TexasCHLforum.com

Back in my days in California, we'd go out to Frazier Park and other various state or national parks where you could freely shoot. You know, drive in a few miles from the road, set up some targets, and plink away. This was my favorite way to get some practice because you could shoot from a position other than standing. Neutralizing your old toaster or vacuum cleaner had other therapeutic benefits, but that's another discussion

So, being new to the whole gun world here in Tx...how do I go about finding similar places (north side of Houston particularly!) where its ok to fire?

There is virtually no public land in Texas, unlike California.

You cannot shoot on private property without permission of the owner, but if you can find someone willing to let you shoot on their land, you are good to go.

Unfortunately, probably your best option is to go to a public range, and pay the money.

What Linda said.

However, several Forum members have stated that they shoot on their own land. Don't know whether any of them are close to Magnolia, but perhaps some of them will respond.

[quote="llwatson"]There is virtually no public land in Texas, unlike California.

You cannot shoot on private property without permission of the owner, but if you can find someone willing to let you shoot on their land, you are good to go.[quote]


This is one reason I want to move out of the city and get myself 15-20 acres so when I have the urge to go bang bang, I can just step outside do so.

Anybody got any land to sell cheap??????

Until 3-4 years ago, there were several informal shooting areas in the Sam Houston National Forest. A couple were in the New Waverly area, one near Coldspring, and one toward Cleveland.

With the exception of a reasonably nice actual shooting range west of New Waverly, these were just cleared areas on a forestry road where loads of dirt were dumped to form a backstop. There was always a selection of informal targets (junk) and the sites were also popular as the only place many could shoot their full auto firearms.

I believe it was the U.S. Forestry Service that decided that they were a nuisance after being in existance for decades.

The areas were closed and the roads leading to them were barricaded. The one good range west of Waverly now opens at the end of September and closes shortly after deer season.

When I was young, quite a few city dumps were popular places that offered live targets (rats), as well.

You can participate in Texas' public hunting program for a reasonable amount, but plinking isn't allowed and casual shooting outside of a hunting season would draw attention. Certainly not a place to import targets.

The way things are now, your only hope is to befriend someone who owns property or invest in a parcel yourself.

The best way I have found to practice defensive shooting is to join a private club. I belong to one in the Dallas area where I can practice as I see fit.

I'm sure there are some in Houston.

Charger wrote:Neutralizing your old toaster or vacuum cleaner had other therapeutic benefits,

I interpreted his OP to deal with informal shooting (plinking) and not so much defensive practice.

Even the fine folks at PSC would object to killing toasters and vacuum cleaners.

One of the greatest voids in shooting today is the lack of opportunities to plink.

When I used to visit the shooting areas I mentioned, I would carry trash bags of aluminim cans and spend hours doing no harm to anyone. when I was finished, I used the same trash bags to carry the shot up cans home. Where can you do that now?

I'm sorry, but punching holes in paper gets BORING very quick.

Well, exactly, I did plenty of both: serious "training" shooting so I would not be in a sutation of need to but never having fired from my side, for example, and just plinking for fun. Having fun is good! Kind of surprising that its that difficult to do the later around here. Oh well...hopefully in time I'll run into a way to do that. I definitely will look into shooting clubs to try to fill in the need for the serious training part though, thanks for that.

The "toaster therapy" is also good for crashed computers that can't be fixed, VCR's, TV's, and my personal favorite, cell phones! Cell phones are so annoying, it's nice to blow one up on occasion!

Tactical_Texan_CHL wrote:The "toaster therapy" is also good for crashed computers that can't be fixed, VCR's, TV's, and my personal favorite, cell phones! Cell phones are so annoying, it's nice to blow one up on occasion!

I sure hope yall pick up the shot up junk & haul it off instead of leaving it in the woods.

Haha! Definitely, LT! We practice the "leave it cleaner than you found it" rule, when shooting, camping, 4 wheeling, etc. I usually shoot at pit a friend of mine owns. We all pitch in money to keep it up and time to keep it clean, and we've built some shooting tables and shelters from landscaping timbers. We put too much work into it out there to junk it up! I should post some pics of the home made range. You guys would love it!

Yep yep, just like camping and 4-wheeling...well, more smaller pieces of junk to pick up
That setup of yours sounds perfect TacTex!

Anyone have suggestions for shooting clubs in the north Houston area?

Quote: "There is virtually no public land in Texas, unlike California."

Actually there is a lot of public land land in Tejas - roughly 3 to 4 % of a great big state. People just have to do a little work to locate and scout it out. But, whether state or federally owned, plinking and "target practice" are pretty much prohibited. I can think of two public lands fairly close that used to be open for plinking and got closed down due to yahoos, yahoos who spoiled a good thing for everyone. I'm still working on getting one of 'em opened back up for at least bow hunting ...

The one in west of New Waverly is now closed. I ve talked to a NAtional Forest Ranger and she said the trash sometimes had contaminated fluids seeping into the ground. They must have freaked out and higher ups ordered it shut down for good. Seem s to be white trashers did all that crap. NO wonder the place was taken out of public usage.

Tactical_Texan_CHL wrote:Haha! Definitely, LT! We practice the "leave it cleaner than you found it" rule, when shooting, camping, 4 wheeling, etc. I usually shoot at pit a friend of mine owns. We all pitch in money to keep it up and time to keep it clean, and we've built some shooting tables and shelters from landscaping timbers. We put too much work into it out there to junk it up! I should post some pics of the home made range. You guys would love it!

Great. We have a "Plinking Pit" at our outdoor range. Angelina Rifle & Pistol Club. Ever so often we have to STRONGLY remind folks it is not the county dump. Do not bring a Frig, TV, Propane Bottle, Trash Compactor.... out ther & shoot 3 holes in it and call that plinking.