Shooting question in California

[trimation]

I am going to go camping this summer and I wanted to take a couple of guns and go shooting. I called the Sheriff's office for the county that I am going in and spoke with the sheriff. He said that he had no problem with me shooting in the area in which I am camping as long as I practiced safe shooting. He then told me to call the rangers for that area and ask them too.

When I spoke to one of the rangers he told me that I can't shoot in that area because alot of people go there. Now, this isn't a state or national park. I don't see how it can be illegal for me to shoot there. He also said that even if I hike over one of the ranges I can't shoot there either because it is wilderness and it is illegal to target shoot in the wilderness.

Does this sound right? Anyone know anything different?

Also, on another note, my local gun dealer said that they are going to be banning the Springfield M1-A pretty soon. Any truth to this or was he just trying to sell me a gun?

Trimation

 

[45R]

Trimation:

Who are "they?" "They" say alot of things. The possiblity of the M1A being banned in the future maybe foreseeable. I really nope that isnt the case. We cant let them introduce more bills to limit the already scarce selection of semiautomatic rifles............

As far as the parks call the Ranger Station back and ask to speak to the supervisor. See if you get a different answer. Write down a few names to CYA. They might drown upon target shooting in the area, its CA so becareful were you shoot your guns.


GL

45R

 

[trimation]

From what he was saying I kind of got the impression that the shooting was frowned upon, they didn't like it, but technically was legal but I couldn't get him to say that.

 

[45R]

PS I read something similar to this tread. Someone was shooting in a legal area and got hassled by park rangers. They approached the posters groups and asked if they had any AWs. Inventoried what they had and left.........................If you ever in Sacramento come out and shoot with us sometime!

We are having a Shoot Aug 8th at Yolo County Sportsmans Association. (at least so far that is what everyone has voted)

TC

45R

 

[Malone LaVeigh]

From your post, I can't tell what jurisdiction you are talking about. What do you mean by "the rangers?" It is not legal to shoot in campgrounds on National Forest land or any other jurisdiction I know of. It is legal to shoot most other places, including wilderness, as long as it isn't a game refuge.

This is from "Forest Rules for Developed Recreation Areas - Mendocino NF:

Discharging a firearm or any other implement capable of taking human life, causing injury, or damaging property: (1) In or within 150 yards of a residence, building, campsite, or occupied area, or (2) across or on a Forest Development road or a body of water adjacent thereto, or in any manner or place whereby any person or property is exposed to injury or damage as a result of such discharge (261.10d).

 

[El Rojo]

Just do what the sheriff said. Do it in a safe and remote area. You will be fine. If some ranger shows up, stick to your principles and make them make the case. The key is to just make it a safe area and the more remote the better. This is still a free country last time I checked. Exercise your rights.

You still have plenty of time to get an M1A. Nothing is on the board in this state to toughen the AW ban that I am aware of. Nationally they might take a big punch and it will trickle down to us, but that is still a few months away and there is one hell of a fight going to be put up on that one.

 

[4v50 Gary]

National Forest or State Park? Please clarify.

 

[45R]

What do you mean by "the rangers?"

The Park Rangers

 

[trimation]

I don't believe it is a national forest or state park.

 

[Hank Zudd]

shooting in NoCal

One of the biggest things that will get you shut down ANYWHERE in this part of the country is the fire danger. Yes, you could be the safest guy shooting on private property, but if you start a fire, you could be billed for the cost of putting it out. And it ain't cheap. pm

 

[4v50 Gary]

Well, if it's not Nasty Forest or a State Park, it must be a County Park and a County Park Ranger. If they sez no, it be no. County Park rangers may be LEO, depending on how the county handles it (POST trained & certified).

 

[Destructo6]

BLM controls vast amounts of desert land in CA. I was hassled in about 1993 in much the same way described by 45R. Although there were no signs posted and the ground was littered with spent casings, the Ranger said the area was off limits for the shooting of solid projectiles (shotguns were apparently okay).

Later, I went to the BLM office in Barstow in the quest of a legal open area. They offered a color-coded map where each color indicated what was acceptable use. Unfortunately, the map was neither laid out on military-style grids nor included terrain features, making it nearly unuseable. This was compounded by the vague explanations for what was acceptable in a particular color and that the Ranger on duty at the desk flatly refused to make any clarification. Even when we stated that "we'd like to legally shoot and does this color/plot of land allow that?" he'd just sort of look over our heads.

 

[Malone LaVeigh]

quote:What do you mean by "the rangers?"

The Park Rangers

I still don't know what kind of park you're talking about, but I guess it doesn't matter. If you're talking about any kind of park, shooting is verboten. I'd suggest forget the parks and camp in the National Forest.

If some ranger shows up, stick to your principles and make them make the case.

Again, if you're in a park, I'd suggest make very friendly and wsubmissive and they might let you get away if you plead ignorance. If you are in a Forest, you are very unlikely to encounter anyone called a "ranger." If you encounter a regular Forest Service employee, I'd suggest be courteous and don't give the rest of us a bad name. If you encounter a LEO, I'd suggest you be VERY friendly. I was in an incident several years ago in which a man with a private inholding on FS land got into an argument with a forester and just mentioned the word "gun." It took the LEOs over an hour to answer the call, but when they did they tracked him back to his house and had him in cuffs in no time. The next time I saw the man was when I was called to testify in court. Big trouble.

Oh and Hank is right on target. (Welcome, Hank) Unless you have a few million on hand, you don't want to be responsible for starting a forest fire. Also, stop in at a CDF office on the way up and get a fire permit. Don't forget a shovel or other fire tool.