posted on Feb, 11 2012 @ 03:53 AM
Even the rural areas where we are allowed to own guns (with that state issued FOID card, of course) are getting more and more carried away with
restrictive local laws.
My husband and I used to be able to go to my sister and brother-in-laws farm and go out into the middle of the fields and set up our paper targets and
shoot away to the extent that we could afford bullets. No neighbors, never a single complaint, no problems. Then the law changed so that you have to
have a ridiculous amount of space surrounding every side of you. Not a sensible measure of distance, but something truly ridiculous. I can't
remember what it is now and my sister and brother-in-law have since moved so it isn't an issue any more, but at the time one side of their field was
just shy of the required amount of space so we were forced to stop.
Now we are looking into finding gun clubs or shooting ranges in our area that aren't prohibitively expensive, as we are on a fairly tight budget, but
so far haven't found much that is close enough to us (within an hour or so drive) or that has reasonable costs.
It disappoints me so much, because I was just learning to shoot and had found that I am surprisingly good for a beginner and I loved it. I had so
much fun and my husband bought me my own Mossberg .22, a 702 Plinkster rifle, and I only got to use it twice before the law changed.
The CCW issue came up for a vote a while back and I was so excited, but it didn't pass and now we are still without the option. I think that our
politicians here in Illinois really do hate us. Unfortunately, they have enough sway that too many people blindly believe whatever they say and
things like CCW keep getting voted down.
Take care,
Cindi