Thoughts on Range Bag Identification.

Lurch37 · March 26, 2012, 05:14 PM

Yesterday I went to my local private Gun Range and once inside the gate I noticed a range bag laying by itself where we park our cars. There was no one there except me and so I went over and picked up the bag, then sat it on my pickup bed tailgate. I didn't know what to do so I went through the bag looking for some form of I.D. so as to call the person and let him know his bag was here. After finding nothing, I proceeded to shoot what I had intended to shoot, thinking about what I was going to do if the guy didn't show up before I left.

I had made up my mind to take the bag home, call our range president, and tell him I had it, and hope that whoever left it there would do the same and ask if anyone had found anything, thus letting him contact me and getting his stuff back to him. Our range office is locked and I wasn't about to just leave it there, so I was hoping I had made the right choice.

About half way through my session, a car comes in, leaving the gate open, and comes quickly over to my truck. I was relieved that the owner had noticed his missing stuff and came back before I left as I felt rather uncomfortable in the idea of taking it with me. I told him I had looked through the bag in an effort to find some I.D., and he was fine with that and very happy that his bag was still there.

Maybe you guys already do this, and I can't believe I never thought about it, but after this little episode, I have decided to somehow mark my bags with my personal info in case I ever leave a bag there, and I would strongly suggest that anyone who doesn't have some I.D. in their bags to do so.

I would also enjoy your thoughts on if I was correct in the decision to take the bag home and contacting the range officers in hopes of the bags owner doing the same.

Thanks.

**Aguila Blanca** · March 26, 2012, 05:47 PM

Quote:

Maybe you guys already do this, and I can't believe I never thought about it, but after this little episode, I have decided to somehow mark my bags with my personal info in case I ever leave a bag there, and I would strongly suggest that anyone who doesn't have some I.D. in their bags to do so.

I suppose it is my role to rain on every available parade.

Suppose the person who finds your range bag isn't a "good guy"? Suppose, for example, that his profession is cat burglar. So he finds your range bag, he finds your ID inside, and he now knows where there's a house that has guns in it.

Having some sort of contact information is probably a good idea, but consider that it might be best to limit it to a card with a nickname (only) and a cell phone number that doesn't register your full name when called, and doesn't spit up your address when reverse searched.

Willie Sutton · March 26, 2012, 06:17 PM

I use stamped Dog-Tags with my name, cellphone, and Post Office box stamped on the tag. It's good ID but does not include my home address. I had a dozen of them made for just a few dollars, have them on all of my bags, briefcase, etc. They look good and work well.

Willie

.

**Aguila Blanca** · March 26, 2012, 11:17 PM

Willie Sutton -- excellent idea.

**4V50 Gary** · March 27, 2012, 05:11 AM

Luggage tags comes to mind.

Lurch37 - you're a good man.

johnbt · March 27, 2012, 10:27 AM

I have found stuff at the range and had to take it to protect it.

I always leave a note on the bulletin board with a general statement of what I found and how to contact me - just to cover my butt against theft claims.

PPBart · March 27, 2012, 11:31 AM

Quote:

Suppose the person who finds your range bag isn't a "good guy"?

Back when I used to travel extensively on business I tagged all my bags with my work address and phone # (which was always forwarded to my cell when out of office). Actually, this was recommended practice by my employer.

lawnboy · March 27, 2012, 11:17 PM

Quote:

Back when I used to travel extensively on business I tagged all my bags with my work address and phone # (which was always forwarded to my cell when out of office). Actually, this was recommended practice by my employer.

This is what I do. Both for luggage and for my range bag. I just pop a business card into the tag slot.

UtopiaTexasG19 · March 28, 2012, 10:28 AM

"Suppose the person who finds your range bag isn't a "good guy"? Suppose, for example, that he is a profession cat burglar. So he finds your range bag, he finds your ID inside, and he now knows where there's a house that has guns in it."

You can always identify the cat burglars at the shooting range. They have the longer whiskers!

Lurch37 · March 28, 2012, 07:43 PM

Quote:

I suppose it is my role to rain on every available parade.

I guess it is since I got soaked walking to the mailbox this afternoon.

But yes, I see your point, although I wasn't suggesting that one should have a detailed 3-D map of your firearm locations and the same for directions to your house. Only an I.D. of some sort so said person, hopefully a good one, could contact you.

I do like that dog-tag idea thanks. And as for posting some note on a bulletin board, our range office is locked, but I suppose a guy could leave a note of some sort taped to the door? I dunno bout that one.

Jeff22 · March 28, 2012, 09:49 PM

The dog tag idea would work well.

I have military fabric name tapes sewed on many of my gear bags.

Some of my shooting bags have padded sides that makes sewing difficult so I may have a batch of dog tags made up.

March 26, 2012, 05:14 PM	#1
Lurch37 Senior Member Join Date: August 6, 2006 Location: Middle of Nebraska Posts: 941	Thoughts on Range Bag Identification. Yesterday I went to my local private Gun Range and once inside the gate I noticed a range bag laying by itself where we park our cars. There was no one there except me and so I went over and picked up the bag, then sat it on my pickup bed tailgate. I didn't know what to do so I went through the bag looking for some form of I.D. so as to call the person and let him know his bag was here. After finding nothing, I proceeded to shoot what I had intended to shoot, thinking about what I was going to do if the guy didn't show up before I left. I had made up my mind to take the bag home, call our range president, and tell him I had it, and hope that whoever left it there would do the same and ask if anyone had found anything, thus letting him contact me and getting his stuff back to him. Our range office is locked and I wasn't about to just leave it there, so I was hoping I had made the right choice. About half way through my session, a car comes in, leaving the gate open, and comes quickly over to my truck. I was relieved that the owner had noticed his missing stuff and came back before I left as I felt rather uncomfortable in the idea of taking it with me. I told him I had looked through the bag in an effort to find some I.D., and he was fine with that and very happy that his bag was still there. Maybe you guys already do this, and I can't believe I never thought about it, but after this little episode, I have decided to somehow mark my bags with my personal info in case I ever leave a bag there, and I would strongly suggest that anyone who doesn't have some I.D. in their bags to do so. I would also enjoy your thoughts on if I was correct in the decision to take the bag home and contacting the range officers in hopes of the bags owner doing the same. Thanks. __________________ I reject your reality and substitute my own.

March 27, 2012, 05:11 AM	#5
4V50 Gary Staff Join Date: November 2, 1998 Location: Colorado Posts: 21,832	Luggage tags comes to mind. Lurch37 - you're a good man. __________________ Vigilantibus et non dormientibus jura subveniunt. *Molon Labe!*

March 28, 2012, 09:49 PM	#11
Jeff22 Senior Member Join Date: September 15, 2004 Location: Madison, Wisconsin Posts: 715	IDing your range bag The dog tag idea would work well. I have military fabric name tapes sewed on many of my gear bags. Some of my shooting bags have padded sides that makes sewing difficult so I may have a batch of dog tags made up. __________________ You can only learn from experience if you pay attention!

March 26, 2012, 06:17 PM	#3
Willie Sutton Junior member Join Date: January 26, 2012 Posts: 1,066	I use stamped Dog-Tags with my name, cellphone, and Post Office box stamped on the tag. It's good ID but does not include my home address. I had a dozen of them made for just a few dollars, have them on all of my bags, briefcase, etc. They look good and work well. Willie .

March 26, 2012, 11:17 PM	#4
Aguila Blanca Staff Join Date: September 25, 2008 Location: CONUS Posts: 18,459	Willie Sutton -- excellent idea.

March 27, 2012, 10:27 AM	#6
johnbt Senior Member Join Date: December 6, 1999 Location: Richmond, Virginia USA Posts: 6,004	I have found stuff at the range and had to take it to protect it. I always leave a note on the bulletin board with a general statement of what I found and how to contact me - just to cover my butt against theft claims.

March 28, 2012, 10:28 AM	#9
UtopiaTexasG19 Senior Member Join Date: July 3, 2011 Location: S.E. Texas Gulf Coast Posts: 743	"Suppose the person who finds your range bag isn't a "good guy"? Suppose, for example, that he is a profession cat burglar. So he finds your range bag, he finds your ID inside, and he now knows where there's a house that has guns in it." You can always identify the cat burglars at the shooting range. They have the longer whiskers!