watched him pick up the trash but since he did not remove it from the spot and only stacked it in a corner, he was guilty of dumping trash as much as those that left it there...Pa fish warden, cop at work.

[fabsroman]

Originally Posted by skeeter@ccia.com

In Pa, they just closed down the range about 2 mi from here...No matter how much time spent there with clean up etc etc, they still managed to drag old stoves, washers, glass etc etc onto the range and blow up...oh and then leave it there.....so solution, close for the rest of us....thing is, you can never seem to catch those that do this sort of thing. Now what you have to watch out for is this...my nephew spent some time gathering everyone elses trash, bottles, junk etc etc left along his favorite fishing spot and had stacked it in a corner by a tree..along came the fish warden and local cop and wrote him up for littering etc etc..said they had watched him pick up the trash but since he did not remove it from the spot and only stacked it in a corner, he was guilty of dumping trash as much as those that left it there...Pa fish warden, cop at work.

I hope your nephew went to Court on those charges. That seems completely ridiculous to me.