My neighbor just called the cops on me

[crimescene450]

For years ive been shooting my recurve bow in the backyard which is about 100' long. 2 years ago, they decided to cut down the forest and put in houses.

So now we have a neighbor on all 4 sides of our property.

since then i have adjusted my lign of sight to be diagnal, so that if any arrows for some reaason miss, they go off into nowehere.
and i never shoot if i see any people out back.

Occasionally, and i mean very occasionally (4 times in the past 2 years), an arrow bounces off the box, bounces again off the grass and manages to get through a 15 foot foot buffer zone with a chain link fence. And lands at the edge of his property.

Earlier Today he told us (me and my dad) he was in fear for his property and life. And I couldnt shoot arrows..

So in order to accondomate (not spelled right) his concerns i adjusted my line of sight even more. into nowhere. So now, i have a pile of wood and a shed behind my line of sight.

Well apparently he just heard me in back shooting arrows, and had to make this even dumber and call the cops.

Long Story short, if any arrows go bac k in his property, i can get fined. The more important, and thing that makes me a little angry, is just the fact that he called the law in the first place... oh wellll

[crashdive123]

In the Youtube video that you posted today, it sure did not look like there was a safe place for you to be shooting your bow in your back yard. That little shed is pretty clolse to the property line with nothing else but a chain link fence. On the right you could see your neighbors in the their back yard. IMO your yard is not big, or secluded enough to shoot.

[crimescene450]

the woman to our right, (with the shed) doesnt care if arrows hit the woodpile. so thats where we have the bow in front of now.

its the people behind the fence that complained. regardless, as far as the law goes, we just have to keep any arrows off their property, so were gonna be putting some ply wood on the back fence so that none can get through

[Pict]

I haven't seen your layout but if you are going to shoot then you have the responsibility to make sure you don't injure or put fear into other property owners near you. It shouldn't be a fine you are worried about but a lawsuit for injuring your neighbor. The guy may be touchy, paranoid, even petty, all the more reason not to sign over your house to him because you poked a hole in one of his kids. Mac

[Rick]

Sorry CS but I get pretty cranky when someone's dog poops in my yard. Arrows would take it to a whole new level. Isn't there some place else you can practice without inciting your neighbors?

[Sarge47]

I have a brother over in Iowa who's a Deputy Sheriff. Sometime back his little granddaughter was standing at one of his windows, then moved away, on into the room. Suddenly the glass broke and an arrow shot into the room, right where she'd been standing moments before. The next-door neighbor came right over & apologized. He'd been shooting at targets in his backyard & he let one go in the wrong direction by mistake. My brother informed him in no undercertain terms that firing any type of weapon in the city limits was against the law & if he didn't want an extended visit of the county lock-up he needed to put the weapons away. I'm sorry, CS, but you have a burden of responsibility here to not only comply with the law, but to be a considerate neighbor. If somebody injured one of my family with an arrow, being fined would be the least of their worries. :cool2:

[2dumb2kwit]

Occasionally, and i mean very occasionally (4 times in the past 2 years), an arrow bounces off the box, bounces again off the grass and manages to get through a 15 foot foot buffer zone with a chain link fence. And lands at the edge of his property.

Earlier Today he told us (me and my dad) he was in fear for his property and life. And I couldnt shoot arrows..



So 4 times in the last 2 years, you had arrows go where you did not mean for them to go.....that could have killed someone.

And your neighbor was man enough to come to you to resolve the problem, but you wouldn't listen, forcing him to involve the police.

[Justin Case]

By Henry Wadsworth Longfellow


I shot an arrow into the air,
It fell to earth, I knew not where;
For, so swiftly it flew, the sight
Could not follow it in its flight.

I breathed a song into the air,
It fell to earth, I knew not where;
For who has sight so keen and strong,
That it can follow the flight of song?


Long, long afterward, in an oak
I found the arrow, still unbroke;
And the song, from beginning to end,
I found again in the heart of a friend.

[Winnie]

+1 on what everyone has said.
I think your neighbour has been very tolerant and understanding up til now. If you have failed to listen to his concerns, then what other recourse does the poor man have.
Finally, could you live with yourself if you did maim or worse kill someone? Just something to think about....

[Rick]

Just hope he doesn't start target practice with a pistol...in your direction....when you are shooting arrows. :innocent:

[Justin Case]

I seem to recall him saying he likes to make Bombs too ? :eek: > http://www.wilderness-survival.net/forums/showpost.php?p=219280&postcount=4

[crimescene450]

hmm. i guess you guys have a point.

my other neighbors have never cared and ive always had a good relationship with them. So thats why im kinda dissdappointed about these new houses.

[Alaskan Survivalist]

hmm. i guess you guys have a point.

my other neighbors have never cared and ive always had a good relationship with them. So thats why im kinda dissdappointed about these new houses.

We've talked about the encroachment of civilization. Like the Indians you can't stop it with a bow and arrow.

[BENESSE]

Sorry CS, I'd be one of those neighbors who complained. Put up a tall fence where you can't bug anyone and do your own thing. Or move. People shouldn't have to put up with their neighbors' $hit whether that be loud music, dog poop or arrows flying. It's just common courtesy.

[crimescene450]

Yeah either im gonna put ply wood in front of the fence, or ill just shoot towards my house. Ill figure something out

[hoosierarcher]

Hang a rope horizontally between two trees or posts at about 7 feet off the ground, hang a think area rug from a goodwill shop over it so that it is doubled as it hangs there. That should work as a back stop against your arrows if you only shoot field points. The first rule of shooting is "Make certain there is nothing or no one down range. Be certain of your back stop."
You could also lean a full size piece of 1" or 3/4" plywood against your shed and shoot so that if it went through(very unlikely) all that it would hit was your shed.
Safety First CS

[Camp10]

Sorry CS, I'd be one of those neighbors who complained.

I'd be one also. I have only lost one arrow in my yard (I have about 2 miles of nothing behind me and it is owned by my wifes cousin so it was sort of safe) when I hit the trigger release while I was drawing and sent the arrow up over the backstop and into the woods. If that happens in your back yard you will really run the risk of hurting someone or worse. There must be another place for you to practice. I shoot at a pro shop when the weather is rotten and it costs very little...much less than killing a neighbor might cost. Just a thought.

[Alaskan Survivalist]

To really ensure the neighbors safety maybe you should shoot towards your house.

[crashdive123]

CS - check with these guys. They can probably direct you to a safe place to practice. http://www.huntingsociety.org/ArcheryClubsOH.html

[Rick]

Killing a neighbor isn't too expensive but disposing of the body and all the chemicals you'll have to buy to get rid of the evidence is not only expensive but time consuming. you'll end up spending all your time trying to hide the bodies and won't have any time to shoot.
Okay, that was just a joke. Don't try this at home.

[BENESSE]

If you keep taking chances and ANYthing goes wrong, you'll bankrupt your family and get a record. (not to mention maim or kill someone)
Is it really worth it? Run that film through your head before you get the urge to play in with bows & arrows in your back yard..

[crimescene450]

Hang a rope horizontally between two trees or posts at about 7 feet off the ground, hang a think area rug from a goodwill shop over it so that it is doubled as it hangs there. That should work as a back stop against your arrows if you only shoot field points. The first rule of shooting is "Make certain there is nothing or no one down range. Be certain of your back stop."
You could also lean a full size piece of 1" or 3/4" plywood against your shed and shoot so that if it went through(very unlikely) all that it would hit was your shed.
Safety First CS

its only like a 20# bow. so it would never manage to get through ply wood.

for now im not gonna shoot for like a week, and then see what my dad thinks about shooting towards the house. Otherwise im gonna cover the chain link fence in plywood


like i said, the 4 arrows that did get through were a very rare occurance, (i shoot nearly every day. so its like 4 in a couple thousand shots) Theres no way theyd get through ply wood once i put that up.

[BENESSE]

like i said, the 4 arrows that did get through were a very rare occurance, (i shoot nearly every day. so its like 4 in a couple thousand shots)

It only takes one CS, to inflict damage. Just one. Why take a chance? How would you like it if someone was taking that kind of a chance with you?

[hoosierarcher]

the draw weight of the bow is not the issue, safety is. You're right it won't probably shoot through the plywood.

[crimescene450]

It only takes one CS, to inflict damage. Just one. Why take a chance? How would you like it if someone was taking that kind of a chance with you?

hmm . i guess. but you could make the same argument for driving. It only takes one crash to kill someone. So every time you drive somewhere to do something for enjoyment, you could kill someone.

Driving to a place to shoot a bow on a daily basis would increase your chances of killing someone far more than just baracading the fence with ply wood.

[BENESSE]

hmm . i guess. but you could make the same argument for driving. It only takes one crash to kill someone. So every time you drive somewhere to do something for enjoyment, you could kill someone.
Not quite. People go out in their cars knowing full well that accidents do happen even though they may be doing everything right. But they don't sit in their back yard expecting a bow to fly through and take half of their frontal lobe off.

Driving to a place to shoot a bow on a daily basis would increase your chances of killing someone far more than just baracading the fence with ply wood.
Yeah it would if you're a moron. :sneaky2:


CS, I know you're smarter than that. Just be mindful of other people trying to enjoy some peace and quiet on their own home turf without worrying about some errant flying object zipping through and inflicting damage. What if I target practiced with my AK 47 toward your house? Would that be OK?

[2dumb2kwit]

hmm . i guess. but you could make the same argument for driving. It only takes one crash to kill someone. So every time you drive somewhere to do something for enjoyment, you could kill someone.

Driving to a place to shoot a bow on a daily basis would increase your chances of killing someone far more than just baracading the fence with ply wood.

And how do you feel about allowing someone to continue driving, who has lost control of their vehicle 4 times, in the last two years? How about if their vehicle was heading towards you, or your family, while it was out of control?

[crimescene450]

And how do you feel about allowing someone to continue driving, who has lost control of their vehicle 4 times, in the last two years? How about if their vehicle was heading towards you, or your family, while it was out of control?


good point. Im sorry if i angered anyone here. the reason i made the thread was to examine the situation a bit. and make my decision then

[Sarge47]

No one's angry, just concerned for you. There's a place for everything & I've always taught my children to "err on the side of caution." I would like to see you do that also. Later on in life you might have to step into a leadership role and what you learn here now can pay big dividends then. Remember, "with great power comes great responsibility!" (Spiderman.) :cool2:

[2dumb2kwit]

I'm with sarge. We're not angry....we're just trying to get you to see the "what if's". Most of us here, think that one of the most important things to do, is to realize consequences. Even if things going wrong are a long shot, (Pardon the pun.) the one in a million chance of hurting/killing someone is more than enough of a reason to rethink our actions. Often, all it takes is a little change in actions, to get rid of a potential danger.

[Ken]

I'm with sarge. We're not angry....we're just trying to get you to see the "what if's". Most of us here, think that one of the most important things to do, is to realize consequences. Even if things going wrong are a long shot, (Pardon the pun.) the one in a million chance of hurting/killing someone is more than enough of a reason to rethink our actions. Often, all it takes is a little change in actions, to get rid of a potential danger.

Take everyone's advice, CS. I don't need anymore work. :)

[Batch]

My brother and I, along with a couple of friends, would shoot at a friends shop. A block building ran the whole left side to the target. A large block building about 30' high was our back drop. It was maybe 45 yards when we were shooting at 30 yards. Two large construction dumpsters were on the right side.

My brother was shooting his bow and the knock loop broke when he was drawing back. The arrow chipped the block at about 25' up. My brother was a mess for awhile. He wondered if that loop had busted a second before would he have cleared that building.

You asking folks to be comfortable when your shooting towards them and their property. Even if they aren't you want to shoot anyway.

Find a safe place where there is no risk at all of anyone ever getting hurt. JMHO

[crimescene450]

My brother was shooting his bow and the knock loop broke when he was drawing back. The arrow chipped the block at about 25' up. My brother was a mess for awhile. He wondered if that loop had busted a second before would he have cleared that building.
JMHO


Wait,. knock loop?

[crashdive123]

Wait,. knock loop?

The nock loop, or D loop gives you something more to grip as you draw your arrow back.

http://mydiscountarcherystore.com/library/7143KNOTLESSLOOP.jpg

[rwc1969]

Basic rule here is never shoot in the direction of anything you don't intend to shoot no matter how slight the possibility....and never shoot an arrow straight up and look waiting for it to come down.LOL!

[tsitenha]

If you "miss the plywood", "your house" then what?
Accidents happen all the time, can you handle the consequences?
Everyone here is trying to make you realize that this kind of practise under the new circumstances no longer is safe.

[crashdive123]

CS - have your ever seen the movie A Christmas Story? Well, this is the forum telling you that you're going to shoot your eye out.

[Camp10]

My brother and I, along with a couple of friends, would shoot at a friends shop. A block building ran the whole left side to the target. A large block building about 30' high was our back drop. It was maybe 45 yards when we were shooting at 30 yards. Two large construction dumpsters were on the right side.

My brother was shooting his bow and the knock loop broke when he was drawing back. The arrow chipped the block at about 25' up. My brother was a mess for awhile. He wondered if that loop had busted a second before would he have cleared that building.

I didnt break the knock loop but when I bumped the trigger release, it had the same effect. It is a very bad feeling to watch an arrow go someplace you dont want it to go. The anti-hunters/gunners are just looking for reasons to get rid of our rights and I dont see any reason to give them more ammo.

Be safe and responsible...we are all in this together.

[Batch]

He also had a problem with the release. So maybe the ball bearing gave out or something. I just remember how rattled he was and then I had to tie him a new nock loop and he was ragging on how I tied his loop.

Here is how safe we thought we were.

http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y136/bigcypress/IMAG0022.jpg

My measurements are a little suspect now that I look at the photo. But, is arrow left a chip in the concrete near the top of that window.

[Rick]

Hey, CS, is Castro Valley near Lancaster?

http://abclocal.go.com/kabc/story?section=news/local&id=6012294

[Ole WV Coot]

Funny, hard to shoot anything. Last time anyone called the cops on me I had been away, was home alone and saw a man with 5gal buckets full of liter bottles of water sneak below the house and around the hill. I tucked the closest thing in my back pocket, Walther PPK/S 380 went out and was informed by a neighbor the man was raising "weed" on the back 40. He saw the pistol, asked if it was accurate and could I hit a stone he picked out, I fired two shots, his wife picked him up and I stood by my fence alone. A few min. later the man crawled up in the poison ivy, weeds, dirt etc right to my feet. I never removed the pistol from my pocket, just told him what would happen if I caught him again while he wet his pants, then told him to run which he did very well. Wife was going into church and the pastor told her he had his scanner on and there was a shooting called in around my house, she said probably target practice and forget it. Later I found out he and his live-in walked to the closest phone and she reported to the state police I had shot twice at her friend. She only told him where I lived, didn't know my name. The trooper told her flat out that the man that lives there didn't shoot at him because she would need an ambulance at the least, he knew me and told her I wouldn't miss twice and that ended it. Long story but I had a good laugh.

[Rick]

I thought I apologized for that whole thing. And here you go bringing it up again. Dang.