Question on The Law in Regards to Shooting on your Own Property

smcrea · Feb 18, 2018

We moved to North Frederick County last year and live on 12 acres of land.

Can anyone tell me where I stand as far as the law goes to shoot on my own land.

Of course common sense and all firearms safety rules apply.

What I'm looking for is the legal stance.. for example how far from a road do I have to be etc?

Thanks!

Adolph Oliver Bush · Feb 18, 2018

Depends exactly where you live. I live in an unincorporated town on a half acre lot in a development in Frederick county. I don't target shoot, but I do diagnose feed ramp jams and other malfunctions by making holes in the dirt. I am only legally bound to comply with a sound restriction at my property line. 85 dB or something like that.

All the restrictions about distance from this or that are found in the hunting regs. Target shooting is not hunting.

lazarus · Feb 18, 2018

Yeah it is up to your county and then your city if you are in an incorporated area.

Frederick you are probably okay.

One thing to keep in mind is if you are being enough of a D-bag about it, police/prosecutor could probably cite/arrest you for unsafe discharge.

As you said, not being stupid about it, but with 12 acres and if you have a safe backstop that isn’t pointed towards structures in neighboring properties, you are probably good to go.

You can always call the police non-emergency number and ask.

Howard county it is a strict NO to target shooting and even firearm hunting is extremely restrictive. But you asked FreCo

smokedog · Feb 18, 2018

I shoot in my yard not a whole lot but we do shoot. We are on a little over an acre but neighbors are all cool with it. Sometimes they join in. :party29:

CharlieFoxtrot · Feb 18, 2018

No laws in Frederick County, but some of the municipalities in the county have laws/regulations.

srephwed · Feb 19, 2018

Couple weeks back we were in the back shooting. 40 acre farm. closest neighbor in the direction we shoot 1/2 mile. We have a backstop and dense woods behind that. We made lots of noise. Also had a bump stock. We were coming back to clean everything and were met by Officer Friendly. Harford Sherriff's deputy. Said there had been a complaint. He looked at the back off the gator and saw what we were using. He asked if the guns were mine and I said yes. Then he asked if he could run a couple serial numbers. Now here is where a lot of folks would have said no. I thought about it but figured if I said no he would sit in the drive way and get a warrant to search the premises. Everything was fine and he left. We were back out yesterday and will do so every Sunday weather permitting.

Question on The Law in Regards to Shooting on your Own Property

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