Neighbor issues.

[Yelacreek]

I recently moved into my new house. I have a neighbor fairly close 150 feet from one side of my house. I live in Montgomery county in palmyra. I was sighting a rifle in shooting away from her house in a safe direction into a dirt pile that was pushed up during construction. She proceeded to cuss me through the woods that what I was doing was illegal. I fired 3 shots off in about 3 minutes trying to zero a rifle I wasn’t just dumping magazines nor do I want to but I want to be able to shoot when I want if I want to. I can’t find anything published for Montgomery county stating what the law is. 
 

thank you in advance.  
 

[Alleycat72]

Get a suppressor. 

I don't know the law there, but typically you can't shoot within 100 yards of a dwelling without permission. This is the rule we go by when I do my thing regardless of what state or county we are in.

[billyblazes]

Exactly why Statewide preemption in this regard is needed.

From personal experience in Florida, the State used to be a hodgepodge of local statutes regarding the discharge of firearms.  Laws changed from one county to another; from one city to another.  As the State law is wrtitten now with the protection of preemption, a firearm may legally be safely discharged anywhere on a persons private property whether that be a rural 20 acres in Central Florida or on a 1/4 acre lot on the outskirts of Boca Raton.  A lot of the liberal South Florida city leaders do not like that they can no longer make special laws in this regard for their fifedoms.

[FUJIMO]

3 hours ago, Yelacreek said:

I recently moved into my new house. I have a neighbor fairly close 150 feet from one side of my house. I live in Montgomery county in palmyra. I was sighting a rifle in shooting away from her house in a safe direction into a dirt pile that was pushed up during construction. She proceeded to cuss me through the woods that what I was doing was illegal. I fired 3 shots off in about 3 minutes trying to zero a rifle I wasn’t just dumping magazines nor do I want to but I want to be able to shoot when I want if I want to. I can’t find anything published for Montgomery county stating what the law is. 
 

thank you in advance.  
 

Id contact Montgomery County SD (non emergency line) and find out the laws and what happens WHEN not IF you're reported. SD here must respond to any report of this nature but they typically try to find a happy medium since there's nothing on the books in the county.

[Darrell]

3 hours ago, Yelacreek said:

I have a neighbor fairly close 150 feet from one side of my house.

Just out of curiosity, how much property are you on?  Can you move 100 yards away from the neighbor's house and still remain on your own property to shoot?

TN laws don't allow you to shoot at a game animal while hunting if you are within 100 yards of a house, or even to chase an animal within that distance. But that's a hunting regulation, not a "shooting" regulation.  You didn't mention any CC&R's attached to your property, so I assume there are none, but in any case, being a good neighbor might mean finding another place to shoot. At a very minimum I'd go and speak with the neighbor about your shooting activity. Perhaps she'd be agreeable to occasional gunfire if you show her where you're shooting and demonstrate that it's safe. A little respectful, friendly conversation can go a long way. 

Edited October 3, 2021 by Darrell

[KahrMan]

The 100 yards from a dwelling in hunting only applies to public land. If you are on private property it does not apply. 

[gregintenn]

A calm and sincere discussion can sometimes yield nothing but frustration, but more often than not, will give two neighbors a good chance at seeing eye to eye.

[mikegideon]

33 minutes ago, gregintenn said:

A calm and sincere discussion can sometimes yield nothing but frustration, but more often than not, will give two neighbors a good chance at seeing eye to eye.

It's a step that probably needs to be taken. No good ever comes from a fight with a neighbor. She may just have a problem with the noise. Doubling the distance between you and her will do a lot.

[Yelacreek]

Thank you for all the input. Sunday morning her husband came over with no shirt on I informed him I was just trying to sight a rifle in the day before he seemed very understanding. And around noon I proceeded to finishing sighting in the rifle fired a total of six shots over two days. She called the law shortly after and said I was setting explosives off. The deputy came informed they had reports of things blowing up and I took him around the property to show there was no explosions. He looked at my target and berm and told me I was 100% legal and was acting in a safe manner. 

[eRay]

A few years ago I had a 35 acre farm that I used for a shooting range on occasion. First thing I did was go knock on the door of the elderly widow who lived next door. I explained to her that I would be shooting at times and that I would call her before hand to make sure she did not have anything going on that my noise might interrupt. I also assured her I would have a proper backstop and would never be shooting in the direction of her house. We got along great. I had no legal requirement to clear it with her but a little courtesy goes a long way towards having good neighbors.

 

[Darrell]

2 hours ago, Yelacreek said:

I was 100% legal and was acting in a safe manner. 

That's great and now you know your legal standing. But now you also have a neighbor problem, which is not so great. Those kinds of things can fester for years. Since her husband seemed reasonable, maybe he'll help her understand. Good luck!

[FUJIMO]

9 minutes ago, Darrell said:

That's great and now you know your legal standing. But now you also have a neighbor problem, which is not so great. Those kinds of things can fester for years. Since her husband seemed reasonable, maybe he'll help her understand. Good luck!

If he didn't "persuade" her from calling the law I doubt hes looked to for input lol.

[mikegideon]

I would have dumped a couple of mags while the cop was there, so Karen got the point once and for all.

[eRay]

19 minutes ago, mikegideon said:

I would have dumped a couple of mags while the cop was there, so Karen got the point once and for all.

That would have been the start of a great relationship with your neighbor for the next 20 years.

[mikegideon]

1 hour ago, Eray said:

That would have been the start of a great relationship with your neighbor for the next 20 years.

Not sure what else to do with somebody like her. Not shoot on your own property? She already called the law.

I gotta be clear here. If somebody tries to force me to stop legal activities on my property, and calls in folks with guns, my Trump personality will come out right now. I hate conflict, but will fight every time when somebody tries to walk on me. I don't know what else Karen can try to do. I already don't like her enough to want to hang out with her.

Edited October 4, 2021 by mikegideon

[peejman]

56 minutes ago, mikegideon said:

Not sure what else to do with somebody like her. Not shoot on your own property? She already called the law.

Not much you can do. Get to know the officer who will come visit every time she calls. 

[mikegideon]

5 minutes ago, peejman said:

Not much you can do. Get to know the officer who will come visit every time she calls. 

Sooner or later, the SO will tell her to stop calling.

[Omega]

I thought I had already posted this but I guess not.

 

Anyway, my hunting area is just up the road from you, they should not be surprised people want to shoot out there.  She will probably get used to it, but, you could try one of these, it can be used without a stamp and really does reduce (not eliminate) the noise.

 

 

[mikegideon]

3 minutes ago, Omega said:

I thought I had already posted this but I guess not.

 

Anyway, my hunting area is just up the road from you, they should not be surprised people want to shoot out there.  She will probably get used to it, but, you could try one of these, it can be used without a stamp and really does reduce (not eliminate) the noise.

 

 

I have thought about things like that. I would do it differently. But would be more than happy to spend the time and effort on being a good neighbor. Well... except for Karen. I'm buying her a Barrett.

[eRay]

2 hours ago, mikegideon said:

Not sure what else to do with somebody like her. Not shoot on your own property? She already called the law.

I gotta be clear here. If somebody tries to force me to stop legal activities on my property, and calls in folks with guns, my Trump personality will come out right now. I hate conflict, but will fight every time when somebody tries to walk on me. I don't know what else Karen can try to do. I already don't like her enough to want to hang out with her.

Here's you something to think about. Trump had great policies and if he could have controlled his Trump personality just a little bit better, he would still be president.

I really believe if I were this woman's neighbor we could get along. I believe I could shoot on my property without pissing her off. The problem with people today is everyone is so defensive that they can not see the other person's side. It is always better to try and work with your neighbors than fight with them. I've had bad neighbors and I've had great neighbors. If you want a great neighbor, be a great neighbor. In the end it is worth the extra effort.

[Grunt67]

42 minutes ago, Eray said:

Here's you something to think about. Trump had great policies and if he could have controlled his Trump personality just a little bit better, he would still be president.

I really believe if I were this woman's neighbor we could get along. I believe I could shoot on my property without pissing her off. The problem with people today is everyone is so defensive that they can not see the other person's side. It is always better to try and work with your neighbors than fight with them. I've had bad neighbors and I've had great neighbors. If you want a great neighbor, be a great neighbor. In the end it is worth the extra effort.

Good plan, just doesn't always work. Speaking from past experiences.

[mikegideon]

47 minutes ago, Eray said:

Here's you something to think about. Trump had great policies and if he could have controlled his Trump personality just a little bit better, he would still be president.

I really believe if I were this woman's neighbor we could get along. I believe I could shoot on my property without pissing her off. The problem with people today is everyone is so defensive that they can not see the other person's side. It is always better to try and work with your neighbors than fight with them. I've had bad neighbors and I've had great neighbors. If you want a great neighbor, be a great neighbor. In the end it is worth the extra effort.

I don't disagree with you. I'll do my best to get along with folks. But don't go sending the cops after me, and expect me to just stand around and wait for more.

I have only had one drawn out neighbor fight out of LOTS of neighbors. And it was because MY crazy woman sent the cops after them. The fight ended when they needed something from me, and got it.

And I have a whole different take on why Trump lost the presidency. He lost it mainly because of Covid. One could almost believe that it could have been created and deployed specifically to accomplish that. And if not, it sure worked well.

Edited October 4, 2021 by mikegideon

[billyblazes]

I had a neighbor that moved in next to me. My safe shooting on my personal property ran afoul of her New York sensitivities. She called out SO numerous times and was upset when they would tell her that what I was doing was safe and legal. 

Things escalated to where they would start playing obnoxiously loud rap music anytime myself or family was outside. Especially when entertaining guests for cookouts, etc.  I responded by often walking up and down the property line in the evenings or early mornings discharging my shotgun into the ground.  Sometimes I would purposely wait until she was trying to enjoy time in her yard and then I would go outside with the loudest guns I have. I made sure that my friends also made frequent use of my range set up.

once someone tries to strong arm me, any consideration or courtesy I would otherwise give flies out the window.

I suggest you get a bunch of locals together and set up a Knob Creek style shoot on the weekends.

[bobsguns]

2 hours ago, mikegideon said:

And I have a whole different take on why Trump lost the presidency. He lost it mainly because of Covid. One could almost believe that it could have been created and deployed specifically to accomplish that. 

 

Oh, there's absolutely NO doubt it was released to make him lose. They couldn't rely on the Dominion machine cheating by itself to beat him. 

[FUJIMO]

ibtl