Gub Club Nazi's Called State Police on Me For Shooting In My Own Backyard.

So just for the readers knowledge. I happen to live next door to the local private gun club. Now the type that are members of this club are all upper middle class and wealthy morons. Not many military or veterans or most average people could afford to join their club.
So here I am, It's sunday, warm and sunny, exspecially for a winter day in Michigan, and I decided to get out my .45 and my AK and do some shooting. So I went out and put a couple hundred rounds through each gun at my little set up out back. No sooner than I start to pack my stuff up to take back inside and here comes a couple of those morons from the club walking over. At first I thought maybe they just wanted to check out my guns and shoot the bull, but of course not, they came right over with the assumption that I'm just some moron spraying rounds everywhere and immediatly began to lay into me about weapons safety and other bull. Now what these two morons didn't know is that I am a Marine and I was also A Primary Marksmanship Instructor while I was on Active duty. Needless to say I quickly shut them up and they walked away butt hurt like the little snoody jerks that they are.
Well I thought that was the end of it until a state police officer knocked on my door a few minutes ago. First thing he did was look at where I was shooting. He saw my backstop and the fact that there is also a large hill separating us as well. He still proceded to tell me that I could not target shoot on my property because it makes the gun club guy's nervous. Now I did not break any laws or local rules or restrictions, so where does this wackjob officer get off telling me that? He also walked up to my door with his hand on his pistol ready to draw down on me like I'm some kind of criminal. Anyone have any input on this?
To me this means the gun club guys just started a war that they cannot and will not win. Should I call the police everytime I find a new arrow in my yard that came from their range? ( I found 6 last year in my yard.) I guess I will from now on. Now I just need some more ammo so I can really piss them off. I'll just go out and rapid fire into my sand berm over and over. Maybe I'll just blast loud as I can and play with a blowhorn during the next archery competition or something. Anyone have any legal idea's for forcing negative Karma in thei direction?

I would love to hear others thought on this incedent as well.

You can't *force* Karma. Negative or positive.

Isn't this how situations like the Hatfields and McCoys started.....

reply to post by usmc0311


Nice. Wish I had my own personal range.

I would thoroughly research your states laws concerning shooting on your property.

If you are not doing anything illegal, then they can kiss your .................

May I suggest that you call your lawyer, since you may not want to have any more future confrontation's with the police; especially if you have a gun in your hands.

The laws are specific to the individual towns when it comes to discharging a firearm on private property. The state of Michigan's law is that you must be at least 450 feet away from a building unless you have written permission.

reply to post by Erno86


Just to be clear, I did not have a weapon in my hands when the officer came. My weapons were already in my vice and on my bench to be cleaned well out of his sight. I also don't have a lawer. Seeing as how I'm a disable veteran and live on a fixed income I could not afford one either. I am researching my options right now though.

I would study up on my legal rights. Instead of instigating a feud which you will likely lose because the gun club fruits probably have judge buddies, it might be a better idea to have all your ducks in a row legally. Establish that you are in the right and the state popo can't do squat. Just be careful that you stay within the law, otherwise those guys will come at you with all their resources

reply to post by JibbyJedi


Yeah, no laws, rules, or ordinaces are being violated here. The main thing the officer seemed to want to make clear is that the club members got scared when I was shooting. I guess failure to stop drills with an AK could sound scary but hey, I was on my own property and doing nothing wrong.

U should definitely get more AK rounds and bump fire about 5 or 6 clips in the sand berm make em think you got a fully auto AK lmao that would be great and video record everything even the cops that show up and post to you tube.

reply to post by pierregustavetoutant


I'm completely 100% legal. The only thing I worry about is that the State Police use their ranges very regularly. I am going to look what agencies could help if the police were to become unlawfull but hopefully there will be no more trouble.

So in effect, they are telling you that you can't do what they are set up to do next door? If you are a skilled marksman, challenge them to a shoot-off! Loser shoots no more. May not hurt to check and see if they are properly licensed and all.

reply to post by shortyboy


Good Idea. For one thing next time I shoot I'm going to print off all the state, county, and local gun laws and keep them in a booklet on my loading table.

reply to post by usmc0311


If that's the case then the officer could argue reckless endangerment IF the scared folks made that specific complaint. There'd be no justification to arrest or sight you for a violation without proof of reckless endangerment. Not all officers are proficient in every detail of the laws, the average cop doesn't have years of Criminal Justice 101 education, just the basics. A supervisor would have to make the final call on the scene if the officer isn't sure of the exact statutes.

If I wear you, I would get the loudest ammo packin gun you could buy. Maybe they will get jealous. Dont stoop down to their level. If you did not think that the police needed to be called on them before then their is no reason to call them now. If you did not brake the law then continue to do what you are doing. That alone will piss them off.

reply to post by ajay59


They are all properly liscensed unfortunatly. Those yuppie yahoo's wouldn't stand a chance at a shootoff with me. I've probably fired more rounds in my lifetime than they all have or ever will combined. And I'm only 29. Most of them couldn't shoot worth a darn if you took all their fancy gizmos and tech away from them. I think I may just have to settle for being the annoying neighbor next door to them. I will not initiate but I will not be a victim of their bullying.

reply to post by JibbyJedi


You know that's what worries me the most is that it always comes down to an officers judgement which can sometimes be OK, but in this case I fear it would only screw me. I only think that due to the connection between the range and the local State Police post referenced in an earlier reply.

Another possibility, and you may not like this one, is to extend an open hand. Take a walk over there to their office and talk to some of the administrators/regular shooters. Tell them your situation, that your 100% legal, you are well trained, and that they have nothing to fear. They could explain the facts to some of their more timid members.

You'd be surprised what a little gesture of good will could accomplish. And if nothing else, document it and it could be used to establish your attempted good will in case they try to bring you up on legal charges.

If they reject your attempted outreach, make sure you stay 100% legal but do whatever you can to scare the $#!# out of them!!!

And on a personal note, Thank you for your service.

reply to post by Infi8nity


I was thinking a good PA system and play old loops of vietnam combat radio transmissions and junk like that. I believe that Michigan either has or will be getting rid of the fire work laws so maybe a super long strip if black cast during the finals of their archery competitions would do the trick.

reply to post by usmc0311


May I suggest that you call the state police barracks and demand to talk to the chief protocol officer or the commanding officer.

Did you get the state police badge number when he met you at your door. This could be a case of police harrassment.

The gun range that I belong to here in Maryland has an expensive lawyer. How is it possible, for six arrows to land on your property? Do you think that they are bow hunting deer on the gun club property? Did the arrows that you found on your property have broadheads or field points? It could be that they are in range rule violation when they raise the bow skyward when they draw the arrow back, and have an accidental discharge. Did the arrows look like they shot from a high vertical angle of the bow [like were the arrows sticking in a straight up or 45 degree position?]


Take care,

Erno86

reply to post by pierregustavetoutant


That is a good Idea. I actually have tried to contact the owners to discuss this but they have yet to reply to either the email I sent or the messeage on the machine, and this was when I first moved in over a year ago. The problem with walking over is that the owners are never their, or at least not that often. Their is no office at the club that is regularly staffed. The only way I could really walk over would be to interrupt a shoot in order to do so. Which I may just have to do.