I was ashamed to be an outdfoorsman today

[rainbowchaser]

I drove a few miles North of my home to a state game area where I have hunted small game in the past. I hadn't been there for a couple of years but thought it might be a good place to look for mushrooms and let butterfly (the terror of all grouse) run free for a bit. When I arrived I found the area near first parking area full of debris from shooters. There where hundreds of empty ammo cartons as well as bottles and other trash. Every tree for twenty feet to either side of the clearing was cut off by repeated hits from bullets. The next row behind that one is showing a lot of damage as are many of the trees behind those. There was an area as big as my house carpeted in broken clay pigeons. There were piles of rusted out shotshells everywhere. There is probably a semi truck load of trash from target holders that have been shot to pieces and then abandoned. People have left chairs behind that other people shot to pieces. While I was there in the woods beyond someone pulled up to the next spot about thirty yards away and commenced shooting. He ignored my shouts that I was there. I left and called 911 to report illegal target shooting on state land. If this kind of behavior is what they are teaching in gun safety classes these days I quit.

[lastchance]

There are a lot of idiots. I was fishing 2 Saturdays ago for trout. I saw some young adults fishing below me and they were having a good time. My buddy was below them and I wen down to talk to him. I walked past those guys, said hello and kept going. They were drinking beer and throwing the cans along the river. I asked them to please take them when they leave. They never made a move to pick them up. The sad part is that I was part of a group of 200 people that policed that area for garbage not a week before that. We have 30 miles of river. We find just about anything you can name along the river. This just a small percentage of what we found.

[jcampbell]

You are correct. Unfortunately, there will always be unthoughtful idiots partaking of our outdoor recreational areas. Thank God we have group who are willing to clean up after them and keep things somewhat natural. You have to wonder who raised these idiots...other idiots I guess. Sad!!

[Marco]

You have described EXACTLY why I avoid areas which are within walking distance to ones' "truck". The ONLY place I fish like that ( and I have posted pics of my jeep almost over the brink there ) is just below the Jackson Lake Dam in GTNP. I bring a LARGE BLACK bag with me along with my fishin stuff. I lay the fishing stuff down (OBVIOUSLY, for many to see) and meander my way between the fishers picking up you name it from between them and boulders etc. Pretty soon I get help from the folks and the area gets to look much better. Only once have I been confronted by, I assume a Neanderthal who holds his dining fork in his fist. I will admit that my effort/actions project somewhat of an non verbal "attitude" . Most folks understand and I'm generally ready for those who don't . I would almost understand if it were a piano that needed to be picked up and packed out , but BEER CAN , BAIT CARTON, LURE PACK or CHIP BAG etc is wayyy beyond my ability to grasp.
I do recall my first trespassing ( ignorance) experience in the area I mentioned in a earlier post, where "I got the bug". I was ignorantly fishing private waters on the Little Laramie River operated by the "95" or "94" ranch ( it's been a few years), a dude with a belt buckle the size of a stop sign got off his horse ( he was herding cattle back from their summer grazing range in the Snowy Range) approached me *** deep midstream and proceeded to lecture me on the penalties for my illicit fishing on private POSTED ( I did jump a fence or two) property. His attitude change when he noticed a plastic bag with obviously not my but gathered garbage from along the river. I was 19 then, he was 50. "Son, next time you want to fish here, come up to the ranch house and just tell them Gabe said it's ok". About two weeks later I DID just that and am NOW, 50 some odd years later WELCOME even without the ranch house announcement. I park near the 130 bridge where it crosses the Little Laramie and "they" recognize my Illinois licence plate "FISH WYO" and I'm free to roam.
Is it any wonder why my "signature" is............................

Mark

"50 some odd years ago"= NO WAY, it was more like almost 55 years ago .

[sgallas2]

Good for you Mark, I always take a bag with me and pick up / haul out trash.

Steve

[DaleW]

Unfortunately this is nothing new. I've been romping around woods and stream since I was a boy (I'm now 82), and I've run across the spoils of perfidious derelicts (only words I know to use without cursing), in many states and places, and down through the years.

[Marco]

Dale,
I feel and share your pain. I did however have to look up "perfidious" .

Mark

[lastchance]

Unfortunately this is nothing new. I've been romping around woods and stream since I was a boy (I'm now 82), and I've run across the spoils of perfidious derelicts (only words I know to use without cursing), in many states and places, and down through the years.

Someone was reading their dictionary.

[rainbowchaser]

I was distressed less by the trash which can be dealt with than the destruction of the trees. The only thing like it I have ever seen were photos of the aftermath of small arms firefights. Trees were splintered and cut off a bit below shoulder height with the stumps riddled with bullets. The trees behind those are showing signs of many hits. As they are destroyed the ones beyond those will be killed. This large open area within easy driving distance of an urban area is great resource for many people to hunt, hike, birdwatch etc. If these fools are firing into the woods without regard to the safety of others and destroying the natural flora they ruin this resource for everyone else. I know that no knowledgeable shooter would have commenced firing into those woods when my car was parked there without knowing where I was. Even I miss occasiomally