Guys,
Business will have me traveling to the area a lot and my schedule will often give me a day off in the middle of the trip. Is there readily available public land/shooting opportunities within 2 hours of Portland? Also as a California resident do I need an out of state license to be in the field (Cali law)? Im not looking to hunt, just bust rocks and take a break from work. Im interested in whatever ranges I can find but would like to get out at least 600yards. Not really interested in poking paper at a square range but anything with steel and some distance would work to.

Thanks for any info, dinner is on me if anyone wants to hook up when Im in the area.

Todd

Tri County Gun Club in Sherwood
Douglas Ridge Rifle Club

Lots and lots of public land within 2 hours tons of it within 3 hrs. No permit needed to just be in the outdoors shooting unless you are carrying a center fire rifle in certain areas during deer or elk season. You would need to read the ODFW regs to see if an area you want to go into requires a tag for deer or elk during that time. but no such thing as (out of state target practice license).

Todd, I'm less than 2 hours from Portland and would love to have company at my LR spot(s). Got steel plates hung to 850 yds or so.

In more general terms, you just need to be on public land, of which orygun has LOADS, and don't shoot from or across a road. And even then... I shoot on BLM from a road, basically, and the times I have met a BLM ranger they just stop and chat. Which is like twice in 10 years and many thousands of rounds. Nobody really cares as long as you are up in the hills a bit.

Let me know if you want to hook up! If you are antisocial <grin> I'll give you directions if you want to go solo.

Gresham or anywhere on Killingsworth street. hahha just a joke.....but seriously

There is quite a bit of public land near Portland, but you will be sharing it with alot of people: hikers, mushroom pickers, bird watchers, bikers, etc. Shooting--outside of semi-established rock pits, etc.--can be a tricky proposition given how many other people might be out there.

Here's a map showing public lands in Oregon. Tan is BLM.

Thanks guys. I got some digging to do and am more than happy to have someone drag me around to show me the area.

I don't know about around P-town; things may be pretty... pussified up there as far as shooting on the public land as others have alluded to.

Down here, 2 hours south, it takes 15-20 minutes to be up on BLM shootin' your heart out <g>.

Let me know if you want to hook up! I might be able to just meet halfway and go up on some BLM near Salem; all we need is a big clearcut and those are not hard to find.

You'll notice on the map I posted that the BLM is "checkerboarded" in some areas. In general, when you see that, the non-BLM is timber company land and unless posted otherwise you can treat it like BLM, in my experience. Weyerhouser is the only timber company around here that I've seen actually post their land, and then only some of it. If it's not posted the worst that can happen, IME, is that someone stops by and asks you to move to a different spot. I've had that happen exactly once in 10 years to put it in context.

hi, i might be late in this post, but i am 45 min north of portland and can go shooting anytime. tim

Make sure you pick up all your brass and target trash. The forest cops have been writting tickets for as little as 1 22rf case left on the ground. No shiete.

Mike,

ya gotta be kidding!

guess the Obama Administration is really really desperate for cash if they are down to doing that..

this country has too much government and way to little brains and common sense any more..

so I guess the local rednecks in Cave Junction need to know that when they are shooting road signs, they need to remember to pick up their 22 brass if in a Forest Service or BLM area...

The USFS/BLM LEO's in Jackson, Josephine, Douglas and Curry Counties are great guys. It's only a couple from some other areas. They get the Cartman/Southpark thing going. It's mostly a case of looking for anything to write a guy for, just cause they can. I know it's happened in Kfalls quite a bit. So remember that during rat season if your on public land at all.

Thanks Mike..

I shoot on private property ( thank goodness)