Plinking in a remote area of a state park?

[Ignition Override]

Pardon my total ignorance on gun issues.
I'm a very late-bloomer who last fall found some brand-new possibilities with guns (carbines).

Will a state park allow somebody to plink in a remote area? I've got nothing specific in mind yet.
The motivation is to go to a fairly nearby park, where I've never been, and simply shoot out about 100 yards from an elevated place (with a deep embankment), and 'protect the area from floating fruit', i.e. melons etc. A friend said that only shotguns are allowed to hunt turkeys etc.

Is this illegal even in the deep south, provided that there are no hiking/biking trails etc within a few hundred yards? I have seen good old boys shooting from bridges near small towns in the day time, and so maybe a local deputy's advice would be the best guide?

 

[Thernlund]

Maybe. Which park?


-T.

 

[dmazur]

IMO, you need to think "shooting range", even if you are on public land that permits shooting.

That means a safe backstop.

Remember the guy that shot at something in a tree and killed someone a mile off...

Washington State just had an incident involving a rather limited individual who didn't know bullets would bounce off water, and through a campground on the opposite side of the lake.

"A few hundred yards" isn't safe. You need a backstop. No backstop, no shoot.

 

[Ditto_95]

National Forest

Most National Forests have a 100 yard range for hunters to sight in rifles.
They are usually in remote areas and have a safe backstop.

Make sure you clean up after yourself, the ones I have been to were not managed and required the users to pick up after themselves.

 

[Virginian]

As a displaced Southerner, I have been glad to land in Ohio. They have shooting rages at some of the state parks. I'd suggest you call the park offices, or possibly the local sheriff's office and inquire about shooting opportunities. Usually a couple of gun nuts/hunters in almost any department.

 

[Art Eatman]

The only way to know is to check with the political entity which has jurisdiction over that particular park. Not only will approval vary from state to state, it can readily vary within a state.

 

[brighamr]

Just to clarify, shooting in National Forest is permissable anywhere within the park, as long as you are 100 yards from a road.

However, do not allow your bullets to harm any living thing (including trees) as you can be ticketed for destruction of federal property.

What I and my family like to do, drive into NF and find an old logging road or similar non paved road. Drive in and park in front of a logged hill (dead stumps are fair game). Use the hill for the backstop, and clean out everything you brought in.

We've never had an issue, and yes rangers have stopped by to say HI. They've never told us to stop, asked us about the laws, or any of that nonsense. NFS is pretty cool in that respect.

AS for state parks, this obviously varies by states so if you can specify which state or park, you might get some better advice

 

[Ignition Override]

Thank you.

I will follow your advice.