Private property plinking laws?

[woundedyak]

Thanks everyone for the info! We shoot in a valley of the rolling hills outside of Nashville. Our back stop is a old washed out creek bed that has about a 30ft vertical rise then goes to about a 45 degree angle for about 250yrds. Plenty of safety. I guess I haven't settled into this wonderful state yet. I was born and raised in San Diego. You mention the word fire arm out there will get you in trouble. Like Kirk mention, I will check with the local powers to be.

 

[thelefthand]

Ive often wondered if someone is trespassing and you are plinking on your own property and they accidentally get hit while on your property. Is the property owner liable? Just curious because I have caught people trespassing more than once and warned them something like this could happen.

I'm no lawyer, but I think that in IN, you are okay. I don't remember the specifics, but I know there is a law that states that if a person gets injured or killed while committing a crime on your property, they (or their family) can't sue you. I remember the reason was all the bogus suits that the inmates were filing against those who they were trying to rob. I would think that it carries over to this too, but then again, you really need a good backstop, and you need to make sure that you hit it.

Another thing to be aware of is disturbing your neighbors. They can call the cops if they don't like the noise. The cops may not be able to actually do anything about it, but they will have to come out and check it out.

Just my 2 bits,
Mark

 

[4sarge]

No. IIRC, the water thing is some DNR reg about hunting and shooting across roads and waterways.

I shoot across lovemywoods' lake all the time.

Scally Wag

 

[esrice]

Scally Wag

Photo evidence!!!

 

[Jack Ryan]

IC 14-22-6-9
Shooting from or across public highways prohibited
Sec. 9. A person may not:
(1) hunt, shoot, shoot at, or kill an animal; or
(2) shoot at an object;
from within, into, upon, or across a public highway in Indiana.
As added by P.L.1-1995, SEC.15.
( Just a point of information, when they say "public highways" they mean any public right of way is included. If the highway right of way extends out 50 feet past the guard rail that is how far you are prohibited from all the above. If it ends at the edge of the pavement then that is the line you must not cross.)


IC 14-22-6-10
Shooting into or across waters of the state
Sec. 10. A person may not shoot into or across:
(1) the waters of the state; or
(2) the boundary waters of the state;
except in the lawful pursuit of wild animals.
As added by P.L.1-1995, SEC.15.

IC 14-22-6-11
Silencers prohibited
Sec. 11. A person may not:
(1) use or possess an apparatus designed for use with or on a firearm commonly called a silencer; or
(2) use or possess a device used as a silencer;
in Indiana while in the act of hunting.
As added by P.L.1-1995, SEC.15.

CHAPTER 6. REGULATION OF BIRDS AND MAMMALS - Indiana CHAPTER 6. REGULATION OF BIRDS AND MAMMALS - Indiana Code :: Justia

 

[esrice]

Good thing a private lake isn't "waters of the state".

 

[Jack Ryan]

And does it matter if its on private property?

No.

What matters is if it is considered public waters. If you need a fishing license to fish it, it is considered public waters. The strict letter of the law is if public waters run in to it or it flows in to public waters it is public waters. In actuality I've never seen or heard of it being considered public waters by enforcement unless a fish could make it from public water in to it.

 

[360]

I might suggest that shooting into water or ice could cause inadvertent ricochets. Its no different than skipping rocks, except the bullet is going much faster.

Just a safety pointer to think about.