# legal to shoot bows in city limits?



## ShootingEdgeTec

Most cities have specific laws regarding "shooting a weapon" within city limits. You need to call your local police department to get your answer directly from the guys that will be the ones writing your ticket! Bows are considered "weapons" and fall under these laws. Your best bet is to call first, and if it's not allowed then join your local archery club and shoot at their establishments regularly. Now is your opportunity to find out which legislation is out there and decide to take action against it by reading as much about it as possible and looking into what you can do to fight it.


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## Dale_B1

This subject has been covered many times on here. Best thing to do is check with your local authorities. Example where I live it is legal but go a few blocks away and it isn't.


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## SonnyThomas

Small towns, 200 or less, there isn't much of a problem - so long as it doesn't go overboard. Cities usually have ordinances against such.


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## I like Meat

The towns around here have a "no projectile" ordinance....bb guns, sling shots, bows/arrows, firearms, etc....it is a way of "no hunting" without saying it....only the DNR can regulate "hunting" in Indiana, so these damn towns/cities say no projectiles instead....damn commies ..... BTW, I shoot the bow in my house and work on my form....no one never knows I'm doing it .....


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## Padgett

It is legal in my town Marshfield, Mo but since my neighbor is the grandpa to a governor and Roy Blunt I try not to shoot. When they are in town and there is a Black Suv with armed guards watching me shoot and it makes it really hard to concentrate on the target when you are wondering what automatic weapon is 30 yds behind you. It causes Target Panic.


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## C Doyle 88

You really should check first---if you get sited for the violation your record shows a weapons charge--and is assumed a gun buy any officer that runs your name---

The system is designed to make more problems///not less

Cec


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## HawgEnvy

just don't do it. too many risks involved. really not worth it. if you can do it in your garage or basement where youcan't be seen.


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## 1955

EVERY city is different. As you can see, I live in a large suburban city in deep dark Southern California:wink:, and there is NO ordinance against the shooting of a bow in the city limits. BUT I've checked other cities nearby and out in the sticks, and they have VERY strict rules against long, recurve, crossbows and compound bows specifically.

So, the only answer to your question, is to look up the municipal codes for the city in question.


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## zestycj7

I live next door to a cop and he checked it out for me. He said no pob.
I live in a large city in So. Ca.
Don.


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## skynight

zestycj7 said:


> I live next door to a cop and he checked it out for me. He said no pob.
> I live in a large city in So. Ca.
> Don.


I know San Diego and Sacramento both have free archery ranges in city parks. Really surprises me, seems like quite a departure from the normal nanny state in CA.


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## mainehunt

Here in Maine we have "Expanded Archery Zones" where not only is it legal to shoot within the city limits, but you can archery hunt there as well.

Kev


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## IrregularPulse

Figured I'd raise this from the dead instead of another thread on the topic.
I just looked over my city ordinance and couldn't find anything pertaining to Bows or Arrows. They defined projectiles as anything propelled by an explosion. In all the definitions for firearms it mentions explosions being the cause of the projectile. This look like I'm ok to shoot? Closest ranges are 15 and 30 minutes away. I know that's not bad, but my backyard is so much closer. I know I can call my locals, but I wouldn't put it past them to say no regardless of what their laws actually say. I imagine a lot of the law enforcement don't actually know the details of little laws like this.


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## bardman

Cant shoot a bow in the my city. Gotta big vote on hunting deer inside city limits tomorrow.
See how that goes.


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## rschwarck

In my town you can shoot bow however the town next to us you can not. It says in our code of ordinance.


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## jack mac

Sec. 20-161. - Discharging, etc., prohibited; exception.

(a)
No person shall fire or discharge any gun, pistol or other firearm within the city, except on premises used by a duly licensed shooting gallery, gun club or rifle club.
(b)
No person shall be permitted to fire or discharge upon any public way within the city any air gun, spring gun or other similar device which is calculated or intended to propel or project a bullet, *arrow* or similar projectile; provided, *however, that nothing in this article shall prevent the use of such weapons in shooting galleries or in any private grounds or residence, where the projectile fired or discharged from any such gun or device will not traverse any space used as a public way.*

The above from the Peoria municipal code.
If you can provide a safe range area or enough room you can shoot a bow on private property in Peoria


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## Classic Ranger

IrregularPulse said:


> Figured I'd raise this from the dead instead of another thread on the topic.
> I just looked over my city ordinance and couldn't find anything pertaining to Bows or Arrows. They defined projectiles as anything propelled by an explosion. In all the definitions for firearms it mentions explosions being the cause of the projectile. This look like I'm ok to shoot? Closest ranges are 15 and 30 minutes away. I know that's not bad, but my backyard is so much closer. I know I can call my locals, but I wouldn't put it past them to say no regardless of what their laws actually say. I imagine a lot of the law enforcement don't actually know the details of little laws like this.


Very true. I live in a suburb in So. Cal and couldn't find anything pertaining to the firing of bows within city limits. BB guns, pellet guns, and firearms are prohibited but nothing about bows and arrows. I've called the local police and they told me that it should be okay since they can't find it in the city ordnance either. I've also talked to several officers who usually patrols our street and some say I can't, while others say it shouldn't be a problem.


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## rschwarck

This is how our ordinance reads and it allows archery. 

41.09 DISCHARGING WEAPONS. 
1. It is unlawful for a person to discharge rifles, shotguns, revolvers, 
pistols, guns or other firearms of any kind within the City limits except 
by written consent of the Council.
2. No person shall intentionally discharge a firearm in a reckless 
manner.

41.10 THROWING AND SHOOTING. It is unlawful for a person to throw 
stones, bricks or missiles of any kind or to shoot arrows, rubber guns, 
slingshots, air rifles, BB guns or other dangerous instruments or toys on or into 
any street, alley, highway, sidewalk, public way, public ground or public 
building, without written consent of the Council


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## DMAX-HD

Even if it was legal I still wouldn't do it. To many stupid things happen in which we have no control. Plus you bear all the risk/liability if something does happen. 

Luckily I live in the country ;-)


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## aread

I live in one of the most liberal counties in one of the most liberal states in the country. But strangely enough, archery practice in your own yard is specifically permitted in the county code. I would be in trouble if an arrow left my property, but I'm permitted to shoot in my yard. There is even a school nearby and the police said that was not a problem since I'm far enough away/

Unfortunately, I don't have a good layout to use for a range since there are neighbors or public sidewalks on the good lines.

You have to check local laws. You may in for a good surprise like me, or not.

Good luck,
Allen


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## LVArcher

Check local laws and if allowed use some common sense!! Seen too many videos on Youtube - people shooting in their yard with houses all around them. SCARY!!!!


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## Mitchhunt

Legal here, but I would never do it in my back yard. There are so many kids around and accidents can happen. I don't care how experienced you are, D loops fail, releases fail, you just never know. Find an archery club or range close and shoot there if you are in a neighborhood. If its wide open around you go for it.


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## BROX

It's legal in my town.Only law there is is against firearms nothing about shooting a bow so the officer that I spoke with said im good to go


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## eric69

I live in a suburb that has one of the highest ratios of apartment building to houses in the metro, but it's legal to shoot a bow in my yard (not a gun tho  ). The only restriction is that I can't shoot it across a roadway, which is probably a good idea no matter where you live. The neighboring town which has more houses, larger yards and fewer apartment buildings, does not permit it. Fortunately my yard backs up to a swamp/creek and I have plenty of room to shoot.


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## [email protected]

Good topic... ive shot in my yard but i saw an artical about an eight year old with an arrow in his/her leg!!! yeah... i think ill stop while im ahead... i never lost an arrow in my yard but if i missed my hughe backstop and somehow missed my shop/house and hit a kid i think id quit archery all together. when i asked a local judge he seemed to see nothing wrong with it... but after hearing of that kid i think ill use my head.


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## Lab Trainer

IrregularPulse said:


> Figured I'd raise this from the dead instead of another thread on the topic.
> They defined projectiles as anything propelled by an *explosion*. In all the definitions for firearms it mentions explosions being the cause of the projectile. This look like I'm ok to shoot?


 As long as you don't shoot a Bowtech because sometimes they Explode when shooting. Just kidding people!


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## Jdlbz

I heard you could shoot Mathews in city limits because they're so slow they won't kill anyone . J/k

Sent from my DROID RAZR using Tapatalk 2


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## IrregularPulse

I shoot a PSE. Maybe I shouldn't risk it. Don't want Parts Shooting Everywhere. I'm joining a club next week and have another 10-15 minutes away, but it'd be nice to go out in my yard for 20 minutes. I'll stuck you 5yards in the garage.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


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## Cewakiyelo

In Virginia Beach, Va. the city ordinance is as follows.... 

Sec. 38-3.2. Use of bow and arrow restricted.

(a)
It shall be unlawful for any person to shoot with a bow and arrow within those limits of the city which are specified in section 38-3 to be unlawful for the discharge of any firearm, except within an archery range having clearly designated boundaries and a safe area of impact sufficient to prevent personal injury and property damage. The use of any such range located on public or school property shall be subject to the approval of the director of parks and recreation or the principal of the respective school. *The shooting of arrows tipped with suction cups shall not constitute a violation of this section.*

You will notice that it says if the arrow is tipped with suction cups it is not considered a violation when shooting them within the city limits. By the way Section 38-3 that is mentioned sets the boundary of the city limits. 









These suction cups have 8-32 thread and are 1 3/16". Not sure if they are long enough to engage the threaded portion of an insert. Nor do I know what grain weight they are. I would not recommend them for heavy draw bows but I think these would be just fine for lower poundage bows in the 30lb and below range. PSE Snake recurve that has become so popular for the kids comes to mind. I would set up cans or dangle a can in front of a target butt. It would be much like using bludgeons. Just an idea.

Here is a link to where I saw those suction cups if any is interested. http://compare.ebay.com/like/171108385638?var=lv&ltyp=AllFixedPriceItemTypes&var=sbar


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## I like Meat

wango tango said:


> what do most cities laws say regarding shooting bows in city limits?


Most cities/towns have a no projectile ordinance because towns cant regulate hunting, only the state DNR can do that, so they enact these ordinance to get around that fact..... the ordinance includes bb guns, slingshots, arrows, etc......


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## onebigdude

The newspaper here just ran an article about archery inside city limits. They said there has to be 150 yds between residences in any direction or something like that. I can name maybe one property in the city that would fit the bill. No sling shots, bows, guns, paintball guns, everything. But if you have good neighbors....


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