Places To Shoot (Outside/non-Range) In Niagara?

[DarkSky]

Does anyone know of spots out in the country that is not private property, where one can go just to target practice/plinking ?? I'm going to be taking my safety course for my PAL soon, and am trying to do as much research beforehand as possible, and would really like to know if there's any spots I can get out with a friend or two, shoot some targets / clay pigeons, enjoy some cigars (and maybe even do some fishing as long as I'm getting picky )

[corey]

There's not much in Southern Ontario. Almost every municipiality has no discharge bylaws now, even the rural ones like where I live, West Lincoln. My best suggestion is if you know anyone who is a member of a gun club, see if you can go with them for a day. Otherwise you might want to look at the Silverdale packages where you can go out on a Saturday and shoot a bunch of guns under their supervision or check out the Tuesday night "new shooters" thing at Pinecrest in St. Kitts which is just down the road from the old hospital on Queenston.

If you haven't got your PAL at this point, how are you going to go out and just do some shooting? or are you looking to not buy a club membership once you are licensed and have firearms?

[DarkSky]

There's not much in Southern Ontario. Almost every municipiality has no discharge bylaws now, even the rural ones like where I live, West Lincoln. My best suggestion is if you know anyone who is a member of a gun club, see if you can go with them for a day. Otherwise you might want to look at the Silverdale packages where you can go out on a Saturday and shoot a bunch of guns under their supervision or check out the Tuesday night "new shooters" thing at Pinecrest in St. Kitts which is just down the road from the old hospital on Queenston.

If you haven't got your PAL at this point, how are you going to go out and just do some shooting? or are you looking to not buy a club membership once you are licensed and have firearms?

I might get a membership, but I'd also like to be able to get out by myself with a friend or two. I think there's places in Niagara where gun hunting is allowed, so I would imagine that just shooting (without hunting) would also be allowed... (??)

[Frank81]

Providing I pass my course and get my PAL, I plan on joining a couple firearms clubs if possible.

Planning on Silverdale Gun Club for their outdoor range in St. Anns and the Welland Hand Gun Club for their indoor range, I live a few blocks from the Welland Handgun Club and think it's a must for me seeing as I live so close, it just makes sense.

[bigugli]

I don't know of any public land/ parks where someone can go out and pop targets down here in the peninsula. You need to find Crown land without restrictions. Gotta start looking north.

[corey]

I might get a membership, but I'd also like to be able to get out by myself with a friend or two. I think there's places in Niagara where gun hunting is allowed, so I would imagine that just shooting (without hunting) would also be allowed... (??)

The only places you'll find to gun hunt that aren't owned by private citizen's are the NPCA areas. They do not allow target shooting at all and close the parks during the gun hunts that are allowed in them. There are a couple of other non-NPCA areas that are public for hunting but again municipal bylaws will prevent you from target shooting.

As Bruce mentioned, target shooting, public land, head north.

[onthemoney]

DarkSky,

Not sure what going shooting is going to accomplish for the PAL as that is not part of the course or test.

You will learn a lot about firearms how they work, the different types / actions, the ammo they take, how to load, safe storage and transportation and so on.

Then you have a written test (multiple choice) followed by a practical test (hands on)

the practical has 4 stages:

1. Knowing ammunition: the difference between rim fire, center fire and shotgun shells;

2. Simulate a range:

pick up a certain action of firearm, move to the firing line, answer a few questions about this weapon, find proper ammo and load it, take a proper shooting stance, unload (leave the action open), step back behind the firing line;

3. A hunting type scenario (usually performed indoors)

Pick up a certain action of firearm find the ammo and load, follow a path all the while having muzzle control, cross an obstacle and check for an obstruction (mud in the barrel);

4. Perform proper storage in the home.

The biggest part of the whole test is muzzle control (never point the firearm at anyone) this is an automatic fail.

instructors may teach the course slightly different but this is an over view of what it's all about.

About joining a range

Something you may want to check into with the gun clubs is:

1. even though you become a member you do not have full privileges.

How most clubs work is after becoming a member you have a 3 month probationary period and during that time when you want to shoot you must be under direct supervision of a full member. after each shoot they will sign off that you we under limited supervision and properly/safely handled your firearms. After usually 10 ( limited supervisions ) you are then ok to go to the range and shoot on your own.

2. required course:

most clubs require you to take a club course ( this cost money ) this course is stuff you will already have completed on your non-restricted and restricted courses. Other than club procedures.

Hope this helps

good luck with your course,

be safe out there.

[DarkSky]

The only places you'll find to gun hunt that aren't owned by private citizen's are the NPCA areas. They do not allow target shooting at all and close the parks during the gun hunts that are allowed in them. There are a couple of other non-NPCA areas that are public for hunting but again municipal bylaws will prevent you from target shooting.

As Bruce mentioned, target shooting, public land, head north.

Anyone know of any areas relatively close to Niagara that would do well for this?? I'm all for joining a club (probably Silverdale) for learning, but eventually going to the range to shoot the same targets over and over has got to get tiresome and monotonous at some point. I know I'd be interested in just getting out into the woods to relax, maybe camp a night or two, do some fishing, set some stuff up for plinking, long range target shooting, etc.

[DarkSky]

DarkSky,

Not sure what going shooting is going to accomplish for the PAL as that is not part of the course or test.

No no, has nothing to do with getting my PAL. I'm talking about -after- I have it. I full plan on booking in to Silverdale once I'm back on day shift to take the safety course. 'Hopefully find someone friendly to take me under their wing, so to speak, that I can learn from.

the practical has 4 stages:

1. Knowing ammunition: the difference between rim fire, center fire and shotgun shells;

2. Simulate a range:

--snip--

THanks! I've downlaoded the Canadian Firearms Safety Course PDF manual and printed it out, and am going to start reading it through before I take the course (next available spot to take it isn't for a couple months still anyway).

About joining a range

Something you may want to check into with the gun clubs is:

1. even though you become a member you do not have full privileges.

How most clubs work is after becoming a member you have a 3 month probationary period and during that time when you want to shoot you must be under direct supervision of a full member. after each shoot they will sign off that you we under limited supervision and properly/safely handled your firearms. After usually 10 ( limited supervisions ) you are then ok to go to the range and shoot on your own.

I did not know that - thanks!! I was under the assumption you write (and hopefully pass) your PAL test, get your license a month later, purchase a gun, then show up at the range to have all the veterans smirk and laugh at you under their breath... Getting into anything as someone who is completely green is intimidating when there's others around that have been doing it for a long time, but this is something that's like that: ten fold.

Thanks a bunch!!!

[corey]

There used to be some areas managed by the Long Point Conservation Area that allowed recreational shooting but I believe after neighbours complained and the amount of trash left behind those days are over. Other than that you will need to find some crown land. Here's a link to the map:

http://www.mnr.gov.on.ca/en/Business/LUEPS/2ColumnSubPage/STDU_137972.html

As for joining a gun club, each club has their own requirements. I am a member at several clubs but because you mention Silverdale, here's the deal.

Once you fill out the application you pay your dues. From there you wait until Saturday and then go out for the walkabout where they go over the rules, walk you along each of the ranges and tell you what you can and can't do. Once you have done that you get your access card and you are free to shoot on your own.

Restricted firearms adds a couple of things to the above. Once you are a member, you must have a restricted firearm in your possession (ie. You have bought one and you have it at your house), then you do the club level ATT course, which is something that was pushed down to clubs by the Ontario CFO. Once you have completed the club level ATT course, the club will send paperwork to the Ontario CFO who will then issue your ATT and send it back to the club. The club will then give you a copy of your ATT. Once you have your ATT you can then take your restricted firearms back and forth between your house and the club to shoot.

cd.

edit: At Silverdale there are no required probationary shoots, the Saturday initiation walk through is free and the ATT course, should you take it costs money. The course I put on for my club is $50 but as an instructor I have to provide the firearms (because you don't have your ATT yet and cannot legally bring your restricted's to the club yet), the ammunition (which is generally worth more than the $50 I charge for the course) and the targets (which aren't free to me either). Just so there is no confusion, I teach the club level safety course at a different club, not Silverdale. Silverdale has very experienced and qualified people.

[DarkSky]

There used to be some areas managed by the Long Point Conservation Area that allowed recreational shooting but I believe after neighbours complained and the amount of trash left behind those days are over. Other than that you will need to find some crown land. Here's a link to the map:

http://www.mnr.gov.o...TDU_137972.html

Great! Thanks!

As for joining a gun club, each club has their own requirements. I am a member at several clubs but because you mention Silverdale, here's the deal.

Once you fill out the application you pay your dues. From there you wait until Saturday and then go out for the walkabout where they go over the rules, walk you along each of the ranges and tell you what you can and can't do. Once you have done that you get your access card and you are free to shoot on your own.

Excellent. Actually my girlfriend told me she has a friend from work who's been shooting for years, belongs to multiple clubs, etc.. and is a member of Silverdale. So she's going to contact him to see if we can swing by as guests just to show u around there. It might even be someone I can go with while starting out and learning proper protocol and procedure.

Restricted firearms adds a couple of things to the above. Once you are a member, you must have a restricted firearm in your possession (ie. You have bought one and you have it at your house), then you do the club level ATT course, which is something that was pushed down to clubs by the Ontario CFO. Once you have completed the club level ATT course, the club will send paperwork to the Ontario CFO who will then issue your ATT and send it back to the club. The club will then give you a copy of your ATT. Once you have your ATT you can then take your restricted firearms back and forth between your house and the club to shoot.

And I'm guessing, a gun club is the *only* place you can take a restricted firearm, correct? Our cottage has lots of crown land around it (up past Port Severn) and would be a great place for me to just get out into the bush with a rifle and set up some targets, etc... but my guess is there's no way I could get an ATT for a restricted to use out there, right?

I may look into RPAL later on, but it just seems so limited in use, and so much paperwork, that it's more headache and hassle than it's worth.

To start I'll be looking to get 3 long guns which I'm sure will keep me more than busy for quite a while.

cd.

edit: At Silverdale there are no required probationary shoots, the Saturday initiation walk through is free and the ATT course, should you take it costs money. The course I put on for my club is $50 but as an instructor I have to provide the firearms (because you don't have your ATT yet and cannot legally bring your restricted's to the club yet), the ammunition (which is generally worth more than the $50 I charge for the course) and the targets (which aren't free to me either). Just so there is no confusion, I teach the club level safety course at a different club, not Silverdale. Silverdale has very experienced and qualified people.

[corey]

Does your girlfriend work for a software company in Burlington?

The short answer of where you can shoot restricteds is yes, only at a gun club. Although many people have come up with different interpretations of the wording of the laws, you will go to jail if you are caught shooting restricteds outside of an approved range.

If you are doing the PAL course, you really should do the RPAL at the same time. It's the exact same amount of paperwork at the end to apply for your RPAL/PAL as opposed to just the PAL. Every single person I know, and that is in the hundreds who have opted for just the PAL have regretted that decision and gone back for their RPAL shortly thereafter. Get it all done at the same time, the paperwork is the same, the waiting periods are the same and then you never have to worry about doing it again.

There are a lot of rumours out there about being treated differently by having your RPAL, but that is all BS. I can't tell you the number of times people have asked me if the police can randomly search your home just because you have an RPAL. Completely false. I don't know anyone who has ever been randomly hassled for having their RPAL.

The RPAL is no more limited in use than you PAL is, with the exception to a little bit of southern ontario hunting. There is nowhere down here to just go shoot, other than a range, as is with restricteds. There's very little gun hunting in southern ontario as well. Everything except predator hunting in southern ontario is shotgun only, and the predator hunting is will rifles under .275.

Moral of the story, if you are getting one, you might as well get all, there is no downside to doing it.

cd.

[DarkSky]

Does your girlfriend work for a software company in Burlington?

Nope.

If you are doing the PAL course, you really should do the RPAL at the same time. It's the exact same amount of paperwork at the end to apply for your RPAL/PAL as opposed to just the PAL.

1: Too much for my small brain to handle at once - long guns and pistols / semi-auto longs.

2: I have absolutely zero interest in shooting handguns at the range. Even rifles... day after day shooting targets would get tiresome. I need to be out in the wilderness. But that's just me. I'd like to go TO the rain to hone my skills, but my ultimate goal is hunting. I'll use the range as a learning tool in order to be a better shooter FOR hunting, but my end goal is not shooting targets at the range every time. I'd be limited to that with handgun shooting.

There are a lot of rumours out there about being treated differently by having your RPAL, but that is all BS. I can't tell you the number of times people have asked me if the police can randomly search your home just because you have an RPAL. Completely false. I don't know anyone who has ever been randomly hassled for having their RPAL.

I've never heard of that either (and until you just mentioned it, it's the first I've ever heard of it). But I have heard the background checks are more intensive with RPAL. And with me having a DUI 23yrs ago when I was in high school, it could blow my chance of obtaining ANY firearm license. And like I said, I have no attraction going back and forth to a range to shoot targets. I can do that with my pellet gun in the backyard But who knows, maybe once I get a tour and try it out, it might be something I'll be willing to get in to. Doing a 1 day course a half year or year from now for RPAL won't be the end of the world for me.

The RPAL is no more limited in use than you PAL is, with the exception to a little bit of southern ontario hunting. There is nowhere down here to just go shoot, other than a range, as is with restricteds.

I've got some friends with land that WOULD let me shoot there, but they're not 'good' friends so-to-speak. More like older friends that I slowly drifted apart from over the years. But I know of at least one place. But even if it meant going up to my cottage (only 2.5hrs) on weekends, that would be a much welcome change of pace than just the range every single time. That just wouldn't be an option with a restricted gun.

Moral of the story, if you are getting one, you might as well get all, there is no downside to doing it.

Depends on the extensiveness of the background check. If they're the same for PAL and RPAL, and if the amount of study and ease of the test is the same as PAL and RPAL, the I go for the restricted.

It would all depend if the background check truly is *only* up to the last 5yrs. I don't have a violent history, but do have some alcohol related things on my medical record (all before 2005 - and my only criminal alcohol offense was 23yrs ago)

[corey]

A DUI will have no affect on your application. The background check is the exact same for both classes of license. Everything you have said I have heard many, many times before. I won't try to convince you otherwise, but in less than a year just remember I was right

[DarkSky]

A DUI will have no affect on your application. The background check is the exact same for both classes of license. Everything you have said I have heard many, many times before. I won't try to convince you otherwise, but in less than a year just remember I was right

I can't WAIT for you to tell me "I told yah so" !!

[DarkSky]

Actually this whole time I was of the understanding you took your PAL *or* your RPAL. 'Just realized that before you can even take your RPAL test, you must already have your PAL. So I'll do my PAL, get familiarized and some experience with long guns first, then go from there...

[corey]

They are two separate tests, but you can do them back to back immediately, while ACTS and PROVE are still fresh in the head. There is no requirement that you physically have a PAL in hand to do the RPAL test. You don't have to post any more excuses why you are not going to go for the RPAL at the same time. It's OK if you just want to do the PAL only.