Shooting in my back yard.
- Thread starter Karl
- Start date
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whistlersmother
Peace through strength
HoCo will depend on where OP is in the county and how accepting his neighbors are of shooting.
fabsroman
Ultimate Member
The Howard County municipal code says NO. Only exception is for children that are 16 or younger that take a course from the police department. There is no exemption for anybody older than 16. I looked into this in Howard County, live just over the line from Ellicott City in the non-municipal zone, and I cannot even shoot the damn pellet gun on a 120 acre farm I have permission to shoot and hunt on.
I believe the ordinance was passed around 2008. Supposedly, it isn't really enforced, but I wouldn't want to be the first to find out. So, we shoot the pellet gun in the basement.
Almost wishing we had moved to Carroll County, or even another state at this point.
fabsroman
Ultimate Member
Here you go:
http://library.municode.com/index.aspx?clientId=14680
Title 8, subtitle 4
Sec. 8.400. Definitions.
Terms in this subtitle have the meanings indicated.
...
(f) Gun: Any firearm, rifle, shotgun, revolver, pistol, air gun, air rifle or any similar mechanism by whatever name known which is designed to expel a projectile through a barrel by the action of any explosive, gas, compressed air, spring, or elastic.
Sec. 8.401. Discharge of guns—Prohibited.
(a) A person shall not discharge any gun within the Metropolitan District, whether the gun is loaded with fixed or blank ammunition or projectiles of any kind.
(b) A person shall not discharge any gun outside the Metropolitan District, whether the gun is loaded with fixed or blank ammunition or projectiles of any kind, except at varmints on the ground.
(c) A person shall not discharge a gun from, onto, across, or within 100 yards of a public road.
(d) A person shall not, without the prior written consent of the property owner, discharge a gun on, from, onto, or across any public or private land.
(e) This section shall not apply to:
(1) The discharge of guns at any target, trap or skeet range or shooting area which has been inspected and received the written approval of the department of inspections, licenses and permits pursuant to section 8.406, "Authority to Inspect and Approve Ranges or Shooting Areas," of this subtitle; or to
(2) The discharge of guns by any person in a private basement or cellar target range; or to
(3) The discharge of guns where necessary to protect life or property, including crops or livestock, or to kill any dangerous threatening animal; or to
(4) Any duly authorized law enforcement officer acting in the proper performance of his/her official duties; or to
(5) The discharge of blank ammunition in theatrical performances, historical reenactments or sporting events; or to
(6) The firing of salutes by firing squads at military funerals; or to
(7) The discharge of guns by any person engaged in bona fide wildlife research activities.
(C.B. 33, 1976; C.B. 10, 1985; C.B. 17, 1995; C. B. 1, 2009, § 1)
Sec. 8.402. Carrying or discharging of guns by person under 16 years of age; penalty.
(a) It shall be unlawful for any person under the age of 16 years not legally engaged in hunting game in that area not within the Metropolitan District to carry or discharge a gun whatsoever at any time within the County unless under the immediate supervision of a person 18 years of age or over at the time of shooting.
(b) This section shall not apply to persons under 16 years of age carrying or discharging guns in areas not within the Metropolitan District which expel projectiles by gas, compressed air, spring or elastic power, where the persons have completed a course approved by the Department of Police in the safe operation of guns. The course completion shall be evidenced by a certificate to be issued by the Department of Police and shall be displayed upon reasonable demand by a Law Enforcement Officer.
(c) A Law Enforcement Officer may impound the gun of any person who shall violate the provisions of this section.
Come on over, we can commiserate together.
http://library.municode.com/index.aspx?clientId=14680
Title 8, subtitle 4
Sec. 8.400. Definitions.
Terms in this subtitle have the meanings indicated.
...
(f) Gun: Any firearm, rifle, shotgun, revolver, pistol, air gun, air rifle or any similar mechanism by whatever name known which is designed to expel a projectile through a barrel by the action of any explosive, gas, compressed air, spring, or elastic.
Sec. 8.401. Discharge of guns—Prohibited.
(a) A person shall not discharge any gun within the Metropolitan District, whether the gun is loaded with fixed or blank ammunition or projectiles of any kind.
(b) A person shall not discharge any gun outside the Metropolitan District, whether the gun is loaded with fixed or blank ammunition or projectiles of any kind, except at varmints on the ground.
(c) A person shall not discharge a gun from, onto, across, or within 100 yards of a public road.
(d) A person shall not, without the prior written consent of the property owner, discharge a gun on, from, onto, or across any public or private land.
(e) This section shall not apply to:
(1) The discharge of guns at any target, trap or skeet range or shooting area which has been inspected and received the written approval of the department of inspections, licenses and permits pursuant to section 8.406, "Authority to Inspect and Approve Ranges or Shooting Areas," of this subtitle; or to
(2) The discharge of guns by any person in a private basement or cellar target range; or to
(3) The discharge of guns where necessary to protect life or property, including crops or livestock, or to kill any dangerous threatening animal; or to
(4) Any duly authorized law enforcement officer acting in the proper performance of his/her official duties; or to
(5) The discharge of blank ammunition in theatrical performances, historical reenactments or sporting events; or to
(6) The firing of salutes by firing squads at military funerals; or to
(7) The discharge of guns by any person engaged in bona fide wildlife research activities.
(C.B. 33, 1976; C.B. 10, 1985; C.B. 17, 1995; C. B. 1, 2009, § 1)
Sec. 8.402. Carrying or discharging of guns by person under 16 years of age; penalty.
(a) It shall be unlawful for any person under the age of 16 years not legally engaged in hunting game in that area not within the Metropolitan District to carry or discharge a gun whatsoever at any time within the County unless under the immediate supervision of a person 18 years of age or over at the time of shooting.
(b) This section shall not apply to persons under 16 years of age carrying or discharging guns in areas not within the Metropolitan District which expel projectiles by gas, compressed air, spring or elastic power, where the persons have completed a course approved by the Department of Police in the safe operation of guns. The course completion shall be evidenced by a certificate to be issued by the Department of Police and shall be displayed upon reasonable demand by a Law Enforcement Officer.
(c) A Law Enforcement Officer may impound the gun of any person who shall violate the provisions of this section.
Come on over, we can commiserate together.
BDWMS
Active Member
Right there with y'all. I didn't know this before we bought the house. Hopefully we will be gone by the time the little guy is ready to start shooting...
fabsroman
Ultimate Member
The AGC range is 10 minutes up the road from me in Carroll County and a farm I hunt on is 5 minutes down the road. One way or another, my kids will get to shoot and hunt plenty. Might even install my own indoor range. lol
About 20 yrs. ago took my girls then 10 and 7 to shoot bb guns near RR tracks . Also BGE power lines were above us. We were shooting cans we brought and took with us , A BGE truck pulled off the road and watched us awhile then the police showed up and said we were trespassing and told us to leave. we did nothing wrong but was in BGE property .What pissed me off is we were told that someone was shooting the wire insulators . After that we never went back . when my son was ready to shoot i git a couple of refrigerator boxes and he shot bb gun and his bow and some hay bales for a backstop screw em .
rauler
Active Member
- May 2, 2012
- 110
I've read about this in other older threads here. By that definition, a child's toy nerf dart gun would be included, I know it sounds silly but it's true. So if your neighbors called the cops they would have legal grounds to confiscate your kid's nerf gun. The likeliness of something like this happening I would think to be rare to nonexistent hoping that common sense would prevail, but the probability is there because the law allows it. You would think that the people that came up with these laws, or any other laws for that matter, are smarter people, but sadly that's not the case. To illustrate my point a bit better, I'll just quote the late Steve Jobs:
"When you grow up you tend to get told the world is the way it is and you're life is just to live your life inside the world.
Try not to bash into the walls too much. Try to have a nice family, have fun, save a little money.
That's a very limited life.
Life can be much broader once you discover one simple fact: Everything around you that you call life was made up by people that were no smarter than you and you can change it, you can influence it, you can build your own things that other people can use.
Once you learn that, you'll never be the same again."
Respen33
Cover Fire Specialist
So by this law you cannot own and operate a rubber band gun due to its elastic mechanism without taking a police course. Wow and we were worried about state laws...
This is rediculous...
fabsroman
Ultimate Member
Well, if you are over 16 years of age, you cannot operate the rubber band gun even if you take the police course.
When I find some time in life, I plan on writing my county rep about this BS. The fact that adults cannot use an air gun in the non-municipal zone, or whatever term they use for it, is utterly ridiculous. The fact that my kids cannot use a nerf gun on our 2 acres is insane too. Guessing not a single person on the County Council actually knows a single thing about guns, or is even a gun owner. It used to be hard for me to fathom that somebody never owned a gun and knew nothing about a gun, but I've come to the realization that there are many of them among us that are scared of guns, just like they are scared of martians, because they know nothing about either.
lilpenny
Active Member
Has anyone really had a run in with a LEO for shooting a BB gun in their backyard? I would tend to believe they would not enforce this law, but who knows.
Dr Dano HPR
Active Member
Well it starts with Nerf guns and the next thing you know some one is shooting up a mall. Luckily this law will prevent this. Wait, never mind.
fabsroman
Ultimate Member
I really would not want to be the first one. I doubt my neighbors would have an issue with this since they are mostly old school. Who knows how others would fare.
lilpenny
Active Member
Hey Fab, I think we are neighbors. I actually live in Woodbine, right off 97 and Old Frederick.
jmike1487
Ultimate Member
How about you just ask the neighbors and go from there?
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Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
fabsroman
Ultimate Member
lol - then why list Ellicott City as your location? Probably because most people are like "Where is Woodbine? Where is West Friendship?" Ellicott City is actually one street over from me. I hunt a farm right at 144 and route 97. Been hunting there since 1984.
A buddy of mine lives over by you on Carriage Mill Road. I'm right at the intersection of 144 and 32. We'll have to get together for some pellet gun shooting in one of our backyards. lol
lilpenny
Active Member
We should get together. My neighbors are pretty cool, they all shoot. I have lived in Howard county since 1971 and before that, Montgomery county. Howard County has really changed and I miss the way things were back in the 70's.
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