Open Shooting - General Question

[Big Calhoun]

I didn't want to take away from Texas297s' thread since he has a specific question; mine is more general.

Is their a publication or other form of resource one could look at to determine where (if any place) open shooting is permissble. I've looked at some various laws here and there concerning the 10 acre rule and incorporated vs. non-incorporated areas, but have head a heck of a time trying to find maps or information as to where some of these areas could be. I also want to shoot off fireworks this year, which apparently are banned in the incorporated areas of Dallas County and I have no idea where the unincorpoated areas are. Thanks for any help or gentle nudge in the right direction.

[AG-EE]

Texas is mostly private land, so your opportunities are extremely limited. None of the state parks, excepting maybe Camp Mabry in Austin, allow shooting as far as I know.

I suppose the only places are in the National Forests in East Texas, but that is quite a drive from Dallas. I'm not sure if there are any unincorporated areas in Dallas County.

If you find a place, let us know however!

[Mike1951]

I suppose the only places are in the National Forests in East Texas, but that is quite a drive from Dallas.

If there are any remaining, I would like to know about them.

Until a few years ago, there were four areas that I knew of in the Sam Houston National Forest that were designated for shooting.

Most were just clearings back in the woods with a forestry road for access. Only one had anything resembling a range, the others just had small piles of earth that you could put targets in front of. They were totally unsupervised and were popular with the local full-auto shooters as well. The only real negative was the trash and junk that folks left after shooting.

A decision was made to close all but the one, with it being limited to a period roughly coinciding with the fall hunting seasons. Shooting there was regulated to eliminate anything except shooting at paper targets.

I see a great need for areas that allow plinking, rather than strict paper shooting.

[Big Calhoun]

Most large river beds are state owned, and that is where I did most of my shooting growing up.

I would ask the game warden, as he would know the spots commonly used.

Ya know, I never even thought of that!! Thanks, I'll give that a try.

[piro]

I talked to a mate of mine over in college station about it after seeing that 10 acre thread a few days ago. He told me that was the minimum for hunting and said that shooting can be done as minimum as 1 acre as long as the community/city regulates it.

For example I frequent between the woodlands and austin and he said got out of the woodlands over on 1488 etc and you should be fine. So been looking for some land in magnolia etc.