Duplicate (Union vs. Chatuge) Gun Club on NF Bear (& other game) Hunting Land

[twincedargap]

For those that don't know or have heard but want more info to form an opinion, and voice such.
Newly formed Union County Gun Club has sought approval for a gun range on NF in Union County. The proposed Union County location is only 3.8 miles or a whopping 5 minutes away from the gun range on Owl Creek Rd @ Hwy 180 which is just into Towns County.

That said, I am a member of both clubs. I joined the UCGC hoping they might have a long range put in place. I had no idea they would propose a site on NF, The proposed site is closer to my cabin, so it would benefit me from a time perspective. What doesn't benefit me is:
1) Noise on AT and Brasstown Bald scaring tourism dollars. (There have been some studies on this, but not in wintertime w/out foliage)
2) The duplication of tax dollars being spent on two ranges w/in 5 minutes of each other.
3) The squandering of NF lands on a duplicate range which is no longer available to me to hike and hunt on.
4) The negative impact on wildlife in proximity to the range, by noise, human traffic, disturbance, w/in some buffer of the range. Indepent studies show significatn impacts on wildlife due to walking trails, nonetheless roads and a rifle range. Thus, weakening animals and displacing same from NF land previously available to us to hunt.

To be clear, my cabin property value will not be impacted, nor will I hear the range. I am posting this as a hunter and taxpayer, I just don't understand the need for a duplicate range.

Here's the site for a complete disclosure:

Recent Blue Ridge Ranger Dist. Letter re: UCGC

https://www.fs.usda.gov/project/?project=44385

There's a 45 day period to object now, send email w/feedback to:
objections-southern-chattahoochee-oconee@fs.fed.us

Here's a map of the two sites:

 

[1eyefishing]

From an outsiders point of view, I don't like the idea very much.
And I think if it is on National Forest land, it should be open to the public. No club membership needed...

 

[mattuga]

That looks near an old party spot we called Chick-fil-a when I went to YHC (no idea why it was called that). If there is one 5 minutes away I cannot understand allowing a private gun club on public property. That is one of the prettiest areas in GA, those Trackrock area valley views are amazing. I'd be curious to know how far a gun shot carries in the mountains from valley to mountaintop.

 

[twincedargap]

That looks near an old party spot we called Chick-fil-a when I went to YHC (no idea why it was called that). If there is one 5 minutes away I cannot understand allowing a private gun club on public property. That is one of the prettiest areas in GA, those Trackrock area valley views are amazing. I'd be curious to know how far a gun shot carries in the mountains from valley to mountaintop.

There is a nice opening back there now, so you probably right. It also isn't far, across the road, from where a few years ago this forum had a group camp for a bear hunt weekend.

The existing Chatuge Gun Club is a private club on NF. That said, it is open to the public I think on sundays for limited hours, and available to LEO routinely for whole days.

 

[Gator89]

The gunfire will not scare the wildlife all that much. Once at a rifle sight days I was helping conduct, a nice buck walked across the top of the berms behind the targets.

There may be valid reasons to say no, but noise and wildlife is not a primary reason.

 

[twincedargap]

The gunfire will not scare the wildlife all that much. Once at a rifle sight days I was helping conduct, a nice buck walked across the top of the berms behind the targets.

There may be valid reasons to say no, but noise and wildlife is not a primary reason.

Anecdotally I agree. I see deer tracks on my rifle range. That said, there's valid science that demonstrates human intrusion impacts wildlife to disturb their behavior and patterns, impacting their nervous system with stress, as well as causing them to alter feeding patterns. Studies were commissioned to understand hiking influences on wildlife, not a rifle/pistol range and woods road. So why not a primary consideration when there's already a range 3 miles down the road built at tax payer expense and on taxpayer property?

 

[northgeorgiasportsman]

I've not followed the UCGC, but I was under the impression that the range was going to be open to the public. If that's not the case, I'm disappointed.

I used to be a member of the Chatuge club, but lost interest when 90% of the members were 50 years older than me and competitions weren't very competitive. The biggest downside to the Chatuge club is its limited range. Long distance shooters are just out of luck.

I personally don't think the location of the new range will adversely affect anyone or any game. Have you ever hunted the section between the proposed range all the way up to the AT? It's practically devoid of game, except for the occasional hogs that feed through. I don't believe you're going to hear gunfire at Brasstown Bald, and if you can hear it, it will be so faint as to not register as anything that might "scare off tourism dollars."

I agree with you, I don't see the need for a duplicate range only 5 minutes from the other. The only way I would support this is the longer rang possibilities, and public access.

 

[Gator89]

Anecdotally I agree. I see deer tracks on my rifle range. That said, there's valid science that demonstrates human intrusion impacts wildlife to disturb their behavior and patterns, impacting their nervous system with stress, as well as causing them to alter feeding patterns. Studies were commissioned to understand hiking influences on wildlife, not a rifle/pistol range and woods road. So why not a primary consideration when there's already a range 3 miles down the road built at tax payer expense and on taxpayer property?

Short term, maybe. I base this on the quantity of deer that resided in my subdivision in Peachtree Corners. Bear raiding garbage cans in the 'burbs, too.

If there is food available, the game will grow accustomed to the people.

It depends on how much habitat would be lost? 100 acres? 200?

 

[twincedargap]

I've not followed the UCGC, but I was under the impression that the range was going to be open to the public. If that's not the case, I'm disappointed.

I used to be a member of the Chatuge club, but lost interest when 90% of the members were 50 years older than me and competitions weren't very competitive. The biggest downside to the Chatuge club is its limited range. Long distance shooters are just out of luck.

I personally don't think the location of the new range will adversely affect anyone or any game. Have you ever hunted the section between the proposed range all the way up to the AT? It's practically devoid of game, except for the occasional hogs that feed through. I don't believe you're going to hear gunfire at Brasstown Bald, and if you can hear it, it will be so faint as to not register as anything that might "scare off tourism dollars."

I agree with you, I don't see the need for a duplicate range only 5 minutes from the other. The only way I would support this is the longer rang possibilities, and public access.

There won’t be any additional range than what Chatuge provides. At least that’s not on the application and documents of government evaluations. I’m sure adding it later ain’t going to fly. (edit- I stand corrected, proposed is 200 yd range.)

I’m shocked the AT clubs and Sierra haven’t noticed this intrusion on what they consider their NF. I’d expect their lawyers to be ruthless but there’s only one letter in the comments from the AT club.

Yeah as a taxpayer I’d expect the bill approaches 100’s of thousands already just to evalauate a duplicate club.

 

[strothershwacker]

I cast my vote against it.

 

[whitetailfreak]

There's a range on Cohutta 10 minutes from my house. USFS maintains it, and I buy an annual pass for $25. It's $5 per person if you pay per visit. It works well, and I may or may not have a stand nearby ?

 

[greg_n_clayton]

I vote against anything permanently placed on USFS land that is private, for profit and not open to the public at no charge. We have a 100-150 yd range here in Rabun that is public and gets used alot by folks from NC as well as the locals. I am also against the the private trouble teen co that uses the lands for profit over here. As for the private rafting companies, well, they are floating and provide a service as far as safety is concerned !

 

[Killer Kyle]

The gunfire will not scare the wildlife all that much. Once at a rifle sight days I was helping conduct, a nice buck walked across the top of the berms behind the targets.

There may be valid reasons to say no, but noise and wildlife is not a primary reason.

Many moons ago, me and my unit had to cease fire at a range on Ft. Stewart because deer walked out behind the green Ivans in the beaten zone. We absolutely could not believe it!

 

[twincedargap]

I vote against anything permanently placed on USFS land that is private, for profit and not open to the public at no charge. We have a 100-150 yd range here in Rabun that is public and gets used alot by folks from NC as well as the locals. I am also against the the private trouble teen co that uses the lands for profit over here. As for the private rafting companies, well, they are floating and provide a service as far as safety is concerned !

Yes, there’s public ranges on WMA’s. I think the big political push here is the argument that LEO’s need a local range.

 

[ddd-shooter]

Stupidest idea ever. I’ve said it from the beginning. Why so far away? If you’re out that far, 3 more miles ain’t killing ya.

Not worried about game or noise, just the stupidity of having a club just so it’s in “your county.” When for all intents and purposes, it might as well not be.
It’s like they said “how can we technically get a club in our county, but not really.”

 

[northgeorgiasportsman]

There won’t be any additional range than what Chatuge provides. At least that’s not on the application and documents of government evaluations. I’m sure adding it later ain’t going to fly.

According to the proposed layout, there will indeed be a 200 yard range. Doubling that of Chatuge.

http://www.unioncountygunclub.com/P...ET_RANGE_HWY_180_SMALL_REVISED_2_CONTOURS.pdf

 

[twincedargap]

According to the proposed layout, there will indeed be a 200 yard range. Doubling that of Chatuge.

http://www.unioncountygunclub.com/P...ET_RANGE_HWY_180_SMALL_REVISED_2_CONTOURS.pdf

Thank you. Yes it indicates a 100'x600' range.

 

[northgeorgiasportsman]

But upon perusing their website, it confirms that they are indeed a private club. I'm not in favor of a private group operating a range on public land behind a locked gate when there's already the same thing 5 minutes away.

 

[gobbleinwoods]

I've not followed the UCGC, but I was under the impression that the range was going to be open to the public. If that's not the case, I'm disappointed.

I used to be a member of the Chatuge club, but lost interest when 90% of the members were 50 years older than me and competitions weren't very competitive. The biggest downside to the Chatuge club is its limited range. Long distance shooters are just out of luck.

I personally don't think the location of the new range will adversely affect anyone or any game. Have you ever hunted the section between the proposed range all the way up to the AT? It's practically devoid of game, except for the occasional hogs that feed through. I don't believe you're going to hear gunfire at Brasstown Bald, and if you can hear it, it will be so faint as to not register as anything that might "scare off tourism dollars."

I agree with you, I don't see the need for a duplicate range only 5 minutes from the other. The only way I would support this is the longer rang possibilities, and public access.

I know personally of two bear taken off that area off 180 and I have seen 3 bear just a couple miles down the road from there.

 

[greg_n_clayton]

Thank you. Yes it indicates a 100'x600' range.

USFS has 200 yds of flat land over there ?