Gun Range Pa.

[Waynzee]

I pass a PGC gun range going back and forth to work. Stop there at times out of convenience. Mostly go to the local gun club which is in the opposite direction. $35 a year for covered solid benches and targets out to 300 yards. With all the money we have wrapped up into hunting these days, what's another 35 bucks.

That,s the way to do it, $35 isn't much at all for a good place to shoot.

 

[yobuck]

You should not have to do that. This sorry *** P.G.C. should have these gun ranges fixed up so a fella don't have to bring his own target. We as hunters who use these gun ranges need to get in the P.G.C. face about the lack of care for the place where we target shoot.

What really needs to be done is to get in the face of some of the people who use them.
Not everybody who uses those (free) places appreciates the fact they are provided.
A percentage of shooters who use them are idiots who only enjoy mowing something down or blowing something up.
I don't believe its the PGCs responsibility to provide a place for them to do that, or to continue rebuilding the facilities.
Its a mindset, where some feel its the government in some form who is responsible for providing for them.
The only way it can work is to change the free shooting, to a fee for shooting.
Then gate the access, have posted hours, and provide a uniformed person to control what goes on.
Anyone unwilling to spend the small fee to zero their gun can stay out.
Florida has public ranges run and maintained by the counties. They charge an hourly fee and are run very well.
A car load of guys with black rifles and a bunch of cheap ammo wouldn't be very welcome.

 

[Waynzee]

What really needs to be done is to get in the face of some of the people who use them.
Not everybody who uses those (free) places appreciates the fact they are provided.
A percentage of shooters who use them are idiots who only enjoy mowing something down or blowing something up.
I don't believe its the PGCs responsibility to provide a place for them to do that, or to continue rebuilding the facilities.
Its a mindset, where some feel its the government in some form who is responsible for providing for them.
The only way it can work is to change the free shooting, to a fee for shooting.
Then gate the access, have posted hours, and provide a uniformed person to control what goes on.
Anyone unwilling to spend the small fee to zero their gun can stay out.
Florida has public ranges run and maintained by the counties. They charge an hourly fee and are run very well.
A car load of guys with black rifles and a bunch of cheap ammo wouldn't be very welcome.

Yobuck, I agree, I've had to have words with people carelessly waving a loaded gun around or people just walking out in front of a person who's about to shoot without warning. And the out of state people who think the gun range is a free for all, shoot up rodeo blast everything, including a nice 8 point buck. Yep that's right somebody shot a nice 8 pointer right on the 100 yard range and left it there dead. I really don't think any of the local boys would do that but ya never know these days.
My point is the PGC can fix these gun ranges up a whole lot more than what they are, at least in my neck of the woods.
And your idea of charging a fee is an excellent one if the fees collected went towards fixing and maintaining the "gun ranges only". I for one would not be apposed to paying a fee and having a uniformed range officer there to watch my back.
Have you submitted your idea of paying a fee, ect. to the PGC ?

 

[xarcher]

Charging a separate fee might create a poopstoorm considering you must have a valid PA hunting license (translate:already paying a fee) or buy a permit (translate: already paying a fee). And the range I use does get patrolled by a game commission officer checking for such.

 

[yobuck]

Charging a separate fee might create a poopstoorm considering you must have a valid PA hunting license (translate:already paying a fee) or buy a permit (translate: already paying a fee). And the range I use does get patrolled by a game commission officer checking for such.

Well does being a resident and buying tags for a car, or even numerous cars, buying a
drivers license, along with the tax on fuel, allow for free rides on the PA turnpike?
No it dosent, nor should buying a license for the privilege of hunting, also include a
free place to go shoot your guns thru out the year whenever you wish.

 

[xarcher]

Well does being a resident and buying tags for a car, or even numerous cars, buying a
drivers license, along with the tax on fuel, allow for free rides on the PA turnpike?
No it dosent, nor should buying a license for the privilege of hunting, also include a
free place to go shoot your guns thru out the year whenever you wish.

You are right. But would you not agree that paying extra to drive on the turnpike is the equivalent of joining a private gun club, and that driving on roads that are funded by tax dollars is the equivalent of shooting at a PGC range which is funded by license sales??

 

[yobuck]

You are right. But would you not agree that paying extra to drive on the turnpike is the equivalent of joining a private gun club, and that driving on roads that are funded by tax dollars is the equivalent of shooting at a PGC range which is funded by license sales??

The difference is that were also paying cops to patrol the roads in order to keep the
idiot factor somewhat under control.
Untill those ranges are controlled, the same type idiots will continue to destroy them.
Free anything sounds like a good idea, but reality is it rarely works very well.
The one near where I lived in Bucks Co was ultimately closed because of abuse and
safety issues.
The PGC will ultimately be forced to either do it right and run them as they should be
run, or close them down. A few major law suits is all the prompting they will need.

 

[Waynzee]

Yep, and from what I've seen it's just a matter of time before some ******* swings a rifle or pistol around and shoots somebody to get the major lawsuit rolling.
People just aren't smart as they used to be when it come to firearms. There is to many distractions for people, especially young people to effectively learn how to use a firearm. I know I've seen it. Was on the gun range and this father with his son there doing some shooting in between the kid playing with his cell phone, it appeared to me that the kid was more interested in his cell phone than learning how to shoot.

 

[Varmint Hunter]

Paying to shoot isn't necessarily the answer. I belong to a private, gated club. Buttheads do, occasionally, shoot up virtually anything and leave a big mess behind. Benches get shot, property gets damaged and down-range equipment gets targeted. It takes hard work and money to keep repairing the place.
I'm a big proponent of surveillance cameras that monitor the facility. Catch a few of the offenders and make an example of them and the vandalism and horseplay will stop. It's unfortunate that things come to his but it brings about some accountability.

 

[Waynzee]

Paying to shoot isn't necessarily the answer. I belong to a private, gated club. Buttheads do, occasionally, shoot up virtually anything and leave a big mess behind. Benches get shot, property gets damaged and down-range equipment gets targeted. It takes hard work and money to keep repairing the place.
I'm a big proponent of surveillance cameras that monitor the facility. Catch a few of the offenders and make an example of them and the vandalism and horseplay will stop. It's unfortunate that things come to his but it brings about some accountability.

Surveillance cameras are a good idea however I don't see the PGC spending the money to do that when they can barely maintain the gun ranges now.