Chicken Springs on Happy Canyon Rd off CA 154

[DaSik]

I went out a few weeks back and it was pretty dirty up there. I tried to pick up what I could but it got pretty dark fast. Is anybody up for a clean up and shoot?

Nothing official yet. Just seeing if anybody else is in the area and up for a range trip.

[waassaabee]

I'm new to the forum and willing to pitch in!!

[Jesus805]

....

[MotoFahren]

This thread is almost 2 years old.

[waassaabee]

Originally Posted by MotoFahren

This thread is almost 2 years old.

True! But the place still looks like crap! Maybe this will spark some interest.
Want to join in?

[sovereign2b]

Good point! Start a thread. I'm too far away, but maybe you can generate some interest. I'm sure that there are plenty of Calgunners up there, aside from the O.P.

[805thRCTank]

I heard of this place but I have never been there. I always go to SLOSA for plinking. But I am interested in helping out.

[vudosix]

I am interested in helping to clean this up if still needed.

[Capybara]

Is this area Chicken Springs?

[waassaabee]

Originally Posted by Capybara

Is this area Chicken Springs?

Not to my knowledge. This is on the back side of Figueroa Mountain, outside Santa Ynez, CA.

Of course I stir the pot and folks reply, but now I'm not available till after the first of the year. Maybe start planning a cleanup for mid -Jan???

[Capybara]

Just trying to figure out if this is a legal shooting area? Is this location within the boundaries of LPNF? To my knowledge, the only sanctioned target shooting areas locally in LPNF are the Arroyo Burro Bowl (the Glass Factory) and the Chicken Springs shooting area. I don't know the area very well, other than those two locations so please tell us what you know. If the area is not within LPNF land, it would be interesting to know who owns it.

[Scardog]

Yes this is Chicken Springs area. I have a box full of brand new heavy duty plastic bags given to me from a forest ranger in the area. It would be cool to meet up with some fellow cal gunners do a clean up then set up some targets and have a little shooting match

[wbunning]

Originally Posted by Scardog

Yes this is Chicken Springs area. I have a box full of brand new heavy duty plastic bags given to me from a forest ranger in the area. It would be cool to meet up with some fellow cal gunners do a clean up then set up some targets and have a little shooting match

Have pickup, will travel.

[Scardog]

ok cool, the ranger told me not to overload the bags so they wont rip when picked up. he then told me i can call him and let him know that there are bags of debri waiting to be picked up and he or someone on his crew would gladly swing by the area during the work week and haulem off.

[skyking13]

I'm local to Chicken Springs. Post time & I'll show.

[umd]

Originally Posted by waassaabee

Not to my knowledge. This is on the back side of Figueroa Mountain, outside Santa Ynez, CA.

The only shooting area on Happy Canyon/Fig Mountain is Chicken Springs

[Capybara]

Wow, amazed you actually spoke with a ranger, was it Larry? I was just at an LPNF stakeholder meeting a few weeks ago and the entire LPNF will go from five rangers to three. So actually seeing or talking to a ranger moving forward will become even more rare. From what I was told, a Santa Ynez teacher has been heading the clean ups at Chicken Springs for the past few years with students but I also heard he recently died. So don't know if anyone is going to keep the clean ups going. Already have a full plate trying to keep the Glass Factory (Arroyo Burro Bowl) open so I hope someone steps up to keep the Chicken Springs area open also.

[Scardog]

yea it was Larry, do you know how far out you can go at the glass factory? I need to make something to be able to sift the smaller stuff from the dirt. Let me know when the next range clean up at the factory will take place, Im not sure how to negotiate a clean up if people show up and want to shoot. not cal gunners but other people that dont give a hoot about trash?

[Capybara]

Scardog:

1. Ranger Larry is a cool dude who has helped us out a lot over the years
2. Max distance at the GF is about 175 yards but that is shooting way up a hill, PITA to place targets up there. On the flatter stuff, about 135 yards
3. Next GF cleanup will be in May probably, we begin fundraising in February
4. If you want to do a clean up there, you work with Larry and have them come and shut down the range for the clean up. You obviously cannot do a clean up if people are there to shoot. We and you have no legal power to shut down the area for a clean up but the Forest Service does.

[waassaabee]

Originally Posted by umd

The only shooting area on Happy Canyon/Fig Mountain is Chicken Springs

Thanks! Never knew it had an official name.

Where is the Glass Factory?

[Scardog]

Capybara, thanks for the details about a clean-up with forest service assist. Some yahoo's blew a few big holes in the sighn at chicken springs with a shot gun looks like. Next time i visit the GF i will set the odo at hwy 154 and east camino cielo, i would guess its around 4 or 5 miles from the top of the pass to the GF. I dont remember if the place is infested with deer flies that like the eyes and ears tho

[umd]

Originally Posted by waassaabee

Thanks! Never knew it had an official name.

Where is the Glass Factory?

It's 6 miles eastbound on East Camino Cielo from 154. From 154 turn on ECC and the road will go up and keep going up for 5 miles, then it will peak out and pass some antennas, then descend for a mile. Right before it starts going up again there are turnouts on both sides of the road and a gate to the left.

On google maps you can follow Forrest route 5N20 south from the river until it intersects with E Camino Cielo. Don't try to drive it that way though.

[waassaabee]

Originally Posted by umd

It's 6 miles eastbound on East Camino Cielo from 154. From 154 turn on ECC and the road will go up and keep going up for 5 miles, then it will peak out and pass some antennas, then descend for a mile. Right before it starts going up again there are turnouts on both sides of the road and a gate to the left.

On google maps you can follow Forrest route 5N20 south from the river until it intersects with E Camino Cielo. Don't try to drive it that way though.

Roger that, but I doubt I'll ever go there... A bit out of my neighborhood.
Actually, Chicken Springs is out of my 'hood' but the wife and I like going around the loop occasionally, and that spot always looks like crap. It always amazes me how ungrateful people can be.

But I'm here to help, and I'm unemployed (retired), so a weekday is fine with me!!

[DaSik]

Came out last Friday with some family and did a little cleaning and shooting. I took a bag and some bigger stuff with me but thats all I could fit in my vehicle. Im gonna be pretty busy these next few weeks but if anybody wants to plan something, i'll try my hardest to make it out.

[waassaabee]

Friday I took a drive up to Chicken Springs to see what the rain might have done to the roads, etc. The road was in surprisingly good shape! While I was at the shooting area, a guy and his gal went by in a slightly muddy BMW, but nevertheless...
Keep in mind I have only driven by here before, so when I got out and walked around, I was overwhelmed. Is this the condition of most public access type areas for shooting? The only things I didn't find were diapers and beer bottles. Looked like folks just bring their junk up there, shoot it up and leave it. Unbelievable! And if anyone needs .223 brass, there's a ton of it...
I am not a fan of wasting time. But I feel for the people that don't have anywhere else to go, so if there are any regular users of this site that want some help cleaning up their range, I'll help. It's an undertaking to say the least...
Here's a link to some of the photos I took that day: https://www.flickr.com/photos/waassa...57675352457284

[DaSik]

Finally made another trip this past weekend. Long over due but none the less it was pretty dirty out there. Lots of old trash like propane tanks, aerosol cans, an old steel wheel and just general trash.

Our party and I filled a few bags and also made out with 2 bags of recycling.

Got there around 8am and dumped about 1000 rds between the 9 of us. Weather was a little chilly but got warm around noon once the fog burned off. About 20 or so people started showing up while we were packing up to leave around 1230. All in all a pretty good day.

Oh and they replaced the board that some idiots shot up.

[Scardog]

Dasik and wasabe, on behalf of a calgunner and fellow shooter, thank you guys for helping out with keeping chicken springs safe and looking good.