Canyon Clean Up 2015 or A Day Designed Just For Me!

I was asked by a friend and her husband to take pictures of  a project they were organizing.  They called it Clean Up The Canyon.  They know me too well.  I am passionate to the point of obsession about picking up trash in and out of town.  I think they knew I could not pass this opportunity up.  It would be a double bonus for me, trash pick up and photography.  Oh happy Sunday afternoon!




Everything was full of bullet holes

and left  where it fell.

One of the thousand plastic bottles.

I have not been out to Rogers Canyon n a few years.  In fact I cannot remember when I was there last.  As I drove the curvy road into the canyon I was struck by the beauty, the beginning of greening up for Spring, the low steep cliff walls, the wilderness feel.  This is a place where people feel safe to bring their guns to shoot targets, to sight in hunting rifles.

 As I found out real fast, a place that people feel free to leave whatever they have used as a target. A place justified by the sport of target shooting to defile the natural wild spaces with everything from old televisions to school text books and anything else that could be shot to Hell. 

I don't understand the state of mind of people like this.  Don't get me wrong I appreciate the idea that we all have our own ways to enjoy life, to let off steam.  I am not anti gun by any means. Hunting is a way of life out here.  I myself have been known to appreciate a good Elk Steak!  I skied Biathalon in high school and college. I used to be pretty good with a .22 rifle, it is a must for the sport. The big kids both participated in shooting sports in 4-H.  It is not the gun I hate.  It is the lack of respect for the land that these shooters have for Rogers Canyon.  A place of unique beauty, a place to be cherished not strewn with garbage.




Thank you to my friend "H" and her husband "C", they are not the typical sport shooters.  This state that Rogers Canyon had become was on their hearts.  Unlike many who say something should be done and then walk away,  they did something.  They organized a Clean Up The Canyon afternoon.  They bribed (ok, offered up)  a BBQ after the hard work was over for all volunteers.  They expected maybe 5-10 people to show up.  They were blessed with many more. I was lucky to be one of the people with  a garbage bag in hand and camera in the other. 

 

 

 The orange is remnants of thousand of clay pigeons.  The theory is that they are biodegradable.  BUT this takes a lot of rain.  Something we in the high desert are lacking.










Thousands of clay pigeons were shot by thousands x2 shot gun shells.  And the plastic packing is everywhere. In less than 20 minutes I had filled a 13 gallon garbage bag full with buck shot casings and wadding.  Is it just too hard to bend down and pick up the bright red, orange and green shells?



 



Picking it up!

So grateful for such good help.

This hillside is the size of a couple football fields.

 

I came on this  carcass of an Antelope. (Prong Horn). Many things are so wrong here.  It is not the meat  provided for food, I like a good antelope chili,  but the disrespect in the dumping then shooting full of buck shot. What gain was there in this?  This was one of 3 carcasses found this way.   If this had been my dog, or a person I could press charges.  P.S. animal carcasses are to be taken care of properly after  butchering.   




In all 4 truck loads of garbage were hauled out of the canyon.  One afternoon, such a small amount of time, such good work!











 

 

I am ready to continue the good work.  I took a garbage bag to the dog walk field by my house today.  As the hound ran, I filled the bag with trash.  Thanks "H" and "C" for inspiring me.