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Don't Fossil Hunt Adjacent to Gun Ranges


CplCoprolite

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Hey all,

I am new here and to the hobby in general so I apologize if I am not following some etiquettes that I don't know about. I just wanted to share my experience on the Withlacoochee river so that maybe someone else can learn from it. 

 

My buddy and I drove up to the Florida Georgia line to visit the Withlacoochee river and hunt for some agatized coral. I am a senior geology student and none of my fellow classmates or professors I've asked know how or where to fossil hunt for whatever reason so I am learning this all myself. Anyways, I brought a couple kayaks and we got on the river with neither of us having a clue what to look for other than what information I could find on this wonderful forum. We spent the better part of an hour loading down the kayaks with what now appears to be junk rocks and paddling upstream towards some gunshots on the north side of the bank shooting west to east that we inferred we're coming from the gun range we saw signs for. When we got close enough to hear the snap of the bullets before they hit their steel targets, I noticed that the bed of the river was full of the coral so I hopped in and started loading up with rocks despite my friend's insistence that this was not a smart place to be. We could hear the shots hitting the steel and ricocheting off into the trees, but I figured I was safe down in the river. After about 10 minutes, one of the ricochets impacted about 2 feet away from us and startled us real good. We booked it out of there and went upstream hoping to come back when the range closed. Eventually we ran out of time and had to paddle back past the range, luckily with no close calls but there was still shooting unnervingly close. While we were loading up the kayaks on the ramp under the highway, however,  another bullet whizzed over our heads. This was about a mile away from the range.

 

We drove past the range on our way back to kindly suggest they do something to fix this in the future, and we were not taken seriously. The worker even tried to tell me it was a different man on the south side of the river, yeah right. 

 

I did learn that they were closed on Mondays, so maybe I can make another trip out there to actually find some decent coral.

 

Anyways, be safe out there everyone. I would enjoy hearing about other stories similar to this so that I may learn the easy way in the future.

Edited by CplCoprolite
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I just realized that this is on the wrong subforum. My apologies I will move it. Is there a way for me to remove this?

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As it is about fossil hunting, and it was your experience on a trip, it seems fine in this subforum -- as well as providing some good safety advice!

...How to Philosophize with a Hammer

 

 

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Welcome to the Forum!

 

Good to know about that site.  A few of our forum members hunt there occasionally, but I do not recall hearing about this problem.

 

The story about the bullet over your head reminds me of the story in the news a couple of weeks about about a young woman who was shot and killed while driving on a rural highway.  Unfortunately some people do not stop to consider that bullets continue traveling for a long distance if they do not hit (or if they go through) their target.

 

Don

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Just another day in the South. Last year my brother and I were fossil hunting at a site along the Mississippi River north of Memphis and some idiots opened up on us with assault rifles. Bullets were screaming by my head for a few seconds, a terrifying experience. Don't try "guns don't kill people, people kill people" on me. Guns absolutely kill people.

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A few years ago I was kayaking a stream and found myself hemmed in by gunfire both upstream and downstream several hundred yards both directions.  Made for a good time to hop on the nearest bar, tilt my hat and take a nap in the shade.

Grüße,

Daniel A. Wöhr aus Südtexas

"To the motivated go the spoils."

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I once made a skydive at a dropzone that had a shooting range next door.  You did not want to miss the landing zone there! :(

 

Don

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Yikes! I've heard distant gunshots many times fossil hunting and hiking in rural areas, but never anything close.

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On 5/20/2019 at 5:20 PM, jpevahouse said:

Just another day in the South. Last year my brother and I were fossil hunting at a site along the Mississippi River north of Memphis and some idiots opened up on us with assault rifles. Bullets were screaming by my head for a few seconds, a terrifying experience. Don't try "guns don't kill people, people kill people" on me. Guns absolutely kill people.

I disagree with just another day in the south. The majority of people and ranges here in the south are very responsiblle when it comes to weapons. Guns do kill, but it takes a human to make it happen.

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Bulldozers and dirt Bulldozers and dirt
behind the trailer, my desert
Them red clay piles are heaven on earth
I get my rocks off, bulldozers and dirt

Patterson Hood; Drive-By Truckers

 

image.png.0c956e87cee523facebb6947cb34e842.png May 2016  MOTM.png.61350469b02f439fd4d5d77c2c69da85.png.a47e14d65deb3f8b242019b3a81d8160.png.b42a25e3438348310ba19ce6852f50c1.png May 2012 IPFOTM5.png.fb4f2a268e315c58c5980ed865b39e1f.png.1721b8912c45105152ac70b0ae8303c3.png.2b6263683ee32421d97e7fa481bd418a.pngAug 2013, May 2016, Apr 2020 VFOTM.png.f1b09c78bf88298b009b0da14ef44cf0.png.af5065d0585e85f4accd8b291bf0cc2e.png.72a83362710033c9bdc8510be7454b66.png.9171036128e7f95de57b6a0f03c491da.png Oct 2022

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5 hours ago, sixgill pete said:

I disagree with just another day in the south. The majority of people and ranges here in the south are very responsiblle when it comes to weapons. Guns do kill, but it takes a human to make it happen.

I agree with Sixgill.  Most people who own guns and have experience in the outdoors realize they have much to lose through carelessness, as do others within 1-3 miles, depending on weapon.  Those with gun training and experience have seen the terminal ballistic results on all manner of organic and inorganic targets, giving them an underscored understanding of the permanent results that laymen don't possess.  Most shooters have been doing so for a lifetime, with judgment to back that up.  That judgment includes safe shooting direction and backstop so that an afternoon of loud fun doesn't endanger others.  Generally speaking, the only people who would purposely lob lead at humans on a public waterway probably have some illegal activity to hide. 

 

And in closing, I'll take my chances in the rural south over the streets of any major city, north or south.  

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Grüße,

Daniel A. Wöhr aus Südtexas

"To the motivated go the spoils."

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2 hours ago, Uncle Siphuncle said:

 That judgment includes safe shooting direction and backstop so that an afternoon of loud fun doesn't endanger others.   

My son made a shooting range on my property.  We shoot downhill into a ravine, with a long upward slope on the other side as a backstop.  Everything is on our property.  Basically there is 0 chance of bullets making it more than 30 or 40 feet beyond the last target.  Loud fun indeed!

 

Don

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Myth Busters had a little cannon ball incident that contributed to their show's cancellation.~.jpg

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"There has been an alarming increase in the number of things I know nothing about." - Ashleigh Ellwood Brilliant

“Try to learn something about everything and everything about something.” - Thomas Henry Huxley

>Paleontology is an evolving science.

>May your wonders never cease!

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13 hours ago, Auspex said:

Myth Busters had a little cannon ball incident that contributed to their show's cancellation.

 

~.jpg

At least it wasn’t a chain shot!

Grüße,

Daniel A. Wöhr aus Südtexas

"To the motivated go the spoils."

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2 minutes ago, Uncle Siphuncle said:

At least it wasn’t a chain shot!

Chain probably wouldn't have bounced so far...

 

This thread illustrates the important difference between "home on the range" and "home down-range'.:P

"There has been an alarming increase in the number of things I know nothing about." - Ashleigh Ellwood Brilliant

“Try to learn something about everything and everything about something.” - Thomas Henry Huxley

>Paleontology is an evolving science.

>May your wonders never cease!

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I agree with sixgill also. Every responsible shooter and range I’ve ever been to have firm rules about no shots going over the berm. One of the first rules of firearms I learned was know what’s behind your target. But unfortunately like anything anymore a lot of people behave irresponsibly. Guns don’t kill people stupid people with guns do LOL! 

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The best fossil day I ever had was right next to a gun range. Ranges that are operated properly have high berms and strict rules that ALL ROUNDS MUST IMPACT THE BERM the range master will kick you off the property and bar you for life, on most ranges. You should file a report with the county Sheriff.

I am often tempted to take my pistol when fossil hunting, but very rarely do. I settle for my David sling, a 3 ounce rock at 100 mph, is comparable to a medium bore, pistol round in impact energy.

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2 hours ago, Auspex said:

Chain probably wouldn't have bounced so far...

 

This thread illustrates the important difference between "home on the range" and "home down-range'.:P

Image result for chain shot

Used in the Civil War at ground level for maximum destruction.

Grüße,

Daniel A. Wöhr aus Südtexas

"To the motivated go the spoils."

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10 hours ago, Peace river rat said:

The best fossil day I ever had was right next to a gun range. Ranges that are operated properly have high berms and strict rules that ALL ROUNDS MUST IMPACT THE BERM the range master will kick you off the property and bar you for life, on most ranges. You should file a report with the county Sheriff.

I am often tempted to take my pistol when fossil hunting, but very rarely do. I settle for my David sling, a 3 ounce rock at 100 mph, is comparable to a medium bore, pistol round in impact energy.

 

Agree about reporting this to the Sheriff.  At a minimum they will make a record of it and the range operator will very likely get a visit from someone he will take much more seriously.  If those bullets came from the range it is a very serious public safety issue indeed and you have a responsibility to report it and ID where the bullets were falling so that the issue can be solved. 

 

As for the guns thing... I will bite my lip and just say I am around  loaded guns  50 to 100 days a year and typically with a gaggle of "southerners" holding said guns and  I always feel perfectly safe.  It's more about the company you keep than the tool imo.

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10 hours ago, Uncle Siphuncle said:

Used in the Civil War at ground level for maximum destruction.

These (and a 'sliding dumbbell' type) were first developed for Naval warfare: dis-rigging ships. They made terrifying anti-personnel ordinance, but were less effective than canister shot shells against a mass charge.

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"There has been an alarming increase in the number of things I know nothing about." - Ashleigh Ellwood Brilliant

“Try to learn something about everything and everything about something.” - Thomas Henry Huxley

>Paleontology is an evolving science.

>May your wonders never cease!

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Just one quick comment. It's this pervasive mythology that the South is all crazy and dangerous or cities are all crazy and dangerous based on a few bad stories that keeps us divided and stuck in a primitive past. I prefer my fossils in the primitive past and my people in the communal future. I'll hunt fossils anywhere with anyone and continually look forward to collecting with my brothers and sisters of the deep past anywhere they may be.

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18 minutes ago, hokiehunter said:

 

Agree about reporting this to the Sheriff.  At a minimum they will make a record of it and the range operator will very likely get a visit from someone he will take much more seriously.  If those bullets came from the range it is a very serious public safety issue indeed and you have a responsibility to report it and ID where the bullets were falling so that the issue can be solved. 

 

 

We did end up reporting the incident with the sheriff so I hope something is done about it. I don't think it is the shooter's fault as much as poor placement and structure of the range. 

 

I'm a southern boy, some label me crimson-necked (forum wouldn't let me post the other word, hah), I think guns are great tools and I know how to responsibly use them. And normally I would feel very safe around them except when I'm unknowingly downrange.

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10 minutes ago, Carl said:

Just one quick comment. It's this pervasive mythology that the South is all crazy and dangerous or the North is all crazy and dangerous based on a few bad stories that keeps us divided and stuck in a primitive past. I prefer my fossils in the primitive past and my people in the communal future. I'll hunt fossils anywhere with anyone and continually look forward to collecting with my brothers and sisters of the deep past anywhere they may be.

Whole-heartedly agree with you Carl.

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