today at the shooting range

look a couple times a month I take my youngest son out to the public shooting range... its our father son thing right... been doing it since he was little... know most of the people who go there too... but today was different

A couple of young men Wearing OD pants bloused boots and black and gray shooting shirts, were talking military if I ever saw one, right down to the way they wore their handcuffs on their belts... ... Okay sure we see the old war horses who still play dress-up but matching uniforms??? these boys were way out of place for your normal weekend shooters...

thing is while we were all on the firing line I could have sworn they were quickly taking down license plate numbers... left in a plain unmarked sedan, no hubcaps and the whole thing left me thinking someone is making a list of who we were...

Oh I should add I know an issued uniform when I see one these were some kind of current issue... none I've seen before and I've seen a lot


[edit on 10-10-2009 by DaddyBare]

This is kind of concerning. Good observation though. What makes you think that they were taking plate numbers? Did you see them writing them down or something? Makes sense though, why not get intel on ppl that they know have guns and ppl that may be skilled with them.

If I ever go to the public range anymore, I introduce myself to everyone.

Best bet, just to be safe, promote freedom and meet like minded people. Plus I am aleways in a great mood at the range.

If I were you...

I would contact wildlife reserve, fish and game or DNR officer branch and open up a line of communication.

Especially because your son was there and you are there promoting safety.

You want to let them know how uneasy they made you feel and that your state rep or local official will be contacted as well.

Just my advice.

I'm glad you shared this story. Gives me further reason to stay away from public ranges. I usually shoot in remote spots on BLM land just because I've been flagged by strangers too many times at the popular ranges to feel safe.

I'd hate to think any marskman at the range would be spying on their fellow Americans, but who the hell knows these days.

Where did this take place? Is it BLM/county land? Is there a base or prison or something nearby? Why did they have handcuffs? Were they open-carrying too?
It sounds a bit suspicious.

reply to post by The_Brave


Buy a gun legally from a gun shop and your name is on a list.
(me included)
Buy private if possible...........

[edit on 10-10-2009 by Pinktip]

Originally posted by ctopherlee11
This is kind of concerning. Good observation though. What makes you think that they were taking plate numbers? Did you see them writing them down or something? Makes sense though, why not get intel on ppl that they know have guns and ppl that may be skilled with them.

The old pad and pen in the front left breast pocket ...old school true but if they popped out a digital cam there would have been questions I'm sure..
even jotting a note wouldn't have been odd, we all do that but it the way the systemically moved through the parking lot... Unless paramilitary is the new dress choice for common car thief's I think I've been put down on yet another list ...

reply to post by The_Brave


I did point them out to the range safety officer. He's another old timer like me. said he would keep an eye out for them but it seemed to be their first time there... to bad we dint get their plate number, blame that on being an old guy who wears bifocals now

I visit gun shops every week. I also have a close relative who owns a gun shop.

Lately I've noticed more than the normal amount of customers wearing camo uniforms. No name tags, no patches or any other identifying marks.

Hunting season has not opened here yet. What am I seeing?

I have Ft. Stewart north of me and Kings Bay Nuclear Sub base south of me and a huge Federal Law Enforcement Training Center 10 miles from me.

The military essence permeates our area and for good reason.

I can tell you our citizens in the area are heavily armed and this includes normal 9 to 5 working women.

I've carried a weapon in my purse since 1966. Now it's on my side. I conceal it with a shirt or vest. Yes, I have a concealed weapons permit.

It is my opinion that many groups of citizens are waking up and forming small militias for the protection of family and friends.

Our crime rate has ballooned in the past year. Day light armed robberies seem to be very popular right now.

Seems to me the silent motto of the civilians here is, I'm lean, green and mean. Don't mess with me and you won't get hurt.

I do love a peaceful life but it's not easy to accomplish anymore. There is no where I Feel totally safe anymore. I stay on alert as do many here.

There was a time I could take a short nap in the hammock on the porch and not worry. I still nap but have my dogs with me to warn of intruders and I will meet force with force.

I remember when I was a child and our doors were never locked. Good memories.

This is similiar but less high tech than my experience several years ago.


I lived near a range in the Dallas area, just east of it. There's a dirt track next to the range called "devils bowl".

I was on the high way headed there and looking south, I could see a black chopper flying an "attack" run and coming back after a bit. Very low at times. This was about 1000 yds away. I thought at first it was a friend from the local airport nearby that had a small chopper. I said to myself "man, if he gets caught doing that they're gonna clip his wings for sure".

I went down the rock road to Mr. Smiths range (not his name). When I arrived, everyone was standing around looking toward the track thats across the road from the range. I asked whats up. They said "wait". Sure enough, here comes the chopper. It wasnt my friends little whirly bird , it was a freakin blackhawk with no id numbers (no they werent subdued, I was within 50 feet of the SOB).

He popped up and over the track and went parallel to the parking lot at the range and hovered a bit. Then left again. I was like, "huh, aint that weird". He was gone several minutes so we went back to our rat killin.

We were discussing it between breaks and here he comes back. The range, at that time was divided for pistol, 50 yard, 200 yard, 100 yard and black powder/trap. The bp side was separated physically by a 10' berm.
This chopper sat parallel on top of the berm about 8' in the air with his left side door open and the guy inside had some sort of big equipment aimed at us. This is about 15-20' away being conservative. One of the cops there pulled his bino's out and said "thats a freakin camera". After about 1min, we aimed rifles in his general direction and he booked out of there post haste.

No idea what this was about other than getting plate id's and OUR id's. I'll never forget that. It was about the early 90's when this happened (during the reign of Clinton).

well. that's just creepy. I would love to go to the range but I can't find any 7.63x39 ammo in quantities of less than 1,000 rounds. I'm not spending any of my good ammo on target practice though so I guess I;ll just have to wait. I don't see the sense of anyone writing down lisence numbers unless maybe you were shooting something exotic like a .50 cal or a full auto smg. There used to be 2 ranges nearby but both have closed down in the last year. Life without ranges is getting boring!

reply to post by Asktheanimals


Getting slightly off topic you might want to check Cheaper than dirt for your ammo..

Getting back on topic, and after having time to sleep on it... they had this alert posture as if they expect to find someone??? maybe it wasn't the group of us shooter but someone special they were looking for? still freaks me out though