Page 1 of 2

Target Shooting in a Township

Posted: Tue Apr 12, 2016 7:33 am
by Metal1
No Sub Forum exists so I thought I would ask here. I just purchased a house in Canfield Township. The house sits on 6 acres of land. The nearest house is about 150 yard away. What are the laws regarding shooting in Townships? Any place I am able to look up the laws?


Thank you.

Re: Target Shooting in a Township

Posted: Tue Apr 12, 2016 8:36 am
by MyWifeSaidYes
Metal1 wrote:No Sub Forum exists so I thought I would ask here. I just purchased a house in Canfield Township. The house sits on 6 acres of land. The nearest house is about 150 yard away. What are the laws regarding shooting in Townships? Any place I am able to look up the laws?


Thank you.

Only federal and state laws apply in a township.

The township is prohibited from enacting ANY laws regarding firearms.

See R.C. 504.04(B)(6)

Re: Target Shooting in a Township

Posted: Tue Apr 12, 2016 11:37 am
by Metal1
Thank you!

Re: Target Shooting in a Township

Posted: Tue Apr 12, 2016 2:14 pm
by WestonDon
Make sure that nothing but noise leaves your property and you're golden.

Re: Target Shooting in a Township

Posted: Tue Apr 12, 2016 4:24 pm
by Cruiser
Get to know your neighbor, inform him about your shooting. Ask him about times of day least likely to be a problem. Maybe even ask if he'd like to shoot!
That is what I'd do if I was new to the area.

Re: Target Shooting in a Township

Posted: Tue Apr 12, 2016 6:29 pm
by JustaShooter
And don't forget a suitable backstop - you have to make sure your bullets stay on your property...

Re: Target Shooting in a Township

Posted: Tue Apr 12, 2016 9:14 pm
by M-Quigley
JustaShooter wrote:And don't forget a suitable backstop - you have to make sure your bullets stay on your property...
This +1. I live in a township, and one of my neighbors even had a combo barbecue and shooting event in the back of his property for friends, relatives, and a couple of neighbors. I got the opportunity that day to test out his belt fed MG for a little bit. He said to me once, "You know what you call people who get in the car and drive to an outdoor range and pay money to shoot guns?"
The answer was, "City folk." :)

Re: Target Shooting in a Township

Posted: Tue Apr 12, 2016 11:23 pm
by djthomas
Also double check that you aren't somehow in a deed restricted community. Although the township cannot regulate or restrict firearms, there's nothing preventing you from voluntarily relinquishing your rights through membership in an HOA or acquiring title to property encumbered with restrictive covenants.

A buddy of mine was about to place an offer on a house in a township with an eye towards backyard shooting. A preliminary title search turned up the fact that the property and four others nearby were technically part of an HOA and one of the covenants was no discharging of firearms. For all practical purposes the HOA did not exist but the covenants remained on the property with no easy way to get out of them short of getting three of the five neighbors to file an amendment to strike the restrictions. Given that he didn't live there yet he wasn't up for the prospect of campaigning his potentially new and unknown neighbors.

Re: Target Shooting in a Township

Posted: Wed Apr 13, 2016 8:41 am
by Metal1
Good information from all. I appreciate it. I intend to send a letter to all three of my new neighbors the week of our move. More of an introduction and a little bit about my wife and I and our hobbies. Shooting being one of them. Going to ask if any of them have an issue with it and time considerations. Granted, the reason I bought this house and property was mainly for the ability to shoot so if it is an issue I think I may have some future problems. Or I found a really good reason to get another suppressor. :D

Re: Target Shooting in a Township

Posted: Wed Apr 13, 2016 12:46 pm
by JustaShooter
Honestly, I think I'd rather come by in person and introduce myself and my wife rather than sending a letter. But that's just me, a country boy at heart that used to live 30 minutes from nowhere.

Re: Target Shooting in a Township

Posted: Wed Apr 13, 2016 4:46 pm
by docachna
JustaShooter wrote:Honestly, I think I'd rather come by in person and introduce myself and my wife rather than sending a letter. But that's just me, a country boy at heart that used to live 30 minutes from nowhere.
That, and I would REALLY check those deed restrictions before I ever even mentioned the whole issue to them. Probably good to know if you have what might be an insurmountable problem before you even wake that sleeping dog. Your closing papers probably included a copy of any deed restrictions. If you had a buyer-broker, they can probably review them in short order.

Re: Target Shooting in a Township

Posted: Thu Apr 14, 2016 12:22 pm
by Metal1
No Deed restrictions exist. I think I'll do it face to face as suggested.

Re: Target Shooting in a Township

Posted: Thu Apr 14, 2016 4:41 pm
by sd790
I moved to "the country" just do I could shoot in my yard. Freedom is intoxicating.

Re: Target Shooting in a Township

Posted: Thu Apr 14, 2016 5:53 pm
by MyWifeSaidYes
sd790 wrote:I moved to "the country" just do I could shoot in my yard. Freedom is intoxicating.
There's nothing quite like being drunk 24/7, huh?

Re: Target Shooting in a Township

Posted: Thu Apr 21, 2016 7:56 pm
by M-Quigley
sd790 wrote:I moved to "the country" just do I could shoot in my yard. Freedom is intoxicating.
My goal is to eventually have a bunch of reactive targets in the back of the property, like in the Hickock45 youtube videos.:)