Shooting in Molalla river recreational area?

Mar 2011
39
0
US
anyone ever had any problems shooting out at that pit across the bridge and up the logging road a ways?

I may be talking off from work early tomorrow (11am) and taking my dual sport motorcycle out exploring the fire roads around the Molalla river recreation area.

I'll stop at the pit and put a few hundred rounds through the new ruger 22 pistol now that I found the BLM pamphlet that says

'Shooting: The Molalla River Recreation Area is a high
use recreation area and therefore shooting IS NOT
permitted anywhere along the river. Outside of the river
corridor, shooting must be at least 100 feet from any road
and 50 feet from trails'


http://www.blm.gov/or/resources/recr...ochure_WEB.pdf

I've ridden out that way before and seen folks shooting. but wasn't sure about it.

after reading the 100 feet from the river, I'm sure the few folks I saw shooting next to the river weren't supposed to, but the pit is way more that 100 feet from the rive and more than 50 feet from the connecting fire road.
 
Feb 2011
255
0
Portland, Oregon
anyone ever had any problems shooting out at that pit across the bridge and up the logging road a ways?

I may be talking off from work early tomorrow (11am) and taking my dual sport motorcycle out exploring the fire roads around the Molalla river recreation area.

I'll stop at the pit and put a few hundred rounds through the new ruger 22 pistol now that I found the BLM pamphlet that says

'Shooting: The Molalla River Recreation Area is a high
use recreation area and therefore shooting IS NOT
permitted anywhere along the river. Outside of the river
corridor, shooting must be at least 100 feet from any road
and 50 feet from trails'


http://www.blm.gov/or/resources/recr...ochure_WEB.pdf

I've ridden out that way before and seen folks shooting. but wasn't sure about it.

after reading the 100 feet from the river, I'm sure the few folks I saw shooting next to the river weren't supposed to, but the pit is way more that 100 feet from the rive and more than 50 feet from the connecting fire road.

I have gone there several times with friends and had a great time. I have been told that you should never go alone, however, as there is a group of local Gypsie types that think they own the mountain and I have heard they like to bully people that are alone. This is what I have been told by my brother (I have never seen them personally).
 
Mar 2011
39
0
US
I have gone there several times with friends and had a great time. I have been told that you should never go alone, however, as there is a group of local Gypsie types that think they own the mountain and I have heard they like to bully people that are alone. This is what I have been told by my brother (I have never seen them personally).

Thanks, I haven't had any problems. I did see a lot more groups of ratty old cars back when you could still buy Pseudoephedrine over the counter. And my bike and I got a few hard looks. (but maybe it was the white of the transalp, with the white helmet that made them look hard for a LEO symbol)

Local deputies told me that was where all the meth was cooked and suggested I carry.
 
Mar 2011
39
0
US
Update found the BLM pdf that says you can shoot out there (with some distance from river, etc. requirements) and have been out to the usual area 3x and gone through a thousand rounds with out any issues.

(and have heard someone else going full auto a few times, so with a 22lr I'm like last on the list to talk to out there)
 
Feb 2011
60
0
Salem, OR
That's funny. That's pretty much the only place I go shooting anymore and I'm going to try and get out there tomorrow.
 
Jun 2011
3
0
Newberg Oregon
My friends and I stopped to shoot. 2 years ago there, and we were not far enough off the road a Forrest ranger stopped and told us we had to be off state land and not close to the river. So I think the sign is right, but so many people dont want to go that far out they shoot once they feel they have gone far enough. Law enforcement wont be so nice from what the Forrest ranger said but people usually go far enough out Cops dont want to go that far because of response time and bad radio signals also had to say where you are on those logging roads unless you have GPS. the Freaks are out there I have been shot at many times out there at night. Lots of tweakers dont know about gypsies. But I wouldnt go alone or without fire power. stay safe.
 
Mar 2011
39
0
US
My friends and I stopped to shoot. 2 years ago there, and we were not far enough off the road a Forrest ranger stopped and told us we had to be off state land and not close to the river. So I think the sign is right, but so many people dont want to go that far out they shoot once they feel they have gone far enough. Law enforcement wont be so nice from what the Forrest ranger said but people usually go far enough out Cops dont want to go that far because of response time and bad radio signals also had to say where you are on those logging roads unless you have GPS. the Freaks are out there I have been shot at many times out there at night. Lots of tweakers dont know about gypsies. But I wouldnt go alone or without fire power. stay safe.

Thanks, never been out there at night, only during the day and just that turn out with the huge gravel piles that act as backstops.
 
May 2013
182
0
Oregon
I began hunting up there in the 50's.
I think I have been on every road and spur from the old 100 rd out of dicky prairie down to the collawash. That was when it was all open and owned or leased by weyerhauser and crown zellerbach.
There are not many places up there that I have not put footprints, but its all changed now, gates closed everywhere. Strange people there, but if you work at it and find routes up to the top there isnt much movement there. We were just up on the snowline and drove a little farther up. Not a vehicle track anywhere. Came across a bear with 2 small cubs playing in the snow. They had fo much fur they looked like brillo pads with legs. They dove straight off a steep steep hilside into a canyon when they saw us, but not a vehicle track or human track in sight. Found a nice flat area with a rock wall about a hundred yards and shot for a couple hours. Never met a sole .
You can work your way all the way over to the clackamas basin. Cant get to mahaima anymore. There is a slide that took that road out years ago, but you can get around to the colawash to the south, but getting anywhere is a spur chasing endeavor. Too damn many gates on the main logging roads now.
If you do go on the spurs, be prepared to spend a night or two. Its real easy to get stuck in some of the damndest places, and a shovel and buck saw or chain saw. We have had to move trees to clear a road many times or dig out of a mud hole. Back when logging thrived the roads were all maintained well, but many are overgrown with alders now.
 
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