Elk Neck Range Etiquette

[shaddydan]

Hey gang,
I went shooting at Elk Neck today at the shotgun/skeet range. As many of you know, the pile of shells in front of the stations is always growing. I was shooting an A-5 and 95% of my shells went over the rail. Anyway, when I left, I collected a huge pile of shells from down below to act as my trash. I shot about 100 rounds and probably removed about 150 shells. Would this be considered good range etiquette?

 

[elitehome]

brown noise someone was the teachers pet....jk yes it is good looking out

 

[Demoneyes86]

How is it up there. I have considering going myself as a first time trip. I hear it isnt very safe though.. i want to take my fiance shooting for a first time and i hear any ammo and is cheap for all day trip.

 

[shaddydan]

Its fine to shoot there. It is a public range and you need to be on your guard. I've never encountered anyone hostile but sometimes folks are'nt overly safe. I've been muzzle swept before and most people are lazy with their trash. Otherwise, $10.00, shoot all day!

 

[PJDiesel]

I've often wondered about that pile. Since 90% of them eject and bounce over (or off).

I pick up what stays on the platform, leave the rest. Probably NOT good etiquette on my part, but it's not like a dozen or so down there, it's literally thousands, they are using a loader bucket to remove them!

 

[Demoneyes86]

I just don't want us to be shot by some moron who does not know how to handle a firearm.

 

[PJDiesel]

I'm not a fan of shooting clays there, usually plenty of hillbillies to contend with.

Last time there was some toolbag there shooting at clays with a pistol grip. I'm surprised someone hasn't gotten a patterned chest by now up there. Not trying to sound stuffy, but there are lots of good places to shoot sporting clays not (too) far from here, I'd rather drop $40-$50 bucks and shoot a real course.

 

[PJDiesel]

I just don't want us to be shot by some moron who does not know how to handle a firearm.

We were typing simultaneously....

From my experience there, there a possibility of being maimed or killed....

 

[Demoneyes86]

We more or less would be using rifles and pistols.

 

[PJDiesel]

We more or less would be using rifles and pistols.

I'm not there every week or anything, from my experience, the rifle range seems the safest, then handgun, then mainly out of control rednecks in the clays area.

Just my experience, not saying it's always that way. Rifle range seems like everyone has the heads about them for the most part.

 

[Demoneyes86]

I sure hope so. any other rifle approved safe places? got my girl her first rifle and she wanna shoot it i also just bought my ar15 and have not shot it yet.

 

[shaddydan]

I've often wondered about that pile. Since 90% of them eject and bounce over (or off).

I pick up what stays on the platform, leave the rest. Probably NOT good etiquette on my part, but it's not like a dozen or so down there, it's literally thousands, they are using a loader bucket to remove them!

The problem Elk Neck has is that they have a very hard time getting rid of the spent hulls. And when you walk down, you need to let people know that it is cold. The shotgun area is supposed to be cold when the rifle range is.

 

[1970swifty]

I know that they have started the RSO program and with exception of holidays there will be one on duty every weekend day. There is a thread on here asking for anyone interested to sign up to volunteer. I believe the training is in late January. But to answer your question yes picking up your casings or more is good etiquette if you get caught not picking them up by DNR fine is 1000 yes 1k dollars

 

[PJDiesel]

No doubt.
It's like picking up a handful of sand at the beach though. I know it's new and all, but having that elevated platform and then a muddy and/or water filled pit to collect the hulls is a little inconvenient.

 

[organized_mayhem]

Just as 1970swifty stated, it is considered littering and carries a 1k fine. This also includes any casings on any range. If someone hadn't decided they wanted to keep breaking in and destroying the casing boxes at Elk Neck, you would have a place to get rid of them. And just so you guys know, atleast a couple littering tickets have been issued since the change was made back in the summer. So its no joke, leave your hulls and casings at your own risk.

The RSO's have been off the last 2 weekends due to the holidays, but we will be back at it next weekend.

 

[1970swifty]

No doubt.
It's like picking up a handful of sand at the beach though. I know it's new and all, but having that elevated platform and then a muddy and/or water filled pit to collect the hulls is a little inconvenient.

Agreed not alot of fun

 

[shaddydan]

I just see it as a personal responsibility. The pile is huge and I can't pull my 16 gauge hulls out of it, but I figured if I take more than I contributed and others did this, there would be no pile.

 

[Fester60]

I understand the point about picking up after yourself to keep the facilities clean. However it is not easy to do.

I always pick up my hulls at the shotgun platform because I am usually using a single shot so it is easy to keep track of and collect them for disposal.

At the rifle range most brass flies far and sometimes forward. If I were to pick up all brass I would have to try and do it when the range was cold. It would be very difficult to get this done in a timely manner considering how much other brass is everywhere.

At the pistol range most of my brass ends up landing in the mud/sand pit that you have to walk over to get the firing line. I pick up anything on the concrete and around the firing line. If it's in the muck it is probably staying there.

 

[K31]

You guys need this. It'll allow you to stay upright and pickup shells.

http://www.brassmower.com/

 

[NateTheShake]

I'm not there every week or anything, from my experience, the rifle range seems the safest, then handgun, then mainly out of control rednecks in the clays area.

Just my experience, not saying it's always that way. Rifle range seems like everyone has the heads about them for the most part.

I try to go during the week if I have a day off to avoid the locals. I will admit I haven't been there since they started the RSO program. Prior to that it was an accident waiting to happen (and a big one did hence the RSO program.) I've seen some really irresponsible stuff up there. When approached those responsible were less than receptive to me asking them to stop.

The worst was a "more money than brains" gentleman who spent a while zeroing his Barrett M95 on the rifle range and then walked over to the pistol range, threw a bunch of water bottles down range, and proceeded to rapid-fire shoot them with his AR15. Needless to say ricochets were going all over the place as he shot the ground.

Saw a few hillbillies that decided, after running out of clays but not shells, that shooting the surrounding vegetation was a good time. Trees, shrubs, what have you. They shot it all and when they got bored of shooting vegetation from the platform they walked down to the bottom of the range and shot from there.

I'm sure it's gotten better, but those two incidents marked my last trips to Elk Neck.