Any public area to shoot clays/pistols in north TX?

[Nev]

Just want to find a little space to set up a thrower and enjoy an afternoon. Preferably some pistol target shooting as well. Is there any public land for this?

 

[robnron]

Way out West of Gordonville at the end of hwy 901. It's a long travel but has a nice tall cliff/berm to shoot into. You can get a 80 yd shot max.


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[MississippiRifleman]

Is that place marked or does it have some kind of indentifying feature to look for? I work in Sherman, and live in McKinney, and I need a place to shoot product photos of guns, gear and accessories for my article write-ups.

I've been looking for a place to do this for months, and I ain't found squat.

 

[Nev]

Is that place marked or does it have some kind of indentifying feature to look for? I work in Sherman, and live in McKinney, and I need a place to shoot product photos of guns, gear and accessories for my article write-ups.

I've been looking for a place to do this for months, and I ain't found squat.

Yea, same here

 

[caferacer]

Yea, same here

Yes, same here. I just moved to Texas from Cali and we used to drive out 45min to shoot in the deserts. I'm not finding much luck here and I too am in McKinney TX. We have several long guns and handguns we have not shot in sometime and I have expressed to my kids I would take them shooting maybe during spring break. I'd like an area where we can setup some tables, shoot throughout the day and have a meal or two.

 

[equin]

I could be wrong, and I hope I am, but I don't believe there are any free public lands around the North Texas area close to DFW that allow the lawful target shooting of firearms. In fact, I'm not aware of any such free public lands in all of Texas that allow target shooting, except maybe the National Forests? And even those I'm not so sure.

Unlike the vast expanses of federal BLM land in the Western states where folks can freely target shoot to their hearts' content, the overwhelming majority of the State of Texas land is privately owned. Although great for those wealthy enough to own the sufficient amount of acreage to be able to lawfully and safely shoot, that reality isn't much consolation to the rest of us average-Joe middle-class shooting enthusiasts whose only recourse is to join relatively expensive privately-owned gun clubs with ranges or wait in long lines at the crowded but few public ranges (but not as expensive) that may or may not allow the use of FMJ for rifles.

Hopefully someone with more knowledge than me will chime in and correct me, but I've been in Texas for more than 17 years and have yet to find a free, publicly-owned place within an hour or two's drive of DFW that allows lawful target shooting.

 

[Nev]

I heard Davy Crockett National Forest is open for recreational shooting. Any confirmation on this?

 

[Acera]

I heard Davy Crockett National Forest is open for recreational shooting. Any confirmation on this?

Just because it is in a national forest does not make it government land. Our property is in that forest, and you don't want me to find you uninvited out there shooting.

 

[Renegade]

Unlike the vast expanses of federal BLM land in the Western states where folks can freely target shoot to their hearts' content, the overwhelming majority of the State of Texas land is privately owned. Although great for those wealthy enough to own the sufficient amount of acreage to be able to lawfully and safely shoot, that reality isn't much consolation to the rest of us average-Joe middle-class shooting enthusiasts whose only recourse is to join relatively expensive privately-owned gun clubs with ranges or wait in long lines at the crowded but few public ranges (but not as expensive) that may or may not allow the use of FMJ for rifles.

Hopefully someone with more knowledge than me will chime in and correct me, but I've been in Texas for more than 17 years and have yet to find a free, publicly-owned place within an hour or two's drive of DFW that allows lawful target shooting.

Oh jeez have some cheese with that whine.

17 years ago I bought land 12 miles from dead center of Collin County for $1000/acre and I can shoot anything I want. Got a 5 year loan for it as soon as my car was paid off, then 5 more years of car loan size payments and then I had a 9 yo car and plenty of acreage to shoot on.

I have told folks far and wide to buy now, most decided they needed that Super Duty truck or whatever. I can't afford it said another. Well get 3 buddies and pool your money. Lease it out and reclaim your investment in a few years.

On the good news front, 2 friends followed my advice, one bought 55 acres and the other 117. Both are very pleased with their decision.

 

[equin]

Just because it is in a national forest does not make it government land. Our property is in that forest, and you don't want me to find you uninvited out there shooting.

Assuming the Davy Crockett National Forest is open for recreational shooting (and I don't know if it is or not), are there well-designated property boundaries so law-abiding public folks don't accidentally trespass onto private lands within the forest? If not, I suppose that may be one reason why recreational shooting may not be permitted, if in fact it is prohibited?

 

[equin]

Oh jeez have some cheese with that whine.

17 years ago I bought land 12 miles from dead center of Collin County for $1000/acre and I can shoot anything I want. Got a 5 year loan for it as soon as my car was paid off, then 5 more years of car loan size payments and then I had a 9 yo car and plenty of acreage to shoot on.

I have told folks far and wide to buy now, most decided they needed that Super Duty truck or whatever. I can't afford it said another. Well get 3 buddies and pool your money. Lease it out and reclaim your investment in a few years.

On the good news front, 2 friends followed my advice, one bought 55 acres and the other 117. Both are very pleased with their decision.

In Collin County?! That's within driving distance from me. So when do I get to come over and shoot on your land?! LOL. Seriously though, that's great that you got some land to shoot on. I've actually looked into buying some land myself for that same reason. I understand I would need more than 10 acres in an unincorporated rural area. But try as I might, I can't find any land for $1000/acre anywhere near the DFW area. Guess I'm a dollar short and 17 years too late! LOL

And for what it's worth, I drive a 12-year old little Toyota Tacoma I bought used many years ago and do most of the maintenance myself, including replacing the entire front and rear suspension, fish-plate welding the rear frame, and replacing the front CV axle. If you let me, I'll even fourwheel it on your land!

But to get back on topic, I'm still not aware of any public lands near DFW that allow recreational target shooting of rifles and pistols. But according to this link, you can target shoot shotgun only in Unit 3 of the LBJ Grasslands:

National Forests and Grasslands in Texas - Districts

I would call the local Forestry District first, though, to confirm.

And the bottom right of page 4 to this link talks about sighting in rifles, but I'm left confused as to whether that allows you to target shoot at any of the National Forests in Texas:

http://www.fs.usda.gov/Internet/FSE_DOCUMENTS/stelprdb5426745.pdf

Again, I would call the U.S. Forest Service about that.

 

[Renegade]

Hunt, Fannin, Grayson Counties. Also look in Southern Oklahoma, only 45 minutes from 75/380.