Devistated !!!

[reddogge]

I don't agree with some here.  I say it was kids old enough to drive and they need the crap beat out of them.

[rascal]

That is both horrible and typical at the same time.  Ive lived in several midwestern states and have seen this sort of vandalism and disrespect of public facilities far too often.  Shame is Ive even been questioned by other outdoor enthusiast when theyve seen me picking up trash at a boat landing or at the rifle range.  Why bother seems to be the the most often spoken comment.  Its not just the people who do this sort of vandalism but the people who turn an apethectic eye towards it that bother me.  These are OUR areas and if we enjoy them we need to be better care takers.  The first bit of trash seems quite harmless, the first bullet hole in the dumpster seems insignificant but with every new piece of trash or bullet hole or pushed over post the place loses its value.  People come and assume no one cares for these areas, they reason that it doesnt hurt anyone in particular as no single person owns this equipment.  The real shame is eventually it becomes impossible to justify cleaning it back up, rebuilding broken equipement, replacing things that are willfully destroyed and the final answer is always the same... We just had to close it down.  

Ive seen all sorts at these kinds of public facilities, you just never know who is the disrespectful nimrod who doesnt give a rip about having a nice range or picnic spot.  Ive seen guys shoot the poles holding targets at a gun range till I approached them.  It didnt make me popular by any means but at least I felt I had done something and if they continued at least I could call the law.  I have long since quit questioning who might have done things like throwing a picnic table in the lake or why all the trash cans and tables are chained to trees in a park, I just do what I can when I visit to make it a better place and hope that other people will do the same.

It is truly shameful what some people will do to OUR property.

[twitchstick]

Nothing worse than a vandal and a thief!! They are nothing but a waste of flesh! We have had problems on our ranges here and it is just sad to see it when it happens.

[Ryan Sanpei]

That's terrible.  It even happens here in Hawaii!  Our targets get stolen, thrown in ditches, spray painted and set on fire.  Toilets get smashed, signs get damaged and much of our equiptment get stolen. Disgusting to say the least!  We've caught high school kids in there a buch of times, but nothing gets done.  At most a slap on the wrist.  

[joe ashton]

pinko, commi, thumb sucking, bedd wetters.

[Bowwild]

We built a nice range at Patoka Lake in
Southern Indiana back in the the late 80's. We didn't have vandalism but a few excelsior bales were stolen from the warm-up range. Turns out someone spied these bales in a young man's yard. A conservation officer visited the fellow (late teens) and he confessed. The bales were returned. The only thing we required of the fellow was to work at our next 3-D tournament.  When he saw about 80 people show up to shoot he realized what he had done -- that he had stole from so many nice folks. Very few at the shoot (only a couple of us officers) knew why he was there.

I think he learned a good lesson.  Both he and we were lucky.

Everyone who uses the Busch Wildlife Area just needs to be aware that there are some really bad people mixed upon the hundreds of thousands of great ones who visit the area.  My first night on this property my young family and I heard a women screaming for help.  I looked and looked and couldn't find anyone.

[MikeM]

I have taught ethics to high school students for the last 36 years and to college students for the last 24 years. The effects of a relativistic individualism approach (i.e. a position that there are no universals or absolutes everything is relative to time place and individual) to truth and values are a loss of basic respect and a limited if any sense of social responsibility. This is not just a problem of youth but a growing problem for our whole society.

[Eugene Slagle]

Seeing that makes me want to cry, why would others want to destroy anything  like the archery range or anything that is for recreation especially if it's on public property where all can enjoy.  :(

[TheFatboy]

Originally posted by MikeM:
I have taught ethics to high school students for the last 36 years and to college students for the last 24 years. The effects of a relativistic individualism approach (i.e. a position that there are no universals or absolutes everything is relative to time place and individual) to truth and values are a loss of basic respect and a limited if any sense of social responsibility. This is not just a problem of youth but a growing problem for our whole society.

Good post!

[kennyb]

Mudd-sorry to see such destruction as it sure was done by some real boneheads. Please keep us posted and let us know when they are caught!

[dan d]

Originally posted by Al Dente:
There is a total lack of respect now a days.  Kids, which is what I'm guessing too, just aren't held accountable for their actions, and/or their parents lack morals or are apathetic to it all.  It sickens me to see something like that.  Everything that is nice and decent must be tarnished and destroyed for some sort of sick amusement.

Well said,
Dan

[Real Buckmaster]

Whats the matter with people????????

[PAPA BEAR]

anti's at work.kids would most likely find that a cool place to hang out and smoke cigs...never underestimate what an animal activist will do to stop people from hunting.they will go to just about any length to stop you.time to start kickin some tree huggin arse.  

[Cottonwood]

That just turns my stomach, I hope some one brags and gets caught for this.