Shooting on crown land advice.

[Spartan30-06]

Hey guys, with the lack of range options in the Calgary area I find myself with no other option than to shoot on crown land, what I would appreciate is some does and don'ts, I know it's legal but I want to do it right and avoid any possible mistakes/wrongs. Any suggestions?

Thanks

[leeaspell]

Find an old abandoned well site in the middle of no where, set your target outside and use berm as back stop? Just a suggestion.

[Scott N]

It's not as cut and dry as "shooting on crown land is legal." You need to be aware of the status of the land i.e. leased, parkland, etc.

For shooters in Calgary looking for crown land to shoot on, most crown land around Calgary is busy with other users like hikers, off-roaders, etc., at this time of year, so you might have conflicts with them. Have you considered checking out shooting clubs in some of the towns / cities around Calgary? You're going to have to drive that far to find crown land to shoot on anyway.

[whitetailhntr]

It's not as cut and dry as "shooting on crown land is legal." You need to be aware of the status of the land i.e. leased, parkland, etc.

For shooters in Calgary looking for crown land to shoot on, most crown land around Calgary is busy with other users like hikers, off-roaders, etc., at this time of year, so you might have conflicts with them. Have you considered checking out shooting clubs in some of the towns / cities around Calgary? You're going to have to drive that far to find crown land to shoot on anyway.

You tell me where I can buy a membership to a private range in the Calgary area and I will buy a lifetime membership tomorrow. None of the ranges around here are accepting memberships and the public range is a gong show and now being revamped to be a 100 yrd range only. Shooting on crown land or private farm land is the only option for a lot of us.Just sayin....

[Scott N]

You tell me where I can buy a membership to a private range in the Calgary area and I will buy a lifetime membership tomorrow. None of the ranges around here are accepting memberships and the public range is a gong show and now being revamped to be a 100 yrd range only. Shooting on crown land or private farm land is the only option for a lot of us.Just sayin....


I'm not trying to be negative or anything toward's the original poster's question, because I know what the shooting range situation is in Calgary. If he can find private land to shoot on, great. I'm just saying that he's not going to find crown land close to Calgary that is shooter friendly. I live in Calgary, but go to Lethbridge to shoot because I used to live there and visit fairly often.

I know that CDTSA and the ranges have their membership numbers capped, but to say that TSE or the new Calgary Shooting Center aren't excepting members isn't true as far as I know. Yeah, I know, I can't afford to shoot there either. I don't believe for a minute that none of the ranges around Calgary on this list isn't accepting new members though.

http://www.firearmscanada.com/gun_clubs.html

And my point was that he'll have to drive anywhere from 45 - 90 minutes from Calgary to find crown land that is suitable to target shoot on, which isn't any farther than any number of towns that have shooting clubs. I'd rather shoot on crown land myself, so if anyone wants to give up their shooting spot close to Calgary where a Tree Hugger isn't going to call the police on me, I'd love to hear about it.

[Dick284]

Maybe you guys down in the Calgary area need to be putting some pressure on your MLA's to get some sort of land ear marked for shooters.

There are grants available for recreational activities.

You guys need to get organized. ie: get non prophit status, and lean hard on the Province.

Use safety as a primary reasoning.

You've got a lot of higher profile outdoor writers and enthusiest in that region, perhaps getting a few of them on board will add a lot more weight to your cries.


The capped memberhip issue will only get worse going forward, just look at what ensued at Old's all those Calgary folk started shooting there, and noise, traffic and other complaints simply came. Voila the whiners got the fodder to shoot em down.

In order for local clubs to stay off the whiners radar they need to stay local, unfortunatly that's the guts of the issue.

[Big Daddy Badger]

Seems to be a common problem.
Most of the ranges around Edm have so many members...joining one is almost pointless...you still have a hard time getting onto the firing line.

I shoot out of town....waaay out of town.

I know a couple of farmers/ranchers that have their own ranges out back... and they let me shoot there...seems to be pretty common. I just stumbled upon them while looking for places to wack grass rats and hunt.

If you know any landowners.... try asking around... maybe you'll get lucky that way.

Good Luck.

[wildcat111]

i like to go out to waiparous, there a ton of clearcuts that the quaders leave alone, just make sure thats theres a good burm in the back ground. enjoy!!!

[Spartan30-06]

I think the Waiparous suggestion is my only option, I wish there was a range in a small town closer but unfortunately there just isn't. Someone also suggested crown land around Water Valley that I'm going to check out. Thanks for all the advice.

[Cdamen]

Join a club, not ALL of them are full... APRA for example...

[Spartan30-06]

According to the APRA site they list 2 ranges the Homstead facility which is made up of the free range and the Rosebud which is not accepting members and the Steve Johnson range that does not allow rifles, am I reading it wrong?

[nanuk-O-dah-Nort]

I am fortunate that I can shoot right on my own property short range, and a 15min drive puts me into about 400yds of unobstructed shooting!

I'd never live in a city again until many many years down the road, and am thankful my job is not being transfered there before I retire

[Cdamen]

According to the APRA site they list 2 ranges the Homstead facility which is made up of the free range and the Rosebud which is not accepting members and the Steve Johnson range that does not allow rifles, am I reading it wrong?

What are you shooting? calibre/range? Rifle, pistol, shotty?