Shooting irritates Neighbor

[NCGirl]

I have a 30 acre property where we have 3 neighbors who border it. 2 are great but one is a bit Grumpy. Every few weeks we like to target practice for half an hour or so. We always shoot in the daytime, not too early or too late. The safest place to set up the targets is an area which borders Grumpys Land. We have a couple 22's, a 12 & 20 guage a semi-auto rifle. The shotguns and rifle can be pretty loud especially if someone decides to unload a whole clip with the rifle in short order.

The problem is old grumpy comes out and starts yelling at us. There are woods between our properties so we can't see him. The first time I thought he was trying to tell us that someone was walking on his property near where we were shooting. Just to be clear, there is no way we could hit someone if we are aiming at the targets as we have the angle set up very carefully. Anyway, we stopped shooting and next we know we see him driving up in his pickup truck thru our fields waving his fist at us then he drives away. We go up to his house to try and find out what the problem is but even though we hear him inside he won't come to the door. Oh well, we tried.

Now every time we go shooting he comes outside starts yelling then starts blowing his car horn the entire time we are out there.

What do you think? Should we find somewhere else for our target practice?

[TexasArtist]

Well if your on your property I don't really see the problem. He sounds like he just wants something to complain about. I think I'd put some no tresspassing signs out though. If honking his car horn when he hears shooting is a hobby he enjoys then let him.
On the other hand maybe he's one of them guys that was in a war and gets jumpy when he hears the gun fire. but still you can't rearrange your life because of him. Heck I was in a house that was flooded but I don't expect people to stop swimming or what not. Do you have any animals? If he tries to take you to court or something you could use them as a good reason for haveing to practice shooting. You need to be able to hit that raccon and not your precious little chickens.

[RedneckWoman]

If you are on your property, not within 150 feet of his house (depending on the law where you are of course) , and not shooting at him just ignore him. Maybe put up some no tresspassing signs or a fence to keep him out of the fields. Other than annoy you with his horn I don't see where there is much he could do. I'd keep doing what I was doing.

[wy_white_wolf]

I'd up my practice schedule to 2 to 3 times a week

[Wayne02]

Originally Posted by NCGirl

What do you think? Should we find somewhere else for our target practice?

I'd start shooting some tracers at night, and then when he comes out, you yell to him, "How do you like me Now?!?"

Ok, seriously sometimes these things can be worked out with a little flexibility on both parties. I'd approach him and see if he would be interested in shooting with you. Or, maybe offer an olive branch in that you agree to not shoot after 8pm or before 7am, or something like that. Attempt to be reasonable and see if he might follow suit. I recognize you say you are already doing this, but you have to tell him that so he at least feels you are open to some compromise. It's worth a shot anyway...

[bgak47]

I have 17 acres with neighbors on 3 sides & I shoot whenever I feel like it.It's one of the reasons I bought the place. It has an excellent natural backstop in the form of a steep hill. This property is in an unincorporated part of the county & shooting is perfectly legal. I have a clay pigeon thrower & I may shoot 100 rnds in an afternoon. My nearest neighbors are 300+yds away. I don't believe you said how close this grumpy neighbor is?

[foxtrapper]

While he sounds like a grumpy kook, grumpy kooks sometimes have a basis, and they can make life unpleasant.

I'd try again knocking on the door and talking to find out what the deal is. If he's just a whack job that rants, so be it. You might have an issue you don't know about. The ground can do some funny things with sound funneling for example.

If he's just squirrel bait (a nut), you still might want to consider moving just to avoid the headaches he's probably going to give you.

Sometimes being in the right isn't worth the victory.

[MorrisonCorner]

We don't warn the neighbors when we're going to pop off a few rounds with the .22, but I think if I were firing off a fair amount of ammo with a loud gun I'd let people know with a courtesy call that we'll be sighting in the guns at around 3:00, just so it doesn't come as a rude surprise.

And if they said "oh, would you mind not? my elderly mother is visiting and she takes a nap..." I'd probably not shoot.

[Michael W. Smith]

Hmmmmmm, I have to side with your neighbor. When a neighboring house came up for sale, the person who bought it sells guns as a side business. It was nice & quiet until he came, now he hear target shooting. (We own a total of 116 acres, but the neighbors property is surrounded by ours.)

His house is not close to us so it isn't loud, but it is annoying to me. Perhaps the problem is I'm not a person who likes guns to begin with. (I understand you need them for hunting and for personal safety.)

Of course, I don't go outside and yell and scream and blow my car's horn when the neighbor is shooting! How old is your neighbor? Was he in a war? Something is "setting" him off but the question is - is it because he was in a war and suffers from a post traumatic disorder, or is he just "unbalanced" to begin with.

[Mid Tn Mama]

Find out if he or anyone else works nights and see if you can shoot when they are up or at the grocery store, etc..

[ninny]

I think I'd call the Sheriff and have someone come out and file a report. Maybe the law needs to explain to your neighbor that you're not breaking the law. And if he sees that you're not going to put up with his B.S., maybe he might have a change of heart. Someone that will do what you described might just go off the deep end and if you have a report on file, it would work to your favor if something serious should happen. IMHO.

[tinknal]

Originally Posted by Michael W. Smith

Hmmmmmm, I have to side with your neighbor. When a neighboring house came up for sale, the person who bought it sells guns as a side business. It was nice & quiet until he came, now he hear target shooting. (We own a total of 116 acres, but the neighbors property is surrounded by ours.)

His house is not close to us so it isn't loud, but it is annoying to me. Perhaps the problem is I'm not a person who likes guns to begin with. (I understand you need them for hunting and for personal safety.)

Of course, I don't go outside and yell and scream and blow my car's horn when the neighbor is shooting! How old is your neighbor? Was he in a war? Something is "setting" him off but the question is - is it because he was in a war and suffers from a post traumatic disorder, or is he just "unbalanced" to begin with.

What if it's your chickens that bother him? Pigs? The American flag on your lawn? Your Harly?....................

[buspete]

Sounds like a cranky old guy. I've met plenty of people who will always find something to complain about.

You own your property, if it is legal to shoot, go ahead and shoot. Id' be more concerned about him driving around your field than disturbing him since he isn't exactly being curteous to you either.

Everybody here shoots. I can identify who is shooting by the sound of the shot! Actually, when we started to meet local people, they would look at us kind of squinty eyed and ask "so, do you hunt?". When they found out that I sell guns for a living, we were accepted into the local society pretty quickly.

If the property across the road from me ever comes up for sale, I plan on dumping a few magazines every time a realtor shows it to someone in the name of "full disclosure". That way, the only folks who would still buy it to build on know exactly what they are getting into!

[big rockpile]

I have a Rifle Range just down the road from me.Last time I was down there I was number 80 in line. Wasn't no way I was waiting around.I just shoot by the House anymore.

big rockpile

[bryon huff]

sounds like i would shoot more i can hear shooting from 20 miles away

[NCGirl]

He is in his early 70's. He has always been a pain in the backside according to my grandparents.

He used to cause problems with my Granddad years ago by putting electic fences up just a little on my granddads side of the property and putting his livestock in it. He would move the fence over little by little until my granddad would have to have a surveyer come out and resurvey. Then a few years later he would do it again. My granddad eventually planted a line of trees.

We have never shot earlier than noon or later than 6:00pm. No laws against shooting out here. His house is 1/4 mile from where we are shooting. I saw him at the store once and asked him if there was some reason he was blowing his horn at us and he just said that "we had no business shooting guns so loud" I was taught to respect my elders and all but geezzz

[gilberte]

As long as you're being safe and legal I don't see why you should have to find another place, off your property, to shoot. Might try leaving him a note if he won't answer the door, saying that you want to be a good neighbor but also want to enjoy your own property which you've worked so hard to acquire. Say that if he has some issue(s) with the shooting you'd be more than willing to discuss them with him in a neighborly fashion.

Some people can be impossible but at least you will have made the effort.

[Triffin]

Shoot on your land all you want provided

1) you're not aiming in the direction of neighbors

2) you do it at reasonable hours

Triff ..

[seedspreader]

You are being more than respectable, just enjoy your shooting. That would be like me getting angry when someone's dog barks or rooster crows... sheesh.

It's part of living in the country.

[ace admirer]

well,,,you know he's a nut,,,right? i would not let his yelling or horn blowing bother you anymore than he should let your lawful target practice bother him.....but.....you know he's a nut,,,right? take precautions you would knowing anyone is a nut. nuts sometimes crack when under stress.