shooting off shore

frolic1 · October 25, 2009, 08:07 AM

I live in Florida. We go off shore fishing all the time. Is there any law against shooting from a small boat? I'd like to go 5-10 miles off shore, make sure no one is near and then do a little target shooting if the fishing is bad. I'd be using a shot gun so it's all short range. I was thinking of using some balloons and letting the wind take them 30-50 yards away and then fire on them. Is there any law against this?

hogdogs · October 25, 2009, 09:12 AM

Once in federal waters (+9miles IIRC) I don't think any law exists. Inside florida waters, I think the law says "No firing at game animals from a moving vessel." or some such wording...

We have taken clay pigeons and stacked them in a 5 gallon bucket and filled it with menhaden oil and let them soak for a week... Got off shore and used a hand slinger to launch them... the ones we hit chummed the top water and those we missed brought the tuna and lower level fish seeking... 'Twas a great day!

Brent

MTT TL · October 25, 2009, 10:27 AM

I would check your local and state laws. In SKIRIOTES v. STATE OF FLORIDA. The court rules that the state may regulate and police inside of territorial limits (currently 12nm). Outside of 12nm you just have to deal with the coast guard "enforcement" as they see fit. And pirates

.

frolic1 · October 26, 2009, 11:05 AM

Thanks for the update, I'll be sure to stay 9 nm off shore on the gulf side.

MLeake · October 26, 2009, 03:11 PM

... and in open water, at the distances you're talking, you should be fine. Closer to shore, bear in mind that handgun and rifle rounds will bounce farther than you might expect after skipping off the water.

The other issue would be to make sure you are not in any bird sanctuary areas before you uncase the shotgun. Again, if you are going 9-12 miles out, this shouldn't be a problem, but you have to have the weapon unloaded and stowed if/while you transit any sanctuaries.

Have fun.

birdshot · October 26, 2009, 05:34 PM

duck hunter's shoot from boats all the time. most shoot inside of the international waters.

MLeake · October 26, 2009, 05:51 PM

typically shoot in approved hunting areas.

The OP is talking about just taking the boat out somewhere and doing some shooting. For those purposes, knowing where you are is critical; Florida has a lot of sanctuaries along the coasts, and you can get into trouble with the Marine Patrol guys if you have an uncased/loaded shotgun while in or transiting those.

Chart and LORAN / GPS are good to have.

Doyle · October 26, 2009, 05:58 PM

You start to loose sight of land at about 5 miles. If you are beyond that point and there are no other boats on the horizon, then I don't see where anybody is going to give you any grief.

MLeake · October 26, 2009, 06:17 PM

... shooting out there shouldn't be an issue. The catch is what waters you transit en route. It's not legal to transit a sanctuary with a loaded or uncased shotgun.

Transit is legal if the shotgun is cased/stowed and unloaded.

If there are no sanctuaries to transit, also not an issue.

But going back to my original point, depending on where in Florida the OP lives, he may have to transit sanctuaries on his way off shore, and so navigational accuracy and proper storage could be important.

publius42 · October 27, 2009, 09:06 AM

hogdogs, the flavored clay pigeons are BRILLIANT!

hogdogs · October 27, 2009, 01:41 PM

Our concept was a deviation from "sand balling" in which you mix sand and macaroni with the pogy oil into a ballable mix and just throw them overboard. May as well have fun doin' it was my intent...

Brent

October 25, 2009, 08:07 AM	#1
frolic1 Member Join Date: October 21, 2009 Posts: 50	shooting off shore I live in Florida. We go off shore fishing all the time. Is there any law against shooting from a small boat? I'd like to go 5-10 miles off shore, make sure no one is near and then do a little target shooting if the fishing is bad. I'd be using a shot gun so it's all short range. I was thinking of using some balloons and letting the wind take them 30-50 yards away and then fire on them. Is there any law against this?

October 26, 2009, 03:11 PM	#5
MLeake Senior Member Join Date: November 15, 2007 Location: Outside KC, MO Posts: 10,128	With a shotgun... ... and in open water, at the distances you're talking, you should be fine. Closer to shore, bear in mind that handgun and rifle rounds will bounce farther than you might expect after skipping off the water. The other issue would be to make sure you are not in any bird sanctuary areas before you uncase the shotgun. Again, if you are going 9-12 miles out, this shouldn't be a problem, but you have to have the weapon unloaded and stowed if/while you transit any sanctuaries. Have fun.

October 26, 2009, 05:34 PM	#6
birdshot Senior Member Join Date: January 17, 2008 Location: north platte nebraska Posts: 344	duck hunter duck hunter's shoot from boats all the time. most shoot inside of the international waters. Last edited by birdshot; October 26, 2009 at 05:34 PM. Reason: wrong tense

October 26, 2009, 05:51 PM	#7
MLeake Senior Member Join Date: November 15, 2007 Location: Outside KC, MO Posts: 10,128	Duck hunters typically shoot in approved hunting areas. The OP is talking about just taking the boat out somewhere and doing some shooting. For those purposes, knowing where you are is critical; Florida has a lot of sanctuaries along the coasts, and you can get into trouble with the Marine Patrol guys if you have an uncased/loaded shotgun while in or transiting those. Chart and LORAN / GPS are good to have.

October 26, 2009, 06:17 PM	#9
MLeake Senior Member Join Date: November 15, 2007 Location: Outside KC, MO Posts: 10,128	Doyle and others... ... shooting out there shouldn't be an issue. The catch is what waters you transit en route. It's not legal to transit a sanctuary with a loaded or uncased shotgun. Transit is legal if the shotgun is cased/stowed and unloaded. If there are no sanctuaries to transit, also not an issue. But going back to my original point, depending on where in Florida the OP lives, he may have to transit sanctuaries on his way off shore, and so navigational accuracy and proper storage could be important.

October 25, 2009, 09:12 AM	#2
hogdogs Staff In Memoriam Join Date: October 31, 2007 Location: Western Florida panhandle Posts: 11,069	Once in federal waters (+9miles IIRC) I don't think any law exists. Inside florida waters, I think the law says "No firing at game animals from a moving vessel." or some such wording... We have taken clay pigeons and stacked them in a 5 gallon bucket and filled it with menhaden oil and let them soak for a week... Got off shore and used a hand slinger to launch them... the ones we hit chummed the top water and those we missed brought the tuna and lower level fish seeking... 'Twas a great day! Brent

October 25, 2009, 10:27 AM	#3
MTT TL Senior Member Join Date: October 21, 2009 Location: Quadling Country Posts: 2,780	I would check your local and state laws. In SKIRIOTES v. STATE OF FLORIDA. The court rules that the state may regulate and police inside of territorial limits (currently 12nm). Outside of 12nm you just have to deal with the coast guard "enforcement" as they see fit. And pirates .

October 26, 2009, 11:05 AM	#4
frolic1 Member Join Date: October 21, 2009 Posts: 50	Thanks for the update, I'll be sure to stay 9 nm off shore on the gulf side.

October 26, 2009, 05:58 PM	#8
Doyle Senior Member Join Date: June 20, 2007 Location: Rainbow City, Alabama Posts: 7,167	You start to loose sight of land at about 5 miles. If you are beyond that point and there are no other boats on the horizon, then I don't see where anybody is going to give you any grief.

October 27, 2009, 09:06 AM	#10
publius42 Senior Member Join Date: February 9, 2002 Posts: 1,936	hogdogs, the flavored clay pigeons are BRILLIANT!

October 27, 2009, 01:41 PM	#11
hogdogs Staff In Memoriam Join Date: October 31, 2007 Location: Western Florida panhandle Posts: 11,069	Our concept was a deviation from "sand balling" in which you mix sand and macaroni with the pogy oil into a ballable mix and just throw them overboard. May as well have fun doin' it was my intent... Brent