Can You Shoot on Your Property in Mississippi?

Shooting sports have numerous benefits including improving your physical and mental health. Physically, it can be a great full body work out as it works on your arms, core and legs. Mentally, it can help you focus and even build your analytical skills.

The adrenaline can also come in handy when you are having a bad day and you need to relax. In order to enjoy these benefits at home, you must ensure that it is legal to shoot on your property.

This varies from state to state. If you are a resident or planning to visit Mississippi, the following information may be of great help to you.

Can You Shoot on Your Property in Mississippi?

Yes, you can shoot on your property in Mississippi because the laws available currently do not prohibit this act. However, you have to make sure that you are not shooting within restricted zones, for example, a school, even if it is your property.

It is illegal to carry or possess a firearm or explosives on any educational property.

In order to peacefully enjoy shooting on private property, you need to keep the local laws in mind. Some cities may have distance laws that require you to be a certain distance away from an inhabited building before you can fire a weapon.

The top three things to pay attention to are:

• Permits
• Wild animals
• Castle law

Permits for Shooting on Your Property

Generally, you do not need a permit to shoot on private property in Mississippi. Therefore, permits here would apply to your weapons, ammunition, and shooting activities. If you have a concealed weapon, you need to have license for it. This is the only firearm license required in the state as it is an open carry state.

If you plan on hunting, you need to make sure that you have a valid license and the rest of your hunting party do as well. If you are hosting a hunting party on your land, they also need your permission to hunt.

Also note that there is always an option to visit shooting ranges around Mississippi.

According to FindLaw, there are firearms that are prohibited in Mississippi and to own them, you must have special permission. Some of them include:

• Machine guns
• Silencers and mufflers
• Short barrel rifles of less than 16”
• Shotguns of less than 18”
• Toy pistols that fire
• Armor piercing bullets

Shooting Wildlife on Your Property

In Mississippi, you may find your property crawling with wild animals such as wild hogs. According to the Mississippi Wildlife, Fisheries & Parks, shooting of these wild hogs is allowed in a bid to control their numbers, especially if you are trap shy.

However, you need to make sure that you shoot at the right thing as shooting animals such as deer can get you in trouble.

Mississippi is also one of the states that has an animal anti-cruelty act. This means that you need to be careful not to shoot a neighbor’s cat or dog, especially if it is not causing disturbance. According to the anti-cruelty laws, any person who knowingly injures these animals or mutilates them is liable for a misdemeanor.

Castle Law

The castle law in Mississippi was passed in 2006 and exists as an amendment to the justifiable homicide law. The castle law dictates that you can use force to defend yourself if another person attempts to or is attempting to enter your legally occupied property by force.

The law not only applies to your home but can also extend to your business, vehicle or even where you are employed. According to Coxwell & Associates, PLLC, the law allows you to apply lethal force not only when protecting yourself but also others.

Conclusion

The state of Mississippi has no provisions against shooting on private property provided it is not a restricted zone. However, you need to make sure that you have the legal weaponry and ammunition. You also need to take the necessary steps to not only ensure your safety but also that of others.