Making safe place to shoot on my property, maybe

[bcp]

I shoot on mine. Never had a problem, but then when you think about it, those that live on the lots next to me are Americans that work for a living and see no problem with guns. They shoot too. amazing that nobody has ever been killed in the twenty or so years Ive been here.

 

[Gilligan]

§
You said it was on your license, right?

You are confusing what kind of license I have for my property, with a hunting license. My Shoreline and Blind license allows hunting in certain areas..allows me to erect permanent duck blinds offshore and on, specifies where those can be and how built, etc.. It does note, right on that license, the 150-yard safe-distance requirement for locating a blind.

That section you referenced above covers actual hunting licenses..the license you must purchase for what you can hunt and how.


I (and anyone else hunting on my property) still have to purchase a hunting license to make use of my Shoreline and Blind approvals.

 

[glhs837]

But the point, Gilligan, is that that Shoreline and Blind license is a DNR document, and pertains, as you say, to hunting. That's why the 150 yard applies. Because the activities it approves are for shooting at wildlife, correct?

I'm not trying to be obtuse, but I don't want to base my shooting location on a number that isn't applicable for the situation. And since I will not be hunting, I don't see where the DNR number is applicable.

 

[nutz]

I would ask the county to see if there are any updates to the book, I didn't find.

"Ch. 317 of 1985, adding § 268C to Article 27 of the Annotated Code, provided that in St. Mary's County a person may not engage in target practice with or discharge a gun or weapon on certain lands without first obtaining written permission of specific individuals; provided that violation of said Act is a misdemeanor; and provided certain penalties on conviction of a violation of said Act."

The written permission, if I recall correctly, was for adjoining landowners.

 

[glhs837]

a person may not engage in target practice with or discharge a gun or weapon on certain lands

Hmmm, wonder what "certain lands" means. Land in a specific type of zoning?

 

[Tilted]

But Gilligan, unless you plan to eat the clays or targets, does that 150 yards apply?

How could it not? Shooting is shooting.

Been visited by plenty of LEOs and DNR officers over the years when we were just shooting targets (too many citified transplants have moved on to the island over the last 20 years; they like to waste our public officials time with stupid phone calls) ). I'm sure that one of them would have said something if there was a problem with it.

I'm pretty sure that 150 yards only applies "while hunting for any wild bird or mammal". I've gone through Maryland code before looking for a specified minimum distance for general shooting and I've never been able to find one. If you know of a specific provision, I'd appreciate a pointer.

I've had police officer friends (as well as others) mention the 150 yards distance before, but no one has ever been able refer me to an actual law. I think it's just one of those mistaken notions that keeps getting repeated - and I had one officer who bothered to look into it agree with me on that.

That's not to say that there aren't general laws that would require someone, when shooting on their own property, to do so in a safe manner. I have a place to shoot on my property, I think it's 150 yards from my nearest neighbor but it's probably close - I'm pretty sure it doesn't have to be anyway.

 

[Gilligan]

I've had police officer friends (as well as others) mention the 150 yards distance before, but no one has ever been able refer me to an actual law..

My shooting situation has gone well beyond "mention" so many times, with many visits by deputy and DNR over the years...

You would think there is something that those folks are going by..but in any event, the bottom line is that none ever gave a hoot that we shoot various weapons at various targets on my property. They arrived, in every case, for one of two reasons:

a. Some transplanted city weenie called in that "somebody was shooting guns", and a deputy would stop by, look, chat for a few, and leave

b. Some transplanted city weenie called in that "somebody was hunting on Sunday" and a DNR officer would stop by, look, chat for a few, and leave.


Dunno what else to tell ya except how its been for the last 20+ years on my property.

 

[DoWhat]

Just call the Sheriff's office and ask.
I did and they told me to have fun and be careful.
But they did tell me that I needed a good backstop.

 

[glhs837]

Okay, tracked that back to this thread on Md Shooters

http://www.mdshooters.com/showthread.php?t=59964

which is where that bit that nutz posted apparently came from. Follow that link the municode website.


Municode

Search term "target, first hit is this....

Ch. 317 of 1985, adding § 268C to Article 27 of the Annotated Code, provided that in St. Mary's County a person may not engage in target practice with or discharge a gun or weapon on certain lands without first obtaining written permission of specific individuals; provided that violation of said Act is a misdemeanor; and provided certain penalties on conviction of a violation of said Act.

but Article 27 is the fiscal section? run through that and cant seem to find anything like that.....so change up search terms to discharge......

Municode

List has Sheriffs office discharge of thier duties, stuff about sewage discharge, yadayada.....ah, down the lit a ways, I see an A286.......that u=number is familiar, it's in Annotated Code references..... click that link

Municode

First hit......

Discharge of guns or other weapons on lands owned by another ..... 27 268C

286C is the right number, and it loos like the "certain lands" referred to would be "lands owned by another", which would explain why my neighbors male relative asked for written permission to put his tree stand up on my property.


Ah, here's a link to the Annotated Code....

Municode

Still says that 286C of chapter 27 concerns discharge of firearms on property owned by another. So I dont think it's applicable to my case.

 

[GURPS]

You would think there is something that those folks are going by..but in any event, the bottom line is that none ever gave a hoot that we shoot various weapons at various targets on my property.

your 'lot' did not look that big, is this why the Minnow sank, you were targeting shooting before the 3 hour tour ... and holed the boat somewhere

 

[Tilted]

My shooting situation has gone well beyond "mention" so many times, with many visits by deputy and DNR over the years...

You would think there is something that those folks are going by..but in any event, the bottom line is that none ever gave a hoot that we shoot various weapons at various targets on my property. They arrived, in every case, for one of two reasons:

a. Some transplanted city weenie called in that "somebody was shooting guns", and a deputy would stop by, look, chat for a few, and leave

b. Some transplanted city weenie called in that "somebody was hunting on Sunday" and a DNR officer would stop by, look, chat for a few, and leave.


Dunno what else to tell ya except how its been for the last 20+ years on my property.

I'm not following, how does their not giving a hoot about you shooting indicate that there's a law requiring you to be at least 150 yards from another residence? If anything, it would cut the other way. We're not saying that being 150 yards away doesn't make you safe, we're saying you don't even have to be 150 yards.

Now, if they charged you because you weren't 150 yards away, then that might mean something.

 

[slotpuppy]

I'm pretty sure that 150 yards only applies "while hunting for any wild bird or mammal". I've gone through Maryland code before looking for a specified minimum distance for general shooting and I've never been able to find one. If you know of a specific provision, I'd appreciate a pointer.

I've had police officer friends (as well as others) mention the 150 yards distance before, but no one has ever been able refer me to an actual law. I think it's just one of those mistaken notions that keeps getting repeated - and I had one officer who bothered to look into it agree with me on that.

That's not to say that there aren't general laws that would require someone, when shooting on their own property, to do so in a safe manner. I have a place to shoot on my property, I think it's 150 yards from my nearest neighbor but it's probably close - I'm pretty sure it doesn't have to be anyway.

If you go down the indian head rail trail in charles county, there is a private shooting range that is less than 150 yards from the bike path.

 

[Tilted]

Just call the Sheriff's office and ask.
I did and they told me to have fun and be careful.
But they did tell me that I needed a good backstop.

That's right. You can't be negligent about it, but there isn't (as best I or anyone I've asked about it can tell) a rule that requires you to be a certain distance from other residences.

 

[Gilligan]

That's right. You can't be negligent about it, but there isn't (as best I or anyone I've asked about it can tell) a rule that requires you to be a certain distance from other residences.

But...putting another twist on it...a friend of mine that lives on the St. george's creek but farther up (not on the island) was threatened with arrest after a deputy arrived to find him shooting a shotgun at clays from his pier. The deputy specifically said my buddy was violating the "150 yard rule" and had to stop shooting on his property.

He almost did get taken in too...because he'd been shooting both targets and waterfowl from that same pier since he was old enough to hold a gun and he's in his 60s now (inherited the place from his pops), and was mad as heck.

Same reason for the cops showing up too...transplanted city weenies in new development across the street from his place.

So what the heck?....all I do know is that I don't have the same problem because I do have the 150-yds clear...

 

[Gilligan]

I'm not following, how does their not giving a hoot about you shooting indicate that there's a law requiring you to be at least 150 yards from another residence? .

See other post...

 

[glhs837]

But...putting another twist on it...a friend of mine that lives on the St. george's creek but farther up (not on the island) was threatened with arrest after a deputy arrived to find him shooting a shotgun at clays from his pier. The deputy specifically said my buddy was violating the "150 yard rule" and had to stop shooting on his property.

He almost did get taken in too...because he'd been shooting both targets and waterfowl from that same pier since he was old enough to hold a gun and he's in his 60s now (inherited the place from his pops).

Same reason for the cops showing up too...transplanted city weenies in new development across the street from his place.

So what the heck?....all I do know is that I don't have the same problem because I do have the 150-yds clear...

I can find many cases of officers arresting citizens for recording them while on duty in public places, but that doesn't mean it was legal. Might be worth my while to make a preemptive trip to the Sheriffs office and pin this down. that way if an officer does show up, I can speak from direct recent conversations with a real name in the department.

 

[Gilligan]

I can find many cases of officers arresting citizens for recording them while on duty in public places, but that doesn't mean it was legal. Might be worth my while to make a preemptive trip to the Sheriffs office and pin this down. that way if an officer does show up, I can speak from direct recent conversations with a real name in the department.

Ed zachary...

 

[Tilted]

But...putting another twist on it...a friend of mine that lives on the St. george's creek but farther up (not on the island) was threatened with arrest after a deputy arrived to find him shooting a shotgun at clays from his pier. The deputy specifically said my buddy was violating the "150 yard rule" and had to stop shooting on his property.

He almost did get taken in too...because he'd been shooting both targets and waterfowl from that same pier since he was old enough to hold a gun and he's in his 60s now (inherited the place from his pops).

Same reason for the cops showing up too...transplanted city weenies in new development across the street from his place.

So what the heck?....all I do know is that I don't have the same problem because I do have the 150-yds clear...

I've heard that there are special rules for shooting out over the water. I'm not sure about that though - I think my brother may have mentioned it, he had a pier over the Potomac.

As for the deputy, (s)he may have just been wrong. That's not at all unheard of. Like I said, I've had officer friends suggest the same thing to me before and, when challenged on the point, they've either checked further on it and told me I was right or acknowledged they didn't know for sure.

I do know that there is a specific provision of the Maryland Natural Resources Code that refers to a 150 yard 'safety zone', but it only relates to hunting for wild birds or mammals.

 

[MMDad]

You are confusing what kind of license I have for my property, with a hunting license. My Shoreline and Blind license allows hunting in certain areas..allows me to erect permanent duck blinds offshore and on, specifies where those can be and how built, etc.. It does note, right on that license, the 150-yard safe-distance requirement for locating a blind.

That section you referenced above covers actual hunting licenses..the license you must purchase for what you can hunt and how.


I (and anyone else hunting on my property) still have to purchase a hunting license to make use of my Shoreline and Blind approvals.

Is it issued by DNR?

 

[nutz]

Hmmm, wonder what "certain lands" means. Land in a specific type of zoning?

Yes

Okay, tracked that back to this thread on Md Shooters

Maryland local firearms laws that existed before 1/1/1985 - Maryland Shooters

which is where that bit that nutz posted apparently came from. Follow that link the municode website.

No, it wasn't

I can find many cases of officers arresting citizens for recording them while on duty in public places, but that doesn't mean it was legal. Might be worth my while to make a preemptive trip to the Sheriffs office and pin this down. that way if an officer does show up, I can speak from direct recent conversations with a real name in the department.

The enforcers of the law may not give you a correct answer. Consult the co. gov't. planning and zoning dept. Get a copy of the current code, check for updates annually then you want have to speak on heresay.