Can You Shoot on Your Property in North Dakota?

Most people enjoy recreational gun shooting and what better place to enjoy this sport that on your backyard. With the unrestricted gun policy in North Dakota, almost every homeowner has a gun or firearms in their houses. However, for you to enjoy gun shooting in your residence, you should guarantee the safety of people, buildings, and properties.

Can You Shoot on Your Property in North Dakota?

Yes. Shooting on your property in North Dakota is permissible by law. The constitution allows all individuals to keep and bear arms for the defense of their family, person, property, and the state, and also for recreational, lawful hunting, and any other lawful purposes. The state of North Dakota does not infringe on these rights.

However, residents who want to shoot on their property for recreational purposes must ensure that they do not break the law, cause damage to property, or injure or harm people.

North Dakota State Gun Laws

North Dakota state gun laws operate on a “Shall Issue” and “Unrestricted” policy. There are no requirements to have a permit for North Dakota residents who want to carry a firearm.

However, if you want to travel out of state, you must obtain Class 1 and 2 permits. Class 2 permits are given to those who are 18 years and above, while class 2 permits are given to those who are 21 years old and above.

North Dakota state permits open carry of long guns but open carry of loaded handguns is only allowed for individuals who have concealed weapons license. Non-permit holders may still carry handguns provided the firearm is in plain sight and unloaded.

To get a permit to carry open or concealed firearms, you must be:

• You must be above 21 years old
• Be a United States citizen
• Have been a North Dakota resident for at least one year as evidenced by a North Dakota ID card or ND driver license.
• You should have completed all the firearm training requirements and should not be prohibited by federal or state laws from possessing a firearm.
• You should not have any disqualifying offenses.

Therefore, before using your gun to shoot in your residence in North Dakota, you must ensure that you have a license and are legally allowed to use firearms.

Know Where You Are Shooting

You do not want to go onto another person’s property and start shooting your weapon. Therefore, before shooting, be sure that you get consent from the property owner or the individual leasing the property. In addition, you must know the property boundaries, especially for unmarked property lest you get yourself into trouble.

Ensure that you know the property lines and avoid firing towards it or near it into someone else’s property. Anything may happen if you shoot or almost shoot another person or scare your neighbors regardless of whether it involves the authorities or not.

Firearms That Are Legal to Use When Shooting on Your Residential Property

No firearm permits are required to purchase or possess firearms like shotguns, handguns, or rifles. This means that North Dakota residents can buy and own these firearms legally.

However, it is a felony to purchase, sell, or possess machine guns, silencers, fully automatic rifles, or bombs that are loaded with explosives or poisonous gasses. North Dakota law does not address antiques and therefore, they are just treated like other firearms.

Use of Firearms by Minors

According to the North Dakota gun laws, it is illegal for any parent, guardian, or any individual who has custody or charge of a minor below 15 years of age to allow the minor to carry or use any loaded firearm in public except when he/she is under the direct supervision of an adult for purposes of target shooting, hunting, or firearm training.

When shooting in your residence, especially when you have minors, you must ensure that you adhere to these laws to avoid getting into trouble with the authorities.

If a minor violates this law, he/she will be charged with a Class A Misdemeanor. Parents or guardians who do not directly observe the actions of their minors under 15 years of age who then carry or use loaded firearms in public may be charged with a Class B Misdemeanor.

Conclusion

Various North Dakota laws make it a crime to use or carry guns under certain circumstances. Therefore, before you start shooting on your property for hunting or leisure purposes, make sure you are within the confines of the law.

You must ensure that your shooting does not create noise to your neighbors or cause property damage or injure people. Shooting should also be done away from occupied buildings, roads, and parking spaces.