Shooting close to a road, but on to my own property.

[Mn Fats]

Hey guys, im up in Minnesota and I'm curious if anyone knows how far you have to be from a road to shoot on to your own property? And how far from a neighbor? I have 60 acres in the country. In one spot I can see about 350 yards on to my field right to my gravel pit (backstop) and would like to take a few shots now and again with my .308 win. But from that position, the dirt road I live on would be 20 yards directly behind me and my neighbor is 60 yards directly behind me (right across the road) . Is there a law prohibiting this or would the times I did this just be considered un-neighborly. Thanks.

 

[Fine Figure of a Man]

You wouldn't be breaking any laws if you were in Iowa. As long as you are not shooting from or across a roadway I think your OK. Call the sheriff or DNR officer to make sure.

 

[HankR]

Would not be legal in my state. Law refers to distance from an ocupied dwelling (without owners permission), with no concern as to if you're shooting towards or away. You really need to know the law in MN.

 

[Mn Fats]

HankR- I'm trying to learn but have gotten everything from "its your property, do as you please" to "500 feet is the minimum distance from a neighbors dwelling". I figured I'd try here before I had the sheriff come out.

 

[hdwhit]

You could consult an attorney. I'm sure they could look it up in the Minnesota statutes very quickly and give you an answer.

 

[rondog]

You could consult an attorney. I'm sure they could look it up in the Minnesota statutes very quickly and give you an answer.

"Give?" An attorney??

 

[grogetr]

In Il. the DNR puts out a guide book for hunting seasons and has all that type of info in it. If Mn. has something like that it may have what you need.

 

[Sav .250]

Your state DNR usually has set rules for that sort possible problem . Plus common sense .

 

[Sam1911]

Jeez, lots of responses that the MN hunting guide might have that info, but nobody could bother to look it up?
http://files.dnr.state.mn.us/rlp/regulations/hunting/2016/full_regs.pdf#view=fit&pagemode=bookmarks

And here is some info from MN's statutes: https://www.revisor.mn.gov/statutes?id=97B.055&year=2016&keyword_type=all&keyword=firearm

97B.055 DISCHARGING FIREARMS AND BOWS AND ARROWS.
§
Subdivision 1.Restrictions related to highways.

(a) A person may not discharge a firearmNext or an arrow from a bow on, over, or across an improved public highway at a big game animal. A person may not discharge a PreviousfirearmNext or bow and arrow within the right-of-way of an improved public highway at a big game animal. The commissioner may by rule extend the application of this subdivision to the taking of migratory waterfowl in designated locations.

(b) A person may not discharge a PreviousfirearmNext or an arrow from a bow on, over, across, or within the right-of-way of an improved public highway at a decoy of a big game animal that has been set out by a licensed peace officer.

So far I haven't found anything specifically mentioning distance from an inhabited structure but here's where to start looking: https://www.revisor.mn.gov/pubs

 

[entropy]

Hey guys, im up in Minnesota and I'm curious if anyone knows how far you have to be from a road to shoot on to your own property? And how far from a neighbor? I have 60 acres in the country. In one spot I can see about 350 yards on to my field right to my gravel pit (backstop) and would like to take a few shots now and again with my .308 win. But from that position, the dirt road I live on would be 20 yards directly behind me and my neighbor is 60 yards directly behind me (right across the road) . Is there a law prohibiting this or would the times I did this just be considered un-neighborly. Thanks.

Unless the laws changed since '91, it should be 50 ft. from the center of the road. You have to have the landowner's permission to fire within 100 ft of an inhabited building. since it's your house, you should have that part covered. I'd OK it with your neighbor just to be, well neighborly, about it.

 

[Sam1911]

Cool, entropy, thanks! Can you show us where it says that in the law, just so it's actual and not hearsay?

 

[Berger.Fan222]

My experience is that lots of folks tend to be so strongly against firearms and shooting that they tend to exaggerate the laws and distances involved. If you want reliable (unexaggerated) information, you usually need to look it up yourself in the actual codes. Even (or especially) lawyers and law enforcement tend to "err" on the overly conservative side most of the time.

 

[Pawpaw40]

If I were you, I would talk to the neighbor. If he objects, you might still be subject to public nuisance laws, disturbing the peace and noise abatement laws and regulations. Try to be a good neighbor, keep your shooting to daylight hours.
https://www.revisor.mn.gov/statutes/?id=561.01
https://www.revisor.mn.gov/statutes/?id=609.72 Excessive noise is considered disorderly conduct
https://www.pca.state.mn.us/sites/default/files/p-gen6-01.pdf Go to section 1, Noise rules in Minnesota.
IANAL. Good luck. In the state I live in, if you have 10 acres, you are good to go. Texas is pretty good about protecting private property rights.

 

[HankB]

Just a few thoughts . . .

1. You could move further onto your own property - from your description, 350 yards is your max range, so 300, 250, even 200 yards will move you well away from your property line. (Unless you think you have to shoot at max distance all the time?)
2. To reduce noise, use a muffler. I don't mean a suppressor you screw onto your rifle, but something that's freestanding that you put the muzzle of your rifle into. This was discussed some years back on this website: https://www.thehighroad.org/index.php?threads/suppressor-box-backyard-shooting.370106/

60 acres ought to be plenty of room to legally shoot. I used to be a member of a Minnesota gun club in Lake Elmo (just outside of St. Paul) and we had ranges up to 200 yards on what was then 49 acres. (I think they bought another 20 acres on one side just to act as a "buffer" to new development.)

 

[Fine Figure of a Man]

Here is the response I received from the MN DNR. It may make a difference that it is your property.

Is there a law or rule stating the minimum distance for shooting near occupied buildings, livestock, etc?

Good morning,


Thank you for contacting the Minnesota DNR.

The law for shooting is 500 feet from any dwelling or building that houses livestock. This information can be found in our 2016 Hunting and Trapping regulations.


Good Luck!


Staci Hutchinson

CSS Principal/Information Center/Office of Communication and Outreach

Minnesota Department of Natural Resources

500 Lafayette Road

St Paul, MN 55155

Phone: 651-296-6157

 

[Mn Fats]

Wow you guys are great. Thanks for the information and responses! Lots to consider here.

 

[Mn Fats]

Hankb- yes 60 acres has plenty of shooting spots. I have a 100 yard rifle range in the back and a 50 or so yard pistol/casual clay range as well. I just wanted to stretch out to 3 maybe 350 once in a while without driving an hour+ to the "local" gun range.
Drunkenpoacher- I had heard the 500' thing before, thanks for confirming it.
Pawpaw- Yes I only shoot during daylight hours, maybe an hour or two total per week. I considered talking to the neighbor but if its legal, im not going to. I feel like if I ask permission once or give them a heads up, ill be expected to every time, anywhere I shoot on the property.

 

[Sunray]

"...Is there a law prohibiting this..." As mentioned by Sam1911, it'll be a hunting reg and possibly a local ordinance. Might be a State law that says something about not shooting onto a neighbour's property too.
However, 60 acres isn't big enough for any kind of a cf rifle range. You have to consider the fall zone not just the range itself. The fall zone for a 1,000 yard Canadian military range runs about 6 miles.

 

[Mn Fats]

"...However, 60 acres isn't big enough for any kind of a cf rifle range.

I fire into a gravel pit dug out of 35 ft high hill located in the corner of the lot. No neighbors behind it.

 

[PapaG]

Illinois regs are at best confusing. You need to be 300 yards from an occupied dwelling to hunt with a firearm, 100 for archery. That said, you can shoot on your own land, in unincorporated areas right next to neighbors. At least that's what it looks like now. Examples available.
Check both dnr and municipal laws.

 

[entropy]

Cool, entropy, thanks! Can you show us where it says that in the law, just so it's actual and not hearsay?

Sorry, I can't. I last lived in MN in '93, really haven't kept up on such laws there. Most of such laws are usually included in a condensed form in the Game Laws Synopsis. (The pamphlet you get with your hunting license)

From Revisor 97B

https://www.revisor.mn.gov/statutes/?id=97b&view=chapter

Subdivision 1.Restrictions related to highways.

(a) A person may not discharge a firearm or an arrow from a bow on, over, or across an improved public highway at a big game animal. A person may not discharge a firearm or bow and arrow within the right-of-way of an improved public highway at a big game animal. The commissioner may by rule extend the application of this subdivision to the taking of migratory waterfowl in designated locations.

(b) A person may not discharge a firearm or an arrow from a bow on, over, across, or within the right-of-way of an improved public highway at a decoy of a big game animal that has been set out by a licensed peace officer.

The problem arises in finding a concrete definition of right of way. IIRC, the game laws synopsis in MN when I lived there said 50' from the center of the road.

 

[Arizona_Mike]

Check you laws. There is so much folklore in Arizona on this topic it drives me batty. 90+% of the people you meet get it wrong.
Everyone and their cousin think there is a general 1/4 mile rule or 1 mile rule in AZ. The 1 mile rule from an occupied structure in AZ is for municipalities (does not apply to hunting). State law allows counties or cities to restrict hunting within 1/4 mile of an occupied structure (defined differently than the 1 mile rule) inside municipalities. Outside municipalities there are no such restrictions. There are also game restrictions that do not apply to target shooting (although some of them are good common sense).

Mike

 

[Dog Soldier]

I expect if you have ask on a Forum you already know the answer.

 

[Mn Fats]

I expect if you have ask on a Forum you already know the answer.

If I knew the answer, I wouldn't be wasting people's time. But I'm close to my answer now, thanks to you guys 50' from the center of a road, I'd heard that one. 500' from a dwelling, that's one that drunkenpoacher confirmed. So if I push further onto the field as HankB suggested, my original 60 yds away from a dwelling is now pushed to 170 yds. Leaving me with more like a 250 yd range. Plus "nuisance laws, disturbing the peace, and noise abatement laws and regulations" pointed out by pawpaw. Jeez I didn't think it would be this rough to legally fire off a few rounds into my gravel pit. Thanks for your posts guys.

 

[pintler]

"However, 60 acres isn't big enough for any kind of a cf rifle range."

Most of the ranges I've been on are smaller that 60 acres.

-------------

Just to be clear, are we talking about target shooting or hunting? Different laws may apply. For example, a couple of people have quoted law that says "A person may not discharge a firearm or an arrow from a bow on, over, or across an improved public highway at a big game animal". A paper target isn't "a big game animal".

Similarly, I'd check whether the letter from Fish and Game is referring only to hunting or all shooting. The letter refers to "2016 Hunting and Trapping regulations". That might or might not be applicable to non-hunting shooting.

I concur about being nice to the neighbors,even if not legally required. Talk to them. Ask if they want to shoot. Also, FWIW, suppressors are legal in MN. I find shooting centerfire rifles to be much more pleasant with a suppressor, and your neighbors might find the lower noise preferable as well.