Any old timers remember this place? Don's Marine land..

[RockHopper]

Do You Remember...Don’s Marineland?

At one time, Sapulpa had no public swimming pool. Our “swimming hole” was Don’s Marineland, located northwest of Sapulpa on Sahoma Lake Road. Do you remembe ...

sapulpaherald.com

Yesterday I dropped a deposit, and first months rent on a 2 bed, 2 bath trailer that sits right across the driveway from the still-standing life-guard structure. There are 4 tiny home cabins (air-b-n-b's) clustered together on the turnpike side of the property, but other than the spring/summertime weekend visitors, I'll have the place to myself. A locked gate, and 90 acres of rich small game trails and fishing. The main reservoir, and smaller ponds are all stocked with crappie and bass.
While the property owner and I walk toured the nearest edge of the reservoir, I saw 2 types of turtles, several fish jumping (jumping fish in the ponds as well), ducks, geese, a crane, and plenty of different game sign. The only limitations for me will be deer, and game birds. Aside from those, all small game is fair game.

From the covered porch I have a perfect shooting angle at the opposite bank of the closest pond, about 50-75 yds away. And from the same spot, elevation up....I get an open field of view in the NEXT pond over opposite bank. Guesstimated at 150-200 yds. (Also easy access for targets)

I am so totally stoked about this. I gonna build a bench-rest right there on the front porch, and find or build a fireplace close-by. The owner already offered me a pretty decently large, free-standing fire pit...but it's open all all sides, so I'll want something protected from the wind. Perhaps some added shielding with sheet metal or something to box it in with.

Also..the place is small, but I'm a single guy...so the spare room and bath will come in handy for guests. The fishing, It's catch and release only...but I've been assured that bringing in guests is completely kosher. (Ya don't have to throw 'em ALL back, he said. Just be reasonable about it)

I quadruple checked with him that target shooting and small game hunting was alright with him, and he finally admitted that he WANTED it, and was one reason why he chose me as the new tenant. He says the neighbors on the far end of the reservoir have been charging guests for fishing rights on HIS property for the last couple years now. Says he thinks fairly regular gunfire will probably discourage such activity. Dunno whether that will work, but it sure works to MY advantage!

 

[Mr.Glock]

Cool!

 

[TinkerTanker]

Do You Remember...Don’s Marineland?

At one time, Sapulpa had no public swimming pool. Our “swimming hole” was Don’s Marineland, located northwest of Sapulpa on Sahoma Lake Road. Do you remembe ...

sapulpaherald.com

Yesterday I dropped a deposit, and first months rent on a 2 bed, 2 bath trailer that sits right across the driveway from the still-standing life-guard structure. There are 4 tiny home cabins (air-b-n-b's) clustered together on the turnpike side of the property, but other than the spring/summertime weekend visitors, I'll have the place to myself. A locked gate, and 90 acres of rich small game trails and fishing. The main reservoir, and smaller ponds are all stocked with crappie and bass.
While the property owner and I walk toured the nearest edge of the reservoir, I saw 2 types of turtles, several fish jumping (jumping fish in the ponds as well), ducks, geese, a crane, and plenty of different game sign. The only limitations for me will be deer, and game birds. Aside from those, all small game is fair game.

From the covered porch I have a perfect shooting angle at the opposite bank of the closest pond, about 50-75 yds away. And from the same spot, elevation up....I get an open field of view in the NEXT pond over opposite bank. Guesstimated at 150-200 yds. (Also easy access for targets)

I am so totally stoked about this. I gonna build a bench-rest right there on the front porch, and find or build a fireplace close-by. The owner already offered me a pretty decently large, free-standing fire pit...but it's open all all sides, so I'll want something protected from the wind. Perhaps some added shielding with sheet metal or something to box it in with.

Also..the place is small, but I'm a single guy...so the spare room and bath will come in handy for guests. The fishing, It's catch and release only...but I've been assured that bringing in guests is completely kosher. (Ya don't have to throw 'em ALL back, he said. Just be reasonable about it)

I quadruple checked with him that target shooting and small game hunting was alright with him, and he finally admitted that he WANTED it, and was one reason why he chose me as the new tenant. He says the neighbors on the far end of the reservoir have been charging guests for fishing rights on HIS property for the last couple years now. Says he thinks fairly regular gunfire will probably discourage such activity. Dunno whether that will work, but it sure works to MY advantage!

Not to rain on your fantastic place (drizzle really), but isn't there an Oklahoma law against shooting near water (except duck hunts)? I might be misremembering.
Sounds like an awesome place though. Waiting for some pics!

 

[RockHopper]

Not to rain on your fantastic place (drizzle really), but isn't there an Oklahoma law against shooting near water (except duck hunts)? I might be misremembering.
Sounds like an awesome place though. Waiting for some pics!

You bring up an interesting question. I'm looking into it now, but if anybody can quote any laws which directly effect me in this issue... I'd appreciate it. I'm thinking those particular laws effect only public lands/spaces. I do know that the owner and his son's have been shooting there since he purchased the property in 2008. The reservoir has more than a hundred year history of gamebird hunting as well. From the locked gate at the entrance, there is at least a 300 yd distance of private paved driveway. None of the structures can be eyeballed from the gate either because of the lay of the land and a curve in said road.

Without a warrant, any law enforcement would have a VERY difficult time proving in court that they had a right/responsibility to trespass in the interest of "public safety" concern just because of the sound of gunfire on private property.

 

[TinkerTanker]

You bring up an interesting question. I'm looking into it now, but if anybody can quote any laws which directly effect me in this issue... I'd appreciate it. I'm thinking those particular laws effect only public lands/spaces. I do know that the owner and his son's have been shooting there since he purchased the property in 2008. The reservoir has more than a hundred year history of gamebird hunting as well. From the locked gate at the entrance, there is at least a 300 yd distance of private paved driveway. None of the structures can be eyeballed from the gate either because of the lay of the land and a curve in said road.

Without a warrant, any law enforcement would have a VERY difficult time proving in court that they had a right/responsibility to trespass in the interest of "public safety" concern just because of the sound of gunfire on private property.

I think it has more to do with water ricocheting the projectile than the sound of gunfire itself. If it cupped right and went to one of those cabins....
Shotguns don't have that problem though if you're using them. At least not to a degree that matters. That's why duck hunting is legal.

Again, I might be wrong about it being a law. I'm hoping someone with more knowledge will chime in here to make sure you're legal before I come out and visit your place for squirrel ka-bobs

 

[RockHopper]

I'll have to take some pics when I go back out next week, but ricochets wouldn't be physically possible from the elevation and angle. The pond are surrounded by bluffs that are at least 10' higher than the water. With a long tapered dirt "beach" at one end for entry. I'm sure that's why back when it was a swimming hole, they had the sides lined with truck tires. Somebody at the deep end would have an awfully hard time clawing their way up the bank.

As for the cabins, they are all in a grouping in the opposite direction...otherwise I doubt this would already be the "official" property shooting spot. None the less...if there were any question of trouble, there are other options for safely shooting over dry land within 100 yds of my place. Wouldn't be too hard to set up a prefab covered bench rest along another line of sight. There are also quite a few piles of concrete set up around the drain field of the reservoir which feeds the ponds in the rainy season. Many spots available for 50 yard shooting directly into that concrete and still be shooting "away" from the cabins.

I'm a little jealous of the largest cabin of the group. There's a dude from OKC who rents it year round as a weekend get away, and from his back deck on top of a hill...he has a clear line of fire across dry land to large berms on the opposite edge of the property. Looks like about 350 yds. At that elevated angle, I bet he could sit out there with a night vision scope, and pop coyotes all night while sipping hot coffee, and shuffling inside to a luxurious bathroom in fuzzy slippers.
Or at least...that's what I'd do. Then again, I'm a sucker for fuzzy slippers and nocturnal critter murderin.

 

[Raido Free America]

Do You Remember...Don’s Marineland?

At one time, Sapulpa had no public swimming pool. Our “swimming hole” was Don’s Marineland, located northwest of Sapulpa on Sahoma Lake Road. Do you remembe ...

sapulpaherald.com

Yesterday I dropped a deposit, and first months rent on a 2 bed, 2 bath trailer that sits right across the driveway from the still-standing life-guard structure. There are 4 tiny home cabins (air-b-n-b's) clustered together on the turnpike side of the property, but other than the spring/summertime weekend visitors, I'll have the place to myself. A locked gate, and 90 acres of rich small game trails and fishing. The main reservoir, and smaller ponds are all stocked with crappie and bass.
While the property owner and I walk toured the nearest edge of the reservoir, I saw 2 types of turtles, several fish jumping (jumping fish in the ponds as well), ducks, geese, a crane, and plenty of different game sign. The only limitations for me will be deer, and game birds. Aside from those, all small game is fair game.

From the covered porch I have a perfect shooting angle at the opposite bank of the closest pond, about 50-75 yds away. And from the same spot, elevation up....I get an open field of view in the NEXT pond over opposite bank. Guesstimated at 150-200 yds. (Also easy access for targets)

I am so totally stoked about this. I gonna build a bench-rest right there on the front porch, and find or build a fireplace close-by. The owner already offered me a pretty decently large, free-standing fire pit...but it's open all all sides, so I'll want something protected from the wind. Perhaps some added shielding with sheet metal or something to box it in with.

Also..the place is small, but I'm a single guy...so the spare room and bath will come in handy for guests. The fishing, It's catch and release only...but I've been assured that bringing in guests is completely kosher. (Ya don't have to throw 'em ALL back, he said. Just be reasonable about it)

I quadruple checked with him that target shooting and small game hunting was alright with him, and he finally admitted that he WANTED it, and was one reason why he chose me as the new tenant. He says the neighbors on the far end of the reservoir have been charging guests for fishing rights on HIS property for the last couple years now. Says he thinks fairly regular gunfire will probably discourage such activity. Dunno whether that will work, but it sure works to MY advantage!

Interesting, Thanks!

 

[Mr.Glock]

You fell on to a nice sounding place of tranquility!