Is shooting on your property legal?

[hcker2000]

Basicly I need to know if some one who owns some land can shoot on it. I'm prity sure its inside city limits. Thats the big reason why I'm asking to see if it is legal before shooting there.

 

[bratch]

Lots and lots of variables. City ordanences (sp?) are the first to consider. If its against ordanance to shoot; the neighbors are your second consideration will they call in on you.

I lived in city limits but we had around 80 acres and there was another 160 behind us that was undeveloped. Needless to say until development started I had no problems shooting within "city limits".

You pays your money you takes your chances.

 

[hcker2000]

The reason I asked was because the person suposidly shoots out there and has never had any problems. I wonder were I could find the city ordinance for heath ohio at.

 

[Houndawg]

Try the court house.

 

[arcticap]

You need to ask the police what the laws are regarding the discharge of firearms within the city limits. If there are no specific laws against discharging, is there a noise ordinance? Then you may want to find out any regulations that may affect how close to a neighbor's house a person would have to be to say, safely hunt on the land. For example, if your state hunting regulations state that it's illegal to hunt with a loaded firearm within 500 feet of any dwelling other than your own, I think you may have a problem target shooting within that same distance. Also, even if you are within your rights to shoot, if someone complains and the police are called out to the sight, and you are found to be discharging in an unsafe manner, like shooting in the direction of a building, road, livestock etc...you may be considered reckless and find yourself in trouble.
Not too long ago, the city of East Hartford, CT arrested someone for hunting within city limits due to local ordinances. The case ended up in the State Supreme Court which ruled that the city could not preempt state laws which approved of the lawful hunting activity since all state hunting laws were properly followed. However, it took a long time and a dedicated lawyer to win that battle.

 

[hcker2000]

We don't have a court house. The place where I would be shooting is a good 500 feet from any other houses. The city noise ordinance I know a little better from some of the car stereo set ups I'v had and it is 10pm. I sent of an email to the chief of police to see what he has to say about it. I also asked if I needed to call in and let them know where when we were target shooting.

 

[gunsmith]

I would consult a lawyer

who is gun friendly,maybe get in touch with local NRA members.

I went here http://www.heathohio.org/government/police/
and they claim to be "progressive"
in my neck of the woods thats a code word for commie nazi gun grabber

 

[JimC]

This is what my local code says about where I live in NJ...yes, NJ.

150-1. Discharge of firearms restricted.




A.No person, while engaged in hunting, target shooting, practice shooting or other similar activities within the limits of the Township, shall at any time fire or discharge or cause to be fired or discharged any pistol, shotgun, rifle or other firearm within 300 feet of a dwelling house, barn or other building or any public or private street or highway used by the public generally; provided, however, that nothing in this section shall prohibit the use of firearms for the protection of life or property where permitted by law; provided, further, that nothing in this section shall prohibit the discharge of firearms by any person on property occupied by them as an owner or tenant, provided that firearms are not discharged upon or across any public or private street or highway used by the public generally or within 300 feet of any building owned by any other person.


B.The provisions of this section shall not apply to any pistol or rifle range located on a tract of 30 acres or more or any range which has been duly licensed.

So, if I could afford 30 acres here, I could shoot on my own property but then the noise factor comes into play.

 

[MikeIsaj]

If you have an incorporated city, you have some sort of governing body. That governing body has a fixed seat of government, even if it's a basement room in the firehouse. That body has passed ordinances to regulate the peace and good order of the city. I would bet there's an ordinance in there governing the discharge of firearms within the city limits. If not then check the county.

Every taxpayer should know how and where your local government exists. Ignorance of how this works is inexcusable. These are the people with their hands deepest in your pockets.

Before you worry about legal, I'd worry about safe. Just because the other guy shot there and didn't kill anyone, don't assume anything.

Here's the address of the municipal building (court house) in Heath Ohio.

City of Heath
1287 Hebron Road
Heath, Ohio 43056
740-522-1420
City Hall hours: M-F 8:30 AM - 4:30 PM

 

[hcker2000]

Here is the reply I got back from the chief of police.

Unfortunately, If the area you describe lies within Heath City limits, you cannot discharge a firearm for any reason. Even BB guns, arrows, darts, etc. are illegal.

So there is my answer. I also asked if he knew of any local ranges closer than zanesville in a fallow up email.

 

[tyme]

I'd check with a lawyer or the city code just to be sure. A ban on darts, arrows, and bb guns sounds a bit silly (though possible given our modern nanny state), so I don't trust anything in his response.

 

[hcker2000]

I have always heard that it was illegal to shoot bb guns inside city limits as well as guns. So this didn't come as a big shock to me. I wouuld check with a lawyer but of corse I'm poor lol. I supose some day when I'm board I could go down to the municiple building and ask to see the paper work.

Maby this has some thing to do with why there are no shooting ranges close by

 

[arcticap]

Now you can understand why someone had to go all the way to this state's
Supreme Court to be able to hunt in a city with similiar restrictions. (see above)

 

[hcker2000]

Yea I just wish I knew some one with a good bit of land out in the country because that would solve every thing.

 

[AK-74me]

Hope there isn't a bar in city limits cause I'm pretty sure they are playing darts there. What about lawn darts, or those arrows with the suction cups on the end.

Those laws sound extremely ridiculous, darts give me a break.

 

[hcker2000]

Yea who knows what they are thinking. I'm sure they meen blowdarts and the darts that get shot out of bb guns. And bb guns is a general term as well. I have used my AirSoft guns to play around with friends in my yard.

 

[d906670]

If its in the township there is a state law that states you can discharge weapons on your own property, there was an article about it in the Sandusky paper. As to the banning of the darts, arrows, and BB guns happens alot because of all the nice little angles that accidentally shoot out car windows,store windows, and shoot at people is why alot of city's enact these laws.

 

[hcker2000]

Unfortunately heath is a city. There are townships around here though. Have to check for people I know that live in townships.

 

[DontBurnMyFlag]

this girl i know, her dad used to sound proof the basement and fire at phone books with a .22 all day. haha

 

[Bushido]

well im from the wanderful san fran bay area, and there in my county, you could shoot you just had to be at least 100 yards from any dewelling, or public road. i read some were that one city its a 1,000 yards!!! so it all depends, i live on a 100 acers of flat and hills, so its easy for me. lol but go ask for the regs at the city, and county offices.

 

[hcker2000]

See thats crazy why would guns be more allowed else ware than in ohio. Come on all thats here is woods and farm. :banghead:

 

[gaston_45]

The city library should have a copy of the city ordinances, read it for yourself there. I know in the city closest to me the ordinance reads that discharge of a firearm is illegal within the city limits with the following exceptions: self defense or a properly constructed facility designed for shooting purposes. Just for fun I asked a few officers I knew if it was ever legal to shoot in the city and all three said no, that will get you arrested.

I really would not trust the chief of police, the police do not know the law. That is why they do not bring charges, they refer that part to the da's office as they are the ones that know the laws. You would be amazed at the ignorance of the law most law enforcement officers have. A reserve deputy I work with still refuses to believe that ccw holders can legally carry in schools in oregon. He says it is a federal law, but the federal law specifically exempts ccw holders. That doesn't matter to him, he knows it is illegal and says he will arrest everyone he sees doing it. I didn't argue any further with him, didn't point out concealed means he won't see it or that he is not federal leo.

The best advice is read it for yourself.

 

[thorn726]

wanderful san fran bay area, and there in my county, you could shoot you just had to be at least 100 yards from any dewelling, or public road.

which county was that? hehe nice trick there for SF county, good luck finding anything 100 yards form anything.

most cities around here have no within city limits stuff, but unincorporated areas- well this is the national forest regulation, which also applies to "wilderness" which maybe someone can clarify, i guess its land outsdie the national forest that is uninhabited?
* In or within 150 yards of a residence, building, campsite, developed recreation site, or occupied area,
* Across or on a Forest Development road or a body of water adjacent thereto,
* In any manner or place whereby any person or property is exposed to injury or damage as a result of such discharge. (36CFR 261.10d*).

 

[thorn726]

I really would not trust the chief of police, the police do not know the law.

from some of the stuff ive read on this board, this is pretty good advice, and yeah even print out the law and keep it with you just in case, if the police turn out to be wrong

 

[hcker2000]

Well there is another issue with that. Heath has no public library. Newark which is butted right up to heath has two which might have the city ordinances for heath in them.