Backyard shooting

[WilsonMD]

I have a question and I figure there is more smarts here than on google.

I shoot, every once in awhile, in my back yard. I'm not in city limits, but I would consider it a residential area. It is zoned as such. No houses immediately behind me, but I do have neighbors on both sides. I have, IMO, adequate backstopping. Obviously, I wouldn't do it if I thought it was unsafe. This weekend I was shooting, and a neighbor a couple houses down was taking pictures of me. I got word that he was expressing his unhappiness to another neighbor. I believe it to be true that I am ok because I am outside city limits. Are there any regs based on proximity to adjacent houses?

What say you?

 

[Lammchop93]

I do it all the time. As long as the bullet does not go over anyone else's property, and you are shooting during reasonable hours, you should be fine.

 

[lonehoosier]

Since you are in lake county this may help you.

Home range lake county
ATTENTION N.W.Indiana residents who want to shoot on your own land, I have posted this information in several threads in response to questions, figured that the NWI thread may be a good place to deposit this information too:
LAKE COUNTY has a shooting ordinance. NOT every county has one. YOU must check with your county to see if there are any rules. However, in LAKE COUNTY the actual ordinance that PASSED is1314B, it was PASSED on August 11th, 2009.
The passed and signed ordinance actually reads:
"That the Lake County Council now prohibits the discharge of a firearm for the sole purpose of target shooting or practice shooting within 200 feet of the property lines of a platted, approved and developed multi-lot subdivision of one acre lots or less, as defined in the Lake County Code."
ALSO, be aware of NOISE ordinances that will affect the shooting TIMES that are legal (these same times apply to all loud noises like lawn mowing, fireworks, etc.

 

[indyk]

just a few days old
Your up there but this is for those a little bit further south


"The City-County Council voted Monday to let residents in outlying Marion County continue to discharge weapons recreationally"

http://indianalawblog.com/archives/2014/04/ind_law_marion_4.html
Marion County's gun rule stands ... for now

Great news for me, my small caliber range is just right off Arlington Rd, towards Greenwood, I won't have to go to the large caliber range to shoot small an hour away!

 

[jedi]

Welcome to ingo. So how big is your lot?
Do you know anyone on the sheriff's staff since i suspect you may get a visit due to your can't mind his biz nneighbor you have. Or perhaps take the pro-active approach and invite said person to shoot with you.

 

[melensdad]

I have a question and I figure there is more smarts here than on google.

I shoot, every once in awhile, in my back yard. I'm not in city limits, but I would consider it a residential area. It is zoned as such. No houses immediately behind me, but I do have neighbors on both sides. I have, IMO, adequate backstopping. Obviously, I wouldn't do it if I thought it was unsafe. This weekend I was shooting, and a neighbor a couple houses down was taking pictures of me. I got word that he was expressing his unhappiness to another neighbor. I believe it to be true that I am ok because I am outside city limits. Are there any regs based on proximity to adjacent houses?

What say you?

If your lot is 1 acre or smaller then you will have a totally impossible time meeting county code.

If you lot is greater than 1 acre then you shouldn't have too hard of a time meeting the code. Jay/Lonehoosier posted the information above from one of my prior posts. I was involved in this when all the codes were being considered, changed, etc.

If you are in a city/town then you have those codes to meet too. But assuming you are in the county outside of any town/city then you probably can shoot.

So first off, what is your lot size?

Secondly, while it is not in any law/code currently, your bullets should not leave your property so your backstop needs to be adequate to stop them. You can legally shoot across a property line onto another property but obviously that does require permission of the other property owner. Do not presume that an adjacent property that is vacant is automatic permission, it is not.

I have about 10 acres and a hillside as a backstop and I've still had the sheriff called on me by a neighbor. I'm legal. Sheriff knows it. In fact a couple of the deputies who've been here want to shoot on my property! But they have to respond, and since they have to respond you need to make sure that you are 100% legal and about 110% safe.

I don't recall if the county noise ordinance starts at 10pm or 10:30pm. But if you don't have lights illuminating the range then you shouldn't shoot after dark. I think it starts at 8:00am.

 

[indyjohn]

just a few days old
Your up there but this is for those a little bit further south


"The City-County Council voted Monday to let residents in outlying Marion County continue to discharge weapons recreationally"

The Indiana Law Blog: Ind. Law - "Marion County's gun rule stands ... for now"
Marion County's gun rule stands ... for now

Great news for me, my small caliber range is just right off Arlington Rd, towards Greenwood, I won't have to go to the large caliber range to shoot small an hour away!

Oh! We're just around the corner. Can we bring the boys over with their rimfires to practice for Appleseed? (j/k.... not really )

 

[indyk]

Oh! We're just around the corner. Can we bring the boys over with their rimfires to practice for Appleseed? (j/k.... not really )

Well ya know the rules call before ya shoot im sure he don't mind

 

[IndyGlockMan]

With that ordinance up there, I'd be looking to join a club.

 

[remington870]

I live in south east rural Lake County, and I shoot in my yard all the time. Never had a neighbor complain, and even had a cop drive by as I was shooting. He saw me and didn't do anything.

 

[melensdad]

I live in south east rural Lake County, and I shoot in my yard all the time. Never had a neighbor complain, and even had a cop drive by as I was shooting. He saw me and didn't do anything.

That experience is not relevant to the laws.

Just a few more facts from the OP that I believe I can share.

1) He is NOT in a platted subdivision. The county code specifically refers to "platted subdivisions" so on that point alone he SHOULD be exempt.
2) He is on a lot that is UNDER 1 acre. That may create a muddy issue as the county code exempts property over 1 acre. So while point 1 should theoretically exempt him, he gets hit under point 2. My guess (and I am NOT a lawyer) is that he could get cited for shooting on his property if his neighbors complain because his lot is a small (under 1 acre) lot. Should he then go to court, he probably will prevail, but at some considerable legal expense. But everyone should understand that the COURT will rule on the meaning of the county code, so avoiding court is an advantage, if possible.​

His best 2 courses of action are to try to make friends with the property owner to the rear of his property which is a multi-acre property. If he can shoot across his property line on the neighbor's lot then he is free and clear of any legal issue. Also, since one neighbor was photographing him, he might want to walk over to that neighbor and have a friendly chat with him. The best course is to NOT have a neighbor call the police in the first place. If the OP can show that it is legal to shoot in unincorporated Lake County on lots that are NOT inside a platted subdivision, then the potential complaint can be cut off before it starts. Further, if he can come to an agreement with his neighbor that he won't shoot too early in the morning, or too late into the evening, or during a televised Chicago Cubs baseball game, or whatever it is that pesters the neighbor, then that totally eliminates the problem.

Now some neighbors will NEVER be happy, but its worth a try.