Shooting in public land near Austin?

[JohnGalt76]

Hello there,

I have been wanting to test different brands/types of ammo on different targets but I don't have anywhere to go.
Local ranges only allow paper targets. I am willing to drive 2 hours or more to some secluded public land if that's what it takes.
I'm in North Austin. Anyone knows of any place?
I'll be safe and I'll pick up my casings etc.

Thanks in advance!

 

[Southpaw]

Welcome aboard. You are going to find a hard time finding public land in Texas to shoot on. I'm sure others will make there way in soon with specifics of the area. Are you new to shooting or are you new to Texas?

 

[Governors20]

There is no public land in Central Texas. Finding or friending a person
with a place to shoot is your best bet. If you are willing to help a rancher build fence, clear land etc, you will have a place to shoot for a long time. A lot of people want a place to shoot, but arent willing to do anything to acquire the privelidge of shooting on private property.

 

[JohnGalt76]

New to Texas... relatively. Been here 3 years as of last week. Done all the ranges around. Even Best Of The West won't let me shoot my favorite gun in the tactical bay (AK 7.62x39).
New to shooting.. not so much. Been handling handguns for a while, sort of new to rifles though.
I don't mind "earning" my shooting rights... however, I can't just go around knocking at ranchers' doors seeing if they need help with anything in exchange for shooting up their place. If someone did it to me I'd think that's odd as hell, and I wouldn't wanna get involved with that.

 

[JohnGalt76]

There is no public land in Central Texas.

I figured West of here would be the general direction to explore... and I am willing to drive a couple of hours. Is the public land situation just as bad out there?

 

[JohnGalt76]

Just to be clear.. I am not looking for somewhere to shoot for free. It's not about range fees and/or membership fees etc. I just want to shoot at something other than paper to test different guns with different ammo against different targets. I'd pay double what I pay at any range to be able to do that for a couple of hours or so. But I just don't really know *anyone* who lives outside urban areas down here that I can ask (different story in Indiana, where I was before for 11 years).
So, that's why I asked about public land; but it doesn't have to be public. If anyone is or knows of someone who may take some cash (or help) to let me shoot for a bit, I'm all ears

 

[TreyG-20]

Hicksville in gatesville. Become friends with JD. At the meet I went to last October we were shooting at just about everything from cars to pumpkins and he even brought out a bullet proof window off a M1114

 

[JohnGalt76]

Hicksville in gatesville. Become friends with JD. At the meet I went to last October we were shooting at just about everything from cars to pumpkins and he even brought out a bullet proof window off a M1114

Thanks, that's a good start! I'll make note of that. Hadn't heard of that range before. They also have a website with contacts.

 

[breakingcontact]

Hicksville is legendary on this board. I need to make it out.

 

[gcarrillo004]

i heard you can shoot at Sam Houston State Park...can anyone confirm?


google is my friend again...found the answer.

 

[stdreb27]

i heard you can shoot at Sam Houston State Park...can anyone confirm?


google is my friend again...found the answer.

You can in the national forest. The state park is your average state park. You pretty much can only shoot if you win a cull hunt.

 

[JohnGalt76]

Actually, I am reading that there's no more plinking allowed in the Natl. Forest since 2005, it seems.
Something about people leaving all their trash, casings, targets etc.

Still looking, with Hicksville in the back of my mind