Ordinances on backyard shooting

**Grunt33** · May 13th, 2013, 11:04 PM

I moved here a few years ago from Adams County, and had a little backyard range to play on. Noone ever complained, but I had the benefit of being on a seldom traveled backroad and my neighbors helped set up the range. Needless to say, no sweat was lost over the situation.

York's a bit funny, however. And I live on a pretty major road here.

Anyone know if York County or Conewago Twp had ordinances against shooting on private land? I'm aware of the noise ordinance, and the distance from domestic structures, but not sure if there's some obscure ordinance in the books preventing me from plinking in the backyard.

Any help would be appreciated.

**Curmudgeon** · May 13th, 2013, 11:24 PM

I am not aware of any. Springettsbury has a prohibition on discharge, Conewago doesn't seem to, but I'm thinking they could always fall back on their Nuisance ordinance if they wanted to...

http://www.conewagotwp.com/ordinances/Nuisance175.pdf

**Grunt33** · May 14th, 2013, 04:40 PM

I couldn't find anything, either, after reading their ordinances. Conewago is a relatively nanny-free township, it seems. We sort of handle our own, which I like. I've been hitting the groundhog population and not worrying because noone's going to complain about that.

Recreation brings the complaints, though.

Sadly, I have 90 acres to play on, and the ONLY place with a natural backstop (hill) is facing the road and the houses across from it. Puts me in full view of passerby and other nosy folk.

**Curmudgeon** · May 14th, 2013, 05:09 PM

It's legal where I live, and I have room for a pistol range. Or maybe .22. I won't do it because I have housing and/or people on almost all sides. I would never be comfortable with it, something could get by a respectable backstop and put someone at risk.

I have seen folks shooting on their property under conditions infinitely more ideal than mine. It's convenient, and I wish I could. It costs me $20 a year for my range membership, and it takes me about 15 minutes to get there. For me it's well worth it.

One thing you can try is to approach your neighbors about shooting with you. Makes it hard for your neighbor to drop dime on you for shooting at the 'range' where you let him shoot too.

**felly smarts** · June 12th, 2013, 05:51 PM

Originally Posted by Grunt33

I couldn't find anything, either, after reading their ordinances. Conewago is a relatively nanny-free township, it seems. We sort of handle our own, which I like. I've been hitting the groundhog population and not worrying because noone's going to complain about that.

Recreation brings the complaints, though.

Sadly, I have 90 acres to play on, and the ONLY place with a natural backstop (hill) is facing the road and the houses across from it. Puts me in full view of passerby and other nosy folk.

90 acres and no place to shoot. That would piss me off. I'd have to borrow some equipment from work and build a hill.

Put a sign out front or an add in Craigslist saying you will take any dirt fill. Most excavating companies have to pay to get rid of it, I believe. Especially if it is road millings. If it's dirt you get, push it with a skid steer and then just seed the hell out of it. Poof! You'll be shooting by fall.

**Grunt33** · June 13th, 2013, 04:23 AM

I rent it. Sadly, the reason I can't shoot on the back side of the land is because there's cattle back there, and the rest is planted hay (well, sort of, this guy's no farmer)