Forest Service Looking for a reason "NOT" to renew Winchester Canyon Gun Club's Use Permit

[McKenna]

http://www.keyt.com/news/local/Aiming-for-Safety-at-Local-Gun-Club-154648415.html

The Forest Service in Santa Barbara County is looking for reasons to not renew WCGC's National Forest use permits. They already got the Lower San Ynez recreational area shut down from fewer than 150 signatures and implaced a "Hunting Ban". Lets not let one of the only Ranges in the county get shutdown.
I would please ask that you voice you opinion in this matter over the phone to the NF official at the Goleta field office.

Forest Headquarters
6755 Hollister Ave
Suite 150
Goleta, CA 93117

Phone: (805) 968-6640
Fax: (805) 961-5729
TDD: (805) 968-6790
8:00am – 12:00pm
1:00pm-4:30pm
Monday-Friday

[Rob P.]

The FS is looking for a way to ban firearms in the LPNF entirely. They have shut down Cherry Canyon and imposed a "no firearms" restriction for the entire Cherry Canyon road area (other than lawful hunters hunting through the area.

They are looking to shut down the range on East Camino Cielo Road because of trash. The 2 pistol ranges on West Camino Cielo have been periodically closed at times because of noise and trash. Now the Winchester Canyon range is in danger. (Although I don't think the risk is that great because there is a federal law which prohibits closure of existing gun ranges.)

I DO think that all of the closures are political in nature because urban life is encroaching further into the wilderness and most urbanites don't like the sound of guns since it reminds them of crime and fear.

[Where's Bruce?]

These closures are criminal! It's our property!!! The public owns it!

[IK13]

There's also Chumash Indian issues involved there that won't help.
Frankly, I'm surprised they didn't shut down the "Glass Factory" on East Camino Cielo sooner.
Besides the trash, lots of unsafe stuff was going on there, which doesn't help a bit.
I'm sure the Winchester Club will survive this round, but the choke is getting tighter.
Now off to the phone to give FS a call...