Forest Service concerned about shooting at McKenzie Pit

(Editor's note: The print version of this story states that the Forest Service closed the McKenzie Pit to shooters. that is incorrect. Though the Forest Service has concerns about safety and trash accumulation, and is encouraging shooters to use other locations, the pit is NOT CLOSED).

The U.S. Forest Service has received increasing complaints about irresponsible target shooting west of Sisters. According to Forest Service representative Amy Racki, residents of Crossroads and users of the Jimerson Trail are concerned about their safety because of target shooting at the McKenzie Gravel Pit off Highway 242.

"The issue is that people are using McKenzie Gravel Pit for shooting, and it does not have a good backstop to stop bullets," Racki said. "People are shooting toward the residential area and Jimerson Loop Trail with no backstop."

Forest Service regulations make it illegal to "discharge a firearm ... in any manner or place whereby any person or property is exposed to any injury or damage." Accordingly, the gravel pit has been designated as a "high recreational use area." Racki reports that a warning sign explaining the rule, and penalties involved, was posted at the site and subsequently shot up.

The Crossroads community is 655 yards from the gravel pit, and the Jimerson Trail is only 168 yards from the pit. Bullets, of course, can travel for miles; and, without adequate backstop, they could do just that.

Signage posted at the site points out other safer gravel pits in the area that are not closed. These include Zimmerman Cinder Pit, Fourmile Cinder Pit, Melvin Cinder Pit and Pole Creek Cinder Pit.

The Jimerson Trail is a relatively recent addition to the Sisters recreation scene. It was created in 2012 by combining old roads with single-track segments carved out by members of the Sisters Trails Alliance and members of Oregon Equestrian Trails. The trail is used by equestrians, cyclists, and hikers and was named for trail volunteers Don and Gerry Jimerson, Sisters-area equestrians who devoted many years to maintaining the Sisters Cow Camp and miles of local trails.

While safety to trail users and local residents is the biggest concern, noise affecting the Crossroads community and garbage accumulation at the McKenzie Gravel Pit have also become issues in need of action, the Forest Service reports.

In addition to directing target shooters to safer sites, the Forest Service wants to emphasize how to become a responsible shooter by stressing some general guidelines that always apply to the

sport:

• Know your target and what is beyond: Be absolutely sure you have identified your target beyond any doubt. Equally important, be aware of the area beyond your target. This means observing your prospective area of fire before you shoot. Never fire in a direction where there are people or any other potential for mishap. Think first, shoot second.

• Only shoot where there is a good backstop.

• Do not shoot across roads or trails.

• Pack out all trash, including shotgun shells, fragmented clay pigeons, and targets. These gravel pits are used for material on our roadways!

The Forest Service is hopeful that shooters will act responsibly to minimize conflict and danger to others. The agency would prefer that resolution of these issues come from public education and voluntary compliance rather than direct enforcement action.