flashpuppy
Sharpshooter
Sooooo....... Someone was using a private range on my property without permission. From what I can tell, they moved the location of the targets (targets are normally in lowest point of the area, which is usually very wet) and sent a couple out of the park. Awesome. No injuries/property damage. Appears to have been 223 from an AR. Judging by shell pile on the ground and holes in paper, projectile had to exit my property. I learned of this almost immediately as "neighbors" started calling me to notify me of Sheriff on the look for whoever was shooting. I jumped in the truck (was not there when this happened) and found the Sheriff kinda patrolling around the big country block obviously looking for the range. It's totally hidden from site and unless I show you where it's at, you'd never find it. Sheriff and I talked, went to the range (which was empty now), discussed my SOP and what was deviated from it. He liked my setup, we talked guns a while, shook hands and left. He would not disclose who had called and reported the incident.
I went to every neighbor within two miles and discussed what had happened. I handed out my card with cell number. Tried to assure everyone (although nobody even seemed like they knew what I was talking about) of the safe procedures I follow and that I was looking for whoever it was hat was back there shooting/tress passing.
Corrective actions I have taken: road leading to range is totally inaccessible by vehicle (four-wheeler/gator included) due to padlocked gates and concrete barriers placed, unless you feel like driving half a mile on top of active railroad tracks. Signs placed around all property lines for no tresspasing/hunting/shooting. Trail cams positioned at multiple places to identify any future tresspassers.
Problem:
Every time a round is fired, I have 20-25 minutes until the police show up. 11 times in 7 days. Getting kind of rediculous. Even more problematic is the officers are placing their own lives in jeapordy but walking into a hot rifle range. The easiest way to access it is to hoof it over the tracks and walk in by the targets. Yeah...
I cannot ascertain who is calling the police, the police just keep saying they have to show because the call was made to them about shots being fired. I'm starting to get a bit irked by this. What am I supposed to do here? I've tried to be as cooperative and accommodating as I can be, but my patience wears thin.
Thoughts?
I went to every neighbor within two miles and discussed what had happened. I handed out my card with cell number. Tried to assure everyone (although nobody even seemed like they knew what I was talking about) of the safe procedures I follow and that I was looking for whoever it was hat was back there shooting/tress passing.
Corrective actions I have taken: road leading to range is totally inaccessible by vehicle (four-wheeler/gator included) due to padlocked gates and concrete barriers placed, unless you feel like driving half a mile on top of active railroad tracks. Signs placed around all property lines for no tresspasing/hunting/shooting. Trail cams positioned at multiple places to identify any future tresspassers.
Problem:
Every time a round is fired, I have 20-25 minutes until the police show up. 11 times in 7 days. Getting kind of rediculous. Even more problematic is the officers are placing their own lives in jeapordy but walking into a hot rifle range. The easiest way to access it is to hoof it over the tracks and walk in by the targets. Yeah...
I cannot ascertain who is calling the police, the police just keep saying they have to show because the call was made to them about shots being fired. I'm starting to get a bit irked by this. What am I supposed to do here? I've tried to be as cooperative and accommodating as I can be, but my patience wears thin.
Thoughts?