How much land do you need to shoot?

[wally040]

In ND you must be at least 440 yards (1/4 mile) from an occupied building.

 

[wushaw]

<"It's a min of 10ac in Texas to deer hunt on for sure, dove.... well they better be sure which direction their shootin. Dove shot will go several hundred yards, it may not do any damage to any structures but it sure does sting.">

Man, what kind of shotgun do you use?

20ga, 12ga and yes several hundred yds, we are shooting at doves right? I have screwed up once thinking as most (no way it will go that far) till you hear the bbs hit the roof of the barn 200yds away.

 

[archerm3]

20ga, 12ga and yes several hundred yds, we are shooting at doves right? I have screwed up once thinking as most (no way it will go that far) till you hear the bbs hit the roof of the barn 200yds away.

+1 .

 

[LBrown59]

I think I could hit a half acre.

 

[Kfbeal]

Kfbeal, I found that law in Florida but not in Texas? What statue is it in? I might need it.

I'm glad you found it, because I'm sure I couldn't. I didn't realize it was 4 years ago though. A local Game Warden normally speaks at our Lions Club meetings annually about new regulations and I remembered that one. I recall the talk because it was Justin Hurst, the Game Warden that was killed by a poacher after pursuing him 2 years ago. Great guy and a true representation of what law enforcement should be. Sorry to go off topic, but this was a great guy whose life was taken in a senseless act.

I've seen shotgun pellets travel several hundred yards, so even with 5 or 10 acres depending on the shape of the land, the pellets could fall under that trespass by projectile.

 

[Podunkadunk]

Twarr1- I think these people have the same rights (within reason and common sense of course) as a person with 200-300 acres as long as they aren't endangering anyone else. Of course it's common sense that with limited acreage there is a greater responsibility to be assumed by said owner when shooting. If the cartridge is going onto someone else's property, there's a problem! If an owner of a small parcel has a great backstop and exercises caution, personally, I seen no problem.

TxDon-The comment you made "Deer season usually ends the nice walks in the woods for me" is terrible. What I mean is, you have 120 acres according to your profile. Are you scared to walk on your own property during hunting season? Are you being shot at? Are hunters trespassing onto your 120? If so, there are ways to stop this and 120 acres isn't too large that you couldn't stop it personally. I don't take kindly to blatant trespassers. I can see someone making a mistake and wandering on, but I'll not stand for a blatant trespasser.

Jinjimbob- Shooting distance for shooting away from a homesite??? Do you mean that a person with 2-3 acres shouldn't be allowed to safely exercise their second amendment right on their property? The government (any form) has its sticky liberal fingers into too much of mine and your business already.

Woodchuckie- 50 yards is plenty. There are already laws on the books governing shooting over/across/toward a public road, an occupied dwelling, etc.

MikeD47T- We share a lot of the same points of view on this subject...whether that be good or bad.

The Dougster- You took the words out of my mouth!

Wushaw- I don't know what you're shooting, but standard dove shot, ie., field loads, won't knock the hat off an ants head or dimple a marshmallow at 200 yards. Heck, I doubt it would even make it that far pointed straight out (parallel to the ground from a man standing on the ground). It may get there at a 45 degree angle, but I really doubt it and if it does...well, refer to the ant or marshmallow comment. I'd be more than happy to break out the video camera and do a test to prove or disprove my theory for you guys.

Podunk

 

[Charlton John]

I know in SC it's 500 feet from a dwelling (other than your own). My 7 acres might just barely qualify- but I wouldn't.

Same here in NY

 

[jinjimbob]

Jinjimbob- Shooting distance for shooting away from a homesite??? Do you mean that a person with 2-3 acres shouldn't be allowed to safely exercise their second amendment right on their property? The government (any form) has its sticky liberal fingers into too much of mine and your business already.

Woodchuckie- 50 yards is plenty. There are already laws on the books governing shooting over/across/toward a public road, an occupied dwelling, etc.

The 2nd amendment says you can have a gun, it does not say you can shoot up your neighbours anytime you wish. Even if you have neighbours that shoot up your house from 50 yards away.

An acre is not a distance, its an area.

50 yards is plenty? plenty for what, a water pistol?

 

[woodchuckie]

Twarr1-

TxDon-The comment you made "Deer season usually ends the nice walks in the woods for me" is terrible. What I mean is, you have 120 acres according to your profile. Are you scared to walk on your own property during hunting season? Are you being shot at? Are hunters trespassing onto your 120? If so, there are ways to stop this and 120 acres isn't too large that you couldn't stop it personally. I don't take kindly to blatant trespassers. I can see someone making a mistake and wandering on, but I'll not stand for a blatant trespasser.


Woodchuckie- 50 yards is plenty. There are already laws on the books governing shooting over/across/toward a public road, an occupied dwelling, etc.

In a perfect world like the commercial says.
I still go for my walks and other activity's during hunting season. I don't hunt myself. If I'm walking I make sure I make plenty of noise and wear hunter orange. If I make any noise that might be mistaken for a deer I double up on the other noises I make. If I have the grandkids with me I don't even go near the boundaries. Just because it was against the law doesn't undo the damage.

 

[EarPlug]

Wushaw- I don't know what you're shooting, but standard dove shot, ie., field loads, won't knock the hat off an ants head or dimple a marshmallow at 200 yards. Heck, I doubt it would even make it that far pointed straight out (parallel to the ground from a man standing on the ground). It may get there at a 45 degree angle, but I really doubt it and if it does...well, refer to the ant or marshmallow comment. I'd be more than happy to break out the video camera and do a test to prove or disprove my theory for you guys.

Podunk

The following article is from RangeInfo.org

[FONT=Times New Roman,Times,Times NewRoman][FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]HOW FAR WILL A SHOTGUN SHOOT?[/FONT][/FONT]

[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif][SIZE=-1] By Dick Baldwin[/SIZE][/FONT]
[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif][SIZE=-1](This article is reprinted with permission from the Gun Club Advisor, Spring, 1994)[/SIZE][/FONT]
[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif][SIZE=-1] Gun club operators have long been asked the age old question, "How far will my shotgun shoot?"[/SIZE][/FONT]​

[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif][SIZE=-1] The size of the shot used has much to do with the range of the load. It can be assumed that the same weight of different sizes of shot, propelled by the same amount of powder, will develop identical muzzle velocities. However, small shot lose their effectiveness before their pattern density is lost, while the larger sizes of shot lose their pattern density before their energy and stopping power is lost. No. 6 shot seems to be the intermediate in that it loses its pattern density and penetration effectiveness at about the same point on its trajectory. Another important factor is the angle of elevation when firing. When No. 6 shot is fired from a gun held slightly above the horizontal, the pellet drop will cover an area of approximately 400 feet in length. The nearest shot will fall about 300 feet from the gun's muzzle. While the furthest will land some 700 feet away. When the gun is elevated at an angle of approximately 40 degrees the drop area of the shot is greater, from 400 to 900 feet. [/SIZE][/FONT]
[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif][SIZE=-1] A load of No. 4 shot will carry somewhat further. The nearest pellets striking the ground some 600 feet away. These distances vary from shot to shot as weather conditions, particularly the wind, have an effect on a shotgun's range.[/SIZE][/FONT]
[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif][SIZE=-1] It is the generally accepted opinion that the No. 7 1/2 shot, used in trap loads, have an extreme maximum range of about 300 yards. Trapshooting ranges should provide this distance for their approximate danger zone.[/SIZE][/FONT]
[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif][SIZE=-1] A French ballistics expert, General Journee, years ago worked out a formula to the effect that the maximum range in yards equals 2200 times the shot diameter in inches. When the gun is held at a horizontal position or only slightly elevated, this formula gives the maximum range of shot sizes as shown below.[/SIZE][/FONT]
[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif][SIZE=-1]No. 2 - 330 yards[/SIZE][/FONT]
[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif][SIZE=-1]No. 4 - 286 yards[/SIZE][/FONT]
[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif][SIZE=-1]No. 6 - 242 yards[/SIZE][/FONT]
[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif][SIZE=-1] No. 7 1/2- 209 yards[/SIZE][/FONT]
[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif][SIZE=-1]No. 8 - 198 yards[/SIZE][/FONT]

[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif][SIZE=-1] Altitude also has an effect on how far shot will carry. Data published by the Sporting Arms and Ammunition Manufacturers' Institute, for example, indicates the maximum range for No. 7 1/2 shot is 780 feet at sea level but increases to 1,080 feet at high altitude (12,000 ft.).[/SIZE][/FONT]​