Off the Memaloose Road in the Clackamas River Ranger District is an area of
approximately an acre and a half of downed trees, reminiscent of a clear cut.

This is not the work of loggers, though, but what has happened after years
and years of target shooters irresponsibly firing at trees.

“We really have some mini-clear cuts in parts of the forest that have been
created entirely by bullets,” said Mike Chaveas, District Ranger for the CRRD.
“It’s just astounding.”

Bill Westbrook, District Ranger for the Zigzag Ranger District, expressed
similar concerns, noting that the problem in the CRRD is “more severe.”

Westbrook pointed to the Wildcat Mountain area, Miller quarry, Salmon River
Road and Lolo Pass as areas where the problem is more pronounced in his
district.

“Target shooting is an appropriate use of the National Forest (and) there are
many people who do it safely,” Westbrook said. “But there are folks who are
not doing it safely and creating problems.”

Target shooting in the Mount Hood National Forest is completely legal and
many responsible shooters comply with rules and etiquette that make it a safe
activity. But other irresponsible shooters are causing a variety of problems,
including the destruction of habitat, littering and putting the safety and well
being of others at risk.

“It’s one that’s certainly not a new problem, but over the years it’s gradually
and increasingly become worse and worse and worse,” Chaveas said, noting
he’s seen the issue grow in the 18 months he’s been on the job.

Irresponsible shooting is a problem in many national forests, Chaveas noted,
but the proximity of the MHNF to the Portland metro area helps fuel the
situation. And in a recent internal survey of MHNF employees, irresponsible
shooting was identified as the top issue of safety concern.

Chaveas reported that twice in the span of a year contractors in the forest
were pulled off a job due to near misses of stray bullets. In those and other
instances when a person’s safety is at risk, law enforcement is needed but the
MHNF employs just three law enforcement officers.

“When you’re dealing with people with guns, it steps it up a little bit higher,”
Chaveas said, noting that other employees can issue citations for other
offenses, such as illegal campfires or littering.

And unfortunately, many shooters also leave trash in the forest, including
shell casings and items ranging from living room furniture to old appliances.
In addition, the irresponsible shooters have been known to shoot the signs
noting “No Shooting” in certain off-limit areas.

“It is really sad that we’re spending money replacing signs when it could be
using it for temporary employees, roads or other things of more value,” said
Laura Pramuk, Public Affairs Officer for the MHNF, noting how budgets have
been decreasing in recent years.

Rufus Bragg, a retired U.S. Forest Service employee who worked in the MHNF
and now works at Rapid Fire Arms gun store in Sandy, enjoys target shooting
in the forest but agreed that irresponsible shooters are problematic.

“I see it’s definitely getting worse,” Bragg said. “People don’t respect the
forest.”

Bragg, a resident of Estacada, added that when he and his friends go target
shooting in the forest, they typically bring a tarp to stand on while shooting.
When they are done, they fold it up with all the spent shells to properly
dispose of them.

“We make it a point when we go in we take bags with us,” Bragg said. “We
always try to take out what we take in.”

In an effort to help with illegal dumping, in particular, Clackamas County, the
U.S. Forest Service, the Bureau of Land Management and others formed the
Dump Stoppers, an organization funded by a federal grant to clean up
dumpsites and prosecute illegal dumpers, in 2003.

And while the group collected 667,787 pounds of solid waste between 2003
and 2010, the organization’s website notes, “One source of waste that does
not seem to dissipate or decrease is the trash associated with shooting areas.”

More recently, the MHNF has convened a group employees each month for the
past six months to try and help the problem, including representatives from
rangers, law enforcement, public affairs and recreation. In the short term, the
plan includes offering more education on proper shooting etiquette and
highlighting the issues of irresponsible shooting, but long range possibilities
include potentially closing more areas to shooting and creating areas designed
and managed for target shooting.

“Anything like (a designated shooting area) would take an involved public
process, environmental planning,” Chaveas said, noting the process could take
a number of years.

“It’s not our interest to curtail responsible, safe shooting,” Chaveas added.
“It’s a perfectly legitimate use of the forest.”