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I live in Fox Run, Hillsborough and wanted to see if anyone knows about regulations on shooting guns in Orange County. Tonight from our house we heard someone shooting about 50-100 times over the course of an hour on private land across the Little River. It is extremely disruptive as we can hear it very well inside our home even with doors closed. I would guess that most likely it was target shooting, not hunting (we have heard hunting shots too but these are only one or two at a time, and not nearly as disruptive).
Any information on rules about shooting firearms, along with how this would fall under the Orange County noise ordinance would be greatly appreciated! Thank you.
Any information on rules about shooting firearms, along with how this would fall under the Orange County noise ordinance would be greatly appreciated! Thank you.
I suggest calling your local sheriff's department at the non-emergency number and ask them. The probably have handled the same questions before. If the person is on his own land, and it is not inside city limits, it may be legal. If the shooter is trespassing on some vacant land, that may be a different story.
Last edited by goldenage1; 06-04-2012 at 08:15 PM..
Any information on rules about shooting firearms, along with how this would fall under the Orange County noise ordinance would be greatly appreciated! Thank you.
It states certain standards in decibels, then says the exceptions include "(17) Discharge of firearms, but only as permitted by state law and county regulations."
As I read it, if the firearms are discharged legally, they are exempt from the noise ordinance.
I sympathize with you. In Onslow County, we have had similar problems with people trespassing on bank-owned vacant land and shooting for hours at a time every weekend. The sheriff says they can't do anything except "run 'em off," because the land isn't posted.
I didn't see anything in a quick scan of Orange County regulations that specifically regulates the discharge of firearms. I might have missed it, but it makes me wonder if it's a matter of state law in unincorporated areas. (The only offenses proscribed by Orange County appear to be (1) hunting on private land without the landowner's permission, and (2) exposing female breasts.)
The discharge of firearms might be in the zoning regs. In Onslow, you have to be 500 feet away from an occupied dwelling, and that distance can vary with the county.
According to my DH, there's a *state* law that grandfathers-in any legal shooting ranges and exempts them from a noise ordinance.
I'd also suggest that the OP contact the County Attorney if the Sheriff doesn't have an answer.
Update on Onslow. Where the shooters are trespassing, the sheriff will take the person's name the first time he sees someone. If there is a second time, he issues a fine for a civil violation. The policy hasn't had much effect on stopping people from trespassing and and using the land as a shooting range.
to the poster who says that we should just accept that this happens in the country and we have to accept it because we live here - you should talk to my friend in apex. there are hunters in the woods behind her house, there is about 1 acre between her home & the woods. she's had 2 windows broken & 1 bullet in the house due to hunters being too close. her husband went into the woods & put up bright yellow caution tape from points where their house was visible. it worked for about a month. im not against hunters at all....but when you are hunting and homes are clearly visible, there has to be some sort of rule/law. i live in the same nhood as the original poster....there are 100+ homes here, all on at least 1 acre and no farms. my family (along with others) loves to hike in the woods but it gets frightening when you come across the mounds of remnants of target practice.
there is about 1 acre between her home & the woods. she's had 2 windows broken & 1 bullet in the house due to hunters being too close. her husband went into the woods & put up bright yellow caution tape from points where their house was visible. it worked for about a month. im not against hunters at all....but when you are hunting and homes are clearly visible, there has to be some sort of rule/law. i live in the same nhood as the original poster....but it gets frightening when you come across the mounds of remnants of target practice.
I also respect the right of *responsible* hunters, but they must respect the laws about proximity to houses. Your friend should check with the county, and for sure call the Sheriff next time if the hunters are too close to houses. Hunters should respect the yellow warning tape, and they should clean up after themselves.
I know there is a conflict of interest here, between long-time residents used to hunting in the woods, and the newer residents.
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