What are the rules for shooting on your own property?

[chances R]

12. It is unlawful to hunt, shoot at, chase, or

kill any wild animal, wild bird or wildfowl

on public lands and waters within 100

yards of a visible dwelling house, without

the owner’s permission, whether or not

such a dwelling is on public or private

lands.

Above is from the TWRA hunting guidelines. One cannot shoot across a road, as well. I am not certain how this pertains to simple target practice, but I can't see it being much different, regardless of what one would be shooting as long as you're on your property and not endangering others.

[Guest pfries]

C.

Notwithstanding any other provisions of this section, nothing in this section is intended to prohibit the discharge or firing of any firearms by anyone:

1.While in the lawful performance of duty as an officer of the law; or

2.Within a legally established shooting range or shooting gallery where precautions have been taken to insure the protection of human life and property; or

3.Lawfully engaged in hunting, as permitted by the state, upon any property located within the urban services district of the metropolitan government; or

4.Legally defending person or property.

(Ord. 99-1775 § 1, 1999; Amdt. 1 to Ord. 96-295, 6/4/96; Ord. 96-295 § 1, 1996)

# 2 Possible option as the requirements for a recognized range are pretty loose.

[Guest Letereat!]

I have 5 acres in Brentwood that extends into Davidson County and I'd like to practice on my own land but I can't find any posted rules on the Williamson County or Davidson County web sites related to firearm use on private property. Anyone know if it's ok? I have a very safe area with a good backstop to use and I'm only shooting handguns. It's still rural where I live but it's built up over the years for sure.

For the love of GOD you ass-clown. Really, what is wrong with people like you...CALL THE LOCAL PD YOU MORON!!!!

[Mike.357]

For the love of GOD you ass-clown. Really, what is wrong with people like you...CALL THE LOCAL PD YOU MORON!!!!

take your pills Bob.

[bajabuc]

The operative word is "urban services"...city water, sewer...no shooting....wellwater., septic tank...yes.

[daddyo]

I only know that it is not an offense to discharge a firearm in Williamson County OUTSIDE city limits. I shoot varmints and targets on my property and have never had anyone call about it.

[Guest tedbo]

Rules at my place-

Don't shoot the horses.

Don't shoot the dogs.

Don't shoot the neighbors' stuff.

Don't shoot at houses.

Don't shoot at wildlife not in season.

Don't shoot at me- I WILL shoot back and in spades!

Other'n that,life is good!

[Ramjo]

"I am keeping my fingers crossed for you, there is nothing better than being able to shoot in your own backyard, I love living in the country!"

Being able to piss off your front porch is better

AMEN!

[Radtekk]

Little bit of necro thread resurrection...  Looking hard at a property in Northern Knox County, definitely OUTSIDE city limits.  Having a hard time finding the relevant law on shooting on what may well be my property.  The size and configuration would make my "range" well within the borders, 300ft plus from the edge, 500ft plus from a structure including my own and I'd be shooting towards a ridge the property runs up against, I'd build a 20 foot high berm on my side of the property line so unless I decided to shoot at planes there's no way I'd loft a round too high.

 

So, can I? 

[Chucktshoes]

Don’t see why not. 

[peejman]

10 hours ago, Radtekk said:

Little bit of necro thread resurrection...  Looking hard at a property in Northern Knox County, definitely OUTSIDE city limits.  Having a hard time finding the relevant law on shooting on what may well be my property.  The size and configuration would make my "range" well within the borders, 300ft plus from the edge, 500ft plus from a structure including my own and I'd be shooting towards a ridge the property runs up against, I'd build a 20 foot high berm on my side of the property line so unless I decided to shoot at planes there's no way I'd loft a round too high.

 

So, can I? 

Call the county sheriffs office and get their buy-in. 

[Radtekk]

2 hours ago, peejman said:

Call the county sheriffs office and get their buy-in. 

Note made:) Coming from Massachusetts (we have MANY unflattering nicknames for our state) one thing you learn fairly early on is "Never ask the police about gun laws and what's legal, they either don't know or lie, or both." So I may have a bit of training to undo.

Lady Radtekk and I will be there Sunday to look at a couple of houses, I'm looking forward to breathing free air! 

[Radtekk]

Well, time passed... We made an offer during the April trip, came down in June and met with contractors, and close on July 29th. The house in Jefferson City, OUTSIDE actual city limits. So from what I've seen so far I'll be as legal as can be, property is 21 acres with an unimproved 10 acre parcel on the long Axis (1400 feet road to survey post) on the "range side". So if I shoot along that line aiming away from the road I'll have a minimum of 1000 feet of fishing land covered in untouched forest as a berm:) 1500 feet of road frontage means 10 unimproved (not even electric service) to my right, a hill in front, and minimum 1500 feet to my property line to the left. Across the road is 100+ acres of pasture, looks to hilly to build on. I think I'll be good;) 

[peejman]

3 hours ago, Radtekk said:

Well, time passed... We made an offer during the April trip, came down in June and met with contractors, and close on July 29th. The house in Jefferson City, OUTSIDE actual city limits. So from what I've seen so far I'll be as legal as can be, property is 21 acres with an unimproved 10 acre parcel on the long Axis (1400 feet road to survey post) on the "range side". So if I shoot along that line aiming away from the road I'll have a minimum of 1000 feet of fishing land covered in untouched forest as a berm:) 1500 feet of road frontage means 10 unimproved (not even electric service) to my right, a hill in front, and minimum 1500 feet to my property line to the left. Across the road is 100+ acres of pasture, looks to hilly to build on. I think I'll be good;) 

Sounds really nice. Noise will be your biggest issue. 

[Radtekk]

On 7/13/2019 at 9:05 PM, peejman said:

Sounds really nice. Noise will be your biggest issue. 

When we were there last month meeting contractors we heard what could only have been gunshots. Irregular, sounded like fireworks, but who shoots off fireworks at noon on Saturday? Sounded like freedom to me Since the property is outside city limits I think we'll be fine, just have to have some sweet tea waiting in case the Deputies show up

[Danger Rane]

4 hours ago, Radtekk said:

When we were there last month meeting contractors we heard what could only have been gunshots. Irregular, sounded like fireworks, but who shoots off fireworks at noon on Saturday? Sounded like freedom to me Since the property is outside city limits I think we'll be fine, just have to have some sweet tea waiting in case the Deputies show up

Welcome to TN...they have been setting them off here in Maury County pretty much every day but especially on the weekends ever since the fire works stands opened in mid June....who knows when they will run out. I actually quite like it, and I especially like the mortified reaction from all the retiree imports from places like California . In full disclosure I was born and raised in Northern California but escaped via the military as soon as I could. I've been in TN for 8 years now and would never leave.

[Jeb48]

We live on a 1/2 mile long dead end road with 8 or so houses. Our place has a hill/mountain behind us and a safe place to shoot so I setup a small range that I can shoot off my back deck out to 30 yards and if I set my shooting stand down the back drive I can get 50 yards. I try to limit the really loud stuff to only once in awhile and only a few shots but often when friends are out to shoot we will do several hundred rounds in an hour, mostly handguns (all calibers up to .44mag) and .22 rifles. I have asked a few neighbors if it bothers them and they said they haven't noticed. I know that at least 4 of us on the road have small ranges setup and another is planning one. Everyone on the road owns guns.

When one of the democratic candidates may some comment about hearing gun shots from his house and that was a problem, I told my wife we hear gun shots often and it makes me feel safe.

Just be sure you are outside of town and have enough land to setup a safe place and don't be too annoying to your neighbors. I have invited several neighbors to come up and shoot if they hear me out or just stop over, it doesn't take much to get me to go out and shoot. So far only two have taken me up on it.

[Radtekk]

20 hours ago, Danger Rane said:

Welcome to TN...they have been setting them off here in Maury County pretty much every day but especially on the weekends ever since the fire works stands opened in mid June....who knows when they will run out. I actually quite like it, and I especially like the mortified reaction from all the retiree imports from places like California . In full disclosure I was born and raised in Northern California but escaped via the military as soon as I could. I've been in TN for 8 years now and would never leave.

Well, fireworks (pathetically all the way down to sparklers) are against the law in MA, so I admit to being a tad surprised at setting them off during the day especially since they're prettier at night. But I can appreciate having them an dbeing impatient also:) Personally I'd rather shoot during the day and launch 'works at night, but I'm easy to please

[Radtekk]

4 hours ago, Jeb48 said:

We live on a 1/2 mile long dead end road with 8 or so houses. Our place has a hill/mountain behind us and a safe place to shoot so I setup a small range that I can shoot off my back deck out to 30 yards and if I set my shooting stand down the back drive I can get 50 yards. I try to limit the really loud stuff to only once in awhile and only a few shots but often when friends are out to shoot we will do several hundred rounds in an hour, mostly handguns (all calibers up to .44mag) and .22 rifles. I have asked a few neighbors if it bothers them and they said they haven't noticed. I know that at least 4 of us on the road have small ranges setup and another is planning one. Everyone on the road owns guns.

When one of the democratic candidates may some comment about hearing gun shots from his house and that was a problem, I told my wife we hear gun shots often and it makes me feel safe.

Just be sure you are outside of town and have enough land to setup a safe place and don't be too annoying to your neighbors. I have invited several neighbors to come up and shoot if they hear me out or just stop over, it doesn't take much to get me to go out and shoot. So far only two have taken me up on it.

I already have the beginning of my backyard range picked out. Three small trees and I'll have a gently up-sloping 30-40 foot wide by 50 yard range at the edge of a pasture-like area, parallel to the property line of the adjoining undeveloped 10 acres, basically shooting  longways into a gully with steep sloping sides. Once I get that cleared out I'll have at least 100+ yards. Gonna take some time, and chainsaw, and winch, and a few campfires One of my first missions will be introductions and invitations. Of course the cows that live in the 114 acre pasture across the road will probably turn me down...

Everybody up here I tell is stupid jealous. I just smile and tell Lady Radtekk that I love her. And buy her another gun:) 

As to guns, I'm mostly a handgun guy, assorted pistols and revolvers also from 22 to 44mag, but I seem to be developing a fondness for Henry levers. I've purchased 2 (38/357 carbine and 44mag rifle) in the last few months and if we weren't planning and saving for the move I'd probably have added at least 2 more:) 

Edited July 20, 2019 by Radtekk

[Drgstrcwby]

Wow...this convo is old..but i was looking up laws in my own County, since my son turned 18 on Thanksgiving, i gave hom a nice 40 cal pistal for Xmas. He gas learned from about 7 years old how to properly handle a firearm. Had his first 22 long by 14, and just knows what he is doing as well as i. Tonight we shot off about 30 rounds together in our own safe target practice area and both the 2 on duty Town cops park, headlights on, aimed at our front porch. 1/4 mile away watching us for over an hour but never pull up. Instead after that lengtj of tine, my boss/landlord calls and says "hey the town cops xalled me and said there watching you shoot a gun. And they said its not legal to shoot in the city limits. But im in the county whete it is. Long story short...whete yalls county at this sounds likea great group of peoples

[Garufa]

Some folks don’t need to be on the Internet...or maybe even being anywhere near a gun.

[peejman]

14 hours ago, Drgstrcwby said:

Tonight we shot off about 30 rounds together in our own safe target practice area and both the 2 on duty Town cops park, headlights on, aimed at our front porch. 1/4 mile away watching us for over an hour but never pull up.

Next time, stop what you're doing, put the guns down, unload them, and wave the cops over for a chat.    Ask them what they think of your shooting space, do they suggest any improvements, would they like to shoot any of your guns  ? 

A simple, friendly conversation can go a long way. 

[RED333]

13 minutes ago, peejman said:

Next time, stop what you're doing, put the guns down, unload them, and wave the cops over for a chat.    Ask them what they think of your shooting space, do they suggest any improvements, would they like to shoot any of your guns  ? 

A simple, friendly conversation can go a long way. 

I shoot on my property as well. If the police show up because someone called, I put down the firearm walk over to the officer and ask those very questions. Since I have lived where I'm at for over 30 years I have only had the police called one time for shooting.

[A.J. Holst]

We shoot in South Knox County and have never had an issue.

My concern is the noise bothering the neighbors when we have a class with a full day of shooting.

Neighbors have been neighborly, my sis-in-law is beloved in the valley...

[Radtekk]

Well, I've been a tad busy but... Getting some stuff set up, doing handgun shooting on the side of the house, road is about 30-40 feet behind the bench. Decent amount of traffic, car every couple-three minutes, no issues, no police. Bought a clay thrower, shot a couple of boxes of 20ga a couple of times, also no issues.

So Jefferson County seems reasonable so far, definitely will take the "unload and say hi" advice to heart should the situation arise:)