Legalities of Shooting on Private Property in Hendricks County

[Frankingun]

My in-laws live just outside of Danville. They have a mixture of farms and houses around them. One of their neighbors shoots on a small range on his property. They're thinking that it's illegal to do just that, but I'm thinking that since they're outside the town limits, the neighbor is probably legal as long as he's far enough from the other nearby houses. Anyone know what the legalities of shooting on your own property are in Hendricks county?

 

[Kirk Freeman]

How is the property zoned?

How is your backstop?

 

[22lr]

If your outside the town limits then your good to go. I live outside of Pittsboro and used to do that until some retard built a house behind my backstop.......

Never had an issue in the 5-6 years I was able to do that.

 

[Frankingun]

How is the property zoned?

How is your backstop?

They're not sure exactly who's doing it. They're outside of town, so the one doing the shooting is probably zoned agricultural or residential. My in-laws don't want to shoot on their property, they're just worried about the noise and since they don't know where exactly it's happening, they're also worried about stray shots/ploppers.

 

[pathfinder317]

out of city limits , I'd be shooting

 

[VUPDblue]

IIRC the county says that you have to be 300 yards from a building or structure that you don't own to be able to legally shoot on your land. I was told this bit of info a few years back so I am not 100% sure if it is still (or ever was) relevant. I will check when I get access to that info again....

 

[Frankingun]

IIRC the county says that you have to be 300 yards from a building or structure that you don't own to be able to legally shoot on your land. I was told this bit of info a few years back so I am not 100% sure if it is still (or ever was) relevant. I will check when I get access to that info again....

Thanks! I'll let them know with the caveat that the information is subject to change.

 

[eldirector]

I vaguely remember a county noise ordinance, and possible the "distance" ordinance that VUPDBlue mentioned, but that is it. Hendricks Co. doesn't have much online to search.

If I check their zoning ordinances (http://www.co.hendricks.in.us/Depar...nts/plan commission/2008 zoning ordinance.pdf), "unstructured and nonrecurring discharging
of firearms on private property" is not regulated by any zoning ordinance.

I can't find any other references, so..... it must be legal?

 

[Josh Ward]

This a free country (at least it's supposed to be). Whomever is shooting, providing they are on their own land or have the landowners permission is well within their rigths and the law.

Not to be rude but some people need to MYOB. It really gets under my skin when others think they can tell folks (or want to try to tell folks) what they can or cannot do. Just because they don't like it because its "too noisy" ect ect

 

[01deuce]

This a free country (at least it's supposed to be). Whomever is shooting, providing they are on their own land or have the landowners permission is well within their rigths and the law.

Not to be rude but some people need to MYOB. It really gets under my skin when others think they can tell folks (or want to try to tell folks) what they can or cannot do. Just because they don't like it because its "too noisy" ect ect

+1

Perk of country living!

 

[G_Stines]

My in-laws live just outside of Danville. They have a mixture of farms and houses around them. One of their neighbors shoots on a small range on his property. They're thinking that it's illegal to do just that, but I'm thinking that since they're outside the town limits, the neighbor is probably legal as long as he's far enough from the other nearby houses. Anyone know what the legalities of shooting on your own property are in Hendricks county?

I too am a Hendricks Co resident. The noise ordinance as far as I know, was repealed in 1999 almost a year after it was initiated. This is an excerpt from the Hendrick Co Commissioners Meeting in '09 prior to its repeal:
IN THE MATTER OF ORDINANCE NO. 2000-31

Mike Graham responded to the concerns expressed last week by Jim and Nancy English, Liberty Township, about the gun noise from their neighbors stating we have researched our ordinances and the Noise Ordinance 2000-31 has not been repealed. He further stated he has talked to Sheriff Galloway and he is well aware of the problem and has on more than one occasion talked to the English family and their neighbors. Mr. Graham stated Sheriff Galloway has advised that he does not have a solution, however he has pledged his resources to help address this problem. Sheriff Galloway also stated this is a neighbor problem and there are no effective laws to deal with it.

Unless there is a safety issue concerning zoning, which I do believe it has to be 300 feet in all directions on their property, with a proper back stop, it is a neighborly respect/courtesy issues.

 

[dukeboy_318]

This a free country (at least it's supposed to be). Whomever is shooting, providing they are on their own land or have the landowners permission is well within their rigths and the law.

Not to be rude but some people need to MYOB. It really gets under my skin when others think they can tell folks (or want to try to tell folks) what they can or cannot do. Just because they don't like it because its "too noisy" ect ect

Agreed. As long as the nieghbor is not shooting at their property without a backstop, than they don't need to be complaining especially if its not illegal. Its a perk of living in the country away from city limits. Not trying to be rude or blast your inlaws. If the noise at a certain hr that bothers them, they could try compromising with the neighbor to try to see if he/she would start shooting at a later hour. If its the act of shooting that bothers them altogether than in my opinion they are sol

 

[Deacon347]

As soon as i retire i'm buying land in the country so i can do exactly that. Cant think of a better life than waking up and walking out my front door and shooting at my own range till i'm tired. 8 years down 22 to go.

 

[DarkEyes]

IIRC the county says that you have to be 300 yards from a building or structure that you don't own to be able to legally shoot on your land. I was told this bit of info a few years back so I am not 100% sure if it is still (or ever was) relevant. I will check when I get access to that info again....

Im just south-east of the dump in danville. Got permission to shoot in the farmers field across the street from me. But am wondering about shooting on my land. I would like to know if you got any more info on this 300 yard rule. Or who I need to contact for some reliable information about it.

 

[Slow Hand]

Yet another example of NIMBY (Not In My Back Yard) and city folk moving out into the country, screwing things up. I can't count how many ranges, drag strips and small airports have been closed down after decades of running along ust fine because some person goes and builds an expensive house right next door then starts complaining. Same thing happens to Hog farms all over. it's part of country life; get used to it!

This a free country (at least it's supposed to be). Whomever is shooting, providing they are on their own land or have the landowners permission is well within their rigths and the law.

Not to be rude but some people need to MYOB. It really gets under my skin when others think they can tell folks (or want to try to tell folks) what they can or cannot do. Just because they don't like it because its "too noisy" ect ect

 

[Duce]

I've got a small range on the farm that I use for sight in and testing, for much more than that I go a public range. My reasoning, legality aside, liability is the problem. One range was closed when a neighbor sued them, it finally financially broke the club. At the trial it was even proven that the plaintiff salted his property with an unfired bullet. Remember in a law suit it's up to the defendant to prove he isn't negligent. Just a word to the wise........Duce<><

 

[j706]

Living and working in Hendricks county I can say there is no law prohibiting shooting on your land. There is no distance to building laws or anything else. It must be done in a safe manner and at reasonable times.

We deal with these type of runs on a regular basis. Mainly people moving out here form the city are the biggest whiners. I have 3 acres and have lived at my place for 12+ years with no problems until we had a yuppie move in near by. He called my chief and homeowners agent in an attempt to get me to stop shooting. I had some dirt hauled in for berms and shoot more than ever now. Screw a bunch of yuppies!!

 

[Zimm1001]

Living and working in Hendricks county I can say there is no law prohibiting shooting on your land. There is no distance to building laws or anything else. It must be done in a safe manner and at reasonable times.

We deal with these type of runs on a regular basis. Mainly people moving out here form the city are the biggest whiners. I have 3 acres and have lived at my place for 12+ years with no problems until we had a yuppie move in near by. He called my chief and homeowners agent in an attempt to get me to stop shooting. I had some dirt hauled in for berms and shoot more than ever now. Screw a bunch of yuppies!!

Good for you!

 

[Slow Hand]

Living and working in Hendricks county I can say there is no law prohibiting shooting on your land. There is no distance to building laws or anything else. It must be done in a safe manner and at reasonable times.

We deal with these type of runs on a regular basis. Mainly people moving out here form the city are the biggest whiners. I have 3 acres and have lived at my place for 12+ years with no problems until we had a yuppie move in near by. He called my chief and homeowners agent in an attempt to get me to stop shooting. I had some dirt hauled in for berms and shoot more than ever now. Screw a bunch of yuppies!!

Sounds like a great plan! Want me to bring this out early some Saturday morning?

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