Spots to safely shoot a rifle in NH White Mountains?

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Hey guys, I just recently talked to a white mountains forest officer to ask if it's legal to shoot a rifle in the forest. He said yes if you do it responsibly and safely with a backstop and 150 yards away from any inhabited area (trail heads, developments, campgrounds, ect.). So does anyone know of any spots or clearings where a rifle can be shot 25 to 100 yards. Preferably near a road so I don't have to trek too far. I'll be up in the Dry River area but I'm willing to drive almost anywhere. Any help is very appreciated.
Thanks!
-G
 
I can't give you a location, but I can give you advice. Find an area like a saddle or a hollow and shoot into the side of the opposite hill. This will do two things.
First it will give you an excellent natural backstop. Second, with a hill at your back, and a hill as your target, much of the discharge report will be directed more upwards than outwards. This may make it harder for someone to pinpoint your location and give you more privacy and safety.
~Matt
 
There are pits dug into the sides of hills right off logging roads all over the place. Problem is that it is hard to know whether it acceptable to shoot there (if it's private land then you need permission). I suppose if you see a lot of casings that would be a good sign.
 
There are pits dug into the sides of hills right off logging roads all over the place. Problem is that it is hard to know whether it acceptable to shoot there (if it's private land then you need permission). I suppose if you see a lot of casings that would be a good sign.

There are places around me that have plenty of cases on the ground and it's not legal to target shoot there even though it's state owned public land (It's usually DRED land...hunting OK, target shooting, not so much). Cases on the ground, even lots of cases, is not necessarily a good indication it's a legal place to shoot.

Also, if you do happen to find a legal place, please remember to leave it as pristine as you found it or if it's not pristine, please make it that way.
 
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more-people-who-died-in-the-dumbest-possible-ways-1028955599-mar-31-2015-1-600x400.jpg

Don't hang your targets on trees. It is not good for them.
Absolutely right. In Arizona, people would "cactus plug" and destroy beautiful Saguaro.

String a line and use binder clips.
344017_vw_spr00_1010055283


And always pack out what you pack in...
 
Landowner permission needed to shoot on private land within a National Forest?

There are pits dug into the sides of hills right off logging roads all over the place. Problem is that it is hard to know whether it acceptable to shoot there (if it's private land then you need permission). I suppose if you see a lot of casings that would be a good sign.
New Hampshire law does not require permission to shoot on private land unless it is posted. Still polite to get permission, but not required. That said, it is possible that shooting on private land within the National Forest may require landowner permission?

I just recently talked to a white mountains forest officer to ask if it's legal to shoot a rifle in the forest. He said yes if you do it responsibly and safely with a backstop and 150 yards away from any inhabited area (trail heads, developments, campgrounds, ect.).
There's nothing in NH state law about being "150 yards away from any inhabited area (trail heads,...". Legally, you may not shoot across or within 15 feet of a road, or “within 300 feet of a permanently occupied dwelling". There's also the "compact area" rules, which also require the presence of a permanently occupied dwelling. See RSAs 207:3-a, 207:3-c, and 644:13).

Hunting is allowed on all White Mountain National Forest Lands, there are some Federal rules about shooting across roads or water, see 36-CFR 261.10 (d).
 
Can't remember what it's called, but there's a sparse range area just north of Littleton, little dirt road on the left. It's used by locals. At least it was 10 years ago.
 
Also...before you start target shooting on public lands in NH, be sure they aren't designated DRED Lands...ok to hunt on DRED land but not target shoot. I could never figure that "logic" out.
 
Go North.
Pittsburgh, NH. Many large gravel pits on paper company or govt. land open to the public.
Some 200-300 yards across. Good for trap shooting too.
Please remember to clean up....[smile]

I think there's a few gravel pits off of Back Lake Road, Arthur Scott road if memory serves.
Boy, I miss eating at the Rainbow Grille @ Tall Timber.
 
Also...before you start target shooting on public lands in NH, be sure they aren't designated DRED Lands...ok to hunt on DRED land but not target shoot. I could never figure that "logic" out.
Hunting and target shooting have vastly different imoacts on the environment.

Hunters......even a few hunters.....take one MAYBE 2 shots and are spread out over a large area. Target shooting .....one dude will fire lots of rounds in one specific spot which has a distinct impact on the land....crater in a hill where rounds inpact......litter......specific spot where shooters congregate can impact vegetation.

Hunting and target shooting are not even remotely the same activity



Edit....just noticed this is a thread resurrection.......
 
I'm interested in this...there are a definite lack of public ranges or even sand pits in the White Mountains from Conway all the way up past Bartlett/Jackson even up to Berlin.

Lots of nice woods in the WMNF but it's so dense with hikers that even if you're shooting with an appropriate backstop you'll get the attention of hippie antis and unwanted police attention...
 
Gotta just bushwhack a mile or two and your good. I’ve hiked most 4k footers there during the past 10 years in late Sept-early Nov and I was always surprised at how little the amount of people we came across.
 
Rumor is that there are pits off Dolly Cop/Pinkham B road that runs from 16 over to 2, and also at the end of the forest road that runs northwest off town hall road in Jackson before the mountain pond trailhead. But I’ve never been to either. If you check out dirt roads further north you will go by shooting pits all over the place.
 
If you hadn't said "White Mountains" but instead said "New Hampshire" I would have advised to go shooting anywhere you see a bullet-riddled washing machine with a old rusty, shot-up
propane tank on top of it.

Something like this. (wood is optional)
Bullet-Holes-In-Washing-Machine.jpg

Or this:
5077868b1a211.image.jpg


Those were the Good Old Days in Massachusetts...

This one is for you DrGrant...

 
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Can't you tell I don't come here a lot. I have no idea what you're talking about
DarthRevan is implying that you SHOULD come here a lot and become a paid NES member - go green - so that you can both take advantage of all the site has to offer (Access to NES member classifieds, group buys, entry into monthly gun giveaway drawing, etc.) AND help support the continuation of this outstanding website.

He just uses slightly less tact than I just did in conveying this idea.

However, the way in which he conveyed it is - after all - the classic NES way!;)
 
Thread resurrection!

Most of the White Mountains are too dense to have any room to shoot more than a few feet!

I disagree, you just need to know where to look. A lot of the WMNF doesn't have dense brush and is taller pine trees where you can see reasonable distances around you.

Anyways, I'm thinking of spending a few weeks in NH next year and shooting in the WMNF would be easier and cheaper (and better) than an indoor range or joining a club.
 
It's been said a few times, but don't be a dick, clean up your mess, and don't go telling every dick beater about the shooting spots you find in the Whites. Gun Bubba's are the worst at ruining a good thing for those of us that enjoy these spots.
 
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