How to keep Pope lands open to hunting

[winslow]

[/quote]
This was one of the cases.
http://www.peninsuladailynews.com/article/20141002/NEWS/310029981
I couldn't find anything in the news about the boat ramp ones.
[/quote]

That's a pretty crazy story! I hadn't encountered much property crime until I came out to WA 13 years ago. Back east, we left our cars unlocked, even with the keys in them, houses unlocked, etc.

Here (PNW), It seems anything that isn't nailed down is quickly swiped and sold for drug money. My lax attitude cost me big time right away.

Where I'm from, you respect private property and all land is assumed to be private/closed unless you know otherwise or have explicit permission, such as a state park. Here, access is assumed unless posted otherwise, which I definitely prefer, although it requires a higher level of personal responsibility. I am a respectful person so I ask if I'm unsure and don't push the limits.

I wonder if this assumed access ideology has individuals with questionable ethics going too far, such as the story above, littering and vandalism, and excessive/dangerous shooting?

[MADMAX]

Its sad indeed cause its a great area, we used to be able to camp on the multiple side roads now gated and including the power line.
I have run all those roads that some are now so overgrown you dont even know they are there, I've killed multiple blacktails and coyotes, a bear and a cougar over there.

Now its more like I hope no one breaks into my truck while I'm out hunting as I park at a gate, I started leaving my doors unlocked just so they wouldn't break my glass and taking everything of value in my daypack.

I dont really blame Pope or Weyerhauser, its the uncaring d*uchebags that dump trash and vandalize or cook meth or shoot power transformers that ruin for the rest of us.
Hell, look at the toilet at the Tarboo boat launch
I remember when they put that in and we thought excellent a toliet, now its all shot up.
Gone are the days of "lets take the kids for a drive across the bridge and see how many deer we see"
shame

[JimmyHoffa]

Yeah MM, I hear you.  It is amazing the amount of shooting that can take place in some areas.  Some weekends every gravel pit and spur road will be packed.  Most of the shooters I've talked to don't do any hunting, but say they are hopeful to do so one day.  Very few official ranges--the ones that are in the area cost about $10/person and usually have skeet events going on during weekends.

[winslow]

UPDATE:  I just got off the phone with Canal Tree Farm area manager Patrick Raymond from Olympic Resource Management (POPE). He seems to be an old-timer and a straight shooter. 

Here's what he said (prepare to be relieved):

Pope lands are OPEN for all hunting seasons, but they only focus on the fall season and that is why they publish their new maps each year in August. There is some chance you'll be hunting closed lands if you are following last year's map.

Pope lands are CLOSED to all target shooting.

He specifically made a distinction between "shooting" or "target shooting" and "hunting" - hunting ok, shooting or target shooting NOT ok.

I am super relieved that Seanann had it wrong - she was just covering her behind, I believe, and didn't want to tell me it was OK when she didn't know.

They are making a big push to stop target shooting, vandalism, and littering, and will close lands this coming season if it doesn't stop.

So there it is, gentlemen, we have a chance to keep access, but we are going to have to step up. This should be a no-brainer, right?

Winslow

[npaull]

Well I feel better about being able to hunt there still, but pessimistic about the future...

I swear, slob hunters/shooters are pretty close to the worst human beings on Earth.

[Dbax129]

So all that land there on the gravel road to tarboo lake is closed to target shooting? I have a buddy who goes shooting there from time to time and said last weekend he was there he saw a few folks with a trailer with several silhouette targets on it. They told him the cops came by earlier and told them they had to move their set up a little because they couldnt shoot over the lake.  Aparantly shooting is being allowed there though.  Its amazing how much damage is done there. I walked up to the edge of the lake and noticeds about 3 or 4 inches of the wadding out of a shotgun shell lining the shore of the lake for 30+feet either side of the launch site.  I wonder how much lead is sitting there at the bottom.