Can you shoot handguns on public land?

[pcgizzmo]

When I was a kid we used to go down to the creek bottoms and shoot 22's at bottles and can's. I hesitate to do this anymore especially with a hand gun. Is there a place besides a shooting range in the Dallas Ft. Worth area where it's legal to discharge a handgun other a shooting range? I assume any private property outside city limits but I don't know anyone with private property. Just curious.

[Beiruty]

In TX, it is tough. 97% of land is privately owned. and the few public land is either state park (limited to hunting) or federal land (no guns). Others please share more info.

[cbr600]

deleted

[BrianSW99]

Not all federal land is off limits to guns. There are many federal lands managed by the Bureau of Land Management that allow shooting both handguns and long guns. Unfortunately, I don't think there are any in Texas. Most of their land is in states further west than Texas.

[Oldgringo]

You can NOT shoot in or around public areas (CG's, etc.) in National Forests; otherwise, away.

[Heartland Patriot]

@Oldgringo:

I hope you do not feel as if I am doubting you, but since I don't have a legal background, I like to look up all the things pertaining to activities that could get me sent to jail or cost me a lot of money BEFORE I go do them...can you please cite the regs or laws saying that shooting in National Forests (plinking, target shooting, etc.) is quite alright as long as you aren't near a camp ground? I would certainly enjoy setting up some tin cans and plinking away, since I am stuck living in a suburb, for now...and shooting ranges only allow flat paper targets and get to be steep on the prices. Of course, I would clean up after myself, though I know for a fact there are those who do not...which is why a lot of places got closed down to plinking or target shooting. And, if it were not written down somewhere that its a legal activity, I doubt any park ranger or game warden would be real sympathetic to me saying I heard about it on a forum. Anyway, I'll keep my fingers crossed and thank you in advance.

[Oldgringo]

@Oldgringo:

I hope you do not feel as if I am doubting you, but since I don't have a legal background, I like to look up all the things pertaining to activities that could get me sent to jail or cost me a lot of money BEFORE I go do them...can you please cite the regs or laws saying that shooting in National Forests (plinking, target shooting, etc.) is quite alright as long as you aren't near a camp ground? I would certainly enjoy setting up some tin cans and plinking away, since I am stuck living in a suburb, for now...and shooting ranges only allow flat paper targets and get to be steep on the prices. Of course, I would clean up after myself, though I know for a fact there are those who do not...which is why a lot of places got closed down to plinking or target shooting. And, if it were not written down somewhere that its a legal activity, I doubt any park ranger or game warden would be real sympathetic to me saying I heard about it on a forum. Anyway, I'll keep my fingers crossed and thank you in advance.

IANAL nor have I ever stayed in a Holiday Inn Express.

I will not attempt to cite or interpret rules and regs of anything except my house and my land. I will invite you to view the various National Forest websites and draw your own conclusions and points of contact for clarification.

Good luck.