A little background:

I live in the Tampa Bay area and am a member at a range where you can shoot out to 1k yards at. I'm former military (foreign) and wanted to get back into training for 1st shot hits on steel plates at unknown distances, transversing open land and more 'real world' shooting such as having to take angles, slopes, wind, etc into consideration when shooting as opposed to shooting at a paper target at a known distance.

Problem is, while I love the range I belong to, it's great for practicing and refining my DOPE book as well as the ins & outs of my rig, but thats about all I get out of it. I was looking for someone in the area (theres quite a bit of rural, open land a little south of me) that would allow me to shoot on their land where it was legal to do so. I've asked friends, family, friends of friends, etc and noone really knows anyone, or the people that do are hours away.

How should I go about finding a place to do this? I'm not really going to go knocking on peoples' doors and bothering them - how would you guys suggest going on about this?

Thanks

id like to know as well.

Me too. I'm going to be in the same boat as you when I leave the army. Currently I'm limited to 100 yards off base, and Manatee is too far. I'm not too sure about going up to landowners homes and asking if you can shoot earthier. You used to be able to do that but now these days everyone is earthier a anti-gun nut or worried about liability. Maybe build a reputation for yourself by becoming friends and offering to do work for them for a low price or free. if your lucky, they will let you sign a waiver that says you will be responsible for this or that if it happens. Maybe you could negotiate that you will do a service to the landowner for letting you shoot. Anything from clearing weeds, picking up cow pies(preferably dry) to if your lucky, maybe you could rid a farm of a few wild hogs. If that is the case, I would offer the meat to the landowner to help with your reputation and so you get invited back.

I was thinking of something like this. I wouldn't mind clearing rodents or literally doing some chores every now and then to return the favor.

Manatee is the range I go to BTW

Look in classified ads in a local hunting rag. Find a hunt club that needs members. Join a club that has a good amount of land, and enjoy.

They sell a cheap Florida hunters magazine in a lot of our local conveinience stores around here (the more rural ones)

Great idea.

Do you know what the magazine is called?

I've lived here 50 years today, an imho, the days of free style shooting are long gone. Thank the lawers(little tidbit I read today; 66% of the worlds lawyers are looking to make a dime in the USA). Your best bet for long range shooting opportunities is to get on a hunting lease on a ranch.(Expect to pay a couple grand minimum per year) and take up hog hunting. Hogs are a non-native(european)nusience animal here, and are considered property of the land owner to dispose of as he sees fit. On private land they can be killed year round, by any weapon that you legally own(got class III?) I have hit them out to 600 yds in pastures. Ranchers and farmers generally consider them pests and want them eliminated. Serious deer leases kill them on sight, some even require it. It's possible you might even find farmers in your area that would allow you to shoot them for free. The same for the ubiquitus Armadillo, a more challenging target AKA the MBG (mobile ballistic gelitin). This is probably your best bet, as free ranging target practice is generally frowned on and looked on as a liability. It won't endear you to hunt club members either, and is prohibited specificaly by law on public land. Hogs are more challenging and reactive than steel plates anyway, plus, you can EAT them!

woods & water magazine....

Just make sure you know the rules of the club first...  many have strict rules on which firearms you can have on you depending on the time of year.

private land ..



besides doing 3 gun style events ( like the cfdcc and fdcc) your stuck finding private land that will allow that style of "shooting" on their property.

Then you have other " legal"  issues if your doing more than shooting aka mock patrols,reacting to fire,fire and movement drills etc with other people while wearing your rattle.............

If thats what your looking to do, you need to network or lease/buy land. Networking takes time.....the other $$$$$$..



and yes it sucks  having to be stuck on a static at paper range.....

This. Short of buying your own land it's gonna be difficult to find a place to have the kind of freedom you want. If your in a Club or on someone elses land you will always be limited by their rules. Unfortuantely as the other poster above said too, it's getting more and more difficult to find places in FL to shoot. There are so many people and houses no matter where you are at that finding enough land to freely and safely shoot and do as you want is getting more and more dificult. Florida is not like other states that have a lot of open land and not a lot of people. We have the oppposite. Not a lot of open land and too many people.

Have always wondered that meself..................

To help answer some of the questions, this all I could find at the moment. I'll try again later.


790.333  Sport shooting and training range protection; liability; claims, expenses, and fees; penalties; preemption; construction.––

(1)  LEGISLATIVE FINDINGS.––

(a)  The Legislature finds that in excess of 400 sport shooting and training ranges exist on public and private lands throughout this state.

(b)  These sport shooting and training ranges are widely used and enjoyed by the residents of this state and are a necessary component of the guarantees of the Second Amendment to the United States Constitution and of s. 8, Art. I of the State Constitution.

(c)  Many of these ranges are used by state and local law enforcement agencies for training, practice, and regular mandatory qualification by law enforcement officers; by Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission hunter safety instructors who teach adults and youngsters in the safe use and handling of firearms in preparation for obtaining hunting licenses; by school boards, colleges, and universities for reserve officer training corps training and activities; by school shooting teams; by Olympic competitors; and by certified instructors who teach the safe use and handling of firearms in preparation for applying for licenses to carry concealed firearms for lawful self-protection.

(d)  The public policy of the State of Florida is to encourage the safe handling and operation of firearms and mandates appropriate training in the safe use and handling of firearms for persons licensed to carry concealed firearms and for persons licensed to hunt in the state. Sport shooting and training ranges throughout this state provide the location at which this important public purpose is served and at which the firearms training mandates are fulfilled.

(e)  Projectiles are integral to sport shooting and training range activity and to the ownership and use of firearms.

(f)  Over years of operation, projectiles have accumulated in the environment at many ranges. Whether this projectile accumulation has caused or will cause degradation of the environment or harm to human health depends on factors that are site-specific. Therefore, sport shooting and training ranges must be allowed flexibility to apply appropriate environmental management practices at ranges. The use of environmental management practices can be implemented to avoid or reduce any potential for adverse environmental impact.

(g)  The Department of Environmental Protection, in collaboration with shooting range owners and operators, sport shooting organizations, law enforcement representatives, and university researchers, has developed shooting range best management practices in order to minimize any potential for any adverse environmental impact resulting from the operation of shooting ranges.

(h)  Appropriate environmental management practices, when implemented where applicable, can minimize or eliminate environmental impacts associated with projectiles. Environmental management practices to maintain or to improve the condition of ranges is evolving and will continue to evolve.

(i)  Unnecessary litigation and unnecessary regulation by governmental agencies of sport shooting and training ranges impairs the ability of residents of this state to ensure safe handling of firearms and to enjoy the recreational opportunities ranges provide. The cost of defending these actions is prohibitive and threatens to bankrupt and destroy the sport shooting and training range industry.

(j)  The Department of Environmental Protection does not have nor has it ever had authority to force permitting requirements of part IV of chapter 403 on owners and operators of sport shooting and training ranges.

(k)  The elimination of sport shooting ranges will unnecessarily impair the ability of residents of this state to exercise and practice their constitutional guarantees under the Second Amendment to the United States Constitution and under s. 8, Art. I of the State Constitution.

(2)  LEGISLATIVE INTENT.––The Legislature intends to protect public and private sport shooting or training range owners, operators, users, employees, agents, contractors, customers, lenders, and insurers from lawsuits and other legal actions by the state, special purpose districts, or political subdivisions and to promote maximum flexibility for implementation of environmental management practices and of the principles of risk-based corrective action pursuant to s. 376.30701. It is also the intent of the Legislature that legal action against sport shooting and training ranges will only be a last-resort option and be available only to the department and only after all reasonable efforts to resolve disputes at shooting ranges, including compliance assistance, negotiations, and alternative dispute resolution, have been attempted.

(3)  DEFINITIONS.––As used in this act:

(a)  "Department" means the Department of Environmental Protection.

(b)  "Operator" means any person who operates or has operated a sport shooting or training range.

(c)  "Owner" means any person who owns or has owned a sport shooting or training range or any interest therein.

(d)  "Projectile" means any object expelled, propelled, discharged, shot, or otherwise released from a firearm, BB gun, airgun, or similar device, including, but not limited to, gunpowder, ammunition, lead, shot, skeet, and trap targets and associated chemicals, derivatives, and constituents thereof.

(e)  "Environmental management practices" includes but is not limited to Best Management Practices for Environmental Stewardship of Florida Shooting Ranges as developed by the Department of Environmental Protection. Such practices include, but are not limited to, control and containment of projectiles, prevention of the migration of projectiles and their constituents to ground and surface water, periodic removal and recycling of projectiles, and documentation of actions taken.

(f)  "Environment" means the air, water, surface water, sediment, soil, and groundwater and other natural and manmade resources of this state.

(g)  "User" means any person, partner, joint venture, business or social entity, or corporation, or any group of the foregoing, organized or united for a business, sport, or social purpose.

(h)  "Sport shooting and training range" or "range" means any area that has been designed, or operated for the use of, firearms, rifles, shotguns, pistols, silhouettes, skeet, trap, black powder, BB guns, airguns, or similar devices, or any other type of sport or training shooting.

(4)  DUTIES.––

(a)  No later than January 1, 2005, the department shall make a good faith effort to provide copies of the Best Management Practices for Environmental Stewardship of Florida Shooting Ranges to all owners or operators of sport shooting or training ranges. The department shall also provide technical assistance with implementing environmental management practices, which may include workshops, demonstrations, or other guidance, if any owner or operator of sport shooting or training ranges requests such assistance.

(b)  No later than January 1, 2006, sport shooting or training range owners, operators, tenants, or occupants shall implement situation appropriate environmental management practices.

(c)  If contamination is suspected or identified by any owner, operator, tenant, or occupant of sport shooting or training ranges, any owner, operator, tenant, or occupant of sport shooting or training ranges may request that the department assist with or perform contamination assessment, including, but not limited to, assistance preparing and presenting a plan to confirm the presence and extent of contamination.

(d)  If contamination is suspected or identified by a third-party complaint or adjacent property sampling events, the department shall give 60 days' notice to the sport shooting or training range owner, operator, tenant, or occupant of the department's intent to enter the site for the purpose of investigating potential sources of contamination. The department may assist with or perform contamination assessment, including, but not limited to, assistance preparing and presenting a plan to confirm the presence and extent of contamination.

(e)  If the department confirms contamination under paragraph (c) or paragraph (d), principles of risk-based corrective action pursuant to s. 376.30701 shall be applied to sport shooting or training ranges. Application of the minimum risk-based corrective action principles shall be the primary responsibility of the sport shooting range or training range owner or operator for implementation, however, the department may assist in these efforts. Risk-based corrective action plans used for these cleanups shall be based upon the presumption that the sport shooting or training range is an industrial use and not a residential use and will continue to be operated as a sport shooting or training range.

(5)  SPORT SHOOTING AND TRAINING RANGE PROTECTION.––

(a)  Notwithstanding any other provision of law, any public or private owner, operator, employee, agent, contractor, customer, lender, insurer, or user of any sport shooting or training range located in this state shall have immunity from lawsuits and other legal actions from the state and any of its agencies, special purpose districts, or political subdivisions for any claims of any kind associated with the use, release, placement, deposition, or accumulation of any projectile in the environment, on or under that sport shooting or training range, or any other property over which the range has an easement, leasehold, or other legal right of use, if the sport shooting or training range owner or operator has made a good faith effort to comply with subsection (4).

(b)  Nothing in this act is intended to impair or diminish the private property rights of owners of property adjoining a sport shooting or training range.

(c)  The sport shooting and training range protections provided by this act are supplemental to any other protections provided by general law.

(6)  WITHDRAWALS OF CLAIMS AND RECOVERY OF EXPENSES AND ATTORNEY'S FEES.––

(a)  Within 90 days after the effective date of this act becoming law, all claims by the state and any of its agencies, special purpose districts, or political subdivisions against sport shooting or training ranges pending in any court of this state or before any administrative agency on January 1, 2004, shall be withdrawn. The termination of such cases shall have no effect on the defendant's cause of action for damages, reasonable attorney's fees, and costs.

(b)  In any action filed in violation of this act after the effective date of this act, the defendant shall recover all expenses resulting from such action from the governmental body, person, or entity bringing such unlawful action.

(7)  PENALTIES.––Any official, agent, or employee of a county, municipality, town, special purpose district, or other political subdivision or agent of the state, while he or she was acting in his or her official capacity and within the scope of his or her employment or office, who intentionally and maliciously violates the provisions of this section or is party to bringing an action in violation of this section commits a misdemeanor of the first degree, punishable as provided in ss. 775.082 and 775.083.

(8)  PREEMPTION.––Except as expressly provided by general law, the Legislature hereby declares that it is occupying the whole field of regulation of firearms and ammunition use at sport shooting and training ranges, including the environmental effects of projectile deposition at sport shooting and training ranges.

(9)  The provisions of this act shall supersede any conflicting provisions of chapter 376 or chapter 403.

(10)  CONSTRUCTION.––This act shall be liberally construed to effectuate its remedial and deterrent purposes.

History.––s. 1, ch. 2004-56.

It has occured to me that there may be enough interested parties HERE to start our own shooting club. A place for AR shooting, capable of supporting long range shooting, and possibly fire & manuver. Perhaps some land unsuitable for hunting, say old phosphate mines in polk or some such. Any body care to discuss ARFARM Florida? Has the OP wieghed in lately?

Polk sounds good

im down for this as well.

Id be down.

+1

put me in my 50 needs to stretch her legs

There has to be some farmers / ranchers on here that wouldn't mind 50 guys with automatic rifles and fifty's shooting up their land...... Any one?

Hey, just saw you posted

I would definitely be interested. I have been trying to find a place to shoot at privately for the type of shooting I described for months now, with no luck. I have asked friends, friends of friends, looked up the local hunting mags and checked for hunt clubs.

My problems have been that the people that WOULD let me shoot, live forever and a day away or their land would not be suitable for it for different reasons. The hunting 'clubs' are just that, for hunting; sit in a stand, shoot from the stand, rinse/repeat. Plus they want some serious money for this and from my take on the few I have talked to, want nothing to do with people wanting to 'train'.

I would love a place to go to freely shoot and be able to post plates, make semipermeant hides, navigate terrain, shoot at awkward angles....anything you encounter in real world shooting. I could not tell you how interested I would be in doing something like you had mentioned....I just don't know how we would go about something like this - do you?

i'd offer my pest control services to anyone who's willing

I've been drooling over the thought of actually shooting some varmints with my Varmint Special

So how exactly would we go about raising ARFARM-Florida?

Let me start off by saying that I  cannot ramrod something like this, I just offered up the idea. Some one else has to pick up the ball and run. I would participate. I just have too much on my plate to take it up.  I think it COULD be possible, but we  would have to have some serious preplanning.

My suggestions: set up a poll; how much would you be willing to pay per year to be part of such a club?
$100, 500, 1000, etc.  then when you find a price point, you would have to get commitment from a reasonable number of people so that you could make your approach to the land owner with a solid figure in your pocket to negotiate with and commit. THere are companies that insure hunt clubs, there may be ones that offer liability policies for gun clubs. This should be investigated and priced to see if it is an option, and figure it as a tool for negotiating with landowners. Also, refer to the information in the previous post about enviormental impact and compliance. Florida is shooter friendly, but there are rules. We need to know what they are. We may not be able to set it up completly freestyle.
 Then we need to work out what the club will be; will there be static ranges? Freestyle only? Mixed? How to control it? Flagging, Calender? Both, Something else? Are we trying for full blown range status or just some land to plink and free style on? What are the rules. This must be worked out in advance or people will not be able to commit. Lots of discussion needed. ARFcom members only? NRA? Guests, Daily fees? Reserved days or meets? Obviously you can't have people just show up and start walking about and shooting at any time.......

Land. I would suggest "Damaged" land; like old phosphate mines, borrow pit areas, something unsuitable for immediate development or hunting. This is why my first thought was Polk, because I know there are abandoned phosphate mines there.  It's going to be somewhere rural, and we need to find a landowner who has no income potential in his property. We must be the carrot. Place to start: My countys property appraisers office has a user friendly, internet based property map search. I look for land like this: go to Google earth(free program if you don't have it) and fly over areas I'm interested in. Find something interesting, like a vast wastland, zoom in enough to check it out, if it looks possible, identify landmarks like roads, towns, measure the distances(toolbar on google earth) and go to the property appraisers map search to identify the owner. Im some rural counties, you may have to go to the appraisers office and have them look it up in the plat book. It's public record, you just have to ask. Then you can approach the land owner.
Have your ducks in a row first, make sure that we represent as responsible, NRA type gun guys, not wingnut militia goobs.

Some thoughts, I'm sure I missed a lot and lots of you have more, better ideas, so JUMP IN!

Good ideas.

I'll make a deal with you or anyone - Find me a 100% no bullshit place somewhere relatively close to the Tampa/Brandon/Lakeland area that will be sufficient to our needs and be available to do so (i.e. no legal restrictions, etc) and I will be the one that steps up and organizes ARFARM.

If you can find a spot that says, sure, we'd let you do that but you'd have to pay X. and we'd need Y for costs, insurance, etc - I will evaluate how we could realistically meet that and organize to do so.

Hows that sound?

Watch out VARMADILLO CONG!

in.

In...in a big way.

Perhaps the first place(s) to look would be adjecent to other large tracts of land with similar uses or of no practical use (Phosphate mining, lakes, even existing gun ranges).

I know the guys that own Deer Creek and they are adding a pistol range to the sporting clays up there but can't add a rifle range because of too little land (260+ acres!!!) and adjecent uses (development).

The worst thing to do would be to make it a private club or some sort of commercial interest, IMO. Private land has a lot more freedom/rights.

Something like this would be great, I have been talking with friends at work about this and we have not come up with nothing yet. The old mines in the polk and hillsborough area would be great, you need something to contain all the rounds that would be fired. Check out the set up that Hillsborough county has to train deputies at the facility on C.R. 39 South of Lithia Pinecrest rd, see google earth or other arerial search, notice all the berms to stop the rounds, this is what you would need. I go to a gun range on C.R. 39, but it's just shoot the paper target type of place, lots of room, might want to approach owner about this. I'm sure with some thought and orginazation something could be found.

I would be sooooo nice if this were possible, but before anyone gets their hopes too high, you must keep in mind that the vast majority of undeveloped land in FL is owned by out-of-state interests. (mostly NY/NJ investment firms)

The days of some old rancher w/ 1000 acres sitting around looking to make some extra cash are long gone.

An old Phosphate mine would have to be the ticket, maybe and old sand mine.

I wish the best of luck, and I'd easily be in for $100/year, maybe as much as $300 if it actually pans out.

When I used to live in Babson Park, I lived on the side of a hill. (google street view 1129 cody villa loop rd to see what im talking about) There was a huge sink hole that was eventually infested by orange trees.  In the orange tree plot just south of 1129, inside the sink hole, there's a 80x80yd clearing. 500 feet or so from the center of the clearing to the west there just happens to be a little hill that gave you a perfect view of the center of the clearing over the orange trees, yet the trees around you muffled the sound of guns so that it wasn't a big nuisance to us on the hill above the clearing. In the winter the owner of the orange field had some friends that would come out to the clearing and pop off a few shotgun rounds. My parents knew the owner so I decided to ask them if they wouldn't mind me popping off a few rounds every once in a while. Long story short, the lovely owners gave me full access to the field when the pickers weren't out or they weren't spraying pesticides.

I have since lost contact with the owner after moving, but I suggest swing by just to give it a try. The owner lives at the little house at the intersection of W Cody Villa Rd and SR17. Sure, it may not be the longest range in history (only 200 yards) but its.... better than 100 yards.

Volusia County Gun and Hunt Club
Check this club out near Deland, Fl
Seems this may be what some of you guys in the Tampa area are looking for, this place has an action shooting range. Drawback would be about a 2 hr drive from Tampa area. Now if we could only get a place like this near Tampa.