Shooting on Private Land

[Que]

Okay, what is the law for firing your gun on your own land? I mean, is there a required number of acres or something? What about if you are outside of city limits? Anybody have information on this?

 

[IndyMonkey]

As long as your not in the city limits your good to go.

Have a half acre and shoot into a bullet trap...doesnt matter.

 

[E5RANGER375]

no required number of acres that ive ever seen. most cties you have to be outside city limits to discharge a firearm. i have been on a friends 2 acre lot outside city limits and had the cops called by his neighbors. the sherriff came out (went to high school with him but we werent buddies) he asked us where our backstop was, showed him. he asked in a friendly manner what we were shooting, we showed him, AK's, AR's, Pistols, he said one of the neighbors called and to just keep it safe and to have fun and that we werent doing anything illegal. so that should answer your question i hope.

 

[50bmgshooter]

not sure about other counties...but in hancock, outside of greenfield limits, i believe you have to be at least 300 ft from the nearest house(not counting yours).

 

[Eprobertson1]

Call your law enforcement office that is responsible for you area and ask them. They can help you with any concerns.

 

[steve666]

Nowhere in Marion County regardless of acreage, backstops or anything.

 

[eldirector]

In Hendricks county, I believe there is only a noise ordinance. I haven't found any info on distance to neighbors, time of day, acreage, etc... Haven't tested this out, though!

 

[boozoo]

This is just my "pulled out of my secondary cranium" (i.e, rectum) philosophy, but if I was in the position of having a chunk of land to shoot on, before I made a habit of it, I'd probably want to talk to my nearest neighbors to let them know I'd be doing a lot of that. If I had neighbors close enough to be rattled by the noise, I'd want to be awfully considerate of that in their regard.... mainly because I'd appreciate considerate behavior being thrown my way.

As an example.... I love hot rods, too, but I really don't want my next door neighbor breaking in a 496 stroker engine with open headers at 2AM.

I'd probably also want to talk to the Sherriff's Office at least once to see if they want a courtesy call or anything.

Way back when I used to stay in Oklahoma for the summers with my grandparents, shooting on the property was not only tolerated, but halfway expected LOL I used to roam the whole 300 some odd acres looking for some vile creatures that needed exterminating.

(refraining from inserting an inappropriate Democrat joke here)

 

[w_ADAM_d88]

not sure about other counties...but in hancock, outside of greenfield limits, i believe you have to be at least 300 ft from the nearest house(not counting yours).

Is it 300 feet or 300 yards? I also think there is a certain distance you have to be from the nearest road, but I'm not sure what it is.

 

[JAMZ]

300 yards from a permanent structure

 

[Denny347]

Nowhere in Marion County regardless of acreage, backstops or anything.

Not true. No where in the old city limits (inside I465 loop basically) but in the more "rural" areas it is perfectly fine. There might be an acreage minimum, honestly I am not clear.

 

[melensdad]

Okay, what is the law for firing your gun on your own land? I mean, is there a required number of acres or something? What about if you are outside of city limits? Anybody have information on this?

Varies by county and locality. Almost every city or town has an ordinance against firing a gun inside of city/town limits. Counties are usually far more lax but each county can set its own rules. Some have distance to structure limitations, other have property size limitations. In my county if you are outside of city/town limits an in unincorporated areas you must also be outside of a subdivision OR have at least 1 acre of land. If you are inside a subdivision and have more than 1 acre of land you are good to go.

Some have backstop requirements, some do not. But in cases of those that don't require a backstop you are typically expected to keep your bullets/shotgun shot ON YOUR OWN LAND. So while there may be no implicit rule on a backstop, if your bullet hits your neighbor's tree you could be in deep doo doo (that's a legal term, BTW)

Also, even if there is no shooting ordinance, there is probably a noise ordinance that can limit your shooting times.

YOU need to check with YOUR local unit of government to find out what YOUR limitations may be.

 

[Zombie]

Not true. No where in the old city limits (inside I465 loop basically) but in the more "rural" areas it is perfectly fine. There might be an acreage minimum, honestly I am not clear.

I thought I read in the Indy Star a "long" while back that if you had five(maybe ten) acres in Marion County you were legal. If I remember right, they were trying to change the law but it didn't go through? Anyone else remember reading this?

 

[XtremeVel]

How does the handgun permit figure in then ? Do you need one if it's your own property ? Do friends need one shooting on private property ?

 

[melensdad]

How does the handgun permit figure in then ?

It does not.

Do you need one if it's your own property ?

No

Do friends need one shooting on private property ?

Only if they transported a handgun to your private property. But not if they transported a longarm.

 

[Que]

Thanks everyone, you have been very helpful. I live just south of 465 in Camby. There is a farm behind me and I always wonder about asking the owner if he wouldn't mind allowing me to shoot back there. Considering the number of kids in my area, it probably wouldn't be a good idea, though. I can't wait to move back to NC!

 

[Turn Key]

Build your own backstop

Thanks everyone, you have been very helpful. I live just south of 465 in Camby. There is a farm behind me and I always wonder about asking the owner if he wouldn't mind allowing me to shoot back there. Considering the number of kids in my area, it probably wouldn't be a good idea, though. I can't wait to move back to NC!

If it's legal to shoot, and you've cleared it with your local Sheriff, offer your neighbor a professional backstop installation on your dime!

Rent a Bobcat, and get someone that knows how to properly move the dirt and make a nice shooting lane.

Your neighbor may like to shoot there too.


TK

 

[gmiller]

Been a while since I looked into it, but I remember it as if there was a structure within 100 feet, you had to have permission from the owner. Like several other people have said, it likely varies with each county.

You are certainly not permitted to shot over anything that is not your property like a road or navigable water way. One hurdle our local gun club has keeping us from extending the range to 1000 yards is an abandoned railroad track.