Panoche & Tumey Hills BLM questions???

[seany]

Was out there fri evening-sat late afternoon. Didn't see a single ranger the whole time. There were a few other decent sized groups doing their own thing, but it wasn't packed.

We went about 6mi down P1 from the first gate. Did some cleaning while we were there. Quite a bit of brass laying around :-/

[emtmark]

Good man right there, thank you !!!!!

[scranger]

Originally Posted by emtmark

What, if anything, can one do to minimize the time and anxiety of the encounter?
Second, with the sheer amount of potential legal infractions on the books how well versed are our local folks? Do they keep up on stuff? Are they open to handouts or friendly conversation? What's their angle or reason for the approach to begin with? My suspicion was the mag dump. Still didn't appreciate the shock and awe approach as necessary as they probably felt it was.

I hear you. No normal person likes to feel treated like they may be a criminal.

It sounds like you were in the area by the berm during the contact. End of the road, secluded, can't see who is down there until you crest the final rise, etc. and you did a mag dump. They decided to check you and not knowing how many people were in your party, in an area with ongoing felony violations, only knowing for sure that you had a rifle and you were pumping out rounds...well...

You're an EMT, right? Next stop you have with local PD or sheriff units and you actually get a moment, I'd ask them their opinion.

By the way - last weekend until the fire closure is coming up, so get out there while you can. P.S. expect some law enforcement

[Skip99]

When is the last weekend? Trying to get out there in the next two weeks.

[NapalmCheese]

Originally Posted by Skip99

When is the last weekend? Trying to get out there in the next two weeks.

http://bit.ly/1IHGnBa

There is no last weekend, you can go anytime you like. Just don't expect to drive to the BLM property, nor have a camp fire after 15 April.

[Junkie]

I think I'm heading down this weekend. I was last there the first weekend they were open (in October?), with a friend. We had a ranger (I think he was BLM) claim that use of any >10rd magazine was considered a felony, but possession was ok... all of the weapons we had with us were featureless, we had some old 30s but not in the guns when he showed up. He may have heard a mag dump. I forget what exactly he was driving, but it was a full size pickup rather than a JK. We chose not to use any >10rd magazines for the rest of the day. Even if he was wrong, it's not worth the risk.

He hadn't heard of featureless ARs but believed us (both using Exile Machine Hammerheads and pinned stocks).

We picked up quite a bit of brass, certainly more than we produced, but I'm sure we missed some of ours. I'll have to remember a bucket this time.

[Junkie]

Originally Posted by NapalmCheese

http://bit.ly/1IHGnBa

There is no last weekend, you can go anytime you like. Just don't expect to drive to the BLM property, nor have a camp fire after 15 April.

It says "mid April" rather than giving an exact date. I think I was told early morning on the 16th when I called a week or two ago, so you're correct, but there isn't a date posted anywhere.

[NapalmCheese]

Originally Posted by Junkie

It says "mid April" rather than giving an exact date. I think I was told early morning on the 16th when I called a week or two ago, so you're correct, but there isn't a date posted anywhere.

No. In fact it says:

Originally Posted by The BLM Hollister Field Office

Fire Restrictions: April 15 through beginning of upland game bird season

No vehicular access.
Open campfires are prohibited.

[Junkie]

Maybe you're looking at a different link than I am, after all you just linked to a google search. More of a dick move than being helpful. The first two results I get have the text

The Panoche and Tumey Hills are under Fire Season Vehicle Restrictions from Mid-April to Mid-October. No motorized access is allowed during this period.

[NapalmCheese]

Originally Posted by Junkie

Maybe you're looking at a different link than I am, after all you just linked to a google search. More of a dick move than being helpful. The first two results I get have the text

*mutter* give a man a fish.... *mutter*

The very first link takes you to the following page, which gives you all of the pertinent information (you don't even have to click anything else, just read stuff).
http://www.blm.gov/ca/st/en/fo/holli...n/panoche.html

[EVGRambis]

I still have not had an opportunity to head up here. So now I have to wait till October. Bummer.

[Junkie]

A disguised LMGTFY link is hardly giving a man a fish.

[NapalmCheese]

Originally Posted by Junkie

A disguised LMGTFY link is hardly giving a man a fish.

Showing a person the tools they need, and giving them an example of their usage, while simultaneously pointing them in the right direction AND answering their question is not just 'giving a person a fish', it's doing their work for them and showing them how to do it on their own later.

[Junkie]

Because obviously he didn't know about google before. You put in extra work vs just linking him to the source...

[NapalmCheese]

Originally Posted by Junkie

You put in extra work vs just linking him to the source...

Which answered his or her question and hopefully allowed that person to figure out where to look for closures of other BLM areas in the future. Seems like a win/win to me.

[emtmark]

Gates up

[pardonmynoob]

So October it is then right?

[CodyGT46]

So no driving into Panoche and no shooting then? Anyone know if you can still go shooting at Williams Hill, down near King City ?

[NapalmCheese]

Originally Posted by CodyGT46

So no driving into Panoche and no shooting then? Anyone know if you can still go shooting at Williams Hill, down near King City ?

Who said anything about no shooting? It's a 3 mile walk uphill to get to the bathrooms, and then you'll have to be an extra 150 yards past that at least.

Originally Posted by The BLM

Fire Restrictions: April 15 through beginning of upland game bird season

No vehicular access.
Open campfires are prohibited.

[CodyGT46]

Oh okay cool! I was just unclear on what we could and couldn't do, for some reason I couldn't get the BLM website to load for me, stupid old computer.

[gofer]

I suggest, instead of Panoche Hills, go to Tumey Hills. 10 minutes more to get there, but you can park at the wide spot on the road about halfway through, and be 10 yards from where you shoot. There is nice open areas with a hill as backstop. You will know when it's the wide spot because there is a bulletin board, and a parking area that can hold 10 cars wide, and another 10 behind them. It is on the north side of Panoche Rd.

I would call BLM to confirm, but it should be fine.
That is my group's normal backup to Panoche.
No bathrooms, so pack the necessities.

[xtcat9k]

Tumey Hills is nice for eaze of access. Works well for larger groups and short to intermediate distance shooting. I often prefer Panoche Hills for the opposite reasons. The area is much larger in size, so there is greater separation from other groups and you can shoot out to much longer distances.

[milesmutt]

Originally Posted by gofer

I suggest, instead of Panoche Hills, go to Tumey Hills. 10 minutes more to get there, but you can park at the wide spot on the road about halfway through, and be 10 yards from where you shoot. There is nice open areas with a hill as backstop. You will know when it's the wide spot because there is a bulletin board, and a parking area that can hold 10 cars wide, and another 10 behind them. It is on the north side of Panoche Rd.

I would call BLM to confirm, but it should be fine.
That is my group's normal backup to Panoche.
No bathrooms, so pack the necessities.

If I were coming in from Visalia and coming up north on I-5,
exactly how do I get there? Sorry, I'm new to all this BLM shooting
and this would be perfect for me as I work the Fresno/Visalia area
quite often and can make a pitstop on the way back home.

I looked up the exit for Panoche Rd but how far in do I go? Thanks!

[Junkie]

http://www.blm.gov/style/medialib/bl...wold_Hills.pdf the second page has a map. I don't know where shooting is popular at Tumey Hills but I'm guessing it's at/near one of the trailheads shown on the map.

[milesmutt]

Originally Posted by Junkie

http://www.blm.gov/style/medialib/bl...wold_Hills.pdf the second page has a map. I don't know where shooting is popular at Tumey Hills but I'm guessing it's at/near one of the trailheads shown on the map.

Thanks Junkie. Yeah that map isn't the greatest but I'm going to drive there anyway next week. Hopefully I'll get lucky and spot the area that gofer is talking about.

Cheers!


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[Loopwell]

Tag! I want to eventually check this place out.

[Strykermc]

Suggest you guys pack light. Gate is locked up due to fire season and wont open till October. I would definitely watch out for other shooters as well. Was out there last week and had some idiots shooting from the road into tumey. Lucky I was leaving at the time as there rounds were going over the area I had set up for shooting.

[milesmutt]

So I think I may have found the spot. It's on Panoche Road, west of I-5, just about one mile past the end of the paved road.
I think that hill in the background should serve fine as a backstop. It's way far from any dwellings,
and there's space to park just off the dirt road as you can see.

There are spent casings of all calibers including shotguns all around, so I might be good to go.
I'll call the BLM office just to be sure, as I don't want any trouble with the law on my first go around.
Time to bust out the steel targets and anything else I can't do at the range!

[CodyGT46]

I still need to get out there! I was in Paicines last week for work, but couldn't convince my boss to let me bring the guns and take a half day off to go shoot, I would've brought the work truck back clean!

Another thing I was wondering and figured I'd ask here rather than making a new thread, but has anyone ever gone shootings at Williams Hill? I've looked into it and its a bit past King City and know a couple friends have shot there, but don't have much info on it or even if shooting is allowed there.

[xtcat9k]

Originally Posted by CodyGT46

I still need to get out there! I was in Paicines last week for work, but couldn't convince my boss to let me bring the guns and take a half day off to go shoot, I would've brought the work truck back clean!

Another thing I was wondering and figured I'd ask here rather than making a new thread, but has anyone ever gone shootings at Williams Hill? I've looked into it and its a bit past King City and know a couple friends have shot there, but don't have much info on it or even if shooting is allowed there.

Williams Hill is definitely BLM land and confirmed shooting is okay there per this post.

http://www.calguns.net/calgunforum/s...16&postcount=1

[acegunnr]

Yikes!

Dead body found in Panoche Valley

Hispanic male believed to be in his mid-20s was found with multiple gunshots. Officials had no immediate leads on a suspect.

[milesmutt]

Well, at least it appears he wasn't shot there. I was gonna be heading up
there soon but maybe I"ll hold off until more is known about the victim. I
don't need to be running into some jackasses while I'm up there.

Perhaps a gang hit and body drop run?

[emtmark]

It's a body drop

Hit me up if your going I might boogie on out there with you


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[Junkie]

When I go, I don't leave my firearms sitting when I go check targets... I sling a rifle. It's far enough out there and there are enough guns around that I'd rather be armed full time. It's one of the very few times that I use a safety on an AR.

[spyde12]

A group of us are planning to go next weekend. It'll be my first time and looking forward to it.

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[NapalmCheese]

Watch out for cartel death squad ambushes.

[phdo]

Originally Posted by NapalmCheese

Watch out for cartel death squad ambushes.

Are you serious? I'm planning a trip to Panoche before the end of the year.

[acegunnr]

Originally Posted by NapalmCheese

Watch out for cartel death squad ambushes.

Werewolves!

http://www.amazon.com/Werewolves-New.../dp/193681403X

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[NapalmCheese]

Originally Posted by phdo

Are you serious? I'm planning a trip to Panoche before the end of the year.

Well, if you ask the people that have been there before they'd say don't worry about it, I'm joking. If you ask people that have never shot on BLM before, they will tell you that you are certainly taking your life into your own hands, especially if you don't forward deploy an observation/recon/sniper team to act as overwatch during ingress and egress in your armored vehicles.

[emtmark]

Or at least check the weather


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