Plinking land in SE Michigan

[DRMMR02]

I'm not sure if this is the right forum for this question, but I don't know of any other resource where I can ask this.

I live in Ypsilanti(near Ann Arbor) Michigan and I am looking for a place where I can go plinking/tagert shooting with small semi-autos in .22 or 9mm. There is an indoor range in Westland I go to, but it's a slow range. I'm not really sure about all of the laws governing firearms, public land, hunting licenses etc.
Does anyone know of any open land that it would be ok/legal to set up some targets for plinking? Would I have to aquire a license for such? Is this sort of thing even legal at all or are ranges the only option?

 

[donkee]

I went the public range route till about a year ago. Didn't like them much so I tried joining one of the clube nearby, LSC. Best money I have spent. My dues are less than half what I was paying to use the public ranges every week. Land in SE MI is being developed at a terrible rate so I doubt that you'll find many places left to safely and legally shoot. I would suggest joining a club. You might be able to get into Racoon Hunters, I don't think it's that far from where you are. I haven't been there yet, but I hear Jack has done wounderous things to the place. There's also Howell, they have a sportsmen's club too and it's not very far from you. You'll meet some really nice and good people at the clubs.

 

[frank c]

There is a public rifle range at the sharon valley state game area just north east of manchester Mi.Check with the DNR for excact location.

 

[Ol` Joe]

Any state land in Michigan that is open to hunting is open to target shooting, and it is free. I agree with joining a club I belong to two, both within ~15-20 minutes from my house.

Donkee, The LSC you mentioed isn`t Linden is it?

 

[DRMMR02]

Any state land in Michigan that is open to hunting is open to target shooting, and it is free. I agree with joining a club I belong to two, both within ~15-20 minutes from my house.

Righteous. There is more than one park listed on the Michigan Metorparks website that offers hunting only about 20 minutes from where I live.

Does that mean I can just show up with my pistol and some ammo and head out into the woods and have at it? Safely of course.

 

[>SHOCK<^>WAVE<]

DRMMR02:
Plinking land in SE Michigan
I'm not sure if this is the right forum for this question, but I don't know of any other resource where I can ask this.

I live in Ypsilanti(near Ann Arbor) Michigan and I am looking for a place where I can go plinking/tagert shooting with small semi-autos in .22 or 9mm. There is an indoor range in Westland I go to, but it's a slow range. I'm not really sure about all of the laws governing firearms, public land, hunting licenses etc.
Does anyone know of any open land that it would be ok/legal to set up some targets for plinking? Would I have to aquire a license for such? Is this sort of thing even legal at all or are ranges the only option?

I think it's illegal to shoot rifles even 22LR's in SE Michigan, unless it's at
commercial or licensed range.

 

[Ol` Joe]

I think it's illegal to shoot rifles even 22LR's in SE Michigan, unless it's at commercial or licensed range

From the Michigan DNR web site.
http://www.michigan.gov/dnr/0,1607,7-153-10319-31578--,00.html

License Requirement - Possession of Firearms and Bows and Arrows
A person taking or attempting to take game and in possession of a firearm, slingshot or bow and arrow must have the appropriate hunting license with them and must produce the license upon the request of a conservation officer or other law enforcement officer.
A hunting license is not required when target practicing or sighting-in a firearm at an identifiable, artificially constructed target, and there is no attempt to take game. A hunting license is not required for the carrying of a pistol for personal protection by a camper, hiker or person engaged in other recreational activities if there is no attempt to take game.

Remember this is in state land open to firearm hunting, not parks, ect. One must also have the appropriate license if in the woods armed during a open hunting season. The DNR isn`t going to believe you are just "shooting cans" with your rifle during deer season, get a license!

 

[>SHOCK<^>WAVE<]

What I was referring to is local township and county ordinances\laws
that make it illegal to discharge rifles not state law.

 

[Tim G.]

What I was referring to is local township and county ordinances\laws that make it illegal to discharge rifles not state law.

State owned land cannot be supersede by townships/county laws.


BTW, I lived at (new) US19 and Alderman Rd. I loved being five minutes away from Tarpon Springs and some of the best gyros around.

/tg

 

[>SHOCK<^>WAVE<]

land in SE Michigan

I'm talking about "land in SE Michigan", in SE Michigan they use population
density rationel "a 22LR can travel mile" or "noise" ordinance to restrict
rifle shooting and state land isn't exempt in Michigan.


5 minutes away from all the sponges one would need also

 

[Ol` Joe]

From the Mi DNR site,

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Townships with Hunting Restrictions

No hunting with firearms in Oakland County townships of Auburn, West Bloomfield, Bloomfield, Farmington, Southfield and Waterford (State lands in Waterford Township are open).

No hunting with firearms in Macomb County townships of Clinton, Sterling or Harrison.

No hunting with firearms in Wayne County townships of Redford and Northville, and in the city of Detroit, including waters of the Detroit River.

Grosse Ile Township in Wayne County is closed to all hunting.
Parts of townships in these counties are closed to hunting or restricted to types of firearms or the discharge of firearms as posted: Alcona, Arenac, Barry, Berrien, Crawford, Dickinson, Eaton, Emmet, Genesee, Iosco, Jackson, Kalamazoo, Livingston, Macomb, Manistee, Mason, Oakland, Otsego, Ottawa, Presque Isle, Saginaw, St. Clair, Washtenaw and Wayne (these areas are posted with the restrictions.) For descriptions, contact the appropriate township clerk or township police department.

Note these are NOT state lands opened to hunting. This is not public lands as there is very little if any in these counties, most is private with a county park or two. -There is NO HUNTING in any FEDERAL PARK. There are some state areas though, here you can find more from the DNR.
http://www.michigan.gov/dnr/0,1607,7-153-10363_10913-31687--,00.html

Any place open to hunting is opened to shooting as long as rules are obeyed about distances from roads, buildings, ect are followed. Some may have closures dureing certain times of the year due to other activities occuring there. Take a look at the location of the lands listed on the web site. They are all with in an area from Detriot to the south and Pontiac to the north. You wont get more populated in Michigan then in this area. If you dig you`ll likely find most of these state areas also have small ranges on them. I have shot at Ortenville (Ortenville also has a lot of open to hunting area in it) and Bald Mt so I know for sure these do. I have also shot at a state run range over by Grass Lake in the Ann Arbor area once although I don`t remember the state area name off hand. I also hunt ducks and rabbits on the State and federal lands right outside Saginaw, deer hunting is also allowed by permit. There at one time was a range there also and shooting is legal although some of the land is closed at certain times for breeding due to its game reserve status.
Funny thing, southern Michigan is closed to centerfire rifles for deer hunting, shotgun or muzzle loader only, but allows them for varmite and allows centerfire straight walled pistols for any hunting, Humm. Can`t shoot deer with a `06 but can a woodchuck.

If you find state land with a litttle green sign with a map of Michigan on it it is opened to shooting, if the map in it is red it is closed. Both state which they are on them also.
Here is a map of land open to hunting and shooting in Mi.
http://www.michigan.gov/documents/publands_2002_39040_7.pdf

 

[Barbara]

There are a lot of clubs in your area. Call around, the cost and facilities vary a lot (and aren't necessarily related.)

 

[DRMMR02]

Well this is on the michigan.gov/dnr website.

State Parks and Recreation Areas

All state parks and recreation areas are closed to hunting from April 1 through September 14, except in areas designated open during the early September Canada goose season and spring wild turkey season.

It is illegal to target shoot in a state park or recreation area, except at designated shooting ranges at Bald Mountain Recreation Area, Island Lake Recreation Area, Ortonville Recreation Area and Pontiac Lake Recreation Area. Unless on a designated shooting range, or an area open to hunting during established seasons, or participating in an officially sanctioned field trial, all firearms in state parks and recreation areas must be unloaded in barrel and magazine.

So doesn't that clash with the "it's ok to shoot on any hunting land" law?