Henry Rifle Forums

Not your typical range report this one. More a scouting report than a shooting report.

Yesterday late afternoon went for a drive into the Tillamook Forest. Places I went are about an hour from where I live. Unfortunately I did not think to take pictures so words will have to do. None of the 3 areas visited provide shooting tables or covers. So bring everything you need to shoot with you. You are also required to bring a shovel and fire extinguisher or 2 gallons of water. No fees.

The first place I went to is called North Fork Wolf Creek Shooting Lanes. The lanes have been trench bull dozed into the side near the top of a mountain. The last 1/2 mile of road up to the lanes is in pretty rough shape. It's graveled with large stones and steep. I went up it in 4wh drive. There are 4 lanes with signage bill boards. The first 2 lanes are very short, so best suited for hand guns. The next 2 are longer, maybe 100yds. No one was present at the first 2 lanes. The 3rd was in used by someone with an MSR. The 4th was in use by someone using a bow and arrows.

About 6 miles away is the Salmon Berry Rock Pit area. This area is less 'organized'. Some wide spots in the forest road where people shoot into the hillside. There is a rock storage area that provides maybe a 50yds lane behind the rock pile. Further up the road are a couple rock quarry holes. The best one for shooting is currently actively being mined for rock. The other spot is maybe 50-75yds. No one shooting while I was there. Saw no one at all.

The 3rd place took about 35 minutes to get to from Salmon Berry. Had to back track a little bit to get to a connector road to get over a range of hills. This one is called the Beaver Dam Rock Pit. It is impressively huge. It's cut deep, wide and long. Looks to be at least 300yds. The pit slopes down into a hillside that is sloping upward, so the back of the pit is deep into the mountain. The surrounding area is multi-use, hiking trails and off road vehicles so the shooting is in the pit only. Was close to 7pm when I got there. Couple of after work shooters there. Bet this place is popular on the weekends and holidays.

All the places were not too badly trashed, there was some though. Aside from the little bit of trash was the huge number of left over brightly colored shotgun shells. Also orange clay bits. There was some brass, none too new as what I could see was darkly tarnished.

So that was my scouting trip. Like I've said in other topics I can shoot at home, but 75 yds is the practical limit for line of sight through the trees. I was looking to see what was nearby available for shooting longer distances. Looks like Beaver Dam pit is best option.

All 3 areas can be found with a Google search. Some pictures on the web but not very good ones.

interesting .... we have nothing like that available in our part of the country .... do you have someone who will be going with you .. .. my feelings about hunting, fishing, target shooting are pretty much the same, in that, I don't enjoy them alone

Yep - like Mags I have a similar situation with the National Forest being close - and in my case literally minutes away from home. This is one of my favorite spots and it is about 15 minutes away.

JEBar wrote:interesting .... we have nothing like that available in our part of the country .... do you have someone who will be going with you .. .. my feelings about hunting, fishing, target shooting are pretty much the same, in that, I don't enjoy them alone

I don't yet have anyone to go with me yet. I wouldn't go alone to shoot. First is safety as in 'buddy system'. Second, more fun to go with and share the shooting experience with someone. Even at home I rarely target shoot alone. Hunting varmint at home alone that I do do as the varmints show up unexpectedly and I get them while they're available to be gotten.

I did some web looking for shooting spots in NC on nfs land. I did google searchs of the ranges listed below and found pictures showing well developed and staffed ranges with shooting fees. And nothing found raw and primitive.
https://www.fs.usda.gov/activity/nfsnc/ ... &actid=106

Mistered wrote:Yep - like Mags I have a similar situation with the National Forest being close - and in my case literally minutes away from home. This is one of my favorite spots and it is about 15 minutes away.
YGUN6693[1].jpeg

Looks like a nice place to shoot, be outdoors and warmup by the fire.

Mags wrote:I did some web looking for shooting spots in NC on nfs land. I did google searchs of the ranges listed below and found pictures showing well developed and staffed ranges with shooting fees. And nothing found raw and primitive.
https://www.fs.usda.gov/activity/nfsnc/ ... &actid=106

I'm familiar with Nantahala, part of it runs through my home county .... its pushing 350 miles west of where we live now .... Uwharrie is just under 100 miles west of us .... I've heard about their range and know they have dedicated a large area for equestrian .... we are in the early stages of developing a 130 yard range 3 miles from the house at one of our son's place .... we are supposed to have our oldest grandson with us next week and hope to take him over there to fire his Henry 357

I would be distracted by a visit to the cheese house in Tillamook. Been right by it before. They have some good cheese there. Shooting areas look good Mags. Reminds me of when I went in Washington up around Black Diamond when I was a kid

BigAl52 wrote:I would be distracted by a visit to the cheese house in Tillamook. Been right by it before. They have some good cheese there.

ain't that the truth .. .. we've been there and thoroughly enjoyed it

Looks like a nice place to shoot, be outdoors and warmup by the fire.

Yea not bad for close to home. Also it's on my way home daily and only and less than a mile off the road so I'll sometimes stop on my way home from work for a quick shooting session!

Good point onto shooting alone in a remote area when away from home, at least if you can help it. Not always doable for some folks and I've had to go it alone, too, at times, but I was never far from help in the areas where I would shoot.

The Beaver Dam Rock Pit is the only place on the way to the Tillamook Cheese Factory, highway 6, and then it is another 45 minutes to get there. N. Wolf Creek and Salmon Berry are on the way to Seaside, highway 26. Timber Road is the connector between them.

Haven't been to the cheese factory in years. There are several, but only one open to the public. They tore it down and rebuilt it so I have no idea what it looks like now. When we went I would stand in the observatory for a couple hours watching the whole cheese making process on display. Fascinating, but also like watching paint dry. They also make a great farmstyle yogart with fruit in the cup bottom. Part of my usual breakfast. And of course our fridge is stocked with Tillmook cheeses.

JEBar wrote:

BigAl52 wrote:I would be distracted by a visit to the cheese house in Tillamook. Been right by it before. They have some good cheese there.

ain't that the truth .. .. we've been there and thoroughly enjoyed it

The nearest urgent care is about 30 minutes from these shooting spots. Nearest hospital close to an hour.

On weekends, going to these places alone should be ok. Plenty of other shooters and spectators around. Which is also a disadvantage. My preferred time to shoot at one of these places would be weekday mornings and then there might not be anyone around if I were to need help.

North Country Gal wrote:Good point onto shooting alone in a remote area when away from home, at least if you can help it. Not always doable for some folks and I've had to go it alone, too, at times, but I was never far from help in the areas where I would shoot.

Man, I miss the PacNW, so thanks for the memories. Need pics next time, please!

Mistered wrote:

Looks like a nice place to shoot, be outdoors and warmup by the fire.

Yea not bad for close to home. Also it's on my way home daily and only and less than a mile off the road so I'll sometimes stop on my way home from work for a quick shooting session!

Mistered, Way back when I was a young man I used to spend my summers in Drain OR. Did a lot of camping in the forests to the East. I will always remember how beautiful it was.

ESquared wrote:... Need pics next time, please!

Still kicking myself on that.

I will always remember how beautiful it was.

And still is!

Good point onto shooting alone in a remote area when away from home, at least if you can help it. Not always doable for some folks and I've had to go it alone, too, at times, but I was never far from help in the areas where I would shoot.

Pretty much the same for me. With the frequency of which I shoot (and sometimes it’s impromptu) It’s not always easy or practical to have someone to go with. Fortunately my shooting spots are typically close to home and not particularly ‘remote’.
There are times when I may be further out but that’s usually when I’m out Jeepin’ and then I may be a ways away from anything but that’s just the nature of being someone who likes to be out and ‘away’ from it all.

Mags wrote:The Beaver Dam Rock Pit is the only place on the way to the Tillamook Cheese Factory, highway 6, and then it is another 45 minutes to get there. N. Wolf Creek and Salmon Berry are on the way to Seaside, highway 26. Timber Road is the connector between them.

Haven't been to the cheese factory in years. There are several, but only one open to the public. They tore it down and rebuilt it so I have no idea what it looks like now. When we went I would stand in the observatory for a couple hours watching the whole cheese making process on display. Fascinating, but also like watching paint dry. They also make a great farmstyle yogart with fruit in the cup bottom. Part of my usual breakfast. And of course our fridge is stocked with Tillmook cheeses.

JEBar wrote:

BigAl52 wrote:I would be distracted by a visit to the cheese house in Tillamook. Been right by it before. They have some good cheese there.

ain't that the truth .. .. we've been there and thoroughly enjoyed it

Wait a minute Mags Yogurt and Cheese..........What the heck no ICE CREAM Mags?????????????????????????? They have some pretty good ice cream there to.

BigAl52 wrote:....Wait a minute Mags Yogurt and Cheese..........What the heck no ICE CREAM Mags?????????????????????????? They have some pretty good ice cream there to.

The ice cream is a once in a while treat. Can't beat their Extra Creamy Old Fashioned Vanilla. There are also lemon ice cream bars that are really really good as well as others.

Our everyday stuff:
Sour Cream (lite and regular)
Yogart with fruit (regular and farm style)
Mexican 4 Cheeses (shredded)
Cheddar slices (medium & sharp)
Swiss slices
Colby Jack sticks
Butter (salted and unsalted)

What's in your Fridge?
https://www.tillamook.com/products/index.html