Florida Shooters Network

This may sound like a stupid question but I will ask it any way. I am on the gulf near Ft Myers. Can I go out in my boat and set up a floating target and shoot at it from my boat with legally owned firearms. I know the coast guard does this regularly :) Assuming I am in state waters out to 9 miles are there any regulations I should be aware of ? What issues are there if in Federal waters? I have searched several sites and can not find any regulations. I have not done this but it sure would be fun! If you can provide a link with any info offered that would be great.

Thanks
Jim

jimandsue60 wrote:This may sound like a stupid question but I will ask it any way. I am on the gulf near Ft Myers. Can I go out in my boat and set up a floating target and shoot at it from my boat with legally owned firearms. I know the coast guard does this regularly :) Assuming I am in state waters out to 9 miles are there any regulations I should be aware of ? What issues are there if in Federal waters? I have searched several sites and can not find any regulations. I have not done this but it sure would be fun! If you can provide a link with any info offered that would be great.

Thanks
Jim

Ive always wondered this as well, A friend of mine and I were actually talking about this the other week. If you watch on "Deadliest Catch," on the discovery channel a couple of the captains bring AKs and ARs and do some target practice when their out in the bearing sea.

Go 3 miles off shore (state waters is 3miles and in) . or better yet look on a chart for the demarcation line. Make sure you are out of state waters and you are good to go by us. Not sure of state regulations. I found nothing that would proclude you from it, State wise, as long as it is in a safe direction. Make sure you are clear out to MAX range of cartridge. Not Max effective but MAX range.

Your Friendly Coast Guard Boarding Officer

tector wrote:http://www.thetruthaboutguns.com/2011/08/daniel-zimmerman/irresponsible-gun-owner-of-the-day-rifleman-channel/

Your reply really does not apply here. We are on a pond but a much bigger pond and can see our target and beyond. We are always responsible for our bullets final ending.Thanks for your input.

Jim

I forget the details, but when I read the statutes, I figured I could stand on the beach below mean high tide line and do some skeet shooting.

But now I am 60 miles from the beach, and can shoot in my front yard , so I don't care anymore.

type911 wrote:Go 3 miles off shore (state waters is 3miles and in) . or better yet look on a chart for the demarcation line. Make sure you are out of state waters and you are good to go by us. Not sure of state regulations. I found nothing that would proclude you from it, State wise, as long as it is in a safe direction. Make sure you are clear out to MAX range of cartridge. Not Max effective but MAX range.

Your Friendly Coast Guard Boarding Officer

CG boarding officer and you dont even know what state/fed waters are? ouch!v

East Coast is 3 miles, West coast is 9 miles...

I've done it a few times, good fun. Just make sure to clean the salt spray off really good!

Oh... and a tip: Don't shoot your boat! I've seen a gunwale being fixed at a boat yard after guys went out shooting flying fish with their rifles.

yyzChris wrote:

type911 wrote:Go 3 miles off shore (state waters is 3miles and in) . or better yet look on a chart for the demarcation line. Make sure you are out of state waters and you are good to go by us. Not sure of state regulations. I found nothing that would proclude you from it, State wise, as long as it is in a safe direction. Make sure you are clear out to MAX range of cartridge. Not Max effective but MAX range.

Your Friendly Coast Guard Boarding Officer

CG boarding officer and you dont even know what state/fed waters are? ouch!v

East Coast is 3 miles, West coast is 9 miles...

I've done it a few times, good fun. Just make sure to clean the salt spray off really good!

Oh... and a tip: Don't shoot your boat! I've seen a gunwale being fixed at a boat yard after guys went out shooting flying fish with their rifles.

Of course I do. Hence why I said check the chart for demarcation lines.....Specifically because there are special areas that are like that. Mass Bay is another spot where you can be 8 miles from land but be in state waters. There are special areas all over. That being said. Generally speaking state waters are 3 miles . But thanks for making me clarify that and bring it to light that there are special areas. Here is a girl scout cookie for you.

type911 wrote: bring it to light that there are special areas. Here is a girl scout cookie for you.

I don't know if I'd call the entire Gulf coast a "special area".... That is a fairly large portion of this countries coast line and over half of this states.

Okay then... what about hunting ducks with shotgun then? I thought you could hunt ducks in season pretty much anywhere it's safe.

Rentprop1 wrote:Becareful with NFA. Stuff going out too far , cause you can't import then back

26USC5861d
That is what we go by. If you have your form you are good to go. You cant export or import something that belonged to you prior to entering federal waters. Now on that note.... Dont go visiting other countries....If I can look at your GPS track and see you visited Bimini....Well you know. NFA Items are not to leave the country but we all know that. form 5320.20 up to a year if you want to play in other states waters. Not a big deal to us. Prior US Customs service as well. Not a big deal there either. As long as you have your paperwork you are fine.

yyzChris wrote:

type911 wrote: bring it to light that there are special areas. Here is a girl scout cookie for you.

I don't know if I'd call the entire Gulf coast a "special area".... That is a fairly large portion of this countries coast line and over half of this states.

You may not. Yes we consider the Gulf a special area. There are numerous laws, regulations and such that only apply to the gulf coast. I will refresh myself on these things days prior to conducting any LE in the Gulf.

hell i remember when they had skeet shooting off the back of cruise ships. boy times have changed

I've seen people duck hunting in the bay on wave runners..

neonnight34609 wrote:hell i remember when they had skeet shooting off the back of cruise ships. boy times have changed

lol i was a champion!

neonnight34609 wrote:hell i remember when they had skeet shooting off the back of cruise ships. boy times have changed

We did that in international waters...

Thanks for the info.

Jim

Be sure to retrieve any targets you used! No making a mess!

I use bleach bottles but they have lines tied to them so I can recover and bring them back on board.

I have used balloons with drop shot attached by string or fishing line

Bringing this back up... going out 16 miles tonight (in the Gulf). So I'm good to shoot away after 8 miles?