More than 55 volunteers helped clean and restore the Wolf Creek Shooting Lanes and nearby forest roads on March 21. Volunteers removed graffiti from boulders, replaced vandalized signs, and collected enough trash to fill a 30-yard dumpster.

“We simply could not keep these shooting lanes open and maintained without this kind of support,” said Ben Burns, Recreation Facilities Manager with the Oregon Department of Forestry (ODF). “Trash No Land has been an outstanding partner, organizing volunteers not only for this annual cleanup but throughout the year.”

Trash No Land is a nonprofit organization focused on promoting responsible recreational target shooting while protecting public lands.

“We are all public landowners,” said Bill Cogley, president and co-founder of Trash No Land. “That comes with a responsibility to follow the rules and respect others. We focus on education and hands-on efforts like this cleanup to make a positive difference.”

In addition to picking up trash several volunteers donated $740 for the dumpster before the cleanup day and raised $1,005 from a raffle of donated items from local businesses that will go to future improvements at Wolf Creek. They also coordinated and paid for the replacement of vandalized signs at the lanes.

“We had a power washer to clean graffiti off the boulders and painted over it on the concrete barriers,” said Cogley. “The volunteers were divided up into five crews and everyone worked so hard and fast we were done by noon. I thank everyone who came out who cared and shared for our places to shoot on public lands.”

ODF manages two designated target shooting areas: the North Fork Wolf Creek Shooting Lanes in the Tillamook State Forest and the BC615 Shooting Lanes in the Santiam State Forest. In addition, ODF maintains 22 campgrounds and 61 trailheads, off-highway vehicle staging areas, and day-use sites with a facilities staff of just 13 people.

“Volunteers are critical to keeping all our sites clean, safe and enjoyable and we thank them for their year-round efforts,” said Burns.

Trash is an eyesore and diminishes the outdoor experience but the top concern at the shooting ranges is safety.

“Two fires ignited at the shooting lanes last year due to irresponsible target shooting practices but were quickly contained by ODF firefighters,” said Burns.

The top fire-starting concerns are improper backstops and banned ammunition along with exploding targets.

“There are high, vegetation free backstops at the shooting lanes,” said Burns. “The problem is from shooters who move targets outside those areas or use an improper backstop.”

Sparks into dried out vegetation and smoldering lead in an improper stop like an old stump or log can easily start a fire. All incendiary ammunition is prohibited on all public lands as are exploding targets such as Tannerite.

Banned ammunition includes tracer rounds and any others that burn, glow or ignite. This also includes shooting flares from flare guns.

To manage these sorts of unsafe target shooting practices, Tillamook and Washington County Sheriff’s deputies work with ODF staff to issue citations and fines to violators.

Despite these safety concerns ODF and Trash No Land are working together, for the vast majority of users who do follow the rules, to improve the shooting lanes.

“We are pursuing grants and fundraising to support upgrades,” Cogley said. “Our goal is to make the site safer and more sustainable for everyone.”

Planned improvements include expanding shooting lanes and enhancing fire prevention and safety features.

Both organizations emphasize that the future of the site depends on responsible use.

“If we want to keep these areas open, everyone needs to take that responsibility seriously,” Cogley said. “That starts with education, volunteerism, and setting a good example.”

For more information about volunteer opportunities, see the Trash No Land website.

For current regulations, closures, and updates, visit the Tillamook State Forest target shooting website.

Source: Oregon Department of Forestry

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