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To your question Am I within my rights and acting reasonably to do so provided I do it in a safe and responsible manner? The answer is yes. Granted, what your interpretation of "responsible" and your neighbor's, that may differ... and evidently does, hence their screaming profanities. The sound of shots will carry significant distance - I live ~1 crow flying mile from a shooting range, and can hear that, when outside. Doesn't bother me at all - esp. since I target practice on my own place too. With your neighbors being much closer, and maybe without the dampening of trees, hills, etc. to the extent I have, the sound could be quite disturbing - especially if it is something new to them. I believe they could have handled their disapproval much better, coming over and meeting you... but, with that said, I would do both: visit the LEO, and stop by at the neighbors. From what it sounds they are already peeved at you, what do ya have to lose? Only other thing - maybe they do have valid reason for wanting their peace and quiet? Many folks live in the country just for that reason too. Won't know until you talk with 'em.
__________________
I want to stand as close to the edge as I can without going over. Out on the edge you see all the kinds of things you can't see from the center.
- Kurt Vonnegut
I do not think the measure of a civilization is how tall its buildings of concrete are,
But rather how well its people have learned to relate to their environment and fellow man.
- Sun Bear of the Chippewa Tribe
I've some friends that have this problem. Some people from the City move to the Country and then want to change it. They buy up some land on a MT and then want to try and keep people from hunting or shooting even though they are smack in the middle of public ground that gets hunted, a lot!
During hunting season if they see anyone hunting near there place he stands out in his yard shooting into the air trying to make sure no hunter can find game. He's had the Sheriff called on him numerous times.
I recently purchased a 35 acre tract of land in rural Calloway County Missouri purely for recreational purposes, mainly to hobby farm, hunt, get firewood, camp, and shoot. In the middle of the land there is a ridge rising at least 60 feet and I have fields allowing me to safely shoot into the base of the ridge distances of up to several hundred yards, facing west. There is nothing but woods for at least a mile west of the the hill. To the northeast there is a trailer house, about 1500 feet. Last time I was out there I burned through a magazine or two in my 40 S&W and my friend put maybe 15 rounds through his 30/30 rifle. It was about 10:20 in the morning on a Sunday. While we were shooting people from the house nearly a quarter mile away began to scream profanity, obviously in response to the gunfire. I fully intend to shoot out there for up to hours at a time, maybe 6 or 8 times a year. Am I within my rights and acting reasonably to do so provided I do it in a safe and responsible manner? Last thing I want to do is start a pissing match with anyone, but this seems like a reasonable land use. I am very interested in other rural property owners experiences and thoughts. My parents live in rural Indiana, and we often hear shooting--its part of living in the country.
Ah, no doubt transplanted Californians. I would suggest that you make arrangements with your local sheriff's department to have a representative of their office there some morning when you are shooting. Then when the people have a hissie-fit you might suggest to your new friend, Deputy Fife, that he have a nice friendly chat with those folks and explain to them clearly that what you are doing is lawful and that they really don't have a dang thing to say about it.
You must have a lot of money to be able to afford that much ammo. LOL
Best thing to do is to minimize the chances of an unintended round going downrange to hit your neighbors' property. Have you built a berm so that you can verify, without a doubt, the final resting place of the rounds you fire? Are you considerate as to the time of day you engage in target practice? You could also plant some evergreen trees around your small acreage, especially bordering the problem neighbor, to help muffle the sound.
As stated before, sound carries. I can here a range more than 7 miles from my place. Not loudly but enough that I can usually identify the caliber. Of course, you could always get your C&R FFL, pay your tax stamp, and purchase a suppressor or two for the sake of neighborly relations.
I tend to agree with the approach of introducing yourself to the local sheriff and let him know of your experience. You might call the neighbor on the phone to talk to them but do not go onto their property uninvited. If you do, knowing their additude, do not go armed where they could accuse you of being threatening.
The grumpy neighbor could file a complaint for disturbing the peace on you. While there's not much better than shooting on your land, if the neighbor feels fear of his or her safety, OR their peace is disturbed, you could be summoned or arrested.
But... I do agree, thats part of country living. As long as you are safe about it. Hope you get it figured out.
The grumpy neighbor could file a complaint for disturbing the peace on you. While there's not much better than shooting on your land, if the neighbor feels fear of his or her safety, OR their peace is disturbed, you could be summoned or arrested.
Any of this is a long stretch, but the disturbance of peace during normal daylight hours in a rural setting is going to be nearly impossible to enforce. Shooting firearms in a reasonable manner on private property is not cause for disturbance of peace. Even if the neighbors attempt to file a complaint, it's not going to gain any traction. At most, an officer might stop by to see what's going on. If the scene is anything like the OP described, there is no way that he's going to be taken out of there in cuffs unless he assaults the visiting officer.
I wonder how many more people will miss the OP's "In the middle of the land there is a ridge rising at least 60 feet and I have fields allowing me to safely shoot into the base of the ridge distances of up to several hundred yards, facing west."
It's your land and as long as there are no laws against it, you are keeping things safe and sound and you're not lighting it up in the middle of the night...fire away. For the time being private property rights in this country are still hanging by a thread last time I checked and while I will never go out of my way to wizz off my neighbors, I'll be damned if their likes and dislikes are going to determine how I live my life on my land as long as I'm playing by the accepted rules where I live and practice a reasonable amount of respect for others, which I always do. BTW, my next door neighbor has a shooting range. I love hearing gunfire over there in the afternoon, sounds a lot like freedom.
I am with you Jammer! I like hearing gunfire while at my place in the woods. It always gives me a case of the warm fuzzies!
Quote:
Originally Posted by da jammer
I wonder how many more people will miss the OP's "In the middle of the land there is a ridge rising at least 60 feet and I have fields allowing me to safely shoot into the base of the ridge distances of up to several hundred yards, facing west."
It's your land and as long as there are no laws against it, you are keeping things safe and sound and you're not lighting it up in the middle of the night...fire away. For the time being private property rights in this country are still hanging by a thread last time I checked and while I will never go out of my way to wizz off my neighbors, I'll be damned if their likes and dislikes are going to determine how I live my life on my land as long as I'm playing by the accepted rules where I live and practice a reasonable amount of respect for others, which I always do. BTW, my next door neighbor has a shooting range. I love hearing gunfire over there in the afternoon, sounds a lot like freedom.
I recently purchased a 35 acre tract of land in rural Calloway County Missouri purely for recreational purposes, mainly to hobby farm, hunt, get firewood, camp, and shoot. In the middle of the land there is a ridge rising at least 60 feet and I have fields allowing me to safely shoot into the base of the ridge distances of up to several hundred yards, facing west. There is nothing but woods for at least a mile west of the the hill. To the northeast there is a trailer house, about 1500 feet. Last time I was out there I burned through a magazine or two in my 40 S&W and my friend put maybe 15 rounds through his 30/30 rifle. It was about 10:20 in the morning on a Sunday. While we were shooting people from the house nearly a quarter mile away began to scream profanity, obviously in response to the gunfire. I fully intend to shoot out there for up to hours at a time, maybe 6 or 8 times a year. Am I within my rights and acting reasonably to do so provided I do it in a safe and responsible manner? Last thing I want to do is start a pissing match with anyone, but this seems like a reasonable land use. I am very interested in other rural property owners experiences and thoughts. My parents live in rural Indiana, and we often hear shooting--its part of living in the country.
Back to the OP.
I'll be very interested in hearing from you on how you handled things.
Thank you all for your thoughts and input. As a few of you pointed out, I am shooting into a natural ridge, 60 feet high, much better than the man-made berms DNR puts up at thier public ranges. My property boundaries are pretty well defined, marked with purple paint and the occasional remnant barb wire fence. The area I fire from is a five acre open field, anyone coming on would be completely visible. I haven't shot out there since right before I posted this. I really only intend to a few times a year, mostly in the summer months. Been too busy overhauling my old ford 8n getting ready to turn over some of that pasture grass that hasn't been worked in 30 plus years. Am putting in a bunch of potatoes and onion sets soon, a acre or two of clover, and when its warmer an acre of sweet corn and pumpkins. I did catch a bunch of tresspassers coming through one day on horseback on my trail camera.
This winter I have aquired and fixed up an Oliver 2 row planter, an old 6 foot dearborn double gang disc, an old two row cultivator, an old brillion cultipacker, and an old dearborn two bottom plow. Haven't had much time to reload or mess with guns.
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The sound of shots will carry significant distance - I live ~1 crow flying mile from a shooting range, and can hear that, when outside. Doesn't bother me at all - esp. since I target practice on my own place too. With your neighbors being much closer, and maybe without the dampening of trees, hills, etc. to the extent I have, the sound could be quite disturbing - especially if it is something new to them. I believe they could have handled their disapproval much better, coming over and meeting you... but, with that said, I would do both: visit the LEO, and stop by at the neighbors. From what it sounds they are already peeved at you, what do ya have to lose? Only other thing - maybe they do have valid reason for wanting their peace and quiet? Many folks live in the country just for that reason too. Won't know until you talk with 'em.
