Shooting and municipalities

[LBR]

For one, it's illegal.  

More than that, unless you live in a place where a stray arrow can travel hundreds of yards without doing any damage...why is it even a consideration?

Anyone who has been shooting for any amount of time has had an accidental release, glanced off a target, etc.  You've had arrows that wound up a long way from where they were intended to go.

You may get away with it, you may not.  Is it worth possibly injuring (or worse) your neighbors dog, or cat, or kid, etc.?

Shoot inside your home (or shop if the arrow can't penetrate the walls).

[Cory Mattson]

In my yard I only shoot at hay bales and have done so since mid 70s. Never had a wild arrow - never had an arrow bounce off - this would be a concern with a 3D target but I never shoot at them. I have never had an "accidental" release. I don't even know how that could happen with a stickbow. If kids or a pet are around I do not shoot and this occasionally happens. If I see neighbors with company I do not shoot that day. Even when I see neighbors just more active than normal in their yard I pass. This doesn't happen often. Most days though it is safe and cool to shoot and neighbors see me all the time - never a worry.

It is legal in my town - the city reformed many old laws to favor bowhunters and bowhunting about 10 years ago - field dressing and stuff in your yard. I had been shooting and hunting in the neighborhood anyway so it was good to see the town catch up to reality.

I have had zero conflict with neighbors but I guarantee it is because I shoot stickbows and in the yard I only shoot a safe lane which is "backed" by my shed. This lane is a 25 yard shot and this has probably helped a great deal in neighbors accepting. Very seldom I will shoot pine cones with a judo and never had an errant arrow.  

Things have changed quickly since the compound crossbow was legalized as a bow here in NC and our town tightened up laws as soon a guy shot his buddy by accident.(that happened in another part of the state)Now to hunt you need 3 acres inside town - before there was no restriction on hunt location.

If it became illegal - and this will likely happen in the future - I would move immediately. I would not live where I could not shoot for at least a few minutes 5 days a week.

[SELFBOW19953]

I'd have to find a new house, outside town/city/corporate limits.

[Lady Frost]

Wow, didn't know this, but it makes sense.  So far I have been lucky.  My side of the duplex I live in is surrounded by an embankment with woods all around.  My neighbors can't even see me, and the neighbor I have next door in our unit loves that I shoot a bow.  She calls me Merida, lol.
 

[Captain*Kirk]

Interesting responses, on both edges of the spectrum.
FWIW, I have never been approached by an LEO about shooting nor issued a citation. In fact, I've shot back there since the early 90's completely oblivious to the fact it wasn't legal until I found the ruling on the books. BTW, it is also illegal for children to fly kites within 5 statute miles of our local airport. This makes me a Really Bad Man because all four of my boys flew kites at the park near my house and I aided and abetted...
There are towns where it is a violation to eat ice cream on Sundays as well. Just sayin'...

[Archie]

I had a friend start shooting a few years ago, and he followed my lead, shooting in his yard.  The first day, he called me and said, "Hey, how far do these arrows go?"

He had accidentally shot an arrow OVER his house and off into the subdivision.  I feared the worst for him, but he never found the arrow, and never heard from anyone.  

A few years ago I was shooting broadheads and had a 3-blade plane off-target, and lost it in the grass.  I have nearly 3/4 acre, and could shoot up to 80 yards safely if I wanted to, and was shooting the broadheads in a pretty safe setup.  But I have had arrows slide through the grass into the neighbor's yards at times, and it was of extreme importance to me to find that arrow before anyone else did. After 2 hours of fruitless searching that night -- by flashlight after the sun went down -- and 2 more hours at dawn (before I had to get to work), I found it.  Now I only shoot broadheads from the end of my driveway into the back of the garage.

Accidents DO happen, and lots of stories and pics are here on TG attest to that.  Weird releases, skipping off the top or sides of targets, nocks breaking at release, bowstring catching on clothing and arrows flying weird... that's bad enough when you're NOT breaking the law.  I know how it feels to push the rules and get burned bad, and those ordinances are a pain and some are rarely enforced... (I mean, should we really need to get a permit to install a new water heater?)  But if something bad happens, or your neighbor's mother-in-law stops by and complains because she thinks you're endangering her grandkids, and a LEO with a bad attitude rings your doorbell... you're going to be at the mercy of the system, and the consequences won't be up to you.

[Captain*Kirk]

Originally posted by Archie:
I had a friend start shooting a few years ago, and he followed my lead, shooting in his yard.  The first day, he called me and said, "Hey, how far do these arrows go?"

He had accidentally shot an arrow OVER his house and off into the subdivision.  I feared the worst for him, but he never found the arrow, and never heard from anyone.  

A few years ago I was shooting broadheads and had a 3-blade plane off-target, and lost it in the grass.  I have nearly 3/4 acre, and could shoot up to 80 yards safely if I wanted to, and was shooting the broadheads in a pretty safe setup.  But I have had arrows slide through the grass into the neighbor's yards at times, and it was of extreme importance to me to find that arrow before anyone else did. After 2 hours of fruitless searching that night -- by flashlight after the sun went down -- and 2 more hours at dawn (before I had to get to work), I found it.  Now I only shoot broadheads from the end of my driveway into the back of the garage.

Accidents DO happen, and lots of stories and pics are here on TG attest to that.  Weird releases, skipping off the top or sides of targets, nocks breaking at release, bowstring catching on clothing and arrows flying weird... that's bad enough when you're NOT breaking the law.  I know how it feels to push the rules and get burned bad, and those ordinances are a pain and some are rarely enforced... (I mean, should we really need to get a permit to install a new water heater?)  But if something bad happens, or your neighbor's mother-in-law stops by and complains because she thinks you're endangering her grandkids, and a LEO with a bad attitude rings your doorbell... you're going to be at the mercy of the system, and the consequences won't be up to you.

That being said....
You live in Illinois as well. Your avatar pic shows you shooting in a backyard setting with a stockade fence as a backdrop.
Are you in city limits, and what are the ordinances in your locale? Just curious.
EDIT: Nevermind. I see your response on page one.

[Tom]

Although my town has an ordinance against shooting bows I talked to the chief of police and he came to the house to see me shoot and my backstop. I have the target against a brick fireplace on a two story house. I talked to my neighbors who had no problem with me shooting and for 25 years have been doing so with no issues. I will say though a brick wall will stop an arrow.

[Babbling Bob]

The city moved out to us in Lakeworth, FL the last 32 years.  Have only 1.3 acre off a dirt road about 20 minutes from the West Palm Airport, but do have a natural pine tree/palmetto lot out back with no fences and a 40 year old 10ft tall pile of native sand I use for setting up a target.  

My other small house in NY is in the center of Westport, a small town of 2,000 summer residents off Lake Champlain. I plan to set up a target in front of a an 1860's old stable/storage barn out back this summer using stall mats. Will have a limit of only about 35 yards though, but good for the summer.

[Napi]

My primary residence is in a large city in northern New Jersey where unfortunately shooting anything other than a Neff or water gun is illegal.
Fortunately I do have a cabin in the Catskills of New York state. I have a couple of acres in a very rural area so there's no issues shooting my bows. However when I first bought the place in the late nineties folks use to shoot any and all firearms freely. That came to a swift end when we got a new guy in the area who would call the troopers every time someone would get the itch to site their shooting iron. The trooper would try to enforce the 500 foot within dwelling ordinance which was mostly applicable in many cases. They also got pretty nasty with the offenders since the barracks was over twenty miles away.

Nobody likes the new neighbor but that doesn't seem to bother him.

[jt85]

I cant imagine you'd get any more than a warning if someone did complain.

[McDave]

Originally posted by jt85:
I cant imagine you'd get any more than a warning if someone did complain.

That may be true if the only reason they're complaining is because they don't like the idea of you shooting an arrow in your backyard.  However....if there is property damage or injury to a human or animal from one of your arrows, it would be a completely different story.  Make sure that you have a big enough backstop, like the side of your house or an empty field way behind your target, that that could never happen, because if it ever does, not only will you regret doing it, but the law and the neighbors may make you regret that you were ever born.

[Archie]

I don't want to just come across as a wet blanket, but I hate getting in trouble, and I don't enjoy watching others get in trouble either.

If I were you, I'd try to have the ordinance modified, and here's what I'd do...

Figure out what governing body has the ability to change the ordinance.  Then figure out who represents your district or ward or village or whatever.

You might get a chance to make a 3 minute public comment at a board meeting, and in a nice way, express to the board your dilemma.  Pass out a Google or GIS map of your property, and a listing of the costs and drive times for going to a range since you can't shoot on your own property.  Highlight how you are a responsible, law-abiding, working citizen who pays taxes, and how this backyard sport is less dangerous (statistically) than golf.  Show them how safe this can be, using your overhead map. Tell them thanks for listening.

At the same time, rally some support, ideally from others who share your point of view who are represented by the same person or body.  Draft a nice, well-done document -- you might even want to get an attorney's counsel -- and have your group sign it.  Call the government rep and have a nice conversation with him/her and try to get them to sponsor your bill for board action.  They will already be familiar with your plight, since you already made a great impression with your public comment previously.

Those board members have a lot on their plates, with all the legal, financial, economic, and social problems that face governments these days.  And they don't want to alienate any constituents by voting for "crazy" bills, so word your proposal wisely and carefully.

Anyway, you get the idea.

Thats just my $0.12.

[M60gunner]

It's been many years (50+) since I shot in my backyard in IL. No, it was not allowed even then. But we kept it close and I shot into the garage.

[EWill]

We have a similar ordinance here, I shoot in my garage for form when I can't get to the local range. This is one of the reasons we are looking for a place in the country.

[tracker12]

No problem for me shooting my bow or guns on my 3 acres.  Southern Maryland still has a few redeeming values.

[J. Holden]

Just curious,  what town is this?  I am also in Illinois.

Jeremy

[Captain*Kirk]

Originally posted by J. Holden:
Just curious,  what town is this?  I am also in Illinois.

Jeremy

Waukegan.
We are in the outlying 'burbs, very quiet neighborhood.
I have a feeling the majority of all villages, cities and towns in northern IL have similar laws on the books. Look at our politicians....

[J. Holden]

Yeah, I wouldn't shoot anything in that town.  I'm pretty sure the cops won't cut you any slack.  I grew up just West of you in Gurnee and my wife is from Waukegan.  Not saying the cops are bad or rude.  Just that I think they would need to enforce that policy based on other "firearm" related issues within that town.  Zero tolerance sort of thing.

I also read someone's post regarding trying to change the ordinance, good luck.  Pretty sure they wont care either.  Not trying to sound pessimistic just realistic.

It's a drive from Waukegan but there is a free, outdoor range, in Antioch.  It's part of the Chain-O-Lakes SP.  They open it from May 1 thru October-ish sometime.

It's a nice range for the price.  It has an elevated platform and a course you can walk also.  Although the skeeters are usually pretty thick in there.  I'll p.m. my number if you're interested.  I can give you directions.

-Jeremy  

[PeteA]

WOW!This post made me look into the issue. I live in a small hamlet village in NY on 3/4 of an acre. I'm about 50 minutes north of NYC by train. My property backs up to a wooded area. I shoot in my yard about 3-4 times a week. I just checked to find there is a village ordanence stating - there is no discharging of any type of projectile by any means within the village limits.