Advice on being neighborly when it comes to shooting.

daniel craig said:

This is the first time this year that we’ve shot out at the property. I usually try to go to a range but because they were two other people and I couldn’t bring that many guests to the range I decided to go out to this piece of property. This property is owned by my family.

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Are your guests going to pay your lawyer fee, when neighbors take you to court?

Noise is the biggest issue when shooting starts at a new range. Noise sensor can be set on neighbors property line to record it.

A judge said our 1 club could shoot from 9am to 9pm back in the 70's

Around 1995, the other club was under attack for noise. Found a Pa. law that grandfather's in old gun clubs for noise & the operation of the club.

You need to know your state & local laws on range construction.

I was confronted by a county health inspector on a club range. He came out of the woods on tne left. Claimed bullets were flying past his head. Not possible.
When he was done ranting, i went back to shooting. Said little to him. No point.

If my private property, it would be different. Much like your reaction.

We have cattle, a animal rescue farm, a golf course, and a campground next to our property. The only thing we give consideration to are the cattle because the cattle are really close to our shooting ally and we hunt on the farmers property. We've had minimal issues with the golfers and the animal rescue people are somewhat new to the area so they'll have to learn to deal with it.
In your situation,, I'd assume their horses would get accustomed to the gunfire eventually.

In the event you want to salvage at least an amicable neighborly relationship with these people then the advice given to meet with these neighbors and work out an acceptable agreement would be mutually beneficial. If I were in this situation I would set up a meeting with the neighbors, give them a chance to civilly voice their concerns and work out an agreement. If they refused to meet or if the meeting became confrontational would terminate the meeting as peacefully as possible. I would then contact the sheriff's office requesting to meet an officer/deputy on my property explaining the situation. I would also ask the officer/deputy to check out the shooting area and berm to determine if it's safe. I would then request the officer to complete a detailed report as a neighbor dispute/trespassing. If your state or county has a trespass notice law I would then request the neighbors be served with a no trespass notice. When police get involved they typically give more credence to the rational and civil party over the emotional over-reacting party. Good luck, hope things can be peacefully resolved.

I would tell them that I am going to shoot on my property and I will give you a courtesy call if you would like . But if you come onto my property again I will have you arrested for trespassing .

As a side note, it is plausible these neighbors may have already contact the police, if not over the deer incident they probably called police after the recent incident. If you were thinking about arranging a meeting it would be best to already have an idea of any previous police calls by these neighbors. I would submit a public records request for any and all reports or calls placed by the neighbors about you or your property.

Some stated, some not:

• Call the Sheriff. Casually, say you want to chat about an issue, make sure everything is handled right and there's nothing else to be done. Soonest.
  • Face to face if you can. If they want to come out and see the property that might work, but offer to come to the office so you aren't bothering anyone. Much of this depends on your Office and how much you know them already.
  • As stated, first to call is best. I'd likely have called as soon as I went to the word "trespassing" so they don't call then or on the way home.
• If you don't have a fence, you need a fence.
• You need signs. Legit safety, but liability also. Something about a shooting range, on the back of the berm and at the fenceline along a reasonable frontage.
  • If you don't have a fence, put the signs up soonest anyway. Just pound some posts.
  • Not generic trespassing, but specifically shooting range so danger. Don't enter due to gunfire. We're framing this all as safety, you are looking out for the neighbors.
  • This will get REALLY unpleasant if you shoot the neighbors, even when it is 1000% their fault.
• /Consider/ calling them or whatever contact is appropriate. Email, letter, whatever.
  • Be kind but not expressly apologetic for fear it could be used as admission of something or other
  • Explain safety briefly
  • Wrap that also in neighborlyness: It was a HUGE dick move as well as vastly dangerous to walk cross country and over the berm! Explain helpfully that entry through the front gate is always fine, and across property lines is not good, and dangerous
• Do not go into detail but sure, offer that if they can manage livestock or so on, and are willing to get a call or see a flag or something, you can provide notice you are going to shoot. Think how much you can do that. Does it take a few minutes to get there or to set up so you can always say "20 minutes" or something?
  • I'd avoid setting up hard limits like time of day or seasons.
  • I might also offer that if they call YOU up, because they have an activity going on or guests or whatever they can tell you in advance so you can make appropriate plans. Naturally, don't make this too rigid either lest they abuse it and every week there's houseguests or whatever; you only take it under advisement.

film495 said:

not allowing you to get your deer says a lot. what did they do with it?

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Go fund me page and a memorial.

shoobe01 said:

Some stated, some not:

• Call the Sheriff. Casually, say you want to chat about an issue, make sure everything is handled right and there's nothing else to be done. Soonest.
  • Face to face if you can. If they want to come out and see the property that might work, but offer to come to the office so you aren't bothering anyone. Much of this depends on your Office and how much you know them already.
  • As stated, first to call is best. I'd likely have called as soon as I went to the word "trespassing" so they don't call then or on the way home.
• If you don't have a fence, you need a fence.
• You need signs. Legit safety, but liability also. Something about a shooting range, on the back of the berm and at the fenceline along a reasonable frontage.
  • If you don't have a fence, put the signs up soonest anyway. Just pound some posts.
  • Not generic trespassing, but specifically shooting range so danger. Don't enter due to gunfire. We're framing this all as safety, you are looking out for the neighbors.
  • This will get REALLY unpleasant if you shoot the neighbors, even when it is 1000% their fault.
• /Consider/ calling them or whatever contact is appropriate. Email, letter, whatever.
  • Be kind but not expressly apologetic for fear it could be used as admission of something or other
  • Explain safety briefly
  • Wrap that also in neighborlyness: It was a HUGE dick move as well as vastly dangerous to walk cross country and over the berm! Explain helpfully that entry through the front gate is always fine, and across property lines is not good, and dangerous
• Do not go into detail but sure, offer that if they can manage livestock or so on, and are willing to get a call or see a flag or something, you can provide notice you are going to shoot. Think how much you can do that. Does it take a few minutes to get there or to set up so you can always say "20 minutes" or something?
  • I'd avoid setting up hard limits like time of day or seasons.
  • I might also offer that if they call YOU up, because they have an activity going on or guests or whatever they can tell you in advance so you can make appropriate plans. Naturally, don't make this too rigid either lest they abuse it and every week there's houseguests or whatever; you only take it under advisement.

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In addition to the above, I would add that a camera would be useful. A game camera or if wifi reaches out there a Ring camera.

Not only would a camera record such interactions, but it would also record instances where people entered your unauthorized area. I was a part of a local gun range located in the boonies away from the city. Eventually, custom houses started popping up in the area. Soon there were noise complaints and later complaints of stray bullets landing on other's property. Even though our board said it was impossible for the bullets to stray, the State and county did not believe us until we presented video evidence of a couple of homeowners entering the range and digging for rounds. Crazy, crazy behavior.

Over the next several years, more and more housing popped up and the land lease the range was on was not renewed.....

I personally would give things a few days to cool down then I’d try to talk to them face to face. I’d tell them I have the right and the ability to shoot on my own property, but I don’t want to be an A hole.
So I’d ask exactly what would you have me do? If the request’s are reasonable (IMO) I would try my best to comply, I’d try hard to find some sort of middle ground.
If the request was unreasonable (IMO) I would put up no trespassing signs and shoot what ever and when ever I wanted. I’d probably also get someone with some credentials to look at my range and declare it safe, or make recommendations which I would do… mainly for some CYA


I know a shift worker that asked his neighbor not to cut his grass late in the evening the one week a month he worked nights, his neighbor told him “I’ll cut my grass whenever I want!” So my buddy removed his muffler from his mower and cut his grass at about 2am, suddenly his neighbor understood and was will to work with him.

Some people you can deal with, some you cannot.

When i had a large property i had issues with trespassers and even poachers. I added a Dakota Alert MURS system and signage indicating no trespassing, 24 hr net surveillance and armed response. Most, if not all, quickly turn around when they see either the signs or transmitters as unsure if on camera or not. Only one required special persuasion. I waited for his return but he never claimed his items.

twarr1 said:

Horses are a prey animal. They’re afraid of everything. Speaking from decades of experience, they’ll get used to it.

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iI was going to comment in the same vein on this and the previous remark abot horses. Most Ag-People running horses I asked about shooting prairie dogs welcomed me. And the horses indeed got used to it.

Anyhow, prairie dogs are cute and adorable and all cuddley until your horse steps in one of their holes.

I wasn't about to shoot a prairie rat from between their legs, but they end up just alerting to the shot or maybe the shock wave of the bullet, whatever.

Farmers used to pay me to do it just in terms of reimbursing me for ammo, and one ivited me to a family picnic as an honorarium, I guess. Good food and not-bad home brew beer. I was still drinking at the time, berore I became a coffeetotaler.

I just hope hey don't pull the old bullcrap about "I heard it whizz right by my head and I coulda been kilt" and "See his bullet, it almost hit my house and I coulda been kilt," and always a good one: "There's a baby in the house and he coulda been kilt.

I would also double check on my own zoning. I got ten bucks that says they have or will and you never know what might develop there..

Terry, 230RN

I see a lot of comments on meeting with the neighbors , I would not . I would have my lawyer draw up a cease and desist letter to get the legal ball rolling . If you do decide to meet with them I would have the law/lawyer present . These people obviously have an agenda , if you meet with them without witnesses they can spin anything you say . I have been through all this , law/lawyer/court . All I can say is that you being the one with the gun puts extra importance to proceed with caution . A journal with details and timeline is essential for a good case . If you start fumbling around for dates and times the law will not take you seriously . Good luck with this, try to not let it eat you up . You know in your heart you did nothing wrong , so I would label it as an unprovoked attack by the enemy .

Lots of good info


What ever ever happened to, just understand thy neighbor and, be a good neighbor ( I speak of them). If I had a problem with an activity on a neighbor's property, YES, I would notify them.

Bang bang guns is a WHOLE lot different then planting flowers over the line.

OK my condensed version? YES yes again yes call and advise the local LEO. That decision from my reading jumped straight out when THEY walked, trespassed, INTO an area of firing AND harassed your guests; AFTER walking through a pasture area with 700lb+ animals that THEY claimed were spooked. Not smart in sooo many ways!
Yes, contact the neighbor, and, at a minimum, offer to text them when you are going bang bang bang. Yes to range flag. Y to passive surveillance i.e. black flash trail cam(s). Y to signage, no trespass or similar wording and I would send all that to them in writing ''be advised along with the text we discussed, I posted XXX signs.'' Remind them this is rare and occasional recreation, not 5x a week good grief!!

Fencing, well, their pasture area should be fenced already? So, they should know where their property ....ends? If they are stupid enough to walk through a pasture with spooked animals that can outrun them, they're stupid enough to walk past a no trespass I suppose.

Hope it all works out !

Colorado has specific and somewhat complex verbiage and posting distances for enforceable no trespassing signs.

Don't ask me how I know.

Check with your knowledgeable authorities on this.

You were more polite than I was many years ago when I lived in MI.

Sorry for any horse people here, but I have NO slack for them anymore. Most seem to be zealots who put their animals over the entire global population. I am in an archery only county but still can not hunt on MY land on a Sunday due to the horse people here. All but 2 counties in the state have Sunday hunting now and mine is one that got the shaft by the horse people. We are talking archery here, if I spook your horse it is because you put it on my property!

Oh, and they demand that no one in the community light any fireworks due to their horses either..........

frogfurr said:

Call the county sheriff. Both us and our next door neighbors have out door ranges. We work things out.

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Be sure to document that these people approached the range, in the unsafest way possible, with the sheriff. They KNEW what they were doing was wrong, and did it anyway. They trespassed. get this all on record, for future reference. Horses may be their excuse, but the horses weren't the reason they did what they did, or they would have acted differently.

As others mentioned the horses will get used to it. NOT the running around and screaming, and abusive behavior, but the horses will get used to the shooting.

twarr1 said:

Horses are a prey animal. They’re afraid of everything. Speaking from decades of experience, they’ll get used to it.

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They should have been desensitized to fireworks/gunshots by the owners. Their horses freaking out isn't the shooter's fault.

That being said I would kindly tell them I'm going to be shooting in case they are riding that day. Not if they aren't going to because they will always be riding if you give in.
Also allow them the same option of you're working the horses today. Let me know in case I'm planning to shoot.

May not hurt to explain (white lie?) to the neighbors that your reaction was emotional because of the danger of being in the line of fire. I.e. 'Sorry I yelled, you just freaked me out by coming over the berm'... You'll find out quick if they are reasonable or not.
+1 on the horses comments too. One of the ranges I go to is directly across the road from a large stable and those horses do not care/react to gunfire.

Interesting. I almost posted a thread similar to this a few years ago in a similar situation. Some rich people built a house about 500 yards from us and the woman was very anti gun. I have to say, how I approach these kinds of issues are very dependant on how I am approached. Needless to say in your situation I would have told them to pound sand. What you do on private property is your business and what they do on theirs is their business.

Bfh_auto said:

They should have been desensitized to fireworks/gunshots by the owners. Their horses freaking out isn't the shooter's fault.

That being said I would kindly tell them I'm going to be shooting in case they are riding that day. Not if they aren't going to because they will always be riding if you give in.
Also allow them the same option of you're working the horses today. Let me know in case I'm planning to shoot.

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In my occupation as a rock blaster(high explosives) I had occasion to blast bedrock next door to a stable. As always I talked to the stable owner prior to blasting and he turned the horses out to pasture so they wouldn't get spooked in the stalls. I watched them the first time I detonated a shot and they took off trotting but settled down quickly. Eventually they seemed to associate the preblast whistle with what was coming and became used to the blasting. Blasting actually moves the ground they were standing on as well as air blast and sound. If they can get used to blasting they should get used to gunshots. Riding a horse when I pushed the button might be a problem. As one who had a long running feud with a next door neighbor, I'd try to show willingness to work with them. I'd rather have a good relationship with my neighbors for a lot of reasons.

Wow, Daniel, you have your own Karen! Next time they come on property, record with your cell phone the interaction, tell them to leave because they are trespassing, be sure to record their response, call the sheriff and report the incident.

As noted, you need to build a fence, if you don't have one, to keep them out.

Also, you are going to have to up your hunting game. You will never be able to retrieve a deer from their property.

I would get my lawyer to send then a letter demanding that they cease and desist crossing the boundaries of your property without your prior approval. As I understand it that letter (with proof of delivery) would not only support a civil trespass claim but also could be the basis of a criminal trespass claim. Of course, you attorney would know much more about that than I do. I would not let the mater linger. Their anger will fester and that can mean worse troubles. You need to keep that off your property, and the way to do that is to make them understand that there will be a price to pay for doing so without your permission. Good luck. Oh, and tell them to get muffs for the horses.

They set the stage when they wouldn't allow you on their property to retrieve your deer. But, obviously, they have no problem entering your property when it suits them.

So as far as I'm concerned, screw 'em. I would call the sheriff or whoever your local law enforcement is and have them note that these people entered your property, and you warned them they were trespassing. They've now both been given notice.

After having been warned it is now criminal trespass if they reappear. You might also want to put up a couple of "posted" signs in their direction. Put a name and contact info on them as required by NYS law.

NYS Environmental Conservation Law:

"Trespassing
Trespassing is illegal even on unposted property. Instead of posting, a landowner or other authorized person may issue written notice to another individual informing them that they are prohibited from entering the property. The notice must contain a description of the property, what restrictions apply (hunting, fishing, trapping) and the person or persons prohibited from entry. It should be delivered by certified mail or other processes (ex: legal notice in newspaper) to prove that the person was served. At any time, anyone by the landowner, occupant, or other authorized person to leave the premises (posted or not), must do so immediately.

Trespassing on areas posted against trespass pursuant to the Environmental Conservation Law is punishable by a fine up to $250 and/or up to 15 days in jail."

Now, go and enjoy your rights as a landowner. Seems only their rights, and hobbies, matter as far as they're concerned.