r/canadaguns • u/CountryFine • May 25 '26

Misc Bad experience on Crown Land

Went out to a fairly popular crown land shooting spot in my area today, it was my first time there and im not super familiar with the etiquette of public shooting but definitely had a weird experience.

When I first arrived it was just one guy and his girlfriend plinking with their .22, i asked if they minded me setting up next to them and they had no problems so I set up and started plinking with my .22 too. We would pause and go adjust our targets at the same time, and everything went smoothly.

Eventually they left and immediately after a big group pulled in. Right away they started unloading their targets and walking all around down range without saying a word to me, not even a “hi”. I sat patiently for about 10 minutes waiting for them to clear downrange, and then they just started shooting without any heads up to put on ear pro. It really came across that they felt as though because they were a bigger group they were free to take control over the area even though I was already there.

They were also shooting their prohib (GSG16 I think) and using unpinned 30-round SKS mags. I’m against the bans as much as the next guy, but this is just irresponsible. The last thing we need as a community are headlines about people getting caught shooting prohibs or “high capacity assault-style SKS’s.”

If any of you happen to be reading this, I’m sure you’re all decent people just out to have a good time, and I get it. But please think about the responsibility that comes with bringing firearms to a public spot. Every time something like this makes the news, it gives ammunition to the people trying to take this away. Abide by the laws even if you disagree with them, and please teach the young kid you brought proper safe handling, letting him walk around waving a gun in people’s direction isn’t okay.

I left shortly after and found a different area to shoot but as a new shooter the experience left a bit of a bad taste in my mouth. Maybe its just because im new to the hobby, but the shooting environment that this group created did not feel safe and respectful, and im hopeful that this isnt the norm for crown land shooting.

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u/[deleted] May 25 '26

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21

u/FearlessDevil666 May 25 '26

I would care when an officer randomly shows and now I’m guilty by association just because I’m there while they are there.

21

u/CountryFine May 25 '26

Exactly, one of the main reasons i promptly left after they arrived.

7

u/AdeptArt May 25 '26

Guilty by association is not how law works

10

u/Dickastigmatism May 25 '26

No but it's how the police works. Absolutely not worth the trouble.

4

u/Just-rz May 25 '26

You probably still regurgitate “innocent until proven guilty” too

3

u/FearlessDevil666 May 25 '26

Guess you haven’t been out drinking with a friend, leave the bar for a house party with a few more people and some muppet waves a toy gun out the window on the drive eh! Guess what happens, cops show up and put you all in the back of a van wearing new bracelets.

1

u/Technoaddict May 25 '26

Bruh that’s not how that works

8

u/FearlessDevil666 May 25 '26

Dude that’s exactly how that works!

You have to explain and prove that you don’t own any of those firearms. You don’t know any of these people. You did not come with any of them.

But now you get to sit there till someone either believes you and your story, you have solid proof or you go for a ride in the back of a squad car.

You may be innocent but the officer doesn’t know that and won’t take the chance.

1

u/HatchingCougar May 25 '26 edited May 25 '26

Well if you didn’t “partake” as in borrow it / take a turn shooting it:

If the officer can’t figure out who’s it is, <shrug> finger print it / send to lab for DNA samples then.  Have at it. 

Wouldn’t worry much about having to “prove” I don’t know them or didn’t come with.  1) it would be pretty easy for the cop to figure that out 2) and my own car is located at X spot and lastly…  not a crime even if I did know them.

Personally id take issue the poor safety & lack of etiquette.  While my own prohibs are stored & locked at least until the SCC rules.. I couldn’t care less if someone said eff the Liberals / Ottawa and wanted to shoot one of their prohibs (even a 12.2 or 12.3 for one last ride) They just need to do it safely & ideally with a bit of courtesy