# Lower Gunnison target shooting into river



## gunniflyfisher (Jun 17, 2012)

Heads up I did a float fish from pleasure park to blm takeout at orchard on 8/22. The first two miles float through private property. About 1.5 miles in we rounded a slight corner and could see/hear rapid gun fire going into the river from river left about 100 yards down stream of us. The individuals eventually stopped shooting when they noticed we were there. They did not shoot in our direction but was definitely a surprise to see 50 plus shots being fired into the river. We quickly got to the far side of the river and moved past them. Shooting resumed when we were downstream. 

This is a fairly popular recreation float for fisherman and families. I regularly see young kids with parents in this section. 

I've heard of shots being fired in the air from this property and yelling at boats if they linger too long, but nothing like this. Target shooting into a river used by the public isn't cool. Gun was some sort of semi automatic rifle. 

I have reported to both blm and delta sheriff. Hope no one else has this happen to them as it could have turned out bad


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## yetigonecrazy (May 23, 2005)

that river was invading their home and trying to take their stuff, self defense


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## watermonkey (Aug 11, 2009)

Are you some kind of commie? Those there boys be expressin their freedom of being a God Blessed "Merican. Why, without guns, you'd be a German by now and wouldn't be able to float down rivers without a permit from the gov'ment. Oh wait, never mind, carry on. 

Keep your eyes open and heads down, idiots abound. Stay safe.


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## Andy H. (Oct 13, 2003)

watermonkey said:


> ...Why, without guns, you'd be a German by now and wouldn't be able to float down rivers without a permit from the gov'ment. Oh wait, never mind, carry on.
> 
> Keep your eyes open and heads down, idiots abound. Stay safe.


Um, before you get all indignant about not being able to float down rivers without a permit, here's your fun fact for the day: in Colorado you only need a permit to float in Dinosaur National Monument on the Yampa and the Green. That's it for the whole state of Colorado. Don't you need a permit for the Arkansas? nope. Colorado to the State Line? nope. Gunnison, Animas, Roaring Fork, North Platte, South Platte, Blue, Taylor, Piedra? nope, none of them need a permit. Now consider what a shitshow the Green and Yampa in Dino, and camps (now we're talking literal shitshow) there would be without some limitation on how many people float there.

And yes, idiots abound, keep your head down.

-AH


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## k2andcannoli (Feb 28, 2012)

This is abnormal behavior?


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## sammyphsyco (Aug 15, 2012)

Rule #1, never show up to a gun fight with a paddle or an oar!


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## Panama Red (Feb 10, 2015)

Did you return fire?

You know, Frederick Fucking Chopin.


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## treemanji (Jan 23, 2011)

Andy H. said:


> Um, before you get all indignant about not being able to float down rivers without a permit, here's your fun fact for the day: in Colorado you only need a permit to float in Dinosaur National Monument on the Yampa and the Green. That's it for the whole state of Colorado. Don't you need a permit for the Arkansas? nope. Colorado to the State Line?
> 
> -AH


Don't forget RH.


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## caverdan (Aug 27, 2004)

One more reason for boaters to carry guns in their first aide kits


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## grizzley (Nov 19, 2015)

Ha! I've been a guide and a ranger in the area for many years and this particular land owner has always been somewhat of a problem. However he will not bother you if you stay off and steer clear of his land. I've never heard of him firing any shots towards anyone or the river. He has been know to fire shots on his land. You'll know when your close to his property because his dogs run up and down the river barking. Not cool but it is his land...


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## bucketboater (Jul 9, 2012)

Wtf is going on in co. I have run almost every river in the Nw and never had a problem with land owners as long as I stay along the river banks. The quarter mile law is a federal regulation regarding shooting along rivers and lakes as well. Between your washed up qb and your nutcase landowners C.O sounds like a shitshow.


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## spencerhenry (Jun 21, 2004)

quarter mile law?

i hunt and shoot more than most, i also stay more well informed about the laws concerning hunting and shooting, that is one that i have never seen or heard about. 

can you find where the actual law and post it?


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## mattman (Jan 30, 2015)

It is a shit show, boating sucks, landowners shoot you, people should stop moving hear, and not boat hear, especially upper c and browns in july, those runs SUCK.
I reccomend moving somewhere far, far away, don't boat hear, you wouldn't like it.


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## mattman (Jan 30, 2015)

Once had very cool landowner walk down to riv with rifle in hand to warn me to go left at dotsero bridge at high water. Think he was out for a morning of varmint shootin'.


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## caverdan (Aug 27, 2004)

mattman said:


> It is a shit show, boating sucks, landowners shoot you, people should stop moving hear, and not boat hear, especially upper c and browns in july, those runs SUCK.
> I recommend moving somewhere far, far away, don't boat here, you wouldn't like it.


 Couldn't agree more. 

It all started when we opened our borders up to other states. We are all hoping Trump will get into office. He'll make everyone go back to where they came from. :mrgreen: :mrgreen: :mrgreen:


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## elkhaven (Sep 11, 2013)

bucketboater said:


> Wtf is going on in co. I have run almost every river in the Nw and never had a problem with land owners as long as I stay along the river banks. The quarter mile law is a federal regulation regarding shooting along rivers and lakes as well. Between your washed up qb and your nutcase landowners C.O sounds like a shitshow.


I too have not heard of this federal reg. I hunt ON rivers and lakes very frequently - meaning I hunt from a boat on the water 20+ days a year. There are laws about shooting while in moving boats (under power either human, wind or motor). There are local ordinances, there are probably state or federal restrictions for certain areas, times or what not but no over riding federal reg restricting shooting from any specific distance from rivers or lakes. 

In Montana we are allowed to use the area between the high water marks for bird hunting (Ducks, geese, pheasants, etc) but not Big Game. To hunt big game between the high water marks you have to have to have legal access to land adjacent to at least one bank (i.e. permission, public land or actual ownership, etc.). But you can shoot near, along across or from rivers and lakes here in 'Merica. I'm not saying it's always a good idea, responsible or the best course of action but it is legal and there are plenty of places where it is appropriate, safe and actually done

On a related note to the original post, I know of 2 private shooting ranges that cross rivers we float. One in particular there is a target on the far bank of the East Gallatin and a bench set up on the guys deck. When you float through your head is dead even with the bullseye on the target. It's given me the creeps on several occasions, but I've never actually seen anyone shooting. Maybe it's more about intimidation...


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## jgrebe (Jan 16, 2010)

Re. the quarter mile law, I think bucketboater is confusing shootin with shittin.


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## zbaird (Oct 11, 2003)

1/4 mile law? Confused indeed. There is a 50ft from centerline of road law. There is a can't shoot from a motorboat or sailboat if the motor is on or sails are up law. No 1/4 mile law. If so a lot of people are in trouble including myself.


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## Pinned (Apr 19, 2012)

elkhaven said:


> There are laws about shooting while in moving boats (under power either human, wind or motor).





zbaird said:


> 1/4 mile law? Confused indeed. There is a 50ft from centerline of road law. There is a can't shoot from a motorboat or sailboat if the motor is on or sails are up law. No 1/4 mile law. If so a lot of people are in trouble including myself.


I have never heard the human power regulation, just the wind and motor. 

Clearly these guys were not hunting but maybe target shooting? Still not a great place to do so but at least they stopped to let you pass.

Be aware and be safe out there.


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## elkhaven (Sep 11, 2013)

Pinned said:


> I have never heard the human power regulation, just the wind and motor.
> 
> Clearly these guys were not hunting but maybe target shooting? Still not a great place to do so but at least they stopped to let you pass.
> 
> Be aware and be safe out there.


When I was younger and living in PDX, we used to go duck and goose hunting on the Clackamas, there were a couple eddies that we would row hard into, once in them, the boat would keep slidding around the corner, we'd get ready and if there were birds we'd all shoot. One day there was a warden nearby who flagged us down and told us it was illegal to shoot while under the influence of propulsion. So I'd taken that as gospel and always "tried" to adhere to it, though it's really a matter of semantics and not always possible to do. So with that said I just looked up Montana's regs and they're very specific for motors and sails and no mention of human power...

Reproduced below:
_• From or by means of any motorboat or other craft having a motor attached, or any
sailboat, unless the motor has been completely shut off and/or the sails furled, and
its progress therefrom has ceased_.

So apparently it's different in Oregon or the warden was uninformed (big surprise, law officials don't know the law) or just being an ass. Anyways I definitely learned something here and I can be more relaxed when out on a jump shoot.


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## jgrebe (Jan 16, 2010)

Since the question was asked about the Gunnison, thought i would look up the Colorado law. From the CDOW

"Hunting allowed from vessels (except sinkboxes) with
motors or sails if the motor is off, and/or sails are
furled and forward movement has stopped. Hunting
is allowed from drifting vessels and those propelled by
hand. Use of motorized vessels only allowed to pick up
dead or injured birds"

With regard to the OP, if his account is accurate I would agree, legal or not it's unsafe to shoot into a moving river. One really good reason is that at a flat incoming angle water can cause ricochet which makes it impossible to tell where your bullet will end up. Having said that I often hear gross exaggerations from non shooters about how irresponsible target shooters are. Rivers are used by a lot of users and we are on the same side. Stay safe and respect the other users and we can all enjoy our rivers for a long time to come


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## PhilipJFry (Apr 1, 2013)

I could have sworn federal law prohibits shooting across a navigable water way. (lakes, rivers, and the like) just like shooting across roads.


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## jgrebe (Jan 16, 2010)

Phillip. I think as with most river law is there is a jumble of overlapping and contradictory laws court cases and land use regs. Just the word navigable could be (and has been) debated for a 100 years. In some legal work I've been involved in the Feds position is that there are NO navigable waters in Colorado because none have been declared navigable by the Corps of Engineers. Colorado law has (several) different definitions of what defines a navigable waterways some of which would define the Gunnison as navigable, but don't outlaw shooting into or over them as far as I know Other Colorado laws would not define the Gunnison as navigable but again don't prohibit shooting again as far as I know . This word navigable also impact things such as trespass laws which could add another 100 years an four lawsuits to the discussion

The bottom line is that if you are acting in a careless or reckless manner with a gun there are lots of ways that you can be charged with a crime without getting into water law. I think there is pretty universal agreement on this post and in the shooting and boating communities that shooting into a river with boaters nearby is careless and shouldn't be tolerated. Responsible hunters and target shooters are another matter. Without being there it's difficult to tell which this was but always better to ere on the side of caution


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## gunniflyfisher (Jun 17, 2012)

Just to clarify these people were not hunting. They were target shooting into the river at a rapid rate. I've been around guns and hunting since I was a kid.


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## swimteam101 (Jul 1, 2008)

bucketboater said:


> Wtf is going on in co. I have run almost every river in the Nw and never had a problem with land owners as long as I stay along the river banks. The quarter mile law is a federal regulation regarding shooting along rivers and lakes as well. Between your washed up qb and your nutcase landowners C.O sounds like a shitshow.


I won't be making it to the PNW this Christmas say hello to your wife and my kids for me.


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