# Camping Observation



## Chaser (Sep 28, 2007)

This past weekend my wife and I had the pleasure of joining her family to camp on the Idaho side of Bear Lake, near St. Charles, at the Cloverleaf campground. I had never been there before, but her family has stayed there many times before. Nice little spot for those of you thinking of a Bear Lake trip. 

Anyway, while there I made an observation, and the more I thought about it, the more I realized I have seen it many times in the past at other camping destinations. Many of you are familiar with airsoft guns. Some of you probably have kids who enjoy playing with them. Hell, I will even fess up to owning one. For those of you who don't know what they are, these guns are considered toys, similar to a BB gun, but the BBs they shoot are bigger, plastic, and come in any color imaginable. My observation was the BBs found all over tarnation in the campgrounds. Everywhere I would look, I could find a small handful of blue, yellow, purple, etc, BBs within a few feet of me. Now mind you, these things aren't a huge eye sore like toilet paper or plastic utensils would be, but litter, nonetheless. In some respects, I wanted to just let it go, as they are small and relatively un-noticeable, but at the same time I couldn't forget about them as they aren't meant to be there, and there were probably thousands in the whole campground. I believe it would be unreasonable to expect kids to chase down and pick up every single one of them, but I also think they make a mess of nature.

It made me wonder what other folks think about this. So, has anyone else made this observation, or am I just being anal retentive about something that most others consider insignificant?


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## MKP (Mar 7, 2010)

My little brother loves the d*mn things! I'm seeing them more and more at camp sites, florescent BB's everywhere. I wish the stupid things would bio-degrade, as you said nobody is going pick the things up. If their popularity continues, what will camp sites look like? I'm not sure what to do, I just wish people were more considerate.


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## sawsman (Sep 13, 2007)

Litter is litter and I'd rather not look at it while out camping. My boy shoots these plastic BB's outside around the yard. At first I didn't think much about it.. but they do build up after awhile and become quite annoying. Geeze, do they have to make 'em so brightly colored? if they were dirt brown colored or camoed at least they wouldnt stand out so bad! :mrgreen: 

So Chaser- did you pick them up so you could re-shoot them? :lol:


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## Fowlmouth (Oct 4, 2008)

Littering as far as I'm concerned. I also hate when I'm out hunting and groups of guys come stomping through the area having paintball wars. Had a guy jump out behind a tree with a bead on me, until he saw the 12 ga. in my hand. I think he had a "movement" right there.


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## Bhilly81 (Oct 18, 2009)

i totally agree i hate the **** things for that reason the kids have even come in after we leave to job for the night and play all through these houses and it worries me as well cause thats a big liability for us also plus when we leave the job we end up sweeping them all up i can fill up a pint jar every 2 houses


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## wes242 (Jan 2, 2010)

The only interaction I have had with those things was as I drove by a couple of kids aiming one at me as I drove by, once I heard it hit my car boy did I back up and give them a mouth full.


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## Bears Butt (Sep 12, 2007)

About 5 or 6 years ago I had this discussion with my wife. We traveled through Wyoming, into Idaho, Montana, Nevada and back to Utah one summer. EVERY campground we stayed at had them scattered about the place. I made the comment then that the manufacturers of those tiny bb's should be making them out of a degradable substance. No body, at least those shooting them, are going to pick them up. They are a menace that will only get worse.


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## Bears Butt (Sep 12, 2007)

After making the statement above, I looked on line at airsoft ammo, and did in fact find a site that sells biodegradable ammo for them. YEAH!!! The manufacturers must have gotten some heat, or their staff realized the negative impact of their bb's. I'm very glad to see this and wish that all shooters would only purchase the bio type rounds.


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## Chaser (Sep 28, 2007)

Bears Butt said:
 

> After making the statement above, I looked on line at airsoft ammo, and did in fact find a site that sells biodegradable ammo for them. YEAH!!! The manufacturers must have gotten some heat, or their staff realized the negative impact of their bb's. I'm very glad to see this and wish that all shooters would only purchase the bio type rounds.


I don't think most people are aware of them. Furthermore, a lot of parents would probably just say "screw it, they cost too much". I think the FS should require their camp hosts to monitor this. Or at least if they see it, write tickets or something.


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## lunkerhunter2 (Nov 3, 2007)

I make my son pick up as many as possible. They build up quickly just in the yard.


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## pkred (Jul 9, 2009)

When I was a kid I would of saw this as an opportunity. Free ammo! But to most seems like its just trash, too bad i was always the kind of guy who liked getting something for nothing.


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