Range of shot and legal buffer question

[7mmfan]

Two questions. I have done my research and am confident I know the answers to these questions, just looking for more opinions. After I do a little more research on a third part of the issue, I will let you know why I am asking.

1: I shoot a 20 ga with 3" shell and #4 steel. What is the approximate maximum distance you feel this shot will carry?
2: What is the buffer zone you are required to keep between you and buildings while discharging a firearm?

Had a run in yesterday with a guy accusing me of 2 things regarding these questions I feel I am completely in the right on.

[h2ofowlr]

Range of the shell depends on the angle of the shot and possible carry of the wind. I would guess that a 3" number #4 shell would go about 200-250 yards max.  That also depends if your using steel, tungsten, bismuth or heavy metal.  Speed, density and powder load will change the balistics.  I know I was shooting T shot and it was landing on a barn roof about 300 yards away.

I don't know if any buffer zone exists except for paved roads unless otherwise stated.  I have shot ducks and geese while using a barn as a shelter due to birds landing near it.  It has more to do with common sense and not shooting towards houses.  Just know your effective range of your shell or be smart in your zone of fire, so you don't piss off the neighbors.

[Special T]

I could not find it but it think there is a reg about being 200yards from buildings... I'm guessing they are talking about other peoples homes etc.

[Bob33]

Here's a handy chart: http://www.shotgunsportsmagazine.com/downloads/shotgun_statistics.pdf

I think 250 to 300 yards would be the extreme distance that a #4 pellet could travel.

I'm not aware of any statewide restriction that limits the distance from a structure within which a firearm cannot be discharged. There may be local ordinances, or other restrictions such as within wilderness areas, etc.

Common sense and courtesy suggests that raining pellets of any size, under any conditions, is not conducive to enhanced property owner relations.

[Ned]

Here's a handy chart: http://www.shotgunsportsmagazine.com/downloads/shotgun_statistics.pdf

I think 250 to 300 yards would be the extreme distance that a #4 pellet could travel.

I'm not aware of any statewide restriction that limits the distance from a structure within which a firearm cannot be discharged. There may be local ordinances, or other restrictions such as within wilderness areas, etc.

Common sense and courtesy suggests that raining pellets of any size, under any conditions, is not conducive to enhanced property owner relations.

Great post.

.

[jgoetz]

This acutally really surprises me for how regulated the state of Washington is on all things hunting.  But, as H20 stated there is no requirement for shooting near buildings.  I know in other states I have hunted there was requirements for not discharging firearms within 400 yards of inhabitated structures and not within 75 yds or maintained roadways.  Here is seems like all is good as long as you are not shooting across or along a maintained highway.

[Ned]

This acutally really surprises me for how regulated the state of Washington is on all things hunting.  But, as H20 stated there is no requirement for shooting near buildings.  I know in other states I have hunted there was requirements for not discharging firearms within 400 yards of inhabitated structures and not within 75 yds or maintained roadways.  Here is seems like all is good as long as you are not shooting across or along a maintained highway.

Depends on where you are.
No state wide regulation set for distance but plenty of county and city ords you better watch out for.
What may be legal in one county may not be in others.

Bob33 post pretty much hit the nail on the head.

.

[7mmfan]

So exactly what I've found as well.

A little more detail. I am hunting a field with many ditches and small ponds in it. This field is approx. 500+ acres. This field is surrounded by houses for half of the perimeter I have made my own personal rule to not shoot if I am within 200 yards of any home. The main ditch that I walk puts me well outside of 500 yards from the nearest structure and as far as 1000 yards. When walking in along the ditch, anything I jump forces me to shoot towards homes, but again, I am 500-1000 yards away from said homes.

Twice I have had run ins with this guy yelling at me about hitting his house with shot when its physically impossible that my shot traveled that far, especially from my 20 ga. Yesterday evening, he not only yelled, but called the cops and came out and cornered me in the field and told me once again that I had hit his house with shot, when I was over 700 yards away. He also told me that I was not allowed to shoot that close to homes AND this field was closed to hunting, despite the fact its public land. I tried to have a reasonable conversation with the guy but he was irate. He called the cops again and told them that he was having a standoff with a guy with a loaded weapon that had just shot his house, and I was threatening his safety, which of course was a blatant lie. I yelled loud enough for the dispatcher to hear me say, "there is no standoff, I am hunting so of course I have a loaded weapon, but I will unload it and lay it down to eliminate any confusion." He went on and on about how I was in deep *censored* and he was going to nail me to the wall and he is sick of my *censored* doing this daily (when I haven't hunted this area in over a month, but obviously other people are).

Long story short, the cops showed up at his house and talked with his neighbor, who called the guy to let them know they were there. He told him to tell the cops that he had me "contained" and that they could come on down. The cops looked at the situation and said, there is no issue here and left without even coming down into the field. Once I knew they were gone, I picked up my gun, my ducks, wished him a good evening and headed back down the trail. The guy flat out told me that it wasn't over and that if he saw me out there again he would come right back out and ruin my hunt.

Now, I can sympathize with the guy on one level. A shotgun blast aimed in the general direction of a home 700 yards away is still very loud. I can hear them at my house 2 miles from this area. And given the nature of ducks and duck hunting, much of this shooting is bound to happen early in the morning, and around dinner time. But to make blatantly false claims and threaten me and my right to hunt public land is unacceptable. People have hunted this place since before his home was built, so he moved into it. I'm considering filing a complaint of hunter harassment but haven't decided whether to pursue it this time around, maybe next time when he follows through with his threat to ruin my hunt.

Any thoughts?

[Special T]

Yes do it!

[Skyvalhunter]

If you were to go out again and hunt there have someone with you. Or you can do this if you truly don't think you were not hitting his house. Go out with another person take the lead, or whatever out of some reloads. Fire them into the ground and see if this guy comes out again claiming you shot his place. Maybe even video it. But you can bet this guy wont let up.

[lokidog]

I think the key is to video tape this *censored* and nail him to the wall with the hunter harrassment law.  If no video at least audio tape him in his tirade tthen take some pics of your location.

[NW-GSP]

Next time he comes out to ruin your hunt call the department of fish and wildlife. It is illegal for him to ruin your hunt!

[h2ofowlr]

Print the ballistics sheet off and hand it to him next time and tell him to get a clue.  I had a guy call on us years back and the sherif came down.  I asked where the house was and it was about a mile away.  The guy said the season was closed and we were hitting his house.  I couldn't even see his home and it was duck season and it sounded like WWIII.  The cops were going to head back and talk to the guy.

In his eye's as long as your shooting, it will hit his house.  Carry the ballistics sheet with you.

[sakoshooter]

Bob33, That's a great chart w/lots of info but it appears to me that it centers around lead shot. Some of those values will be relatively the same with lead or steel but some will be very different.

[CastleRocker]

I think the key is to video tape this *censored* and nail him to the wall with the hunter harrassment law.  If no video at least audio tape him in his tirade tthen take some pics of your location.

Definately video the entire thing and call the law.  This person NEEDS to educated!!!  If you don't, he will keep complaining until more neighbors are on his side and then some local entity will close your hunting land due to "noise pollution" or any other reason that they can think of.

We lost a great hunting area several years ago because we DIDN'T do it.  We thought there was no way they can they keep us from hunting it.