shooting on public land

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  • Gator 45/70

    Well-Known Member
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    That's exactly what I've been told by wardens at Sherburne. The amount of funding they get comes from how many people use the WMA's and they keep track of how many people use the area by the self-clearing permits. Filling them out keeps these places open plain and simple.

    Well that's mostly true,Under 16 and older than I think 60 do not have to fill out the self-clearing permits....But

    No-one is working on the weekends so,Enter the Heathens whom shoot up the place...Nothing we can do about it.

    LDWF's won't follow up on gun range antics including the posting of their own rules.
     
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    johnpaul

    Well-Known Member
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    Aug 23, 2016
    52
    8
    metairie,la
    honey island

    Reminder, you have to have a hunting/fishing license or generic wildlife stamp if they still do those to be in the Honey Island management area. They don't ask to see it at the range, but if Wildlife and Fisheries stops you and you don't have one, you can get your pee-pee spanked with some expensive cites. I don't know if they'd seize your firearms. I got stopped at the entrance going in once, was schooled on the rule, and turned around to go get a stamp at Wal-mart (used to be only a couple bucks, less than a fishing license), but you might not get leniency if stopped already within the property. Could depend on what kind of day the agent's having.
    If you have a ticket from the range,you can drive around there as much as you want.If you get stopped going to the range,tell them that you are going to the range.Chances are you won't get a ticket.But you better be on old hwy 11 going to po-boy road or on po-boy road
     

    nolaradio

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    5   0   0
    Sep 8, 2012
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    If you have a ticket from the range,you can drive around there as much as you want.If you get stopped going to the range,tell them that you are going to the range.Chances are you won't get a ticket.But you better be on old hwy 11 going to po-boy road or on po-boy road

    If someone just reads your first three sentences and follows your advice, you're setting them up for a ticket.

    Yes, if you are going straight to or from the range you do not need a self-clearing permit on you. If you decide to drive to the end of old Hwy. 11 just to see the barricade then turn around and get stopped by a wildlife agent, you can bet your ass you'll get a ticket.

    I had an agent stop me once on Indian Bayou Rd. and ask what I was doing. Told him I just left the range and was just doing a little driving since it was a while that I have been down that road. He asked if I had the self-clearing permit on me. Pulled it out from the visor and he was happy to see it. We got into a conversation and he mentioned how another agent recently ticket someone because they stopped along Hwy. 11 to take a closer look at something in the swamp. They were out of their car, not going to or from the range, and sightseeing without the self-clearing permit.

    You guys can do what you want, but I always fill out and carry the self-clearing permit when I visit a WMA that requires them.
     

    cdaniel76

    Honey Island Range Ofcr.
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    2   0   0
    May 12, 2011
    164
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    Covington, LA
    I always fill out a self clearing permit when I go, even though it's been a while since I've been there. My thinking is that it shows that the place is being used so they'll keep funding it with my tax dollars. I'll fill one out at any WMA that has the permit station.
    They now have the app you can download to check in/out. I haven't used it so I'm not sure how good it works in areas with spotty cell coverage.

    Sent from my Pixel 3 using Tapatalk

    If you're coming to Honey Island just to shoot you don't need to fill out the permit. Thank you for thinking about it how you do but the sign in log that all shooters sign when coming to our Range is how LDWF tracks the # of "shooters only" that come to the WMA.
     

    DAVE_M

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    Apr 17, 2009
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    If someone just reads your first three sentences and follows your advice, you're setting them up for a ticket.

    Yes, if you are going straight to or from the range you do not need a self-clearing permit on you. If you decide to drive to the end of old Hwy. 11 just to see the barricade then turn around and get stopped by a wildlife agent, you can bet your ass you'll get a ticket.

    I had an agent stop me once on Indian Bayou Rd. and ask what I was doing. Told him I just left the range and was just doing a little driving since it was a while that I have been down that road. He asked if I had the self-clearing permit on me. Pulled it out from the visor and he was happy to see it. We got into a conversation and he mentioned how another agent recently ticket someone because they stopped along Hwy. 11 to take a closer look at something in the swamp. They were out of their car, not going to or from the range, and sightseeing without the self-clearing permit.

    You guys can do what you want, but I always fill out and carry the self-clearing permit when I visit a WMA that requires them.

    Can’t say that I’ve ever had the urge to drive around the WMA or go sight seeing, so once they told me I didn’t need a permit, I stopped filling them out.

    You DON’T need one to go straight to the range, but yes... if you want to tour the swamp or go looking for the swamp monster it’s best to fill one out.
     

    cdaniel76

    Honey Island Range Ofcr.
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    2   0   0
    May 12, 2011
    164
    28
    Covington, LA
    I wanted to thank everyone who has offered information and helped clear up some of the misconceptions out there about Honey Island, Permits and the "privileges" the Ticket at the shooting range affords you.

    Just to reiterate...

    To be on the Pearl River WMA - or any LA WMA -
    for ANY reason whatsoever, you need some form of VALID Louisiana hunting or fishing license (cane pole license works). The Wild Louisiana Stamp is also acceptable. THE TICKET WE GIVE AT THE RANGE CHECK-IN DESK *DOES NOT* REPLACE NEEDING A VALID LICENSE OR STAMP.

    If you're ONLY going to or from the range, you DO NOT need to fill out a self clearing permit. The numbered ticket you initial and date at the range acts as your permit for the day, but again ONLY if going directly to/from range. If you have ANY inkling that you might divert to go sightseeing or check out a different path or road, do yourself a favor and fill out the permit when entering the WMA at the front gate.

    LDWF collects the ticket tallies from our check in logs in order to get federal funding.

    In the 7 years I've been working at the range I've never personally met a range customer who's told me they were ticketed for not having a license or permit or for going elsewhere other than the range with just the ticket we give at the range. But I have had other officers tell me about shooters they've met who have been ticketed and from what I've heard, the Wardens show no mercy and if you violate any of the rules, you absolutely WILL BE TICKETED!

    So please adhere to the rules if you don't want a $6 range fee to turn into a $200-$300 ticket for violating any rules.

    Thanks again to all of you for being Honey Island Patrons. We appreciate it!
     

    buttanic

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    Dec 2, 2010
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    LaPlace, LA
    Wasn't there a song in the 70's with the verse, rules, rules, everywhere a rule, do this don't do that, rules,rules,everywhere a rule.
     

    MetalVendor

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    82   0   0
    Jan 16, 2017
    1,534
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    Jefferson
    Wasn't there a song in the 70's with the verse, rules, rules, everywhere a rule, do this don't do that, rules,rules,everywhere a rule.

    I believe you’re thinking of the song *Signs* by Five Man Electrical Band. My dad loves that song! Came out in the early 70s. And then the band Tesla covered it a bunch and recorded their own version of it in the 90s, making it popular.
     
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    icistech

    Member
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    1   0   0
    Feb 16, 2010
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    I live in Metairie. Been to honey island, but it has been a while. I maintain a fishing permit for the one or two times a year that I may cast a line.
    Thank you all for the info. Going to plan a trip out there soon
     

    cb8180

    Member
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    0   0   0
    Aug 31, 2010
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    I really don’t understand why you can’t go out to Kisatchie and shoot. Provided you’re being safe and all that. Other national forests allow that. You just need to be so many yards from a road and abide by a few other very reasonable guidelines. From what I understand, in Kisatchie you can’t even open carry. Why do we accept that?

    Yep it sucks. A few years ago I had to do some serious digging online to find that recreational shooting is not allowed out there. Not like there aren't plenty of natural backstops (hills). I hate formal ranges and prefer to be alone (or with friends) while shooting. Outside of private land, you are pretty much SOL in this state.
     

    kcinnick

    Training Ferrous Metal
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    28   0   0
    Dec 24, 2008
    4,723
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    Baton Rouge
    It is pretty stupid you can't shoot on public land. When I lived in Arkansas for a short time you could pull up to just about any mountain and use it as a backstop. Same thing when I went to Utah, public land was good to go.
     

    JimmyJames

    Well-Known Member
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    0   0   0
    Jan 29, 2021
    59
    8
    Lafayette, LA
    It is pretty stupid you can't shoot on public land. When I lived in Arkansas for a short time you could pull up to just about any mountain and use it as a backstop. Same thing when I went to Utah, public land was good to go.
    It's the weird divvying up of state/federal land and local restrictions that are to blame. Once upon a time I looked everywhere for a place to go out and shoot, by myself, far away from people, trails, camps, etc. The only hopeful I found was national forest, of which we have a teeny bit. Shooting is allowed on National Forest land...except where not permitted locally. And unfortunately here in LA, it is locally banned. I'm sure there is some story of stupid behind that policy, but it's really frustrating for the rest of us. Buying your own land is the only option anymore outside of designated ranges.
     

    cdaniel76

    Honey Island Range Ofcr.
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    2   0   0
    May 12, 2011
    164
    28
    Covington, LA
    Are you referring to coming to Honey Island? You can check in online but you will still need to get the numbered ticket at the range check in, date & initial it and keep that on you when you go to the range.
     

    JimmyJames

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    0   0   0
    Jan 29, 2021
    59
    8
    Lafayette, LA
    I am, yes. So I guess you have a check-in procedure in addition to a self-clearing permit. I'll keep that in mind if I ever go shooting while working that area.

    I didn't know different WMA's had different requirements. For Sherburne I just use the LDWF WMA app to enter in a date/time for the self-clearing permit, and check out when I leave. Ya know, checking it right now I actually don't see Honey Island in the list. So I guess you can't check in that way. Shame, since I use it's app history as a log of range visits.
     

    cdaniel76

    Honey Island Range Ofcr.
    Rating - 100%
    2   0   0
    May 12, 2011
    164
    28
    Covington, LA
    I am, yes. So I guess you have a check-in procedure in addition to a self-clearing permit. I'll keep that in mind if I ever go shooting while working that area.

    As long as you're just coming to and from the range ONLY, you DO NOT need to fill out a self clearing permit at the front gate. At the Range check-in desk you will pull a ticket, notate that ticket number in the log book, then initial and date the ticket. That acts as your self clearing permit for that day and is what you'll show a game warden if you should be stopped when heading out. Again, that is for the RANGE ONLY. If you have any inkling that you may detour and go anywhere else in the WMA, you must fill out the permit at the front gate.
     

    Xeon64

    Well-Known Member
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    7   0   0
    Jan 26, 2021
    786
    93
    Prairieville, LA
    Good luck shooting or hunting on private land anymore. Thanks to lawyers and the state changing trespassing laws it is all but impossible these days unless you know the land owner and have permission. Use to be if the land did not have a posted sign so many feet it was not legally posted and open to the public. But then some big shots, mostly chemicals plants, bought off state politicians and had the post laws changed. Now all private property is considered posted.
     

    Gator 45/70

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    I'd like to Thank the trespassers for coming out to my place and dumping old tires, lawn mowers, dead armadillos, beer/booze bottles and cans and used syringes,

    In addition too Heidi the inflatable love doll, Extremely worn out with pecker tracks all over her poor body, Face and buttocks.

    Those who didn't participate in the above illegal actives I'd like to Thank you for poaching deer, squirrels, turkeys and basically anything that walks, climbs, fly's or crawls.

    You're Welcome !
     

    noahvale

    shootist
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    5   0   0
    Sep 20, 2013
    105
    28
    Redstick
    I asked a friend who is a retired game warden about shooting at Sherburne WMA. He said shooting other than legally shooting at game is only allowed at the range. I asked him about shooting from my boat. He said that as long as you are on a publicly accessible navigable waterway you can shoot all you want as long as the boat is stationary. Of course common sense in necessary, you don't want to ruin someone's deer hunt.
     

    Gator 45/70

    Well-Known Member
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    31   0   0
    I love it when some Jack-leg pulls up and starts shooting Willie Nillie down thru the woods,That means I can shoot back.

    Did I ever tell yall about the New Yawk jack-legs who pulled up at the Sherburne skeet range and proceeded to skeet shoot with a Bushmaster AR-15 ?
     

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