Because, as somebody said in the comments here or at Facebook, "if you don't shoot weekly, you'll shoot weakly." I'm making that my new mantra. Since it's a weekend, we'll be going to Iggle Crick.
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| Permanent steel targets in the pistol bays at Marion County Fish & Game |
Considering that MCF&G is right in the shadow of I-465 and a stone's throw from the track, it's a surprisingly idyllic setting. Right after I snapped that picture and put my phone away, the other shooter in the bay told me to turn around. Lo and behold, there was Bambi's mom and sister, ambling across the clearing between the creek and the pond.
It's as though wildlife knows that a shootin' range is about the safest place for it. I'm told they occasionally had to pause matches to shoo deer off the rifle ranges at ORSA back in Tennessee...
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We've had to stop fire at a couple of our CAS matches while a couple of deer made their way past our targets. One of the times was during deer season, you're right, it's like they knew...
ReplyDeleteFirst time I went out deer hunting, headed to the range to sight in my shotgun.
ReplyDeleteSix deer on the range. Walking right along the edge of the range, as people were still firing.
I didn't see a single deer all weekend long after. :P
I was at a packed rifle range outside San Jose (but inside a popular game preserve where the deer aren't ever hunted) on a Saturday morning when we had to cease fire for three does that wandered onto the grass at the 100-yd targets then nonchalantly stopped to graze. Everybody laughed as the ROs chased them away, but really I don't think I've ever been more insulted.
ReplyDeleteOnce at an outdoor range in Maryland, with forest on one side and a field of ripe corn on the other side of the 100 yard long range, all seven shooters on the line simultaneously stopped everything when a very fat raccoon ambled from the woods at about 50 yards out and without any interest in us headed into the cornfield for another delicious meal.
ReplyDeleteWe all looked at each other, grinning at the fat critter, and resumed our shooting when the furball entered the corn rows.
I was later told this was a near-daily event in corn season.
Outside of Baltimore, there are some civilized areas of Maryland that shouldn't be put to the torch or have the earth salted, which is the only remedy I think would work within a 5 mile radius of the Inner Harbor.
Time for the ancient yarn about the deer who ambled across a military KD range. Fire discipline went to hell and a thousand rounds were blasted. He strolled away unscathed.
ReplyDeleteIf the Marines are telling the story it was an Army range; when the Navy spoke it was the USMC range; and so forth.
I need a range trip. For what my yearly dues cost,I should go at least twice a week.
ReplyDeleteI've seen birds happily land to pick bugs right where bullets were crossing about three feet over them; doesn't seem to trouble them in the least.
ReplyDeleteMuch like seeing turkey strutting openly across a field before or after season.
I've seen birds happily land to pick bugs right where bullets were crossing about three feet over them; doesn't seem to trouble them in the least.
ReplyDeleteMuch like seeing turkey strutting openly across a field before or after season.
I suppose I spent about 30$ a trip last year based on Dues.
ReplyDeleteCan't be there during the week (work) and it is a flat out zoo on the weekends. I tend to not create conflict at the range and every defintion of week end warrior is out there. 4 pistol ranges are all busy. I can shot long guns all day long. but I need some short gun practice.
Oh well. might work on some long form instead.
Seconded. MCF&G is a very lovely setting.
ReplyDeleteAlmost a pure on Sylvan glen. Especially given how large some of the trees are.
We have the world's most highly evolved coyotes on the shooting range in Albuquerque - they're capable of using the tesseract. . .
ReplyDeleteI actually SAW a Bambi Cease Fire on the KD range at Ft Lost In The Woods. While it took a few seconds for everyone to cease firing, Bambi was scatheless because no one was shooing at her.
ReplyDeleteThe animals have calendars, too. When "Weekend Warrioring" on the folks' farm in VA, they didn't care about tractors or trucks, nor did they show any discontent when we were using the 500 yard range along the back fence. Almost ran a flock of turkeys down with the flatbed one afternoon, had to stop for them to move out of the way.
ReplyDeleteCome opening day, though, not a critter to be seen until well after legal hours.
Same thing happens at Quantico too... sigh
ReplyDeleteI'm jealous that you have decent ranges in reasonable driving distance. Here in the land of the fabled BBQ gun, where every child is given a loaded 1911 at the hospital right after the doctor smacks 'em on the backside - We have some of the worst public ranges in the land.
ReplyDeleteSeriously, some of the worst ranges I have ever seen, especially here in the Austin area. Nobody has steel, 500 yards? Not here friend. Work from the holster? Not within 75 miles of where I sit. I actually haven't been to a public or club-run range in years, because of the crowds and regs. I get that you need regs to keep the crowds in check. But here in central Texas for the most part we just have very lame ranges for any kind of serious training or defensive work.
-Rob
We had a ceasefire twice on the same rifle match for a jake turkey who crossed the range heading north and then a few minutes later came back heading south. Bullets were flying just a couple feet above his head before he was noticed on the first traverse.
ReplyDeleteYears ago when I joined the club I was told that shooting the wildlife was not allowed. I asked if that included coyotes and was told that if one crossed the range during a match he'd probably get shot "by accident"
My rifle club's range is on a farm, so it's not unusual for us to have temporary cease-fires to chase away the cattle and the horses.
ReplyDeleteOne of the oddest times was one time this horse decided that the most interesting thing in the 15-20 acre paddock that contains our .22lr range was the target. He just started at them and every now and again took a couple of steps closer. Eventually we had to cease-fire and chase him away.
The most risk-taking animals are probably the sparrows though; on at least a few occasions when we've been shooting clays, half a dozen or so sparrows turn up and start flying around right where we're throwing the clays.
We use black clays, so I wonder if they may think that the clays are other sparrows, and they're coming over to see if they've found a pile of insects or something.
Happens on the Fort Stewart gunnery ranges quite a bit. The deer usually chill just on the no-shoot side of the left and right range fans. This, during Bradley and HMMWV gunnery. They don't even care about .50BMG or 25mm TP-T zipping past.
ReplyDeleteAll of us liked venison, but we were shooting for qualification scores used to place us for gunner positions. Somehow, Bambi knew this.