Posted this in GD as well, but figured it would be more 'lucid' here.

Today I went out looking for some places to go shooting around Colorado Springs; my dad told me about a few of the places he went back when we lived in the area in the 90's, only to find out they had been shut down due to abuse of the area, trash, someone died, ect. Anyway, a lot of the national forest around Woodland Park, just west of C-Springs is a no shooting zone for the reasons previously mentioned. Fine, I knew that on the way up, but as soon as you get passed the zone, where you can shoot; it's just fucking trashed. I've known of at least three areas that I have personally gone or frequented that have been shut down because of this. Is this something everyone else deals with or is Colorado uniquely shitty at picking up after ourselves. Also, if you are this person, get fucked.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=21MAqTpohVU

I went shooting on public land exactly once before I joined a gun club.

The incredible levels of danger and fuckery were simply too much.  Appliances, bottles and glass everywhere.  People trying to shoot trees in half.  Fucking washing machines out there.  Copy a copy machine blown to bits.  Trash everywhere.

It's one of the reasons I don't automatically have respect for people on AR15.com.  Gun owners have proven that they can be useless douche bags just like anybody else.


This is why we can't have nice things.

The obnoxious thing is that everyone I have met, at public places or private have echoed the same sentiments I have. Not sure whether they are just agreeing to be non-confrontational or it's just a few jackasses ruining it for the rest of us at this point.

50/50

 

Did they have trash bags? Every see someone actually cleaning up after others?

We do, we always leave with more trash than we came with.

I know you do!

 

GI's from Carson are the worst at trashing the local area.  I know, I used to be one of them (1990-1993 104th MI).  The lack of care because it isn't "home" is a big part of the problem "hey, lets go muddin and shootin like we did back in Georgia!".  I always take an old duffle bag or laundry basket and fill it with trash at these places.  I have handed trash bags to other shooters and encouraged them to assist me in clean up of several of these areas. Some do, others don't, but the shaming usually works.  Help educate folks and they usually don't make as big a mess next time.

G

I used to take my boys to Monument, up Mt Herman Rd, to shoot. First time I went there I knew it was only a matter of time until it got shut down......sure enough, two years later there were signs posted, no shooting. I was actually embarrassed to be seen shooting there because of the mess. I always brought trash bags with us, each boy got one. We left with more than we brought. If my boys can pick up all of their 22lr brass, you can pick up all of your bright red dildo sized shotgun shells.

I take a tarp when I shoot, ejected brass lands on tarp, "funnel" it into a bucket & off I go.
People seem amazed when I tell them my "system".

Forestry people light up when they see I'm policing my "trash"; aka won't bother you.

I once hauled a hot tub away from a range and cut it up for the dumpster.

I usually bring a contractor bag but lately pawnee hasn't been bad. No more than a 5 gallon bucket of trash max.