03.28
Recently, I had the pleasure of getting a chance to take my Benelli Supernova Tactical-PG out into the mountains to burn off a few rounds and find out what all the fuss was about. Now that I’ve had the chance, I can safely say that this was very nearly the best $500 I’ve ever spent. A review of the shotgun itself and the incredibly amusing tale of the shooting adventure (and the many interesting and sordid men that we met during the trip) will be forthcoming. This is more about the best $500 that I did NOT have the spend this weekend, and the $500 that some of the other shootings from Sunday DID get to spend. The big difference was an $8 nylon tarp…but more on that in a moment.
My preferred site for shooting in this area is a pleasant little clearing just off of the I-90 Tinkham Road exit, just east of the town of North Bend in the Mt. Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest. The people who live in the area and the federal government tend to get a little touchy when it comes to littering up a national forests and other public property. There, though, is the key reason that I love shooting there. All US National Forests are public property. You can use them for pretty much whatever you want, as long as you aren’t ruining the forest for OTHER members of the public, presenting a safety hazard, or harming the forest itself. This is specifically outlined in Federal Regulation 36 CFR 261.10(d,e), which has the complete text listed here. The regulation states:
TITLE 36 – PARKS, FORESTS, AND PUBLIC PROPERTY
CHAPTER II – FOREST SERVICE, DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
PART 261 – PROHIBITIONS
subpart a – GENERAL PROHIBITIONS
261.10 – Occupancy and use.
The following are prohibited: …
(d) Discharging a firearm or any other implement capable of taking human life, causing injury, or damaging property as follows: (1) In or within 150 yards of a residence, building, campsite, developed recreation site or occupied area, or (2) Across or on a National Forest System road or a body of water adjacent thereto, or in any manner or place whereby any person or property is exposed to injury or damage as a result in such discharge. (3) Into or within any cave.
(e) Abandoning any personal property.
In order to be a positive influence on other shooters, and a positive example to the forestry service of what a responsible recreational shooting can be, Mr. Disproportionate Response recommends following a very simple code of conduct. Adhering to these guidelines will not only prevent you from falling foul of the law, but will help to make your recreation areas and the people that you shoot with an ever-improving experience. Also bear in mind that I’m writing this with the assumption that you know how to use your firearms, and already know a fair bit about safety. Something that bears repeating, no matter what, to know what you’re shooting, and know what’s BEHIND what you’re shooting. I recently saw a guy pop a round of buckshot into an old hulk of a car, while his buddy was standing behind it, taking a whizz. No one was hurt, but that’s a GREAT way to end a fun day. If you’re shooting toward a hill as your backstop–take the time to climb the hill and see what’s behind it. If you aim too high and miss your target, you want to make sure that you’re not ending someone’s camping trip early by sending little Timmy or Mommy or Daddy to the hospital or an early grave.
First, know the law in your area. The regulation posted above is for the US National Parks, Forests, and Public Property–but those locations, being federally controlled, may have additional limitations attached to them due to their state or the peculiarities of that area. This also does not apply to hunting–this only applies to the recreational destruction of inanimate targets. As soon as you put an animal in your sites, you’re going to be dealing with a whole different set of rules, and most of them say, “Don’t do it on federal land.” Usually a quick check out the park online will turn up all of the pertinent information.
Second, even before you shoot, get organized and be prepared. I can’t stress this enough. Not only does keeping your shooting area neat and organized promote and ensure safety, but it goes a long way to avoid trouble from others. If you just pack off to your favorite shooting spot with an unruly pile of guns, ammo, and targets, you’re going to appear unkempt and messy to Mr. Ranger, should he choose to stop by for a visit. If you look like a professional that cares about the state of their equipment, the state of their sport, and the conditions in which they practice, it will give a sense of ease and an impression of competence to the people around you. This is one place in life where appearances count. The more that it looks like you’re taking care of yourself, your equipment, and the area that you’re using, the less questions that the authorities will be able to ask you. A good part of this organization is making certain that you have good equipment for the trip. That’s hearing protection, eye protection, targets, trash bags, and a tarp or large sheet. A small shovel or a broom wouldn’t hurt you, either.
Keep the area clean. When you’re setting up to shoot, pick one spot that’s going to be your main staging area, and lay out your tarp or sheet. Make sure that it’s long enough, or that you’re far enough away from it that when your weapon ejects its shells, they will land on your spread. This way, at the end of the day, all you have to do is pick up your spread, and all of your shells and brass are ready to go. Paragraph (e) of the regulation states that abandoning any personal property is prohibited. That’s littering, folks. Don’t leave your trash behind for other shooters or the forestry service to have to clean up. This is where having a small shovel or broom is handy, too. While you’re there, before you start shooting, or after you’ve finished your rounds for the day, take time to load up a shovel or two of other people’s shells and brass onto your tarp. It’s good for the environment, it’s good for the shooting sports, and if you’ve got a recycling center nearby, that brass can be worth a pretty penny at local recycling locations! Don’t cheat at this either–just because you caught “most” of your shells doesn’t make it okay to leave your garbage around for others.
Related to the above note, do not shoot at glass bottles. Use plastic bottles or paper targets, instead. Phone books are immensely satisfying, as are bottles or jugs full of water and ice. They make for some pretty impressive explosions, without leaving hundreds of shards of litter everywhere. Before picking a target, consider how hard it will be to clean up, once it’s pining for the fjords.
Keep your head on a swivel. An important part of shooter safety is in always maintaining awareness of your surroundings, and it’s better to overcompensate for this and assume that other shooters aren’t remaining aware of their surroundings. Keep watch for details. Make sure that you see what’s going on around you before it happens, and be ready and able to take necessary precautions to keep the area safe.
Bring water, leave the drinks at home. If conditions are nice enough that you’re going to be shooting, there’s a good chance that you’ve got a nice, clear day. Make sure to stay hydrated, and for the love of all that’s decent and good, do NOT consume drugs or alcohol while shooting, nor should you go out on a shooting expedition while under the influence of these substances. Even if a beer or two will have not affect you, it gives the impression that you’re not being a paragon of safety and cleanliness, which can land you on the wrong side of the rangers.
And finally, be considerate of the people around you. If your shooting area only has room for you and your spotter to shoot, and a group of other people are waiting to set up to shoot, give them the opportunity. By instilling a sense of goodwill and commonwealth in these public areas, we guarantee the ability to keep using them. Barring someone else from shooting, or being inconsiderate of other sportsmen will only lead to animosity, which might lead to altercations with the authorities, or one another. In a field where everyone has a gun or twelve, it’s good to be mindful and considerate of the people around you.
Really, these are just common sense guidelines, and they all stem from one piece of advice: We’re talking about shooting on public lands, which means YOUR land, but it also means that it’s MINE. So now, more than ever, treat these areas like you would want a stranger to treat your bedroom or living room.
–MDR