How Often to Shoot on Small Farm?

[buck460XVR]

I had a minor problem with a lady to my south. She saw me holding a shotgun and started asking me questions. Said her horses were flipping out when I shot close to my house. I looked around on the web, and I learned that responsible horse owners desensitize their animals, and even better, most horse owners are pretty hostile to people who try to tell their neighbors they can't shoot. That was nice information to have.

I don't want to get on this woman's nerves, but she has clearly failed in her responsibilities, and she seems to think she can shift the burden to me. Under Florida law, it's virtually impossible for a horse owner to sue a neighbor for shooting nearby.

One can find anything they want to on the web if they look long enough. Not everyone desensitizes their horses........more of a thing for folks that do mounted shooting. For little old ladies that don't there rally isn't a need. If in the past she hasn't had a problem with folks shooting nearby, why would she bother? Some horses will never become desensitized, similar to some dogs and thunder. So she really hasn't "failed her responsibilities". I have many friends with horses, both that they ride and ones they pull wagons with, none have ever desensitized their horses to gunshots.

That said, if you are more than 200 yards away, I doubt it will bother the horses. My son has two horses on his property where we have our private range. They have never been desensitized, not do they even lift their heads up while we are shooting. We have shot tens of thousands of rounds there, from everything from .22, to .460 mag. Handguns, rifles and shotguns. The shooting bothers the neighbors dogs more than the horses. If you are in the country as you claim, hunting should be legal too. What does she do with the horses during hunting season? As for any lawsuit, my concern would be from a round leaving the property, not the noise I create.

 

[Officers'Wife]

Livestock and gunshots are a whole different story. De-synthesizing sounds good in theory but it depends on the animal. Case in point, my grandfather's mules could be standing next to my uncle when he started with the Gatling gun and just kind of give him a "what the heck was that for" look. Fire a 22 or for that matter having too loud a muffler on the tractor too close to Orvil the Charolais bull and you are going to have to deal with a ton of PO'd beef on the hoof. My dad's can shoot his rifle sitting on his gelding's back and it won't even break stride. When he's off of it the creature has to be tied securely before you can fire if you don't want to be dodging hooves. Livestock are like people, some are tolerant and others are… <Insert favorite vulgarity here>

Once again, if you work with your neighbors you may come to a reasonable compromise. The bottom line is everyone just wants to enjoy their property as best they can. You can try to live with your neighbors, or you can be constantly at odds with them. In my mind there's not much enjoyment in the latter.

 

[Fleetman]

Most of my shooting is limited to 10am until 4pm. Plus, since retired, I usually shoot during the week and keep the weekends quieter for the neighbors.

When our herd is visiting, 500 - 1k rounds is typical.....especially for our annual Pa Pumpkin Carvin'!

 

[Kaybee]

Good for you guys for being considerate and taking reasonable safety precautions. Those that can't be safe or considerate without "having to" is how we end up with a bunch of laws.

 

[Arizona_Mike]

With or without cans?

 

[Swifty Morgan]

One can find anything they want to on the web if they look long enough. Not everyone desensitizes their horses........more of a thing for folks that do mounted shooting. For little old ladies that don't there rally isn't a need. If in the past she hasn't had a problem with folks shooting nearby, why would she bother?

She should bother because she lives in an area with frequent gunfire, not to mention some of America's worst thunderstorms, and that was true before I moved here. She blew it.

 

[OneFreeTexan]

Have a neighbor just across the river. He shoots from the time he gets home, probably about 4, to dark, every day,,,Another neighbor,, trains dogs,,, shotguns year round...Don’t think anybody even notices me.

 

[swede4198]

A few weeks ago I stopped at my neighbor's house to see what he was shooting on his range. As we were talking we could hear gunfire coming from four different directions, he turned to me and said "just a nice spring day in Brown County!" All my neighbors have some type of range on their farms so I often hear gunfire in the evenings and weekends between planting and harvest seasons. No one thinks anything about it except when it sounds like full auto is being used. That raises eyebrows but no one goes to check out who is shooting that gun.

 

[bluejeans]

There has long been a joke in my family that when we go shooting we’re ‘conditioning the neighbors’ to not react to out of season shots

 

[boom boom]

Suppressors make for better relations with the neighbors if you shoot regularly. Depending on the range, noise is also reduced for neighbors when there is a wind versus still conditions. Cost is pretty reasonable compared with a lawyer dealing with nuisance suits or having the police come out on a regular basis. A shoot hut will make it louder for you but a bit quieter for the neighbors etc.

If you are really nervous about it, you can check noise levels with someone using a sound meter at the property lines when you shoot. Acoustics can be strange depending on what surfaces the sound has around it and so shooting at one place might annoy the neighbors via sound level than another place a few feet away. Hard smooth surfaces tend to amplify and extend perceived noise while softer and irregular surfaces tend to smother sound. But a hard surface properly used can direct the perceived sound somewhat even perhaps away from a neighbor. Folks that do high end stereo/av installations often have such meters and some have a good knowledge of acoustics. Much of what I picked up on the subject came from someone who did AV installations in churches and other large buildings and from being really interested in sound projection and stereos (home and car) at a younger age.

Thus, planting some trees/bushes, sound absorbing/reflecting fences at strategic areas, and even taking advantage of natural barriers existing on your property, and other such things could also reduce the sound signature received by neighbors.

 

[CapnMac]

As someone who has spent quite a bit of time out in the country, I'd recommend a different approach.

I'd get a comfortable chair, placed in either shade or sun as the season warrants, and a nice beverage (or pitcher of same) and spend a stretch of time outside in the early evening. And just listen.

For one, the sound of the country is restoritive to the soul, and an excellent way to erase the stress of city life.

But, also, it will let you learn how much the neighbors shoot, and when.

You may discover that the neighbors shoot pretty frequently.

Which will actually be your best guidance for how much, and when to shoot, yourself.

That's my 2¢ at least; I'm going to sip some more on my iced tea and imagine, wistfully, what it would be like not to have aback neighbor wood privacy fence a scant few yards from the back door.

 

[Skgreen]

Sounds like the OP is well on his way to discovering his situation,,,,

Not much I can add,,,

Everyone's situation can be different,,,

I'm 'in' Houston. 1 round popped off at my house virtually guarantees a visit from the PoPo, and perhaps a ride downtown,,,,.

but,

I grew up on a 600 acre farm. Closest neighbor was 3/4 mile away. Regardless of distance (up to and including 'no way in Hell would it EVER go THAT far'), you simply did not, under any circumstance, aim ~in the general direction~ of humans, partially obscured roads, structures, or livestock. Too many other 'safe' options were readily available. Other than that, be safe and fire at will. (Hunters certainly appreciate you not firing during certain hours 'in season', but again not really a concern on this farm)

Everyone's situation can be the same,,,

Showing respect (or at least a reasonable attempt at what could be considered respect) can really go a long ways with new neighbors. It is noticed. Don't necessarily have to 'hop fresh out of the U-Haul' and have a 6 hr meet and greet, but you'll know how and when,,,

A little communication with a new neighbors regarding your shooting-related activities (especially if they do not shoot) is far better than letting them 'fill in the blanks themselves', meaning, let them know you are a responsible gun owner / 'a good steward' with firearms vs not saying a word and letting somebody base their opinion on you by some 'gun-related' crime they saw on TV combined with ' I know he has guns and I thought I saw him with a gun like that one on TV!!!. We all need to show folks 'all things positive' regarding our shooting activities as nothing 'positive' is ever broadcasted. This is probably as important now as it's ever been. (You might also find out your neighbor is bat-sh-t crazy and need to make 'appropriate' plans! LOL!)

Some neighbors will never be able to be satisfied, no matter how polite, respectful, or obligated you decide to be.,, (Typically, others will feel the same way as you about this type of neighbor.) Know the law and do the best you can without 'extremely' (?) inconveniencing yourself. (Unclear of what the OP has available, but some strategically placed hay bales do good with muffling 'sharp' sounds)

Good Luck!!!

 

[tarosean]

I looked around on the web, and I learned that responsible horse owners desensitize their animals, and even better, most horse owners are pretty hostile to people who try to tell their neighbors they can't shoot.

Desensitizing your horse to various things like tarps, flags, crowds, etc. etc. etc. and desensitizing your horse to gun shots are two entirely different things.
Spend 6 months plus, 2-3 times a day, tending to wounds and you'll find out real quick why horse owners can have a attitude.

I had one ol cow horse that you could literally do anything on with the single exception that he was deathly afraid of gun shots till his last days. He passed away some 10yrs ago and I still don't shoot on my property. some of my neighbors shoot and it doesn't bother my current horses, Ive just gotten so used to not shooting there its no big deal now-a-days .

We do have one jackwagon that lives down the road that bothers all the neighbors by doing mag dump after mag dump at all hours of the night, legal here, but extremely poor taste.

 

[MEHavey]

It's called being neighborly.... do it -- and take into account they may ask you to avoid certain hours.

I'd also lay out your azimuth to avoid as many (if not ALL) homes along the widest/longest trajectory -- even if it inconveniences you.
(you are legally liable for every single bullet -- intentional or not)

 

[jmorris]

Just be respectful of your neighbors and don't piss them off. If you piss them off then they will not have any qualms about pissing you off.

That’s my thoughts. You may think you are being nice to only shoot during the day on one or two week days.

They may work nights and get upset because you mess up their sleep. So then every weekend after that, they invite all their work buddies (also used to staying up all night) over for outdoor rap concerts from midnight to 4:00 am.

It’s not that you would be doing anything illegal you just have to keep “worst case” in your mind.

 

[TeaCoffee.Guy]

I have been thinking about this issue for a long time because I remembered shooting a .22 on a farm that my uncle owned near Langley BC.
I was a teenager then and rather oblivious to safety rules about guns. I was having a lot of fun but I believe that the neighbours were worried.
I wished that I had known then what I know now because I would have not been so indifferent about the seriousness of firearm safety.
I now believe in being ultra careful when shooting any kind of firearm and I wouldn't allow anyone to shoot if it's too close to the neighbours.

 

[Jeb Stuart]

Just be respectful of your neighbors and don't piss them off. If you piss them off then they will not have any qualms about pissing you off.

Let them know you are a target shooter and you will be shooting on your property before you start shooting. Like it was said above you don't have to ask permission just be respectful and let them know what is going on. If your shooting causes an issue your neighbors will feel comfortable telling you their baby takes a nap from 1 to 2 every day and it would be appreciated if you could avoid shooting at that time.

If you just start shooting away without introducing yourself and giving them a heads up first they will start to resent you if there is an issue and that is how neighbor feuds start.

If there is an issue with the noise there are some easy ways to reduce the noise from carrying as far. Old tires piled up are a great sound dampener.

I am not lucky enough to live on a farm. Stuck in this Urban/Suburb hell hole in the South. However, I do belong to a nice Club about a hour out of town and in the country.. Great Outdoor range for both pistol and rifle. We are free to use the range from sunrise to sunset. However on Sundays we are only allowed to shoot 22.cals until 12 pm, or on the shotgun range 20ga. They keep in touch with the local churches and will shut down the range during weddings etc,.It has worked out well for all. Common respect and courtesy goes a long way. We also have set aside a certain days for the boy Scouts that are are so enthusiastic about shooting and have the time of their lives.

*Note- We also require all members to be members of the NRA. They can however bring guest. Trust me, this alone keeps out all the rif raff that I see in my Urban/Suburban Area indoor ranges.

 

[Stew0576]

We are free to use the range from dawn to sunup

Not much shooting time

 

[Iggy]

View attachment 787882
Not a problem here. View attachment 787883

 

[Swifty Morgan]

There is NOTHING like being able to shoot without going to a range. No goofballs who might kill me at any second. No rude range officers. No stupid slow-fire rules. No half-hour drive. No fees. No mandatory safety classes. And you get so much more practice!

 

[Hokkmike]

Get to know your neighbors. Be their friends. Some coffee together maybe? Once you learn their interest you will find out that some, perhaps many, of them are likeminded shooters. Let the topic come up naturally as you include it as one fo your interests. Meanwhile, with all of that property - find the safest, quietest spot and have at it.

 

[WC145]

I have a small farm, about 10 acres, in a rural area of down east Maine right on Rte 1. I'm generally too busy with work and farm stuff to get too much shooting in anymore but when I do shoot I use a field that is low, between a couple of hills, with a wooded hill as my back stop, about an 1/8 mile from my house and the nearest neighbor on the other side. The property adjacent to mine in the back is just woods and unoccupied but I have neighbors within 100 yds of my house. Occasionally I'll shoot behind the house, just to test fire something new. I've lived here almost 12 years and have never had a complaint from any of the neighbors, some of them also shoot on their property, and one down the road has been running some wicked loud off road vehicle though his woods lately. I can't complain, my "farm truck" has a supercharged 355 in it and it's pretty loud, too. However, we are all courteous, no one is up shooting or bombing through the woods early in the morning or in the evenings when folks are settling down. The only exception is when I've shot at predators sneaking around my animals. I'll drive my truck to work sometimes but I keep my foot out of it and don't do anything obnoxious when I'm leaving and coming home.

It's really just a matter of common courtesy and being reasonable about when you're doing things. I've never asked permission or spoken to anyone about it, we live in the country, shooting is part of the package. Now that isn't to say that someone from the city isn't going to move in the area and complain, heck, we have people from the city buy property on the water and complain about the noise the lobster boats make early in the morning, but it is up to them to acclimate, not up to us to change our ways. If you're being safe and aren't being unreasonable about the times you're out on the range I can't imagine you'll have any trouble.

 

[buck460XVR]

She should bother because she lives in an area with frequent gunfire, not to mention some of America's worst thunderstorms, and that was true before I moved here. She blew it.

I doubt if Googling about horses and gunfire makes you more of an expert than her. If the horse are subject to "frequent gunfire" already, I don't really see an issue. The issue I see comes down to attitude and being a responsible and conscientious neighbor. While one generally cannot pick their neighbors and cannot always get along with all of them, to make life as enjoyable as possible, we need to try. She could be the neighborhood sweetheart or she could be the neighborhood crazy. Whichever she is, could really dictate how other neighbors treat you, iffin and when you tick her off. If the law says you can shoot anytime you want, you can do it safely and you already have the attitude, "I'm not asking the neighbors because they could get the idea I have to ask permission.", I wonder why you are even coming here and asking us. You're the one that has to live there and deal with whatever reactions you get. Most here have told you to be considerate and friendly. That's where I would start.

 

[Jeb Stuart]

I would say that for the lucky few that live in rural area's, farms and such, most likely are Conservative. Grew up hunting, fishing shooting. Part of their Heritage. Most likely it will stay the same and hopefully as well. However the concern would be having just one Anti-gun nut move nearby. I have seen this before near where I live and then the "Snowflake" has a total meltdown when any shots are fired. God forbid, you are shooting a ASSAULT RIFE. At that point, you are most likely labeled by them as a terrorist. And hopefully you are in a county where it is lawful to shoot. But obviously they could issue a disturbance of the Peace warrant.
I really hope that the freedom to shoot on Farms last forever. I have a friend that owns a small farm in NC, and will occasionally go down there for the day for some great quiet time. And spending time on the Farm shooting is actually quiet time.

 

[Swifty Morgan]

I doubt if Googling about horses and gunfire makes you more of an expert than her.

Thing is, the people who provided the information I dug up ARE horse experts, or at least they are self-styled horse aficionados, and virtually every one of them were on the same side. I assume their authority is as great as that of a person who has a couple of pet horses on a tiny hobby farm.

I wonder why you are even coming here and asking us.

Because virtually everyone here shoots, and many have experience in situations similar to mine.