And a cattle guard to keep livestock out (or maybe in!)
Day 102
Glendive Community Shooting Range
July 6th, 2010
I'm walking across America.
That's the idea, at least. I'm walking westward from New York City for nine months or so. If everything goes according to plan, I'll be in Oregon when the clock runs out. If nothing goes according to plan, maybe I'll end up in Peru or Mongolia or Pennsylvania. You can read all about the details of my trip if you're so inclined.
Email me at matt@imjustwalkin.com
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Here's my progress so far:
The first time I saw one of those was when I was in Oklahoma. Couldn’t imagine what they were for. Not something that is used in Maine which is were I am originally from. After living in Texas for the past five years, they are a common sight to the landscape.
That’s a gruesome thought that Montanans would target practice on the livestock. Oh, give me a home
Where the buffalo roam, Where the deer and the antelope play; BANG! BANG! Yikes!
Actually, in historical perspective, it was common to hunt wild cattle. Surprisingly our bovine friends can get pretty wild in the wild.
Now it is more like drunk hunters yelling “look, giant spotted elk!!!”
Ah, “drunk hunters,” aka Dick Cheney and company. Now there’s a scary thought. Thanks for clearing things up Thomas.
Isn’t this tantamount to shooting fish in a barrel?
Community shooting range? So does this mean the community goes out there and shoots at one another? Is this how they settle any grudges they may have? lol. Look out for flying bullets Matt.
Safety in Numbers Dorinda. One on one is 50/50.
Or is this there version of West Side Story…..when your a jet …….
My vote is community clay pigeon range. No wildlife killed here.
Where is the dang TIRE that has white paint that says NO HUINTING!!!
Community Shooting range – is a target range that they shoot skeet (clay pigeions – clay disc’s) or generally 22’s at targets – no killing of animals – just a common area in the community for target practice. Also have turkey shoots – no turkeys are shot – just the best target scores win a frozen turkey.
In Montana, Wyoming and the Dakota’s property boundries are quite large – many ranches and farms are several sections (720 acres in a section – we had 12 sections of state, private owned and blm – and you need something that will with stand mother nature to let others know – esp. outsiders that they need permission to hunt as there may be live stock in the area. You’ld be amazed at how many cows (black and red ones have been mistaken for deer), Also – water is hard to come by – not a lot of rivers or creeks to draw from, wells have to be drilled some several thousand feet to reach water tables and once reached the water may not be drinkable due to the iron content. What some call a creek or stream may be consider a river in some parts of eastern montana.
that’s good info Glenda, thanks. though i’m still thinking what those metal mini-bridge and metal thingies at the side is for…
Thanks for the intelligent response, Glenda, after a lot of ignorant ones. One correction/addition, there is not skeet/trap shooting (or shotgun of anykind) at this range. It is for pistol and rifle, under .50 caliber.
The Metal Bars (side arms) are to close the shooting range if its too wet to drive on the road – so that kids and adults don’t go four wheeling – to keep road maintance costs down – wet roads can become rutted quite easily – gravel roads are not like paved roads.
Awesome info, Glenda. It’s nice to get some insider info on what some of these things Matt sees. I was wondering, why are the cross beams so far apart? is this to keep cattle off the road as well? Seems like it would be harmful if one were to step in between the bars…
The Cattle Guards as they are referred by locals deter the livestock from crossing (sheep are the exception they have small enough hooves that they tend to figure out how to cross them), I’ve never seen any cattle brave enough to try and cross, thier pretty smart and won’t try. Now the will find a hole in fence or make one themselves.
Also, on asphalt or paved or concrete roads, and a fence comes right up to the road on both sides, by just painting lines across the road, to resemble a cattle guard is quite affective in keeping the cattle out of where they do not belong, such as. where there is open range, with a road leading to an interstate highway, by painting the lines across the pavement that is leading to the controlled access highway, the cattle will not cross those lines.
Another little known fact is, that if there is a fence where the cattle are getting out, and repairing the fence has not worked, by hanging a cow hyde on the fence, where they are breaking out, will prevent them from crossing, or breaking out at that place in the fence.
Also, When there is a gravel road, and You lay a cows hyde across the bridge, right where the road enters the bridge, will keep the cattle from crossing said bridge.
Yep, they don’t ever cross those things. Don’t even have to shut the gate, which helps when it’s freezing cold with 60 mph winds.
I thought it was a place to bring your kids and take classes and stuff. Out here we call them Community CENTERS…