Got shut down

[rainman]

Just read he pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor charge on probation for 2 years.  81 year old lady did'nt want stiffer sentencing.  Story is under St. John Missouri archery accident.

[jwhitetail]

What a drag.  I can empathize... I love walking out to my back ard and shooting whenever I feel like it.  But I feel pretty vulnerable too. I live in a very urban area of a large city.  My set up is safe (and failry private) but I know it would only take one call and I, also, would be finished! Luckily my neighbors are fully supportive and have no problems with hunting.

[SteveB]

The only acceptable backstop should be allowed in a community allowing shooting in yds would be one placed against the shooters house. Anyone who truly believes they will never have an arrow deflect or get away from them in any way should have no issue with this. Petition to make it a stipulation if you are seeking to have shooting a bow allowed in your community.

[Bladepeek]

Well, I'm heartbroken. Just got a call from the PD. They have decided that the city is not willing to accept the liability of certifying my range. An arrow fired up in the air would land in someone else's yard. They agree it's walled highly all the way around, but if the city were to certify it as a safe range, they would be liable for any accident. We talked a bit and by reading between the lines, it was apparent that since there had already been a complaint, the complainant would be looking for any opportunity to sue me and the city. They suggested he could go so far as to plant an arrow in his yard and claim it came from me. I can get about 8 yards in my shop, so I may ask them to approve that. Or, I may just shoot in my basement and to hell with approval. I tried.

[BradLantz]

"there is a city ordnance against discharging any kind of weapon - BB gun, bow, slingshot, you name it"

actually nor true - police can fire their weapons, a CCW person or a self defense situation a person can fire a weapon, I bet shots are fired at football games, track meet's etc etc that would breach the ordinance, I bet there are archery tournaments etc that allow it ..... its NOT illegal, you just don't have the right permit or allowance to do it.

I HATE those rules BTW, glad I don't live inside a city limit

[Bladepeek]

I thought I made that pretty plain. The city ordnance states that bows may not be shot in the city except at approved ranges. They have just as clearly stated they will not approve my range. Not a lot of maneuvering room there. There is a camp for special needs people on a hill across the lake from us. They have a range that is not enclosed in any way. I could ask to see their approval, but all that would do is close their range - not open mine. I think I'm going to be shooting indoors and hoping a certain neighbor falls off his roof.

[arky714]

I live Bonnerdale, Arkansas CAN SHOOT MY BOW ,300 WIN MAG ,44 MAG ,OFF MY PORCH NO PROBLEMS,sounds like you all have problems....most people do not believe in our lifestyles or choices...so you need to find a place where you can do your thing...and not be be bothered by nosey S.O.B.s I feel your pain,....Dave

[WDELongbow]

See, it was the lawyers after all.  It is all about risk and liability.  The legal system, and measures groups take to protect themselves from this nonsense, is ruining our country!  No gov official seems capable of using their judgement (if the system would even allow).

[WDELongbow]

If a tree falls in the woods and nobody is there, does it make a sound?  If a guy shoots an arrow with traditional bow and nobody sees it or hears it, was the arrow shot?  See my earlier strategy in this thread for keeping your archery practice off your neighbor's radar.  If done responsibly, it is really none of their f'ing business anyway.  If they can't see it and only hear a dull thump occassionally (shooting into a soft target) you will be ok.  Just keep it on the down-low.

[bluntman]

I like living in the sticks, hell, I just peed off my front porch while in my underwear, I aint no hilljack, LOL

[WDELongbow]

As a last ditch resort, you could always "play" your neighbor.  Invite him to a cookout or something, and befriend him. He may actually be a likable guy.  A lot of times, people we don't know are that bad.  A more direct approach is go go to his house and appologize.  Tell you that you feel awful interrupting his sleep, and that you were not aware he was trying to get some sleep.  Tell him you had been looking into quiet targets and you would be willing to re-arange your shooting schedule. I bet you could get him to even semi-approve of your shooting out of empathy.  But first you have to appologize (I realize you would rather he fall off the roof, lol).  If you could get his approval, or get him apprehensive about reporting again (maybe because he likes you) then you could shoot away.  Worst case if he calls the cops again and you get a ticket.

[WDELongbow]

Confrontation rarely gets what you want (I know you did not consider confronting him).  The guy most likely was pissed and wanted to get some sleep.  It may not have been personal or anti-hunting (like our kneejerk conclusion would indicate . . . "they are out to get me", lol).  Just some ideas.  I feel your pain. And hope this does not happen to me.  I actually had a nice chat with my side yard neighbor today - elderly gentleman, and I offered to help him in any way if he or his wife ever need assitance.  Would your report that person (who just offered to help you if you were in need), or some guy who never speaks (and he concludes you are a jerk)?  I would not quit so easily.  You can always shoot indoors though.

[WDELongbow]

Is it just me, or does it seem that if you defer to the lawyers (ask if you can do something) it is always NO, because there is some risk of something happening.  Just in general.  This certification of a home archery range is a perfect example.  My personal opinion is that the lawyer knows that if he/she ok's it, nothing good can come of it.  If something happens though, then legal has egg on their face.  So better just to say NO.

[Ragnarok Forge]

Lawyers always say no.  That way they can't be sued.  They are a big part of what is wrong with America today.

[Tall Paul]

Originally posted by Ragnarok Forge:
Lawyers always say no.  That way they can't be sued.  They are a big part of what is wrong with America today.

X2

[Horne Shooter]

I live in a community with lots of horses.  I don't have one but my neighbors do on both sides.  I sincerely doubt that they like seeing me and my buddies shooting arrows all the time.  They (though) have a horse trailer that I can see from my yard and that is also against our ordinances here.  I have let them know that I am aware of that but I want to be a "good neighbor" and not report it.  So we have a little standoff here and it seems to be working as I have lived (and been shooting in my yard) for about seven years.  Maybe you have something similar with your neighbor if you put your mind to it...loose dog, paint the wrong color etc.

[Paul WA]

What's your neighbors name and address? We can send him some hunting and bow info in the mail and maybe a few Gay newspapers...PR

[Trad-Man]

Originally posted by WDELongbow:
Confrontation rarely gets what you want (I know you did not consider confronting him).  The guy most likely was pissed and wanted to get some sleep....  It may not have been personal or anti-hunting (like our kneejerk conclusion would indicate . . . "they are out to get me", lol).  Just some ideas.  I feel your pain. And hope this does not happen to me.  I actually had a nice chat with my side yard neighbor today - elderly gentleman, and I offered to help him in any way if he or his wife ever need assitance.  Would your report that person (who just offered to help you if you were in need), or some guy who never speaks (and he concludes you are a jerk)?  I would not quit so easily.  You can always shoot indoors though.

I don't agree, confrontation does get you what you want.  The list of what confrontation has gotten each of us and this country is endless.  It started with confronting the British crown.  Be it the pilgrims (peacefull, they left to escape persecution and do their own thing) or the revolutionary war. Not so peacefull, but necessary to demonstrate the colonists resolve in getting the blood sucking British crowns hand out of their pockets.

And to date it got the antagonist (the neighbor) what it he he wants, control of Bladepeek's actions in his own yard for whatever his motives really are.  It is safe to assume it is not sleep, as Bladepeek could run his lawn mower all day every day and there is NOTHING the neighbor can say or do about it.  

What we are talking about here is a two way street called neighborly respect.  You get, what you give.  The neighbor could have very well chose to speak with Bladepeek 1/1...but he didn't. He hid behind the legal system, no neighborly respect.  Bladespeek should consider meeting the neighbor with the same level of respect.  Find a legal way to shoot in his yard, and run the lawn mower, weed wacker etc. all day all summer.  That is how you get the attention and respect of the pencil pokers. (You remember the whimpy little kid in school who poked everybody with his pencil, knowing he'd never get his a** kicked because the gov't would come to his aid).

I've had problems with pencil pokers myself, aka trespassers and fence sitters. Confrontation...1/1 solved those problems.  Confrontation does not mean "battle".  Confrontation means facing the problem and being pro-active in a resolution.  When being pro-active in a resolution does not provide the desired respectful neighborly result we have choices to make.

Tuck tail and run as the pencil pokers hope and pray that you will, or employ the less desireable but more productive version of confrontational.  Make their life just as difficult by whatever legal means possible.  It works, no more tresspassers or fence sitters.

[WDELongbow]

Trad-Man, Please don't interpret my advise as "being weak".  Just acknowledgement that it is pointless to confront him about it.  He has the law on his side and will win every time.  No way to argue your way out, intimidate him, etc.  If this were a military or foreign relations issue, I am with you - the weak get pushed around.  But it does no good to get in a pissing match with the neighbor.  But if he realizes you are a good guy, and what your are doing is harmless, and most importantly that you respect his need to sleep (and acknowledg that the bag target is noisy as hell) he would likely be ok with him shooting as long as he did not make as much noise and/or shot when he was not trying to sleep.  That is all you need.  This is not a put your dukes up, go to war situation!

[Bladepeek]

"Confrontation rarely gets what you want (I know you did not consider confronting him). The guy most likely was pissed and wanted to get some sleep. It may not have been personal or anti-hunting (like our kneejerk conclusion would indicate . . . "they are out to get me", lol). Just some ideas. I feel your pain. And hope this does not happen to me. I actually had a nice chat with my side yard neighbor today - elderly gentleman, and I offered to help him in any way if he or his wife ever need assitance. Would your report that person (who just offered to help you if you were in need), or some guy who never speaks (and he concludes you are a jerk)? I would not quit so easily. You can always shoot indoors though."

WDELongbow, 14 years ago when we moved in, we went to his house and tried to introduce ourselves the way you ALWAYS do in Germany when moving into a community. His wife said she wasn't interested in meeting us and to get off her property. I have shoveled the snow away from his mail box as it sits near ours even though his house is on a different private drive 50yds above us at the top of the hill we live on. Not a single neighbor wants anything to do with him. When I went up to his house to ask him why he felt it necessary to call the police instead of just asking me to stop he refused to answer the door and keeps a rifle out on the table just inside the door. This is not a shy, retiring man who just wants a little peace and quiet. This is an antisocial jerk who would not listen to reason. I will obtain approval to shoot indoors in my shop below his house (25 x 45 building) and continue hoping to see him descending in free-fall mode from his roof.