Closing down a range

[Bugs]

This is what is happening to a long-established trap shooting club located in Central Pennsylvania. It can happen anywhere that a well connected party has an agenda. Guilty until proven innocent so be forewarned.

http://www.centredaily.com/news/local/community/philipsburg/article204005769.html

 

[22BRGUY]

Sad to hear....Hope those guys are able to overcome the predjudice/anti rights bunch.
That lawyer/politician is prolly one of Holders girlfriends.

 

[jimbires]

this is about 10 miles from where I live . it's sad to watch this happen .

 

[fatheeler]

look at Lewiston Idaho, it was one of the oldest

 

[Twicepop]

I see the same thing happening to the small club I belong to, the difference is it will be because of internal stupidity. Several yeas back they installed a can vending machine with several of the slots having beer in them, not a problem if used with discretion. But lately the main events the club host all revolve around turning the place into a lounge for the local alcoholics. The only shooting events the club hosts anymore are .22 rifle shoots, and the guy running them allows the participants to drink while they shoot. I see BIG problems coming with this, if an accident happens at the range while shooting and drinking, I'll bet the farm the state will close and confiscate it.

 

[Uthink Uknow]

No, the litigant will own.

 

[Norton's Bench]

I'm kinda ignorant about this, but can't steel shot be used for trap? Not that it would help, it just sounds like the minority want them removed.

 

[drover]

look at Lewiston Idaho, it was one of the oldest

I am unaware of issues with the Lewiston range but ranges are protected by Idaho law in some circumstances.


Range Protection
Shooting ranges are protected against any type of lawsuit claiming nuisance or noise if the range was in operation before the adjoining property owner purchased their property.

https://www.nraila.org/gun-laws/state-gun-laws/idaho/

drover

 

[Milo 2.0]

Just skimming through the article, unless the club could cough up the 5 million to clean it up, it's a lost cause. Public land, inside a State park, 110 yrs of lead going downrange, probably time to farm the lead.

 

[bobinpa]

The article is making it sound like there is a huge cleanup cost, which doesn't make sense. The club should be able to get the lead reclaimed and make money on it. Lead is expensive.....Over 100 years of lead = big $$$. Something isn't adding up. If the DCNR came in and took the trees out, reclaiming the lead gets easier. The fact that they don't own the land is their biggest issue and maybe what is adding to the cost. Sad to see this happen.

 

[hogpatrol]

There are fights to pick that you can win and then their are fights that are lost causes. With only 30 members, how can they survive the legal costs? Like Johnny Cochran said, "You're innocent until you run out of money". Who has more money, the 30 members or the state? As Milo posted, farm the lead, split the money and call it history.

 

[Milo 2.0]

I hope it didn't sound like I was glad it was happening. I just know the stringent regulations companies adhere to out west to operate on public lands. Trust me, no small group of people could afford it.

 

[bobinpa]

There are fights to pick that you can win and then their are fights that are lost causes. With only 30 members, how can they survive the legal costs? Like Johnny Cochran said, "You're innocent until you run out of money".

I agree, but it seems like most of their headaches were during the previous administration.... maybe if they reclaim the lead they will have enough money to get the case heard by someone not so "anti". I'd hate to see them lose since there are probably more ranges out there on public land and this will just give the "anti's" momentum. Seems like just one man pushing his agenda..... very sad.

 

[bobinpa]

I hope it didn't sound like I was glad it was happening.

I didn't take it that way.....

 

[LHSmith]

When you lease state or municipal property you have virtually no control over it. From our hunting lease from a local municipality it states among other clauses "....lessor shall have the absolute right at any time during a lease year to terminate this lease upon 30 days prior written notice to lessee".
Add to that the EPA coming down on lead contamination for the last 2 decades......it should come as no surprise.

 

[22BRGUY]

Sounds a little like the Bundy ranch deal to me.

 

[bobinpa]

When you lease state or municipal property you have virtually no control over it. From our hunting lease from a local municipality it states among other clauses "....lessor shall have the absolute right at any time during a lease year to terminate this lease upon 30 days prior written notice to lessee".

I understand that, but if it were the case there would be no argument. It would just be a discontinued lease, eviction and clean up. For whatever reason, they must have some kind of basis for being able to fight it.

 

[dickn52]

The article is making it sound like there is a huge cleanup cost, which doesn't make sense. The club should be able to get the lead reclaimed and make money on it. Lead is expensive.....Over 100 years of lead = big $$$. Something isn't adding up. If the DCNR came in and took the trees out, reclaiming the lead gets easier. The fact that they don't own the land is their biggest issue and maybe what is adding to the cost. Sad to see this happen.

My rifle/pistol range needed a lead cleaning intervention after 11 years or so. Guy came in and for the lead (His profit I'm sure) took out 13-55 gallon drums full of lead and copper. Each of those cans must have weighed in at 1,200 pounds or so we thought. So he got about 8 tons of metals and we got our range/berm back.

 

[LHSmith]

I understand that, but if it were the case there would be no argument. It would just be a discontinued lease, eviction and clean up. For whatever reason, they must have some kind of basis for being able to fight it.

IMO that reason is a lawyer looking to make $. They claim the state is "stealing this lovely place from us". Bottom line is they do not own the land. Hunting /shooting club leases are down to one year leases-gone are the days of 99 year leases. They had decades to raise funds and find private land to relocate the club so they could control their own destiny. Add to the fact that every shooting club is well aware of ranges being scrutinized and some have been closed due to lead. What were they thinking?

 

[hogpatrol]

Heard it somewhere but it's the truth. A contract is a contract unless it's with the government. My 2¢, suing them is an exercise in paying legal fees and self abuse.