How Far Away From A Dwelling To Shoot

Location:
FISH AND GAME;

HUNTING DISTANCE FROM OCCUPIED BUILDINGS

Past: Janet Kaminski Leduc, Senior Legislative Attorney

ISSUES When did Connecticut adopt its ban on hunting within 500 anxiety of an occupied building, and was there whatsoever public annotate about it? What do New York and the other New England states require for hunting altitude from an occupied building?

SUMMARY

Language nearly discharging hunting devices within certain distances from buildings entered Connecticut statute in 1955 (PA 535). The human activity authorized the State Board of Fisheries and Game to adopt hunting regulations that could, among other things, prohibit discharging firearms and other hunting devices within specified distances of buildings ( CGS � 26-66 ).

The board adopted regulations on August fifteen, 1955 that prohibited hunting, discharging firearms, or carrying loaded firearms inside 500 feet of a edifice (1) occupied by people or domestic animals or (two) used to shop combustible or combustible material. They likewise prohibited discharging a firearm toward a person, edifice, or domestic brute when within range.

The hunting regulations were published in the Connecticut Police Journal on September 27, 1955. While they have been amended numerous times since 1955, they withal contain the 500-pes requirement (run into side box).

Co-ordinate to the legislative history of the 1955 act, at that place was no public comment about the hunting distance from buildings requirement. State agencies are the repository of records, including public comments, for proposed regulations from that era. The Legislative Library contacted the Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP) for historical records almost the original regulations. Should DEEP provide any public comment related to the 1955 regulation, we will update this report.

New York and the other New England states each legislate hunting distance from occupied buildings, but in varying ways. In general, all just Vermont prohibit hunting within a specified altitude from occupied buildings: Maine – 100 yards; Massachusetts – 500 feet; New Hampshire – 300 feet; New York – 500 anxiety (firearm), 250 feet (crossbow), or 150 feet (long bow); and Rhode Island – 500 anxiety. Vermont authorizes property owners to establish a 500-pes no hunting safety zone effectually occupied buildings.

SELECTED STATES

Maine

In Maine, information technology is generally unlawful to discharge a firearm or crossbow, or crusade a projectile to pass, within 100 yards of a edifice or residential abode without permission from the possessor, or in the owner ' south absence, an adult occupant (Me. Rev. Stat. Ann. tit. 12, � 11209). Under the law, "edifice" ways any residential, commercial, retail, educational, religious, or farm construction designed to be occupied past people or domestic animals or used to shelter machines or harvested crops. "Projectile" includes a bullet, pellet, shot, trounce, ball, bolt, or other object propelled or launched from a firearm or crossbow.

Massachusetts

Massachusetts constabulary prohibits a person from possessing a loaded firearm or hunting by any means on another person ' s land within 500 anxiety of a dwelling in use, unless allowed by the home ' s owner or occupant (Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 131, � 58).

New Hampshire

In New Hampshire, it is illegal to discharge a firearm or shoot with a bow and arrow or crossbow and bolt within 300 feet of a permanently occupied dwelling without permission from the (1) dwelling house ' south owner or occupant or (2) owner of the land on which the person is situated (N.H. Rev. Stat. Ann. � 207:3-a).

New York

New York law more often than not prohibits anyone from discharging a firearm within 500 feet, a crossbow inside 250 feet, or a long bow inside 150 anxiety from an occupied or used dwelling, farm building, or farm structure; school edifice; school playground; public structure; or occupied factory or church building. The ban does not employ to an owner or lessee of a dwelling house, firsthand family members, or employees or guests acting with the consent of the owner or lessee (N.Y. Envtl. Conserv. Constabulary � 11-0931).

Rhode Island

Rhode Isle police force prohibits anyone, while hunting or pursuing wild birds or animals, from discharging a firearm or other deadly weapon within 500 feet of any (i) dwelling house, residence, or other building occupied by human being beings or (2) barn, stable, or other building used in connectedness with them, without the owner ' s or tenant ' south permission (R.I. Gen. Laws � 20-13-7).

Vermont

In Vermont, hunting on individual property is generally immune unless the holding is properly posted to prohibit it. The law allows a property owner to establish a 500-foot safety zone around an occupied dwelling, residence, barn, stable, or other building by posting signs provided by the Vermont Fish & Wildlife Department. The signs must (ane) comprise the words "safety zone, shooting prohibited" and (2) be placed at each corner of the property and no more than 200 feet apart. A person cannot discharge a firearm or take a wild beast from within a safety zone without the owner ' s or occupant ' s advance permission (Vt. Stat. Ann. tit. ten, � 4710).

JKL:ts

Source: https://www.cga.ct.gov/2014/rpt/2014-R-0239.htm

Share this post