Where can I shoot if I don't want to pay a club

Herrick

Herrick

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Hi,

I own restricted firearms and for them I know I have to go to my club...

But what about shotguns since they are not restricted ?

I don't have the chance to own a big property where I can shoot on, so is there places we can shoot without paying someone ?

Clubs around me charge 50$/hour approximately + clays and you need to reserve 2-3 weeks in advance...

There is so much open wildernest around, can we go in the forest as long as it's not near a house and shoot legally ?

I've always wondered where hunters where going, always in a outfitters place or is there "government owned" place we can go without being bothered...

I wished I had a land to do whatever I want on :( Or know a farmer that would allow me to shot on his property 4-5 times a year

Btw, I live in Quebec (Laurentides)
 
I have never heard of a gun club that throws clay targets charging by the hour plus clays? Any clubs I have ever shot at and I have shot at many from QC to BC charge by the round. A round of trap or skeet consists of 25 clay targets per shooter. Most clubs charge around $5-$8/rd. Sporting Clays or 5-stand is usually rounds of 50 or 100 targets and tends to be a bit pricier due to the various clay target types costing more than a standard clay. It has been quite some time since I stepped on either a 5-stand or sporting course for anything but a fundraising event but last time I did I believe I paid $22/50 rds of sporting clays? What you may find is some clubs might require you to be a guest of a member in order to use the facilities but I have never heard of hourly fees?
Going out on crown land to shoot clay targets is not a good idea. They make an awful mess. If you don't have issues with using a range for your restricteds then I fail to see the issue with paying to use your shotguns? As for hunters most who do practice for wingshooting do so at a club facility. A few don't and I sometimes come across their messes out there. For some reason they think littering a private gravel quarry, oil lease, timber marshalling area, farm field access etc. with boxes of broken clays, empty hulls and plastic wads is ok?? It makes us all look like slobs!! Bite the bullet and spend a few $ at a range, hell go by a membership and shoot lots!!
 
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the spank said:
Going out on crown land to shoot clay targets is not a good idea. They make an awful mess. If you don't have issues with using a range for your restricteds then I fail to see the issue with paying to use your shotguns? As for hunters most who do practice for wingshooting do so at a club facility. A few don't and I sometimes come across their messes out there. For some reason they think littering a private gravel quarry, oil lease, timber marshalling area, farm field access etc. with boxes of broken clays, empty hulls and plastic wads is ok?? It makes us all look like slobs!! Bite the bullet and spend a few $ at a range, hell go by a membership and shoot lots!!
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+1. Few things are more infuriating than finding hulls, broken targets and wads in what was once a pristine piece of wilderness. It reflects poorly on all shooters.
 
+2, unfortunately we seem to live in a world where many believe that it's their right to leave it for others to clean up . I recently shot sporting clays at Montebello and it was $55.00 for 50 targets! The cours was great but that's more than I'm willing to pay on a regular basis .
 
I haven't heard of ranges that charge by the hour either. I pay $120 per year for one club, and $130 per year for the other club, and I pay $5 per round for trap or skeet at either club, with the club supplying the clays. I shoot all of my other firearms at the same clubs, so when you take the price of clays into account, it;s actually not at all expensive to shoot at the club.
 
When I calculate what the investment must be for a sporting clays club to set up 50 trap machines for a 25 station shoot, plus spares and ancillary electronics - it seems to me that $55 is not horrifying, though slightly more than some clubs.
At the cheap end of trap machines, with electronics, batteries, solar panels, etc. that is easily a $250,000 plus investment.
I also have never ever heard of a place that charges $50 per hour, or anywhere near that. Guest prices for Trap are usually $8 a round or so. Member prices are usually $5 or $6.
I do not believe in littering the woods randomly with clay bird fragments.
Join a club that offers clay shooting, shoot more, have more fun.
 
I'd really like to know where you are living/shooting to find these prices. In another thread you asked where to buy "bulk" 12 ga. ammo because the places you have found are charging $1.25-$1.50 per round?! I know your info shows QC, where in QC are you located that you are finding such extravagant rates or are you just guessing costs?
 
the spank said:
I'd really like to know where you are living/shooting to find these prices. In another thread you asked where to buy "bulk" 12 ga. ammo because the places you have found are charging $1.25-$1.50 per round?! I know your info shows QC, where in QC are you located that you are finding such extravagant rates or are you just guessing costs?
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I am beginning to think that he just isn't very good at shopping around to find good deals.;)
 
It can be difficult finding a place to shoot -(a good fun place), it's one of the biggest obstacles if not the biggest besides getting a licence. you have to be inventive.

I know the feeling all to well of having a nice gun or 2 and nowhere to give her a go.

To the OP I would look into a rural area that has a refuse/garbage type dump and go there on a sunday. Look at it on maps, whats around it, is it crown/town property, that sort of thing, be respectful and safe.
 
I also live in QC and have been shooting clay targets at various clubs here and in the New England States for over 40 years......Have never encountered a club which charges by the hour, and have never noticed 12 gauge target loads in the $ 1.00 per cartridge range. The best bet for the OP is to check out a few clubs (most have web sites) and become a member at one which suits his interests.(Montreal Skeet Club,Montreal Hunters and Anglers Club, Valleyfield Trap and Skeet Club are a few to start with).
 
Show-gun said:
It can be difficult finding a place to shoot -(a good fun place), it's one of the biggest obstacles if not the biggest besides getting a licence. you have to be inventive.

I know the feeling all to well of having a nice gun or 2 and nowhere to give her a go.

To the OP I would look into a rural area that has a refuse/garbage type dump and go there on a sunday. Look at it on maps, whats around it, is it crown/town property, that sort of thing, be respectful and safe.
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Now there is great advice!! :rolleyes: Go get yourself charged for trespass and shooting at a landfill!! Geezus, really?? f:P:
 
Thanks a lot for all this information !

Since I never shot TRAP, I thought it would magically disapear with the next rain (since it's clay)... Didn't know it would make a mess so naturally shooting on crown land is not a good idea. In Quebec, people already have a bad opinions of the shooters, let's not give them another reason ;)

For the shells, Buying local was a lot cheaper (I was looking online and had a hard time finding a "large" quantity of shells. At canadian tire, I found a box of 250 for 84$ so 0.34$ a shell. This makes more sense !

My club is Ruisseau-Noir: http://www.ruisseau-noir.ca/services/
So basically it's 20$/hour + 5$ per extra person on the field. + 25$ for 135 clays. So basically 50$/hour...

At that price, you only have a hand thrower, otherwise, you bring your own... So basically I purchased my own thrower (400$)


Pete G gave me a couple of clubs I will look into if I like trap shooting a lot, I will change club ;)

Thanks again for all your feedbacks
 
Was not long... A couple of calls and I found a club where it cost only
35$/year to be member

Then 5$/day/gun to shoot

Bring your own clays (or purchase locally)
And if you don't have your thrower, they rent it for 10$/day

It's my club that ripping me off ;)

Thanks for all your inputs :)
 
If you are at clubs that you provide your own clays and throwers or have to rent throwers you are not shooting trap my friend. They are ripping you off by charging you a fee to have a place to shoot informal clays, not properly laid out trap, skeet or sporting fields with automatic throwers set up for proper presentations. Look into trap, skeet and sporting clays ranges of that is where your interest lies. Personally I wouldn't give some range a dime of my $$ to shoot informal clays but thats me?!
And yes clay targets take a long time to break down as they are made with a blend of crushed limestone and pitch.
 
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I shoot at ruisseau noir as well. I agree,it's kind of pricey for what you get. I was actually there this morning. 5 guys, 2 hrs, 2 boxes of clays for a total of 120$, not counting ammo and we brought our own thrower (although they will give you a manual one if you want). But you do get a nicely covered spot to shoot from (hello winter) and you're not trespassing on anyone's property.

That being said, there is crown land where shooting is tolerated, as long as you pick up your shells. clay targets will disintegrate with time, so if the spot is open for this, then I usually don't worry about it. Problem is those spots are not advertised anywhere and the only way to know about them is to talk to locals.
 
the spank said:
If you are at clubs that you provide your own clays and throwers or have to rent throwers you are not shooting trap my friend. They are ripping you off by charging you a fee to have a place to shoot informal clays, not properly laid out trap, skeet or sporting fields with automatic throwers set up for proper presentations. Look into trap, skeet and sporting clays ranges of that is where your interest lies. Personally I wouldn't give some range a dime of my $$ to shoot informal clays but thats me?!
And yes clay targets take a long time to break down as they are made with a blend of crushed limestone and pitch.
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Hmm ok. I will try (since it will be my first time I don't know much about this), and if I like it, I will definetely go to a real club to see the difference !

Thanks
 
Salibas007 said:
I shoot at ruisseau noir as well. I agree,it's kind of pricey for what you get. I was actually there this morning. 5 guys, 2 hrs, 2 boxes of clays for a total of 120$, not counting ammo and we brought our own thrower (although they will give you a manual one if you want). But you do get a nicely covered spot to shoot from (hello winter) and you're not trespassing on anyone's property.
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For $120 I can purchase two prepaid rounds cards for 22 rounds(550 targets) of my choice of trap or skeet plus an annual memberhip to the local trap and skeet club and still have $10 of that $120 to buy lunch! You guys need to look around at different clubs!
 
A lot of clubs in Ontario will let you shoot trap as a guest, anywhere from $5.00 to $10.00 a round. You bring your own shells, although a few clubs will sell shells. Haven't heard of any charging by the hour. Might be able to do skeet and sporting clays too, but I haven't checked.

If you are near a Sail store, check them for target shells. They often have them on sale for around $70.00 a flat of 250.
 
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