shooting..and neighbors

Shooting into your own woods should be safe, EXCEPT you have kids on four wheelers using your property without your permission. Your Homesteading days will be over when you shoot one of the neighbor kids as they race around your woods.
And a big, "Ya, sure" to those that think that is just what those bratty kids deserve.

one of the families felt it was fine to use our 32 acres for 4 wheeling. I don't want them on it.

when we started to spend more time at the land we had to put a stop to the 4 wheelers. We were shooting into our woods and they tresspassed into our property as we were getting ready to fire. We made it VERY clear at that time.They could see us..could hear us..and yet thought they would go for a ride on our property in the direct line of fire. haven't had any more trespass issues since the week after they were told to stay off,when our camper was vandalized, broken into, windows broke and a jewelry box stolen. Small price to pay for being able to use our own land. We have since blocked several 4 wheeler entrance points. haven't seen any indication they have been there. We are not out to harm people..not even tresspassers

When I read 14 bullets I burst out laughing. Seriously she called you because 14 rounds were fired? Go get a .22 and shoot a few hundred rounds for her.

The sun shines , the rain falls , and sometimes , the lightning strikes .

That's one reason why I'm called 'the Weatherman' , there are other reasons , I actually am a Sky Warn weather spotter weatherman and CoCoRah daily contributor .

it's ironic , isn't it ? ? .............................. I was Recon with the 101st in Nam . .

"since the week after they were told to stay off,when our camper was vandalized, broken into, windows broke and a jewelry box stolen"

You kicked them off after the camper was vandalized or just before?

So if the sound from the firearms constitutes "trespassing", then I'd assume it goes both ways...the smell from the neighbors' goats coming onto the property of the Op has legitimate complaint as well?

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"Those who hammer their guns into plows will plow the fields of those who don't."-Thomas Jefferson

in 6 yrs or so there has never been any vandalism to our place except for immediately after they were dis allowed from trespassing.

Being a good neighbor goes both ways. Sounds like this is an ongoing problem with a bad neighbor. Good fences, post your property for no trespassing and ignore the neighbor.

If our neighbors complained every time we fired off a dozen rounds there would be a steady line of complaints but there aren't. Why? They are all good neighbors who hunt and shoot on their own. We have never had a bullet stray. We know where we are shooting and what is around us when we do. We shoot into ravines and always check our trajectory before we shoot. Nor have we ever had a neighbors stray bullet come onto our property.

You can always put up range flags around your property. If you have your bases all covered, your property posted, fences in place, people aware that you are shooting and you are shooting safely, then your neighbor needs another hobby besides goats.

Don't let her spoil your life with her complaining.

You could always put up a WARNING HIGH RADIATION sign on your property.

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I'm in my own little world, but it's ok. They know me here!

I used to be fine, with people shooting on their own property. ..... until....
Some poacher, 10 acres away,shot through my woods, past my hay field, shot a gun off,
it went through my shed, when I had two horse's in it, and me... the bullet missed the top of my head by maybe an inch and the bullet exited the shed, via the wall....
So I had the proof...

They also shot over the heads of my horses to spook them, these are horse's used to having guns go off near them, but they knew the difference.
Needless to say I wasn't a happy camper.....

Having said that, I don't mind shooting and I love Archery.....

But I no longer trust other people, to do the right thing. I know...its bad...

Also don't tolerate other peoples dogs around my horse's, to easy to end up with a very spendy Vet bill and some horse's will try to kill dogs.
Nor would I be happy about someone running ATV on my place, would ruin my fields.

Tell them to keep their ATV's and Dog's on their property and then you would think about shooting on certain days and times, that way they could leave if they didn't want to hear it.
See if they will do the right thing....

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Shari

You really don't pay attention, do you. As I stated, the majority of folks in the area have some kind of shooting range on their property. Some are fancier and more formal and some are simply a target on a tree. And if you (or the people you purport to speak on behalf of) startle that easy I feel sorry for you when opening day of (gun) deer season hits.

It's folly to move into an area and think you are going to force everyone to change what they have been doing just because you don't like it and didn't take the time to see what kind of folks live in the area. You want to declare war on all your new neighbors you have at it haypoint. We can all come back later and ask how that's working for you.

I think my expectations are low. Just leave each other be. We stay to our selves mostly. We mind our own busines. We have been pretty independent for decades, Don't mind helping a neighbor out if they need it, but aren't likely to ask for any help ourselves.
We stay off others folks property, keep our dogs confined on our own property, don't have any parties or such. and would never think of imposing our "rules of land use" on someone else.
Has been interesting to see all the responses.
I do not like confrontation. I do not like people mad at me.
In this case I am just gonna bite the bullet ha ha..and carry on. Will try and be considerate, but will not stop shooting where we have been shooting on and off for 6 years.
when we can we will clear a spot thru the woods, put up a good berm and our rifle shooting won't be so noticeable to them.
We have lived in town for 18 years. We will be moving to our land soon. We have waited a very long time to live in the country where we can ride and shoot. sorry if it makes us bad neighbors but I choose to use our land how we have been dreaming of.

[[[[[........But no one has any idea that there is a private rifle range next door. What I'm saying is that if there is a known nuisance and I move there, I'm foolish. But if there is a nuisance that pops up after I’ve bought it, I wouldn't like it one bit......]]]]]]

Do you not check zoning to see what is legal in the area before you purchase? If you check the zoning and shooting guns is legal it is not a nuisance that pops up after you purchase.

If you don't want to live near a family rifle range, purchase where either the zoning or the CC&R's do not permit shooting. And, for pete's sake, before you purchase your next place, go around and talk to the neighbors and ask about the neighborhood before you sign the purchase agreement. They can tell you whether or not any of the neighbors shoot.

We shoot and neighbors have complained. One guy went hysterical and drove his truck over here just a'hollering. He claimed our bullets would go on his land. We just took him by the hand and walked him over to the target range. Then, we pointed here and there and showed him how it was simply impossible for any bullets to reach his place.

Another neighbor got upset once when the noise bothered his cows. Miles away but the sound echos on the hills. We said sorry but we did not stop. Same neighbor then up and got a mule that brays its head off day and night. We did not call him but others did.

We are careful and only shoot in one place. No one at all is allowed to shoot except on the target range which goes into a hillside. We got a google map view of our place to look and be sure where any bullets would go. Plus we walked it and then made sure we positioned the range where all bullets (even the stray ones) will go into the hillside.

Good luck. Be safe and use common sense and it will be OK.

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Meanwhile, Back in Saluda

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Yea, shooting's okay in the country, as long as the shot stays, always stays, on your own property.

We had neighbors once who loved to dove hunt. They literally would stand in their front yard shooting across the street into our front yard, then climb over my front fence, right beside an open gate to retrieve the bird!!

On one occasion, I caught them standing on the property line between us, right behind my goat barn, shooting into my goat field.

And, yes, when they weren't impressed with my complaints, I did call the law out on them, twice.

Now we are a little further out, on ninety acres. A few years ago, we discovered that a neighbor had baited deer on our property and had a deer blind on the property line facing our land!!!

I'm sorry, but that is just not neighborly.

I have a son who loves to shoot. When he does, he shoots where there is absolutely no possible way for the shot to stray off our property.

That is the least you can do to be respectful of your neighbors, who do also have rights to peace on their own land.

wow , there's a lot of good posts on this thread , I'm hoping that things get worked out to everyones satisfaction , because if it don't get worked out , sooner or later , somebody gonna get shot , and nobody wants that to happen .

It seems to me that sometimes a creative response is necessary , sometimes a good laugh will make the differance betwixt folks that are at odds with eachother , and most times , it's over something that don't really amount to much , but theys people in prison or in a grave because they couldn't or wouldn't work it out betwixt them .

Now , I'd recommend inviting a neighbor over for a cup of coffee & a good breakfast , maybe even a Bible reading of applicibable scripture and a prayer for guidance ... it's hard for a neighbor to be angry when you both are praying for God to work it out . .

However , that's assuming that the neighbor is wanting to be a good neighbor , they's a lot of sorry and low-down people in this world , many that will run over you if you let them .

Either way , at least you will have tried to do the right thing . . .

A preacher told me onct that the Good Lord said to ' turn the other cheek ' he also told me we only have 2 cheeks , and onct we been smacked on both of them , he rekoned what came next was righteous and acceptable . .

but , once a man picks up his rifle gun to settle things , he'd sure better re-consider , and pray hard & long about it , it's a terrible thing to take a life , it'll follow you all the rest of your days , so you'd best have tried every way there is to make whatever peace you can with your own self , because Gods Judgement will come to everyone , good neighbor , bad neighbor , I figure God will judge us all , and before anyone pulls that trigger , he'd best be on the right side of things , Amen ? ? ?

Forgot to mention... about a decade ago a rich guy bought out a relative's place next door (supposed to have been mine, and he crawfished on an oral contract) and built a luxury lake development. I never once changed my ways... shoot at all times of the day and night (just shot a possum ten minutes ago)... none of em have ever said a thing about it...

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Luck is what happens when preparation meets opportunity. Seneca
Learning is not compulsory... neither is survival. W. Edwards Deming

Sure. And reasonable people learn to deal reasonable. For instance I would expect The Op to take more steps to mitigate the smell of goats if she had 50,000 goats on the property than if she has 12.
Just as Id expect a full time range to be well bermed or perhaps inside.
On the otherhand With just a few residents shooting once in a while Id thnk simply showing a concerned neighbor that the shooting range is safely set up and not aimed at them would be enough.

I have found that the best way to maintain good neighbours is to:

1) know the law and operate within it
2) fence your property, clearly delineating the property line so no one can cross it without knowing they're crossing it, or by making a decided EFFORT to cross it
3) be considerate, but not a pushover
4) be approachable, and willing to discuss issues without getting emotional
5) be willing to, politely, point out those laws and how you're operating within them
6) know when to stop talking directly and start talking through lawyers -- most people leave this far too late, or go to it far too early

Our place is pretty far from any neighbours -- our closest is a mile across the fields, and the closest by road is over three miles distant. However, when we lived with closer neighbours, this worked.

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Ignorance is the true enemy.

I've seen the village, and I don't want it raising my children.

www.newcenturyhomestead.com

OK let me understand this.
You own 32 acres of land?
This person moved there after you and got 5 or so acres of land.
Some one else separates your land from hers.
You all shoot at targets away fro fences and such shared by others.

She wants to whine about it?

Sorry I would tell her she is not in the city and get over it.

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2Ti 1:7 for God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control.
Luceo non uro

We moved out of the city to the country 15 years ago. The place had a wooden target filled with sand and was down in the bottom of a depression that used to be a gravel pit. Moved because we had too many dogs to remain in the city plus a healthy population of cats. Imagine our surprise when the first time we had the grandchildren out for target practice the sheriff shows up. The reason the last person had to move was his gun shop and target range so irritated the neighbors that they got an in junction against him. In the meantime the county passed a law that one could only have 2 dogs unless in possession of a kennel license. Of course one had to get the license from the people who passed the ordnance. So we could not shoot our guns and needed to get rid of 4 dogs to be in compliance living out in the country on 27 acres of land. I called the next county over and asked about laws about target practice and animals. I got a lecture about if I thought I could move out from the city and start complaining about the noise of guns or machinery, the smell of manure, etc. etc. we could just stay in the city. We promptly moved to this county and have been happy here every since. We have a really nice gravel pit for a backdrop for our target practice. Nobody complains about the smell or horse manure and the neighbors are up front and center when we need help.