Practicing in your back yard

[Winchester _Chick]

What if any laws are there for setting up a bunch of hay bales in your back yard to do some target shooting with a compound bow????

We have a a$$hole neighbor, I am sure he will report us if we are not legal. We have just over 6 acres so it is not that we are in a little subdivision. I have no idea where to look to find out this info? I was going to just give the police a call to find out, but thought I would ask here first

[swamper]

It all depends on where you live. If we knew that we could give you an answer.

[carnivore]

It all depends on where you live. You should check with your local or municipal government to see if there are any bylaws refering to the use of bow or the discharge of firearms ( if you are within the municipal or city limits). I live within the city limits of Vernon and there is a bylaw against the discharge of firearms but you can hunt per the wildlife act regulations.

[Kody94]

Its not legal within Cranbrook City Limits...

http://cranbrook.ihostez.com/Documen...st.aspx?ID=734


Technically, you can't even use pellet guns, or BB guns. I bet a guy could make a case that nail guns were illegal to use in town if you really wanted to.

I know its not legal to use a bow within Sparwood District limits either.

[358win]

Check city bylaws (if your within limits) as well.
Nanaimo bylaw states "a device that propells a projectile by means of gas, spring, exposion or any other means is concidered a firearm"

[Kody94]

Check city bylaws (if your within limits) as well.

Here's a link where you can find many City Bylaws in BC....
http://www.legaltree.ca/node/97

Look for Firearms Bylaws....they usually lump bows in with firearms from what I've seen.

Cheers
K94

[Bow Walker]

If you've got 6 acres you should be able to set up a practice area that is usable but still safe.

Make damn sure about what's behind the target and the direction that you're going to be shooting in. I don't mean 10 or 15 yards behind the target - I mean as much as 100 yards behind the target.

A missed shot can and will travel a long ways - and you will miss on occasion. If you aren't the one that misses your buddies or someone else will. It'll happen eventually.

That missed shot will be the one that travels the farthest and does the most harm - just guard against the worst-case-scenario and you should be fine.

As an example, I was showing a guy a bow at the shooting range at Eagle Eye Outfitters one time. He wanted to shoot it so I said "Sure". I had him stand only about 20 yards away from the target. The problem started when he was pointing at the sky to draw the bow.

You guessed it. He miss-fired right at the worst possible moment and the arrow went over the top of the target and the target backing/safety material. The arrow went 300 yards downrange. Eagle Eye is (of course) in town. The arrow landed just outside the door of a pizza shop, narrowly missing a couple of parked cars.

Shit happens. Guard against it.

[Winchester _Chick]

Sorry I did not think where I was would matter I am in Duncan on the Island I will check out the link! Thanks

[Ron.C]

Sorry I did not think where I was would matter I am in Duncan on the Island I will check out the link! Thanks

If North Cowichan, check out their bylaw page.

http://northcowichan.fileprosite.com...st.aspx?ID=184

There are very limited areas you can shoot with maps to illustrate.


from the link above

Despite any provision of this bylaw, no person may discharge a firearm or a bow:
(1) within 25 metres of the boundary of a highway;
(2) such that a projectile travels across a highway;
(3) within 100 metres of any school building, school yard, public park, playground, church,
workshop, place of business, dwelling house, farm building, or other place where persons
may be assembled or engaged in work of any kind; and
(4) on a parcel less than five acres in size.

[bigshooter]

It's only about $40 for a half year membership at the duncan bowmen club, about the same amount that you would pay for a target.