Can't shoot no more, ............

[J Miller]

................ so what do I do with 40 years of <censored>?

Well, olyinAZ's comments about it now being illegal to target shoot on state land just put the last straw on this camels back. When last I was in AZ the USFS had made it illegal to shoot on National Forest land around the Phx. Valley area. That was in '02, it's probably all the NF land by now.
Now it's illegal to shoot on state lands. Good Lord, what a bunch of weenies the people of AZ have become. They keep electing liberals, RINOS, women and even lesbians as Governor, what the he!! are they thinking?

I have no hope left of returning to a free place. <XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX censored >

I don't know about NM or NV or any of the other SW states, but I suspect they are similar. Texas is all private land, no free areas there either.

I was borne 100 years too darn late.

<XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX censored >
I'm too old, poor, and crippled up to hunt any more, can't fight, can't run so the TEOTWAWKI scenario is just science fiction.

<XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX censored.?>

<censoredXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX>

God I'm tired.

Joe

[Old Time Hunter]

Joe, you brought up a good point. Wonder if there is any data as to which states have the most public land that you can shoot and hunt on?

Right now if I would have to guess, it would be Montana...but ya never know.

Alaska doesn't count 'cause it takes too long to drive there.

[RIHMFIRE]

Joe, you brought up a good point. Wonder if there is any data as to which states have the most public land that you can shoot and hunt on?

Right now if I would have to guess, it would be Montana...but ya never know.

Alaska doesn't count 'cause it takes too long to drive there.

central florida has probably around a half million acres open to the public
for hunting....and there are private and public ranges throughout the area..
Ocala national forest has a free range right smack dab in the middle...
and as long as your own land, and your in the country you can shoot!
And the ST John River is right there with a lot of lakes for fishing.....
Theres a small little hamlet called Astor and I would not mind living there
Floridas only bad part is the heat and humidity...

[J Miller]

Don't care for gun ranges, I want to be free to come and go as I see fit. Shoot when and at what I see fit. Ranges have their uses, but not for every single time I want to go shooting.
My own land ..... only in my fantasies.

OTH,
I don't mind the road trip, but them Canadians get all bent when you take your guns through their country. Probably ex-California liberals.

Joe

[earlmck]

Been 12 years since I lived in Nevada but at that time I'd have to say Nevada was the "home of the free..." . I hope it hasn't changed all that much, but being next door to California I fear for the place.

Oregon is probably not far behind Arizona for having the bureaucrats take control. We just found out that our local USFS has closed 90% of the roads in the two forests we have here in Central Oregon (they advertised it as "we are opening 1000 miles of roads to travel") Which really meant that 9000 miles of roads were designated as "no longer existing for vehicular use". And our local BLM, which used to be a separate agency, has been taken over by the USFS and follows their rules even though BLM managed land is authorized by different laws and should be under different rules than USFS managed land.

[Rusty]

Well I'm glad to know I'm not the only one out there that thinks Astor is such a pretty place. In my travels there are times when I take certain routes just because the scenery is nicer. I'd love to have coffee in Astor some day watching the sun come up.
Joe you might think about practicing some photography skills. The nearest park or even large neighborhood oak tree would have enough tree rats to keep you busy for quite a while. A lot of magazines are always looking for background nature photos.

[yooper2]

Joe,

If you can stand the cold the Upper Peninsula is about as good as it gets. Lots of state land around, no laws about plinking that I am aware of, the folks are friendly, and there is a nice variety of game. I can't even begin to imagine the look on somebody's face up here if you told them it was illegal to shoot at cans on state land.

Eric

[Larkbill]

Come on over to Mo. Our Conservation Areas all prohibit "Target shooting, or shooting at a mark" but several have unregulated shooting ranges. Depending on where you are in central Illinois there are several fairly close to the border (aka The Father of Rivers).
Check the Conservation Atlas to see if there is one you could use.
http://mdc4.mdc.mo.gov/applications/moa ... xtAreaNm=s

I shoot at several frequently with friends if I don't want to drive out to Rolla to shoot on family land.

[shooter]

New Mexico has tons of public land to shoot on. Roswell isn't the best of towns, but the gun range there is pretty good and inexpensive. Steel targets out to 500 yards, several ranges, and a 1000 yard range. Fee is $65 a year to go as much as you want. You can shoot on BLM land, but not state land except during open hunting season. I think something like 80% of New Mexico is public land, but that's a combination of state and BLM.

[gak]

Joe, hopefully this'll shed some light on the Az situation. Aside from special restricted conditions such as extreme draught/fire danger which may be currently in effect, it looks like National Forest and BLM still ok--subject to the SOP provisos listed.

http://www.arizonashooting.net/

Oly, other Aridzonans - this information ring true to you?

[El Chivo]

I think I read that Idaho is about 85% public land.

Joe, why not flaunt the law like everybody else?

Every time I see a sign that says "Shooting Prohibited" it's full of holes.

[Blaine]

Don't care for gun ranges, I want to be free to come and go as I see fit

Like you are now?

[new pig hunter]

as bizarre as it sounds, Kali leads the way !! Shooting on most BLM land is OK .... just this past Wednesday I was out shooting about 20 miles NW of Edwards AFB, a Day In The Desert. On occasion when he's in the "neighborhood" a BLM guy has shown up just to say HI and get acquainted.

Cheers,

Carl

[765x53]

Come on over to Mo. Our Conservation Areas all prohibit "Target shooting, or shooting at a mark" but several have unregulated shooting ranges. Depending on where you are in central Illinois there are several fairly close to the border (aka The Father of Rivers).
Check the Conservation Atlas to see if there is one you could use.
http://mdc4.mdc.mo.gov/applications/moa ... xtAreaNm=s

I shoot at several frequently with friends if I don't want to drive out to Rolla to shoot on family land.

There's the trick. Don't set up a target.
There is always a hunting season open. If not, you are shooting at unprotected species, like Norway rats.
darn they're hard to hit! I haven't collected one yet!

[gamekeeper]

Hey Joe, whichever of the 57 States that Walking Eagle (see politics) has visited you live in, it will be ten times better than here in Merry Old England.
We have to rely on the goodwill of private land owners or stick to clubs that have more rules than a cat has fleas.

As for the D word, if we even mention that we can kiss goodbye to our guns!

[J Miller]

GameKeeper,

Illinois is just about like that. This state was totally farmed and developed almost 200 years ago and there is just almost zero public land. The problem is the states gun laws are so severe you can't really shoot on public land either.
So, like you we are stuck with friendly land owners, your own land if you own any, and ranges which are few and far between.
It's just not worth the hassle.

Joe

[gamekeeper]

Joe, I feel for you, it sure ain't no fun being restricted on what was a fun and enjoyable hobby!

[hightime]

Yooper2, I'm sure glad we live up here. Northern , MN too is quite vacant. Thick woods and tax forfet land.
\
I wonder why we have it so nice. bugs, cold, swamps, poor farming, lack of jobs, keep the people away.

Owen

[Booger Bill]

Utah! Something like 80 or 90 percent of the state is BLM. Concealed permits are easy to get, we can OC, but you dont see it except in the boonies. You can ride quads a lot of places and their is a lot of wilderness trails. Its a state with everything but ocean beach. I can be on barren hot dessert or high in the cool mountains in 45 minuets, either one. For a range, we have a nice county range where you can shoot out to 800 yards or so, hardly any one there and doesnt cost a dime! You can haul your garbage to a county old iron mine pit at no charge. You can go see wild horses, deer, turkey, elk and mountain sheep, cowboys, indians, poligamists and dudes every direction. Every picture here is within less than a hour of us.

[Chuck 100 yd]

Booger Bill , Nice lookin country you have there pard.

Joe , how about drive by shooting for practice???
It seems a lot of folks in Portland OR are doing it these days.
Kinda hard ,if you shoot a semi auto, to save your brass for reloading. Revolvers or levers would work fine though.

[new pig hunter]

use a suppressor .... no one will know you're shooting.

Cheers,

Carl

[AJMD429]

Joe, consider moving to a place like Indiana and renting a rural farmhouse - lots of them are up for rent - often the kids live elsewhere, and when mom and pop pass away don't want to just up and sell the place. Many have someone else already doing the farming, so you just live there and keep an eye on things (a rented house is less likely to get messed up than an empty one), and be a nice tenant and the landlord just may let you hunt/target shoot all you want.

It can be done.

[DPris]

Utah, Idaho, and Nevada all have huge areas of space where you can shoot.
If you CAN move, do it.
If you can't, you're stuck.

Since I left Uncle Sam's employ in '76, I've been able to choose where I live & it'll never be a place where there's no shooting in the boonies.
Denis

[El Chivo]

Utah! Something like 80 or 90 percent of the state is BLM. Concealed permits are easy to get, we can OC, but you dont see it except in the boonies. You can ride quads a lot of places and their is a lot of wilderness trails. Its a state with everything but ocean beach. I can be on barren hot dessert or high in the cool mountains in 45 minuets, either one. For a range, we have a nice county range where you can shoot out to 800 yards or so, hardly any one there and doesnt cost a dime! You can haul your garbage to a county old iron mine pit at no charge. You can go see wild horses, deer, turkey, elk and mountain sheep, cowboys, indians, poligamists and dudes every direction. Every picture here is within less than a hour of us.

beautiful country, but those sheep sure look nervous

[gak]

Speaking of Utah (and Arizona...) and not certainly not helping Joe's cause any:
http://news.mobile.msn.com/en-us/articl ... 60&afid=11

[bigbore442001]

There are a lot of ways around things if you want to really get clever about it. As an example, here in good ole Massachusetts there is no closed season on certain game animals. As long as you have a hunting license you can hunt starlings, woodchucks, chipmunks, red squirrels, porcupines, and skunks year round with no limit. Believe it or not most places do not have a caliber restriction.

[Blaine]

Joe, I think you ain't looking hard enough for a place to hunt....

http://www.dnr.illinois.gov/hunting/Pag ... heets.aspx

Tell me what I'm missing here?