Shooting crossbow in yard in NYS?

[usmcveteran]

Question on shooting crossbows in NYS. There are no restrictions on where you shoot in general are there? I know while hunting you can't be within 250 of building while shooting unless you have owner permission but if your just target shooting that shouldn't apply.

I know my town has code against discharge of firearms or weapons that use an explosion to propel projectile but that doesn't apply either.

Thoughts?

[Cgrutt]

Interesting question. We shoot compound bows (with target arrows) in our yard all the time. Never really gave it a second thought.

[usmcveteran]

My question would really apply to bows in general as well and I could argue this either way and just curious if anyone has any idea. Would have to give it a lot of thought from safety aspect to do this but legalilities come first lol .

[Gunner57]

I believe the distance restriction pertains to the discharge and doesn't matter whether you are hunting or just target shooting. JMHO



"Question: How far from a building do I have to be to discharge my firearm?
Answer: You cannot discharge a firearm within 500 feet, crossbow within 250 feet or longbow within 150 feet of any school, playground, occupied factory or church, dwelling, farm building, or structure unless you own it, lease it, are an immediate member of the family, an employee, or have the owner's consent. This does not apply to the discharge of a shotgun over water when hunting migratory game birds and no dwelling, public structure, livestock, or person is in the line of fire."

[Gunner57]

http://www.dec.ny.gov/regulations/2442.html

[alistair]

I shoot my compound bow in my back yard, and I live in a residential neighborhood. My backyard does run into a large wooded hill so there is no chance of wayward arrows hitting anyone.

[usmcveteran]

This is the grey area as I understand it......

The law which states you cant fire a crossbow with 250 feet is an environmental conservation law specifically found under the hunting section. So I contend that as long as your not hunting it does not apply and is not covered under penal law.

Now with full disclosure there is a case of people V Russo in which court found carrying a loaded firearm in your vehicle is illegal even if not hunting even though it's found in hunting section as well and not penal law. However the judge is an idiot because any law enforcement officer with a loaded rifle or shotgun in their vehicle is breaking the law according to that decision. Again what's more reasonable...... Hunting law only applies to hunting and police aren't breaking law or that hunting law applies even when not hunting in NYS and police are breaking the law?

[thughes]

This is the grey area as I understand it......

The law which states you cant fire a crossbow with 250 feet is an environmental conservation law specifically found under the hunting section. So I contend that as long as your not hunting it does not apply and is not covered under penal law.

"....You cannot discharge a firearm within 500 feet, crossbow within 250 feet or longbow within 150 feet of any school, playground, occupied factory or church, dwelling, farm building, or structure unless you own it....."

[usmcveteran]

Yea but you have seen my yard, pretty sure neighbor house is within that distance lol

[thughes]

Whatever........

[thughes]

Let's just set up a shooting gallery in your basement. I'll bring my crossbow-pistol-of-death over, we can get really drunk and try the William Tell thing (I get to shoot first though).

[harleyhutch]

I don't drink much anymore, but when I did drink, I would shoot the light bulbs out with a pistol cross bow. Maybe it's a good thing that I don't drink anymore, at least to the point of intoxication.

[usmcveteran]

Oh and here again.....hunting changes lol

[usmcveteran]

Doesn't show what I meant but second image is extension of first.

[usmcveteran]

Here is more anecdotal evidence in my favor..... If hunting law applied everywhere and Amazon is large company with lots of lawyers why do they sell this bow to us in NYS which is illegal under hunting laws?

http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00NZ8...5eL&ref=plSrch