Where do you guys find places to shoot?

ego235

ego235

Sergeant
Full Member
Minuteman
Aug 24, 2010
216
1
40
North Carolina
#1
I see from time to time people showing pictures of where they shoot from, mountains, deserts, open fields, etc. often times 600 yards or much longer. How do you guys find these spots? I live in NJ, have only shot at private / public ranges, and don't hunt so I'm pretty much clueless. I doubt I can just walk into the woods, find a clearing with nobody around and start shooting right?

Is it private land you or a friend owns?

Do you find out from word of mouth?

Is it legal to target shoot on any public land if I'm not hunting, as long as I'm at least a certain distance away from a house?

I guess I'm just jealous at these picture perfect spots and want to know where I can find one!
 
#2
Move!:D

Seriously, though. I bought a place in the country and this was one of the primary reasons why (and I just don't like living in towns/cities. I was born in a big city and lived in some others, but always go back to the country). I'm lucky that I have the luxury of stepping outside my door and shooting, anytime I want to, 24/7. My neighbors don't say shit, because they're all the same way and the closest two neighbors are each 500 yards away. We all shoot together. There are ranges around here, but I rarely go unless there's a CMP match, or something like that.

John
 
#8
Its alright, alot of stuff is restricted but I still get to most of what I want. I live in Central Jersey but I shoot at a 300 yard range down in Jackson. Next year I move to North Carolina where the laws will be quite a bit more relaxed. But seriously though, where do you go to find a long distance range? It sounds like Joop shoots on his own land. Outside of buying several dozen acres, how do I find out if a certain plot of public land is okay to shoot on?
 
#9
I should clarify. While I do shoot on my own land, one neighbor owns a gravel pit. The other has a 100 yard lane set up off the back of his property. The beauty is that, from the end of that lane, to the other neighbor's gravel pit, is a perfect range that I can shoot at least 800 yards on and, if the gravel piles are in the right spot (they're always moving dirt around over there), even further. Getting in good with your neighbors and bordering land owners is a huge plus. Being in the rural, upper midwest helps a lot, too. There aren't many anti-gun people around here and so long as you're respectful and polite, finding a place to shoot isn't too difficult.
 
#10
Honestly I had had/am still having this problem. I live in Tulsa, Oklahoma and most would think that in Oklahoma there isn't much around so there would be plenty of places to shoot. Well, this is not really true. There is only one 1,000 yard range near me however I do not have the funds to join because its a private gun club and I am a broke college kid just out of the military. This 1000 yard range is only open twice a year as well so it really sucks.

I have been relying on Google Earth. I will search for telephone pole cut outs in the middle of nowhere and check to make sure there is nothing hazardous withing about 2 miles of the direction I would be shooting. I then will check with any business or see if I know anyone in that area to see who owns that land and if it would be ok to shoot on. I have found 2 or 3 places this way. The main one that I shoot at is about 1500 yards and if I shoot over the a river thats just beyond there I can stretch out to over a mile safely.

Something I have considered lately is going to a rural farm land and almost literately going door to door to see if any of them could use some help on their land in exchange for place to shoot.

Beyond that I really don't know what to tell you. All you guys that have thousands if not millions of acres or public land to shoot on; I can't tell you how lucky you truly are.
 
#11
coldboremiracle said:
What a shitty world you live in, I pitty that part of the country, for many reasons.
Click to expand...

THIS!

I couldn't imagine living back there. The range I belong to is $100/year (15 min drive) and if one other guy is at the firing line, it's a busy day. My only complaint is that it only has 25, 50, 100, 200, 300 and 550yd targets for rifles. I wish it had a 800yd berm, but it also has 10 private pistol pits. The other range that I frequent has berms out to 1000yds, but it's 45 minutes away..... Then there's the BLM land. Shoot till your tired and at whatever range you want to pick, a mile shot is not hard to find.
 
#13
Don't live in the Northeast.

There are 2 club ranges (780yd - 1000yd) within 45 minutes. The municipal ±300 yard range, public land all around and we have good neighbors in the boonies.
 
#14
I just drive 5 minutes in any direction from town either set up on some public land or ask a rancher and shoot. A lot of times set some steel up on a p dog town and have live targets also. I love living right next to bum fuck Egypt
 
#15
I posted this several years ago. It is specific to OR, but I am sure you boys out there on that refined (cough) right coast have even more tech at your disposal.


Someone asked me via PM how to find places to shoot. I thought I might as well post it here as well. Also for those that are looking for others to shoot with: A) Go shoot by yourself. 99% of all the rounds I have fired have been by myself. Your schedule rarely matches up with another's. Don't let not having a partner stop you. B) You will have better odds of finding shooting buddies if you are the one that always knows where to go shoot.

How to find places in the woods to shoot:

1. Go to the county's GIS web site such as http://washims.co.washington.or.us/gis/- many counties in OR have these, some are better than others. Worst case you may have to call the county or even a title company - give them an area and ask for an inventory of all public lands and the appropriate map (parcel map) to locate them.

2. Fire up Google Earth

3. What you want to find using a combination of the two is PUBLIC LAND that is easily accessible, and will give you the right amount of distance - use the Google Earth Measuring Tool.

4. Get a USGI Quad Map for the appropriate area.

5. Pull the coordinates off Google Earth and go out and physically inspect them (remember Google Earth datum is WSG 84, your USGI map may be different. When you load the co-ords in your GPS, load them right off of Google Earth using WSG 84, then via your GPS convert them to whatever datum your USGI Quad map is in). Make 1000% sure you are on Public Land and not on private land - use the map / gps / compass to confirm this.

6. Things to know - Oregon Law has no problem with shooting on public land, it has a major problem with shooting across a road - regardless of what type of road it is (skid trail, improved dirt, paved). Therefore, the common fix is when your driving look for areas of the road that "U" back around such that you can see the other side. If the shot looks good, go below the road line 30 - 50 yards (or more if the distance is really big) with a shovel and a matlock to dig a flat spot in the side of the hill. Set your target here and then drive back around to the other side of the "U" and make the shot. I like places where the public can not see the shooting position or the target from the road. This takes a little extra effort but not much in most cases.

** ETA - be smart - be able to see a good stretch of road on both sides of the target such that you can see any approaching vehicle. Regardless of how far your target is below the road line, do not fire while that vehicle is anywhere near it.

***ETA 2 - MRPC (Medford Rifle and Pistol Club) has Fullbore / F Class practice on Wednesday nights starting at @ 5:00 pm out at the Camp White Range - next to the drag strip at the Jackson County Sports Park.


Get out there and good luck.
 
#16
For the most part I end up shooting on private land with permission, or public land out west. It is handy when you can go somewhere and shoot anywhere in the area and if someone asks you what you're doing you just drop a name and everything is cool. Such is the case with the area around my grandpa's place.
 
#19
Say what you want about Calif. but we do have a LOT of open BLM land to shoot in. Out local range offers steel out to 1300 yds and everything inbetween. If I don't want any range distractions I just jump in my 4x4 and head out to the open desert to shoot at basically any range I can see to. And as an added bonus, I can shoot all winter long. After growing up in South Dakota that's a big plus!
 
#22
Butter said:
What part of NC you moving to?
The guys I hang out with shoot on private land. There are so many trees here that its hard to find a good opening, unless you are in the sandhills
Click to expand...
NC land to shot LR?
Closest thing I have found near Kannapolis is Hawks Ridge.
1,000 yard range only.
If you got something near K town send me a PM.
I would gladly pay.

Joey





PSE EVO 60 Lbs.
Blacked out
 
#24
Deerhunter 28 said:
NC land to shot LR?
Closest thing I have found near Kannapolis is Hawks Ridge.
1,000 yard range only.
If you got something near K town send me a PM.
I would gladly pay.

Joey

PSE EVO 60 Lbs.
Blacked out
Click to expand...
We can only go out to 500 by me, I know thats not LR but it is if you use a .22. Ive been lucky enough to be invited to Butner a few times which is nice
 
#25
I think Reade & Mifflin might be range options to you, although I've never shot at either.
I shoot on private land and built my own portable target stands to hang steel from. With the permission granted from neighbors, can stretch to 1400yds. Long drive to/from, but its worth it.
Botton line is: shooting long range anywhere in the NE is gonna cost you. Either in fuel, time, range fees, or all of the above. The $3-5K for a capable rifle/scope actually becomes the cheapest part of the equation over time...

Good luck to you.
 
#29
You could also try joining Cumberland Riflemen in Millville NJ.
I think they have 600.
IMHO competing in NRA hi power and service rifle matches is the best way to shoot med-long range without having to pay full club membership up front.
 
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