Dogmatix
Member
Hey everyone,
Got another question for you all. I was ticketed yesterday evening for "Discharging a Firearm from a USFS road 261.10(d)" Up Hylite Canyon for those of you who know the Bozeman, MT area.
Now here's my story. I went shooting with my little brother and a friend who has never shot before. I don't have a membership to the local range because I'm a college student and can't afford it and am leaving the area soon to move on with my life. Anyway, we drove up Hylite and the snow is too deap to make it up to the shooting areas. I was told shooting up there was okay, but never officially checked on it (my bad). Anyway we pulled off the road on a turn around spot that was paved off and opened up into a clearing. The road kept going but was too snowy for me to continue on my car. We pulled off the road and got out to begin shooting. We were very courteous to drivers driving by and never fired when we could see a vehicle. We were firing away from the road and were at least 20 feet from the road. We finished firing and were getting ready to leave when a forest service ranger just happened to drive by. He asked us if we were shooting and I said yes. He then got all cocky and started basically drilling us with questions and GPSed my location from where i was shooting asked what we were shooting at why we were there etc. (being a dick, trust me on this one.) We tried to figure out what we did "wrong" finally he told us he was siting me for the above stated. I was like but we are not on the road. He then said you were firing from the paved area which is still considered the road. I explained to him why we were firing from the pavement and not the mud and snow on the side of the road. My reasons: I collect brass, its not safe to fire in mud with a beginner shooter who could slip and fall, Its mud?, Its snow, and this is way safer. He agreed but said it is still the road. I then asked, so if i was standing in the dirt and mud i would have been legal? He said yes. I then said so you are ticketing me over 2-3 feet? he said yes. I gave him a dirty look and basically pleaded for a warning because i didnt know the reg for the particular area. he sadi they were posted. I asked where. he said on a sign down below at the entrance to the canyon. (we went and looked afterwards and foudn the sign...it was a 8"x11" sign on a 4'x5' board sign. That was shot to ****. Not very noticeable or anything to the unaware driver. Anyway moving on. We argued for a little while then he said well i could ticket you for firing across a stream adjacent to a USFS road, and i replied but we werent...he said look beyond your target the stream curves and beyond your target your ricochet(spelling) goes over the stream. I said, are you serious? You are going to ding me for ricochet over a stream? He said no, but I could. I said but the canyon wall is the back drop? He said but you are still firing across a stream. (BS i think) I began to argue some more (mind you being very polite this whole time) I said well i figured since there are over 600 rounds in shotgun shells here and a bonfire hole right there (on the side of the road) that this would be okay? We picked up all our brass and even some others around. I was very safe about everything and even had watchers for vehicles just so we didnt scare anyone of in the slightest bit of chance catch a ricochet into a car. we were teh safest shooters in the area. He told us there is a zero tolerance policy and that we were in teh wrong. I tried to argue the 2 feet thing again. He ignored us and began writting the ticket. We continued to talk to him and ask him for what the laws were, trying to gain knowledge of what we had done wrong or what we could have done differently, but regardless of our efforts he ticketed me anyway for 325 bucks....over 2 freaking feet.
My question is: Should i try to fight this? Should I just pay the fine? What are my chances of winning? Will this go on any sort of record? (he claimed no if we pay it yes if we fight it and loose? What will it going on my record cause me to loose?
Please help me!
If you have any other questions e-mail me ([email protected]), pm me, or post a question for me...thanks everyone
I can't afford this ticket for a technicalliy of 2 ft.
Got another question for you all. I was ticketed yesterday evening for "Discharging a Firearm from a USFS road 261.10(d)" Up Hylite Canyon for those of you who know the Bozeman, MT area.
Now here's my story. I went shooting with my little brother and a friend who has never shot before. I don't have a membership to the local range because I'm a college student and can't afford it and am leaving the area soon to move on with my life. Anyway, we drove up Hylite and the snow is too deap to make it up to the shooting areas. I was told shooting up there was okay, but never officially checked on it (my bad). Anyway we pulled off the road on a turn around spot that was paved off and opened up into a clearing. The road kept going but was too snowy for me to continue on my car. We pulled off the road and got out to begin shooting. We were very courteous to drivers driving by and never fired when we could see a vehicle. We were firing away from the road and were at least 20 feet from the road. We finished firing and were getting ready to leave when a forest service ranger just happened to drive by. He asked us if we were shooting and I said yes. He then got all cocky and started basically drilling us with questions and GPSed my location from where i was shooting asked what we were shooting at why we were there etc. (being a dick, trust me on this one.) We tried to figure out what we did "wrong" finally he told us he was siting me for the above stated. I was like but we are not on the road. He then said you were firing from the paved area which is still considered the road. I explained to him why we were firing from the pavement and not the mud and snow on the side of the road. My reasons: I collect brass, its not safe to fire in mud with a beginner shooter who could slip and fall, Its mud?, Its snow, and this is way safer. He agreed but said it is still the road. I then asked, so if i was standing in the dirt and mud i would have been legal? He said yes. I then said so you are ticketing me over 2-3 feet? he said yes. I gave him a dirty look and basically pleaded for a warning because i didnt know the reg for the particular area. he sadi they were posted. I asked where. he said on a sign down below at the entrance to the canyon. (we went and looked afterwards and foudn the sign...it was a 8"x11" sign on a 4'x5' board sign. That was shot to ****. Not very noticeable or anything to the unaware driver. Anyway moving on. We argued for a little while then he said well i could ticket you for firing across a stream adjacent to a USFS road, and i replied but we werent...he said look beyond your target the stream curves and beyond your target your ricochet(spelling) goes over the stream. I said, are you serious? You are going to ding me for ricochet over a stream? He said no, but I could. I said but the canyon wall is the back drop? He said but you are still firing across a stream. (BS i think) I began to argue some more (mind you being very polite this whole time) I said well i figured since there are over 600 rounds in shotgun shells here and a bonfire hole right there (on the side of the road) that this would be okay? We picked up all our brass and even some others around. I was very safe about everything and even had watchers for vehicles just so we didnt scare anyone of in the slightest bit of chance catch a ricochet into a car. we were teh safest shooters in the area. He told us there is a zero tolerance policy and that we were in teh wrong. I tried to argue the 2 feet thing again. He ignored us and began writting the ticket. We continued to talk to him and ask him for what the laws were, trying to gain knowledge of what we had done wrong or what we could have done differently, but regardless of our efforts he ticketed me anyway for 325 bucks....over 2 freaking feet.
My question is: Should i try to fight this? Should I just pay the fine? What are my chances of winning? Will this go on any sort of record? (he claimed no if we pay it yes if we fight it and loose? What will it going on my record cause me to loose?
Please help me!
If you have any other questions e-mail me ([email protected]), pm me, or post a question for me...thanks everyone
I can't afford this ticket for a technicalliy of 2 ft.
