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How far from a house do you have to be to hunt water fowl

18K views 63 replies 35 participants last post by  whtelk 
#1 · (Edited)
I have been looking for a while and can't seem to fine or get a straight answer on what the distance is anything helps. :pray:
 
#5 ·
This is just my opinion, but if you can legally be on the river or bank below the high water line and not within city limits than as long as you're not shooting at the house I wouldn't see the issue. Maybe someone else can offer input to confirm or deny my thoughts.
 
#4 ·
I’m not a lawyer or expert on local law so take this as local experience. A buddy of mine living in the county has a neighbor that feeds ducks and other birds and when they leave they **** on his house and cars. I called the county and they said no problem shooting them as long as no shot landed off the property. He didn’t want to shoot them but went into a game call harassment and bottle rocket campaign until the county cops made a visit to his house. He protested and in doing so asked about the legality of shooting ducks and the cop said lets not go there it could fall into reckless endangerment. So, there’s legal and then there’s what you want to defend in court.
 
#13 · (Edited)
You are all over the place on this one.. Take it from an expert who has had the cops called on him hunting more times than I care to remember... I guess that's what you get for hunting in the areas I do. You have be engaging in conduct that creates a substantial risk of serious physical injury ... Raining pellets down on someone's house doesn't qualify..
 
#7 ·
I don't know about Oregon (we shoot them from the front porch of our cabin in Vale) but in IL it used to be 100 yards from a residence. And man did those IL Officers enforce that rule......... If I hadn't had a range finder with me one time I would have had one fat ticket.

That was one steamed Game Warden when I ranged the nearest house at 150. I was polite the whole time but he pulled up in his boat with ticket book in hand and a smile on his face. Left with a frown and something muttered under his breath.......

Best advice is call ODFW directly and ask them.
 
#8 ·
One other thing - if it is legal here in OR

PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE don't pepper that house. Gives all of us a black eye when somebody's house is getting peppered at first light.

For some reason some people don't like the sounds of shotguns at first light or steel tinkling down on their roof........... :whistle:
 
#10 ·
might try knocking on their door and asking them their opinion before blasting since they will probably be the ones calling it in or not ! If they don't care and odfw won't give you a strait answer blast away or not !
 
#14 ·
Oh Teeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeebbbbbbbbbbbbbbb!!!

Do ya think he heard me??? :wink:
He's busy researching the correct answer for us right now!!!! :bowdown:
 
#17 ·
+1

Orion
 
#19 ·
I remember from the deep recesses (I think when I took hunters safety), something about 150 feet being the minimum distance from a residence for shooting. Don't remember if that was a HS guideline back then or a legal specification.
 
#23 ·
I remember from the deep recesses (I think when I took hunters safety), something about 150 feet being the minimum distance from a residence for shooting. Don't remember if that was a HS guideline back then or a legal specification.
Unless it's your residence........ In which case you could shoot out a window or shoot your own house.

Just say'in....:flag2:
 
#22 ·
What's your common sense tell you? Find out the ballistics on the shot you are shooting and give yourself a buffer zone. If the homes you are hunting around have anti hunters living in them, your setting yourself up for a confrontation if you are close to them. I would give yourself at least 300 yards and try not to aim there way.
 
#25 ·
I once looked it up and it was in a very confusing to figure out with city, county and federal reg's. What I remember as the answer is 450 feet = 150 yards from any dwelling. Too busy to dig it up again. Okay, maybe too lazy to dig it up again, but if you don't want to have someone calling LE to "check you out" or even mess up your hunt, set up in an area that leaves no doubt. And for Pete sake, don't shoot towards any dwellings. Know your target AND BEYOND! -Jerry
 
#27 ·
If you're thinking it maybe a problem...follow your gut. It just aint worth it.

I hunted Siletz Bay, twice and called it quits. Locals yelling at me, locals chasing birds, and to top it off on my last and final visit some jackwagon covered the dirt ramp under the bridge, with roofing tacks. You know those ones with the one inch heads and about a inch long. And they always fall point up.. . I was completely legal, I stayed 300 yards off the west bank (sculler), it just ended up not worth the hassle. There are a million better spots than there. SiltCoos is on its way to being that way. As soon as they get houses all the way around I betcha it'll be shut down like Devils Lake is. There are still a million honey holes. But ask maybe they'll hunt with ya?-WW
 
#29 · (Edited)
There have been circumstances in the past where I have stopped and informed over 3 adjacent residences that we would be hunting a nearby field in the morning. Did I need to? No. Was I within 200 yards of them? No. Why did I do this? Because if I lived there and shots were being fired at 6 am, I would like to have known about it beforehand.

I usually tell them I have permission on the field, that we will be hunting legally, and that we will pay attention to the direction we will be shooting.

In MANY instances, this has led to additional hunting opportunities, non-hunters interested in trying game meat, and one time... beers after the hunt!!!

I can't remember a time (even though the person may not have been pleased with the fact that we were hunting there) that taking the initiative to inform others of what we were doing resulted in a run-in with the authorities. Sometimes a little sweet-talking can go a long way.
 
#32 ·
Just because its legal does not make it right. How would you feel if people opened up 50 yards from your house at 0-dark:30? Use good judgement, represent hunters well, and remember these people are voters too.
might try knocking on their door and asking them their opinion before blasting since they will probably be the ones calling it in or not ! If they don't care and odfw won't give you a strait answer blast away or not !
Yes, yes, and yes. I could not agree more with what these guys have posted.
No reason to get the homeowner's upset at you and put hunters in a bad light.
 
#35 ·
X4

Another example something legal yet immoral. There could be a mom and a new baby trying to sleep in that house, when *boom* a 12ga shotgun goes off nearby.

I live on a river, my house is about 75yds from the water, and I have 3 kids that play outside all day. If someone was blasting away at ducks that close to my house, I'd greet them in the worst way.
 
#36 ·
I live on a river, my house is about 75yds from the water, and I have 3 kids that play outside all day. If someone was blasting away at ducks that close to my house, I'd greet them in the worst way.
So...just for discussion's sake... Assuming the area was legal hunting water, what would your response be if they let you know ahead of time?
 
#37 ·
Never had a need to shoot near any buildings since i have always lived and hunted on large ranches,but i have had this discussion with different types of officers,mainly sheriffs and they have all said No shooting any closer than 300' of any buildings,occupied or not,these officers have also said your own residence is also included in this 300' rule,this is just a tough one to enforce who will turn you in for shooting near your own residence or buildings.Just repeating what i have been told.I develop large tracts of land and subdivide and the building dept. likes to cluster the homes close as possible usually for the wildlife and even when we divide 20 acre parcels or larger when the bulding pads are approved and excavated ,sometimes they are not even 300 feet apart:doh:.
 
#42 ·
Ok guys look at it from this angle:

What if this is a young man/woman who only has access to hunt at this location for whatever reason, throw everything else aside.

According to the email from the Trooper there is not a minimum distance here in OR.

IF this is public water and IF the young man or woman can access the area without trespassing AND they do not pepper the house (or shoot in the direction of the house) should we encourage them to hunt the spot?

They can't go anywhere else (for a lack of a car or parent/friend that hunts). They want to hunt and have this spot where it's legal BUT you have a private residence that close.

What's the call now.

The OP could have been more specific about the circumstances surrounding the situation - But what would you advise in the above? Put yourself in that position - What would you do?
 
#43 ·
Personally, I think 50yds to a house without permission from the homeowner is a bit too close.

If it where say 300yds or more I would probably say go for it.

I hope that makes sense. I just think 50yds is well within a persons personal space, and I would not want to encroach on that.
 
#44 ·
I know this isn't the direction you were headed, but taking your post title at face value---its too bad I deleted the photo from my email. As my buddy found out, NEVER shoot a goose directly over your own driveway, at least when the wifes' Honda is parked there. Through the windshield, alive----goose poo, feathers, you can figure out the rest.:laugh:

G
 
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