Purchasing desert land for shooting

[Royal_Cake]

Hey all-

Anyone have any advise/cautions in regards to buying property (San Bernardino county) for target shooting?
I'd really just like a place of my own vs BLM.
Seems straightforward enough but not sure if there were gotchas.
One thing I've heard is lawsuit danger if trespassing ATV riders get hurt and sue.

Thanks

[cannon]

Look for land out near Johnson Valley. No building allowed without a water source so plenty of cheap land with no one nearby.

[Royal_Cake]

Look for land out near Johnson Valley. No building allowed without a water source so plenty of cheap land with no one nearby.

Thanks for the tip. I hadn't been looking in that area.

[Mitch]

South and west of Barstow is mostly shotgun only, so don't buy there!

[Royal_Cake]

South and west of Barstow is mostly shotgun only, so don't buy there!

Yes I've seen that on the maps they put out, wasn't sure if that only applied to public lands or private as well.

[ChuckDizzle]

Hey all-

Anyone have any advise/cautions in regards to buying property (San Bernardino county) for target shooting?
I'd really just like a place of my own vs BLM.
Seems straightforward enough but not sure if there were gotchas.
One thing I've heard is lawsuit danger if trespassing ATV riders get hurt and sue.

Thanks

Read up on the duty of care owed to trespassers when engaging in hazardous activities.

In the end though if you set up a proper range in the desert you should be sure and aware enough of your target to avoid hitting anyone on an ATV.

[packnrat]

trespassing atv's are just fast moving targets.



no really, peps out in the open country need to know what land they can use and what lands to keep off of.
as it is, sad that our forests are being sold off checker board style and roads across pl are closed down.

same as in the desert?
if so post signs on said roads, trails, etc. giving notice of privet land and open active shoot area.


.

[ExpendableYouth]

If your worried about trespassers then I would consider putting up a fence, signage, and a backstop. I think if an accident did happen you could say you took the necessary steps to protect people in the vicinity of your range.

[L84CABO]

I'm stating the obvious, but make absolutely sure it's legal to shoot there before you buy.

Make sure you understand the surrounding parcels...their layouts, who owns them, which ones are for sale or could be sold, etc. Just because something is vacant today, doesn't mean it will be vacant tomorrow. And even though it may be legal to shoot, that might not stop a liberal neighbor from complaining...nobody needs that headache. Also it would suck if somebody buys a surrounding parcel at some later date and ends up building in direct line of your firing trajectory.

Pay attention to property layout and look for ones that lend themselves toward a large natural backstop...like a big hill. The more distance/buffer between you and the neighbors, the better (usually). Again, make sure you know what's down range, who owns the property downrange, etc.

Consider the general security of the property. For example a buddy of mine has a piece of property and he was getting a lot of people trespassing and shooting on his property when he wasn't there. They would leave trash, shoot at the remains of an old building on the property, etc. Putting a couple gates up helped a lot. People could still walk in if they were really determined but without vehicle access most of the damage and trash stopped. At this point there's also now a neighbor with direct line of sight on his parcel. So now he's actually able to make improvements, leave targets up, etc., without having to worry but idiot trespassers causing damage or stealing stuff. This may not matter to you if all your looking for is a simple place to throw a target or two up to shoot. But it's awesome to be able to build a real range with a permanent shade structure, shooting benches, etc. So think about what you want to do with the property and make sure it's conducive to that.

Oh, and don't forget to invite me out for some shooting and Tri Tip once you get your spot.

[Quiet]

Hey all-

Anyone have any advise/cautions in regards to buying property (San Bernardino county) for target shooting?
I'd really just like a place of my own vs BLM.
Seems straightforward enough but not sure if there were gotchas.
One thing I've heard is lawsuit danger if trespassing ATV riders get hurt and sue.

Thanks

San Bernardino County Fish & Game Commission

Check the San Bernardino County shooting map to see if the area you are looking at has any county firearm discharge restrictions.

Yes I've seen that on the maps they put out, wasn't sure if that only applied to public lands or private as well.

Applies to all lands (public and private).

[Royal_Cake]

Thanks for all the responses guys, super helpful.
Yes the property I'm looking at has a natural hill on one side, which helps has a natural backdrop in addition to any we construct.
I also looked up the zoning rules for the particular plot and it seems to be good to go, but the plan is to double check with the county.
But thanks for the heads up about surrounding property- still looking into that.

[newbutold]

Curious how much land you intend to buy?

[Mitch]

If your worried about trespassers then I would consider putting up a fence, signage, and a backstop. I think if an accident did happen you could say you took the necessary steps to protect people in the vicinity of your range.

Eh, a lot has to go wrong for a shooting accident to occur, assuming you are not being a knucklehead to begin with (shooting without an adequate backstop, etc).

One of my favorite places to shoot in SoCal is frequented by ATVers and motorcyclists, mostly kids who aren't paying attention to anything. I have had them ride right between me and my targets. You simply have to pay attention. You can generally hear them coming, even with hearing protection. If you hear a motor, stop shooting and look around. Make sure your shooting guests do the same thing.

It's not hard.

[Jimi Jah]

Risky. Rules on shooting can be changed at any time for any reason.

[qdx450]

buy in Arizona..the way things are looking in komifornia, you wont be able to shoot anywhere.