Informal/quarry/etc shooting?

[rhenriksen]

I come up to Maine 2-3 times a year. Back when I was a kid (30+ years ago), my Dad would bring a couple of .22 rifles, and we'd target shoot 30' away from the family cabin by Sebago Lake (shooting back up into the woods). We also, one time, went to a nearby sand pit & did some plinking there.

I've got a niece & nephew that enjoy recreational shooting, and was wondering if that style of informal outdoor shooting is still okay in Maine? I imagine the answer is going to be, 'depends on how far north you go'...

Our family camp is on Raymond Cape, Sebago Lake. My mom's winter abode is in North Yarmouth. The kids & I go shooting in Houston at an indoor range, as well as an outdoor one that's very structured (no Nilla wafer targets, or tin cans, etc). I'd like them to be able to plink at a tin can, or tomato, etc like I used to. Any suggestions, short of driving to Caribou?

thanks,

RNH

 

[survivedetroit]

I'm also looking for a place like this, the closer to Portland the better. I found this post online which talks about a place in North Hollis.... I have not been there in person however.

http://www.thehighroad.org/showthread.php?t=440147

The post which details the location is:

http://maps.google.com/maps?client=s...77248&t=h&z=14


the "army base" as it is known, is the sandy colored strip, just up and to the right of the north hollis name. if this is where he is talking about.

 

[rhenriksen]

Thanks for the link! I may swing by Saturday & check it out.

 

[survivedetroit]

I drove by and checked out this place. when you pull up to the entrance there are two locked gates which prevent you from driving further. There are signs saying that trespassing is prohibited and that the land is property of the maine national guard. I walked out into the sand pit area through the left gate and there are tons of atv tracks everywhere, there was a couple areas to shoot, probably between 50 and 100 yards. Now you can go further back into the sand pit area and i would imagine there would be more, and longer, areas to shoot but i didnt feel like walking back there to find out.

There were tons of bugs there which was really a pain in the ass, even in the middle of the sand pit, i was constantly being swarmed around my head....not fun at all.

All in all, the place looks like a good area to shoot, but I dunno if you would run into any problems with neighbors or the authorities. I couldnt find any signs that people had been shooting there, but it was definitely a place being used for riding atvs and dirt bikes.

 

[rhenriksen]

I saw that as well last Saturday, and was reluctant to hop the gate. I *did* hear gunshots off to the southwest, though. I checked google maps and saw a smaller rectangular area to the southwest a half-mile or so away. Went over there & found some guys doing their shooting in a grassy field lined with trees. It seemed much closer to the nearby homes, though, and overall not as safe a location as the old military space.

 

[survivedetroit]

A friend of mine told me that he went shooting at a sand pit in wells this past weekend.

I am not exactly sure of where he went, but based upon his directions and google maps, if you take the wells exit off of 95 and go west on sanford road, and then make a left on n berwick road, there seem to be sand pits all along the north side of that area.

I will probably have him show me exactly where he went and get back with you.

 

[HoseHead]

There are signs saying that trespassing is prohibited and that the land is property of the maine national guard.

Be VERY careful of trespassing in Maine. 2 summers ago I was swimming in a small pond and apparently I was too close to someone's dock that was labeled "keep off". A boat pulled up, with both, a warden and marine patrol on board. They called me over to the dock and after asking for ID, they issued me a summons for criminal trespass.
Later that day, I went past the area in a boat and took pictures of the entire area showing that there were no "No Trespassing" signs (not that I was even on the dock or on the land). It took 2 trips back up to Maine to fight this.
I did eventually have it thrown out but worry that I will now have to explain this on every LTC renewal.

 

[survivedetroit]

Thanks for the advice, I don't want to run into any trouble.

 

[MaineCWPtraining]

Western Maine Fish & Game in Harrison is about 20 minutes away~

http://www.Westernmainefishandgame.com

 

[travis]

Rule #1 in Maine if you do not own the land ASK permission! Most people have no problem letting you use a gravel pit for a afternoon of shooting fun.

Just to be clear. as far as hunting goes you can hunt anywhere it is legal to do so as long as the land I not posted. For those who may not know even though it is used in all 50 though I do not know if it is legal in all 50 . Any tree with two parallel lines is the sign for no trespassing and is used allot in Maine as the signs are for more expensive then a can of spray paint. That said look back to rule #1. If you do not own the land ASK! I own 80 acres and except during deer season I let people use my land. But If you don't ask and your caught then you will be issued a no trespassing citation meaning if you come back you get a ride in a police can free of charge.

As a side note for anybody who does not know there are rules for using other land.

1 ASK before you use it!
2 Tell the owner when you arrive.
3 Do not leave anything there that was not there when you arrived.
4 Do not harm anything IE don't go cutting down trees for any reason don't shoot the old car in the field, don't remove any fence or if you go through a gate that is closed the make sure you close it behind you. Basically have respect for the land and person letting you USE it.
5 IF hunting and your successful ALWAYS offer some the the land owner.
6 When you leave tell the owner and THANK HIM / HER for letting you USE there land.

Many people up my way no longer let people use their land anymore because people don't show respect.