This is the place to:
Check in for camping.
Check progress on the "range".
Get input.
And anything else I come up with that needs announcing regarding the range work party/zero weekend etc.


TARGETS:I have six new target backers (30"T X 96"W )on stands that we can move where we want(I have a hay wagon to move them around with),and two 30" X 96" backers permanantly set up in the "cqb range" area.The 'field' range(one of my deer hunting leases)is mowed down and I have a 250-300m firing line for prone and supported shooting,and a 150-10 M 'firing line' using the same impact zone.
I knocked together 4 individual target backers(30"T X 24"W) and have materials to build more during the work weekend.

WORK/ZERO weekend LIST: Building target backers.Burning weedpiles and brush on the firing lines.Setting targets(some steel I have on hand).Cutting a trail between ranges.
With the campers committed so far I think I will be able to just use the flat areas in my back yard.If we get more campers we'll have to clear the weeds from my 'deer camp'.


Anyone have a laser rangefinder?,mine is kaput,I'd like to set some steel at "precise" ranges instead of using a pace count.

I will have a 400M? target backer setup in another shooting area for the zero weekend for those who want to test a scope or irons.

Sat and Sunday is the Pine River Sports Ass. gunshow in Richland Center.Small but I like the 'hometown' shows,good for a short roadtrip.
Sunday Morning is the Plain FD pancake breakfast I'm buying if you get there early enough.
I will have chili cooking Saturday and Stew Sunday.Work weekend we can use the head in the house.


CLASS DAY:
I will have a 'release of liability" disclaimer for students to sign.Real simple it's basically the same form I use when letting hunters on my property,withiout the 'permission slip' on top.
If it is cold having a couple of 55 G drums set up for warming fires would come in handy,I have none laying around if someone wants to donate one and can bring it along,TNX.
Porta Pot is just about set,I try to close a deal tomorrow.
Anyone need a map IM me.

BulletcatchR

BC I'll be camping, also I'm going to try and make it up on the 9th if I can but I have to work the 10th at 0700 so if I do make it it will only be for one day.

Here's the first range update.



This was my pistol range,you can see the two windrows of dead weeds leading to the target zone.That's about as much mowing I did on the site.The IMPACT area is not behind the steel but is the area washed in sunlight.

It is now being resurrected as the CQB range.


Except for some small trees and a couple of branches we(my hired man and I) cleared a large area expanding the firing line and impact area.By the time of the work/zero weekend the cuttings will be dry enough to pile up and burn.
There is room in the impact area for 5-8' long plywood target stands easy as it sits right now.I can probably add 20 feet to the impact area and 30 feet to the line if we need to???

I also have a reactive/moving  target that we will set up for zero day fun.




This is the view up behind the CQB range.Somewhere in those weeds is a trail that leads up the hill and forks off to the  the 'field' range.The other fork leads back to the house(the high trail).The high trail is the first leg of my 'biathlon' course.



This is one of the views down into the impact area from the high trail.You can see how far back the impact area is from the targets setup in the first pic(you can barely see one of them thru the trees).Alot of the view from the high trail is overgrown these days,I just pick a clearing to shoot thru.With a little brush clearing this is a good place(75 + M long trail)to practice movement, fire and control,and comm for a two man team.

Back in the day I had some surplus popup targets.They are long gone but I have a 'bunker' area where we take turns pulling a string to 'activate' the targets.Later I will show my warmup range.When I had mules the places you're looking at were grazed pretty well.The pistol range connected with my warmup range and made pretty much the whole front end of this valley an impact area.

My fields are getting mown this week.I have some field lanes that I use it's the same story just have to make them wider and expand the mown impact areas.
When they are mown I will setup the target stands and snap a few pics.While the neighbor is here I am having him mow a couple of lanes and impact areas I haven't used in awhile.A couple of 400 M lanes setup for the bench.

BulletcatchR

BC,

First off, thanks for volunteering your property for the class.  Without that, I don't think we'd be having the DE training.

Second.  I'll be coming out to help on the 9th and 10th to help clean up, or do whatever I can do

Third, I believe Carrie and I will be camping on the 16 & 17th

'Nother camper here.......

I'll be camping the 9-10 and the 16-17.  I need directions too.

Will, for the 9th and 10th, we might be able to car pool...

That'd be great, but, I won't get out of work until noon on Sat.

Crud.

I'm not sure when I'm going to be able to get up to BC's.  I've got to work in Chicago late on Friday night.

BC do you by any chance have any topos of yer AO?

Would anyone be interested in going over some basic land nav stuff friday or maybe after we're done with class stuff for the day sat or sunday? I have a basic idea on some stuff, but wouldn't mind learning from someone who knows more.

I have some topos of the AO.

Top post is updated.

Bulletcatchr

Thanks for the update.  It really looks like this is coming together!

BC, can you IM me directions to your place?  I'll be coming up 90/94.

Thanks!

ETA, Besides the 55 Gallon drums (I don't have any), what else as far as material donations can we bring?

If you have any steel plates for target material I have an arc welder and material for stands and hangers,no torch gas tho.
I also have some lumber set aside for shooting benches,some tables for the firing line,and benches for the camp.A couple of hours in the woodshop after dark should knock those projects out.

Don't forget  heavy gloves,I chopped down the nasty weeds and thistles on the firing line and we'll have to burn up the clippings.Bring eye protection,dust mask,whatever safety gear you use.There won't be much machete work,I have a decent weedwhacker with a variety of blades.
Everyone 'should' have a small personal FA kit and I have an extensive kit here for those more than minor mishaps.

Bring your camp chairs and 'furniture',I only have  a couple.Camp for this weekend will be right near the house and we'll have use of the head for 'solid waste'.If the weather gets really nasty,which so far it looks good,we can use my shop as a 'bunkhouse'.

I'm not a drinker so if you like a few brews around the campfire you have to BYO,,,(I only keep a few Polish brews around for  when my arm gets twisted. )

We can use the kitchen for cooking this weekend.I'll have some chili,chips and salsa and cheese/meat type snacks out 'buffet' style,and if you feel like bringing some snack type food to share please do.I'll have chicken for grilling and salad works Sat nite,we'll have to put a KP/grill detail together.Sunday we'll have stew.

IM's with directions outbound tonite.

BulletcatchR

BC I got some steel plates I can bring up, I don't know how well they will work for rifle, but they should be ok for pistol. I won't be able to bring them up till the weekend of the class though.

So, who else is coming up to help this weekend?

Right now, it only looks like BC, FMD, MisterPX, and Photoman (on Sunday)?

There must be more folks interested in helping out...

I'd like to help out, but it depends on how much of my research paper I have finished by then I'll let you guys know.

Quoted: So, who else is coming up to help this weekend? Right now, it only looks like BC, FMD, MisterPX, and Photoman (on Sunday)? There must be more folks interested in helping out...

Not unless they gave me off on sunday, but I won't know till tomarrow. i wouldn;t count on it.

Quoted: So, who else is coming up to help this weekend? Right now, it only looks like BC, FMD, MisterPX, and Photoman (on Sunday)? There must be more folks interested in helping out...

I am on call this weekend and have to cover from Chicago to Baraboo, Milwaukee and Oshkosh to Prairie Du Chein.  Can't make it!

Quoted: Quoted: So, who else is coming up to help this weekend? Right now, it only looks like BC, FMD, MisterPX, and Photoman (on Sunday)? There must be more folks interested in helping out... I am on call this weekend and have to cover from Chicago to Baraboo, Milwaukee and Oshkosh to Prairie Du Chein.  Can't make it!

Damn dude thats a shit load of an area to cover, where do you work? Flight????

Have to work Saturday, Might be able to come over sunday morning.BC, can you IM directions.Thanks Dan

That IS a lot o' ground to cover!

So it looks like it'll just be the 3 of us...

I'll do my best to get an early start.

Stan,
sorry I missed this thread 'til now. It was great meeting you yesterday.

The range came together pretty well. We got a lot done. Looking forward to class.

Tommy,

Thank you (and Irv) for coming out as well!  We got things taken care of in a hurry with all of us working.  It was great meeting fellow Arfcommers, and it's encouraging to see how dedicated Stan is to setting up an excellent training area.

It's too bad you missed the "long range" work up on the hill on Sunday. Dan showed up (just in time to avoid brush clearing ) with a new toy and a good time was had by all.

Thanks again to BC, MisterPX, Tommy, Irv, and Dan.  Everyone else:  You are now on KP duty!

-FMD

PS:  Folks, we cleared the brush, but there's still plenty of stubble.  I highly encourage you to wear long sleeves for the class!

PPS: Tommy, let Irv know that Stan found his muffs.

FMD and Will when are you guys planing on leaving for the class. I work till 1500 friday and was going to leave directly from work. I might have to stay an hour late, I don't know yet an won't till friday. But wanted to see if we could caravan up or soething if were all leaving around the same time.


ETA: I'm bringing more than the guns I'm shooting for class, so if anyone wants, bring some 308 I'll have the bolt gun with me if ya want to shoot it. It eats Ausie surplus rather well or match ammo, so it really doesn't matter to me what ya shoot through it. I figure we may have some time day before or later sunday or something for some fun shooting ya never know.

Quoted: Tommy, Thank you (and Irv) for coming out as well!  We got things taken care of in a hurry with all of us working.  It was great meeting fellow Arfcommers, and it's encouraging to see how dedicated Stan is to setting up an excellent training area. It's too bad you missed the "long range" work up on the hill on Sunday. Dan showed up (just in time to avoid brush clearing ) with a new toy and a good time was had by all. Thanks again to BC, MisterPX, Tommy, Irv, and Dan.  Everyone else:  You are now on KP duty! -FMD PS:  Folks, we cleared the brush, but there's still plenty of stubble.  I highly encourage you to wear long sleeves for the class! PPS: Tommy, let Irv know that Stan found his muffs.

Just called and let him know. He was glad to hear it, figured he'd lost them

He also found a mag that went missing. Turns out it rode all the way back to Madison on the rear bumper. We're gonna have to be more careful about policing up our stuff.

Mark, I'll be going up on Friday.  Exactly what time has not been determined, but you can ride up with me.  

Thanks to everybody who came out to help.

I have a handle on a 55 gal drum for a warming fire.

I'm gonna have my stool to rest my bones on when I can.There is only one picnic table  that's for Sully to use.There'll be a couple of low sawhorses set out for expedient benches and some planks on sawhorses,that's about it.Pack accordingly.

I don't have a 'dining fly' or rain shelter,,,if it is raining having some shelter at the range to cover gear and stuff would be nice if anyone has one to bring.

We're gonna open up the road to the range alittle wider so SUVs and 'better' can drive back and park diagonally off the roadway there.That'll ease some of the pressure off parking space.There will be enough room for lowriders on the driveway and campers can park up by the tents.


It's up to Sully to determine what shooting goes on when and where class weekend.I'd like to have the place cleared out by Sunday 2100 HRS,but,if you want to show up early on Friday it's OK just RSVP.I'll be working on setting up in the class area but there'll be a bench setup for 150-300M practice in the field.
I'd like to setup some resemblence of range control so I can focus on other things.My little setup works great for me but is a little scary with more folks walking around.I'm going to take down all the 'extra' targets around the yard to keep things safe.One person will have to volunteer and wear the 'hat' during shooting.


Water,porta-pot and an outdoor (cold water)sink station are ready to go.

That's all for now

TNX AGN

BulletcatchR

Mark, I'll be going up on Friday as well, but I don't think I'll have enough room, nor is our schedule set.  Carrie works until 1700, and we will be dropping off our dogs at a kennel in Madison on the way up.  If you don't mind riding 1/2 the way there with a couple of friendly Rottwielers in your lap, we might be able to accomodate you...

Stan, I still have that 14' octaganal shelter that we used for shade at the last Arfcom shoot.  Would that do?

Quoted: Mark, I'll be going up on Friday as well, but I don't think I'll have enough room, nor is our schedule set.  Carrie works until 1700, and we will be dropping off our dogs at a kennel in Madison on the way up.  If you don't mind riding 1/2 the way there with a couple of friendly Rottwielers in your lap, we might be able to accomodate you... Stan, I still have that 14' octaganal shelter that we used for shade at the last Arfcom shoot.  Would that do?

Thanks for the offer, but I was just seeing about convoying up. I'll be driving, I don't know yet what my schedual will be like next week, but if I have off monday I was planning on stoping at my grandma's house on the way back. She lives on Lake Kegonsa and I haven't seen her since May. Just wanted to see if anyone was interested or was leaving at around the same time, we could get little convoy going

Stan,
   
Stan-
Won't be able to make the shoot, in the hopsital with ruptured appendix.  Maybe next time.  DAN

Bummer! Get well soon Dan!

Can someone email maps and directions to the AO to me at kill(nospam)@internetwis.nospam.com?

Delete all "nospam" from that addy.

And I am likely to come up Friday.  Don't know yet if I cam coming to the AO or staying in the Dells Friday night and arriving early Saturday morning.

When are directions to the range going to be sent out?  I need them, or at least an address so I can type it into MapQuest.  I'm only coming from Reedsburg, but I don't get south very often...

Thanks much!

Glenn R.

I'll IM or email directions on request.I don't have a list of who's paid.
GET WELL DAN.

BulletcatchR

GET WELL DAN!

Sorry you couldn't make it bud, I was lookin forward to campfire conversation...

-Kris

Get well soon Dan,  you must of gotten a little too excited over the duracoat.