What can I do in my yard?

[Woodpecker]

Hello All,

I live in Warwick, Rhode Island. My 14 year old daughter and I wanted to shoot something at some pressurized soda bottle targets in my back yard. I don't have a huge yard, it's under 500 feet front to back. As for things I might like to use, I own a pistol crossbow, an old Barnett recurve crossbow, and a blow dart gun, a long bow, a .625 caliber blow dart gun. It seems I can't use any of these in my yard to shoot at targets, is that right? How about my basement, can I shoot them down there?

As for out in the yard is there anything legal that we can do target practice with and has enough force to pop the pressurized soda bottles? How about throwing knives, tomahawks, throwing stars, large darts, spears? The little pistol crossbow and blow dart gun seem pretty innocent next to these.

I read over chapter 11-47-50 (a) & (b), quite a few times, and I still don't fully understand it, even section (b) is worded oddly although it leads me to believe that I definitely can't use a recurve, compound or longbow within 250' of a dwelling house. They say it s a misdemeanor to discharge anything except on land that you own or have permission to use.

Any help with this would be great,
Thanks

 

[browncoat]

Unless you brag about it, nobody is going to know that you shot a bow or blowgun in your basement. Sounds super messy though.

 

[browncoat]

BTW, my reading of 11-47-50 is as follows:

A) You can't shoot anything (bow, crossbow, pellet gun, etc) unless you do it on your own land and you are shooting into your own land. If you let things escape your property you are guilty of a misdemeanor

B) You won't be charged under A if you are using a bow and you are on your own land 250 feet from any house. Doesn't apply to crossbows.

Sounds to me like, if you have the required distance from neighboring houses that you could use your bow on your land.

 

[cockpitbob]

Are you in good with the neighbors? One trouble-making neighbor can ruin your fun.

And that brings up the pressurized soda bottles. If they are loud....

Pingpong balls hung from a string are good fun up close. It takes a good hit to punch through them.

 

[newportri]

It's a very vague statute since it refers to a "compact area", but there is no definition of what a "compact area" is. What is the Zoning the city of Warwick has classified your property as? You might also want to look into local ordinances to see if there is anything there you might violate.

Having said that, RI can't rarely convict drug dealing gang bangers who carry handguns without a license and as well as sawed off shotguns, so the chances of getting convicted of anything is slim to none (I am not suggesting that you break any laws or ordinances though).

 

[peterthefish]

I know in Coventry there is a municipal code that dictates the geographic areas of the "compact area". Warwick may do the same. I would also make sure they don't have a municipal code against discharge of any of the above. I think EG flat out bans discharge of guns in the town.