# Target shooting on private property



## ptucker255

What are the laws on shooting on private property in Kent County? I was target shooting my AR-15 and pistol's with my 14yr old son at my parents today. I had a sheriff show up and said that a neighbor was complaining. They own 4 acre's and have 80 acre's behind them with no houses. My dad has a birm built up that stops all bullet's. I believe I was not doing anything wrong. 

Does anybody have a link to the specific laws on target shooting on private property? 

The officer said I was doing nothing wrong, he told me he could not tell me to stop but there were neighbors comlaining(1/4 mile away) . But I would really like proof on the target shooting laws. 

Thanks,


----------



## ENCORE

ptucker255 said:


> What are the laws on shooting on private property in Kent County? I was target shooting my AR-15 and pistol's with my 14yr old son at my parents today. I had a sheriff show up and said that a neighbor was complaining. They own 4 acre's and have 80 acre's behind them with no houses. My dad has a birm built up that stops all bullet's. I believe I was not doing anything wrong.
> 
> Does anybody have a link to the specific laws on target shooting on private property?
> 
> *The officer said I was doing nothing wrong*, he told me he could not tell me to stop but there were neighbors comlaining(1/4 mile away) . But I would really like proof on the target shooting laws.
> 
> Thanks,


I think that the officer gave you the information that you needed. There's probably a neighbor, that might possibly be anti-gun and became a little nervous when you rapped off 15 rounds. On the other hand, that neighbor may have small children that could have been playing out in the yard and they were nervous about that.
I have my own range setup here. I have a 12' backstop which is very large. I don't have a problem with neighbors when I'm shooting but.... I have had a problem with the neighbors kids running around, just exploring and have found them back near my backstop. This happened during a time that I WAS NOT shooting. I decided that I'd better take a trip over to the neighbors and have a conversation with their parents. The conversation went VERY WELL !! The parents had been unaware that their children had been traveling so far from home (1/2 mile). Kids will be kids and just like you and I were. We didn't always have our heads screwed on right. The parents that I had the discussion with, had a discussion with their children, IN FRONT OF ME, about exploring and playing on other's property.
There's probably two different ways that you could go about your situation. *One*, you could just ignore it, because you have the right to target practice on your own property (safety zones with neighbors considered). *Two*, you could discuss target shooting with the neighbors. If they have children that are playing outside, they may feel much better about it, if you notified them before shooting at the range began.
With all the crazed and insane morons that are shooting up schools and everything else, some people are getting nervous about guns. Those same people, when hearing 10 or 15 rounds fired in sucession start to panic and think there's a nut case around.
Personally, I'd try #2 first. I'd be as polite as possible and see how it went. If you run into an anti-gunner that you can't reason with, try #1.


----------



## NATTY BUMPO

Very good advice, ENCORE. Thats the tack that I'd try as well.

NB


----------



## bigrackmack

All depends where it was, He might have told you that because they have no noise ordinence, hence the reason you can shoot.....The county I live in doesn't have one and their is some pieces of work that live near me are always lighting off black powder bombs all summer long and their isn't a thing I can do about it.......very frustrating to say the least.........Mack


----------



## dlbaldwin01

Encore gave some great advice, here is a link to the DNR which gives you the right to target shoot on your own property. So if they still give you grief at least you are doing nothing illegal. http://www.michigan.gov/dnr/0,1607,7-153-10363-71467--,00.html


----------



## ptucker255

Thanks Guys, I do appreciate the comments!


----------



## hunterdau2

bigrackmack said:


> All depends where it was, He might have told you that because they have no noise ordinence, hence the reason you can shoot.....The county I live in doesn't have one and their is some pieces of work that live near me are always lighting off black powder bombs all summer long and their isn't a thing I can do about it.......very frustrating to say the least.........Mack


 If they are really lighting bombs that is a federal offense! Manufacturing an explosive device will get you hard time.


----------

