# island lake issue in court NEEDS YOUR HELP!



## Barbara (Mar 4, 2004)

Heh, Randy, at least one of them is a hunter, and another one is a member of this board. The last time I posted here, he wrote me several emails telling me I was a ******* who was harming firearm rights by supporting Island Lake.

(Hi, Al!)


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## Randy Kidd (Apr 21, 2001)

Barbara said:


> Heh, Randy, at least one of them is a hunter, and another one is a member of this board. The last time I posted here, he wrote me several emails telling me I was a ******* who was harming firearm rights by supporting Island Lake.
> 
> (Hi, Al!)


Isn't that an oxymoron?


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## GoneFishin (Jan 11, 2001)

I live about 1.5 mi from a range in a fairly quite community, sure I can hear the reports but it isn't high on the decible scale, doesn't bother me any.

It would be a shame that a really nice range like Island Lake, constructed by this State would be shutdown by the quibblings of a few (what the heck do they do all day stand in their backyards trying to hear the reports over the din of I-96).

The entire range is bermed and there is a sound proofed stand at every station of the Clays course plus an abundance of foliage to absorb much of the sound.   I find it hard to believe that the reports from the firearms are that loud outside the bermed area.


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## TomW (Nov 19, 2003)

Seems the judge in the case as his last act in office has closed the Island Lake shooting ranges until the outcome of a law suit filed by the township against the DNR is concluded. Ann Ann Arbor news article link is below.

http://www.mlive.com/news/aanews/in...09002156000.xml

If you are a member of a shooting club, get out and support them, they could be next!!!! As it stands right now people in that area no longer have an open public range. Next closest is the Howell Gun Club which is private, and has no sporting clays course. Post 46 Hunt and Fish Club just south of Pinckney has a nice clays course but will be closing soon for the firearm deer season opener, so their members can hunt the property and it also gives the members that work the course a chance to have a few weekends free.

Tom W


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## bigair (Apr 16, 2004)

Man this is sad.
Step #1 . Remove shooting range.
Step #2 . Complain about gunfire from hunters.
Step #3 . No longer allow hunting.
Step #4 . Revenues from park users are no longer enough to sustain park.
Step #5 . Close park and sell land to greedy developers.
Step #6 . Forests and land bulldozed.
Step #7 . Subdivisions and stripmalls pop up for all to enjoy.
Maybe a worst case senario, but I can see it happening. Speak up sportsman. I have a gun range near me in bald mountain. If this goes through, it might give bald mountains neighbors some ideas. It is only a matter of time.


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## kumma (Jul 12, 2002)

This is a joke. These people who complain must be cave dwellers with no elecricity. Heres an interesting breakdown of noises over the 65 decibles that was mentioned in the article. The honorable Judge Burress must crusade against these items to make our world safe so housewives dont breakdown and cry. 

Window Fan on High 60-66
Alarm Clock 60-80
Dishwasher 63-66
Clothes Washer 65-70
_*Normal Conversation (3-5 feet) 60-70*_
Phone 66-75
Push Reel Mower 68-72
Inside Car, Windows Closed, 30 MPH 68-73
Handheld Electronic Games 68-76
Kitchen Exhaust Fan, High 69-71
Inside Car, Windows Open, 30 MPH 72-76
Garbage Disposal 76-83
Air Popcorn Popper 78-85
Hairdryer 80-95
Electric Can Opener 81-83
Vacuum Cleaner 84-89
Coffee Grinder 84-95
Handheld Electric Mixer 86-91
Lawn Mower 88-94
Air Compressor 90-93
1/4" Drill 92-95
Food Processor 93-100
Weed Whacker 94-96
Leaf Blower 95-105
Circular Saw 100-104
Maximum Output of Stereo 100-110


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## deputy (Feb 2, 2002)

Yes well the biggest issue was the sportspeople that didnt come to the meetings or write letters, or the ones that said well i only sight in there so it doesnt effect me, it is only the clays part! well guess what it does effect you! i belong to private clubs but still use it on occassion and i was there! for the meetings and writing letters this is just the first in theses peoples list!

if you dont get involved i dont want to here any crying


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## Rifleman99 (Sep 21, 2004)

The 11 pm news on WXYZ Channel 7 on Nov 3rd aired a story that was very one sided on the closing of the island lake gun range. The news crew on site was apparentlly a mile away at a residence(which happened to look very much like the park in the shot) and a VERY slight gun shot was heard. The news completelly took the side of the closure of the range and i was absoultlly steamed and how misleading the story was:rant: . I personally had help collect signatures at my sportsperson club and church to help keep the range open. It is time the EVERYONE who considers themselves a sportsperson to get off the butt and get our range back!!!! With the court ruling in play, are hands look to be tied until the dnr has its apeal heard. In the mean time, if there is any way we can help this along we need to do it! If there is anyone out there that reads these and can offer more help, please pitch in and help. Thank you all and please out our voices together and stand up for our rights(its about time we do a little b!tching of our own):yikes:


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## Rifleman99 (Sep 21, 2004)

I contacted the range this morning and aparentlly the papers have not been served to them yet. While the imjuction has been filed, there is still time to get in some last minute sighting in done-better hurry!! However, they do not have a clue when the papers are going to be served, so it is best to call ahead. As far as the dnr/apeal goes, I contacted the PR diretor for parks & rec and left a message asking when the apeal will be heard, if there is anything we can do, etc. As soon as I hear anything, I will post it here. 

In the mean time, if anyone knows anything else(legal wise or grapevine) keep us in the loop


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## Rifleman99 (Sep 21, 2004)

TrailFndr said:


> The Sandhill Crane??? If the Noise from I-96 didn't chase it away, the range certianly isn't going to do so. I use the metroparks Nature area several times each year, I have yet to be bothered in any way by the sound of the range. I am much more bothered with the sound of trucks on I-96, as well as the copter ride pilot from the local airport that likes to give rides over the top of the waves on the lake, at about 20-30 ft off the waves...That would scare more wildlive than the range will
> 
> 
> This seems like a simple case of some busy body trying to impose thier will on the many. What a crock...I'll make a call tomorrow...not as a resident, but as a user of surrounding parklands..


I have seen deer a top of the clay range when It was being built, all the while people are sighting in their rifles!


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## Barbara (Mar 4, 2004)

The range is open through next Wednesday. 

Don't give up. It's closed pending the trial, not necessarily permanently. The NRC has been fantastic in support of this range, however, there have been a lot of times I've attended hearings, etc. when I was either the only person supporting the range or one of few, while a dozen of the other side showed up. With the state budget crunch, the NRC has to think carefully about the expense, and they need to know we believe the range is worth supporting. Let them know, preferably in writing (rather than email) how important the range is. If you know someone who lives in either Green Oak or Brighton Township, have them contact the range and offer to testify. 

Giving up isn't an option, because this is the way they're going to take ranges (and hunting) away, through zoning ordinances and environmental laws.


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## Barbara (Mar 4, 2004)

From Island Lake:



> Due to a clerical error (or the Judge needs time to site in his deer rifle) or some other reason, it appears now that the range will be open through Wed. the 17th.


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## Barbara (Mar 4, 2004)

Latest news report:

http://www.mlive.com/news/aanews/index.ssf?/base/news-3/1099930020177030.xml


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## Barbara (Mar 4, 2004)

Sounds like the range is scheduled for shutdown tomorrow.


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## TomW (Nov 19, 2003)

Barbara said:


> The people complaining are pretty out there. One threatened to sue me for making a statement at a NRC committee meeting in support of Island Lake. One cries at every meeting and claims the range is destroying her marriage. This same one claimed people let their children crawl around the range out there.
> 
> They dug around the dumpsters at Island Lake and collected shell boxes and drug them around hte state complaining about the lead content (my favorite quote from one of them describing how much water a box of shotgun shells could pollute "I don't know how much that is but it sounds scary!")


Barbara, 

As a chemist I can assure you that lead shot will not dissolve and enter our drinking water from the range. Metalic LEAD used in shell, and bullets will not dissolve. You need some pretty strong acid to get it to do so. After all Lead plates are used in our car batteries in a pretty concentrated sulfuric acid solution. These people are nuts! They are getting more heavy metals in their blood stream from fish, their own fillings in their mouths and the natural arsenic in the water in that area! 

The reason that the DNR and the USFWS want us to use steel shot when hunting water fowl has nothing to do with the lead disolving in the marshs, lakes and ponds. Water fowl are bottom feeders and they eat the lead pellets, which they manage to disolve up from the acid in their disgestive system. Thats a whole different matter. 

Keep fighting the good fight, and don't believe these morons. They are a bunch of people with way too much time on their hands, and so they jump on the band wagon and start law suits when things don't go their way. Everyone of them could sell their homes, and use Island Lake as a selling point. I am sure pleanty of shooters and hunters would love to live near there. 

My wife and I looked at a home a few years ago right next to the Howell Gun Club. The main reason we decided not to buy was that the next door neighbor was too close, and the back yard looked like it was mostly MARSH - Had nothing to do with guns.

Tom W


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## Zofchak (Jan 10, 2003)

Does anyone know if the NRC hired anyone to check(estimate) the surrounding noise levels before construction? You would think that when spending so much time and money on a project and already having opposition from surrounding residents (before it was even built) that they would have at least checked.

Also if they did hire a firm to check the noise levels then they may have grounds to hold them financially responsible.


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## deputy (Feb 2, 2002)

I'am glad its closed! maybe now so others will take notice and make a effort. instead of depending on other's to do there fighting for them! i was sick when i would tell people about this and give them the info to help and they would say no the range has been there forever! well guess what! idiots hahahahahah it isnt now! is it. so get off your ass and do something


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## vzwnnj (Nov 18, 2004)

Hi everyone...once I stumbled onto this site, I had to register and post my comments about the Island Lake shooting range. 

I am a regular user of the range and my family are regular visitors to the Island Lake park. My wife and kids have NEVER even commented about the sound of guns from the range while at the park. 

I think its sad that people will look for any reason to keep gun owners from enjoying the sport. I've heard the reports of I-96 being louder than the range and would have to agree. My question is why hasn't the noise from I-96 prompted these "locals" to file lawsuits against the state? 

Incidentally, I called today and the range is closed indefinitely...I can only applaud the fact that this short sighted judge is retiring...I wonder if he lives in the area?

By the way, I did ask the range officers how I could help in keeping it open, but they were looking more for residents in the area and I am not that close.


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## DHughes (Jan 22, 2005)

Island Lake reopened on Dec. 18, 2004.
The Michigan Court of Appeals reversed the lower court's ruling. The case will go back to the 44th. Circuit Court for a hearing, but no date has been set.
Ph. 248.437.2784


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## SmallGameStalker (Mar 5, 2005)

I went out to Island Lake for the first time this past weekend & was thoroughly impressed by both the facility and its staff, who were polite, courteous, and in the case of the range officers, absolutely dedicated to running a safe range. When I was in the parking lot, I could hear gunfire without ear protection, but it was definitely not what I would call excessively loud. According to the range officer I spoke to, the nearest resident is a mile away, and he is an avid patron of the range. At that distance, I imagine the noise to be neglible, so I personally can't see where the initial complaint came from.


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