It's a shooting pit, not a junkyard.

But it's often hard to tell the difference at Hayden Creek.

That's why area resident Bob Balser is once again coordinating a volunteer effort to clean up the heavily used shooting area located on Idaho Panhandle Forest land a few miles east of Hayden Lake.

Balser is inviting anyone who wants to help to just show up at the pit off Hayden Creek Road at 9:30 a.m. Wednesday.

"Last year we had a real good concentrated effort. We had 32 out there one day," Balser said.

But within a short period of time, the mess was back.

"It's just disappointing to realize you do all this, and they just bring more," Balser said.

The area is littered with makeshift targets - cardboard boxes, soda bottles and beer cans - all riddled with bullet holes.

Balser said he also likes to shoot, and he's afraid of what will happen if the area doesn't stay clean.

For years, Forest officials have threatened that they may close the Hayden Creek access to the national forest if the situation doesn't improve.

Balser said the Forest Service put up signs warning shooters to take their target trash, bullets and shell casings with them when they leave.

"They've torn them all down," he said. "We need to have a serious, concentrated law enforcement effort up there."

Balser said he would like to see officers spend about 10 days issuing tickets to littering shooters, and then have the information published in the newspaper.

"I think this would wake people up," Balser said.

In the meantime, he said he would be delighted to have some volunteers show up Wednesday.

Balser said helpers should wear boots and gloves and bring garden rakes.