I checked the crown land atlas and can't see any crown land in that area.
I would make sure it's crown land first, and that there are no discharge bylaws!
If you get me a better idea, I can verify the crown land on the atlas for you

Manotick is in the city of Ottawa and the discharge of firearms is prohibited in urban areas. There IS a quarry near Greely where people swim .....but same bylaws. I don't think there's any crownland in that area - it's all owned privately.

http://www.lio.ontario.ca/imf-ows/imf.jsp?site=clupa_en

Most of the land between Ottawa and Cornwall appears to be privately owned, but there may be some useful quarries around the Richmond area near Dwyer Hill.

This is out my way. You can discharge a firearm in the Ottawa area, as long as you are in the Rural sector and are a set distance from a structure. In my area we hunt on lands literally about 30 seconds from town, you just need permission. Also the Marlborough forests is close by and you can shoot there. Its about 10 mins from Manotick.

There is the Stittsville shooting range on Fernbank road. I was a member there years ago. Don't know if you have to be a member to shoot or not. Its near in the area you are talking about and could save you legal issues with a city that has such a hard on with guns and shooting. If you are anywhere near houses I think you can count on a visit from the police.

The problem with formal shooting ranges is often the convenience and availability.

You may wish to sight in your firearm properly before you go hunting, or just after tearing it down for cleaning or maintenance. If a formal range doesn't work for your needs, a gravel pit on crown land, or private land with permission, is ideal. There are no fees when you do it yourself, which is another plus.

I suggest obtaining up-to-date topographic maps of the areas which meet your needs. There should be a tall backstop or rising ground behind your target which will safely catch the rounds. There should be no habitation or roads beyond your backstop - this is where your map comes in handy.

Draw a template on the map from the point you will be firing from to the maximum range of your bullets, fired at a low angle. Look for roads or unmarked trails in the template zone - it is your responsibility to ensure nobody will be in your downrange. A red flag signifies a shooting range in operation. All firing should cease if a vehicle drives into your safety perimeter. There should be no way a person or vehicle can suddenly enter the area behind or in front of you. Place signs out if you have to.

The more you can do to make your range safe, the more you are doing to be responsible and compliant with the laws of the land. If you do your research and make the necessary effort to make it safe, you may shoot with reduced worry.

If someone comes upon you and wants to know what you're doing, it is prudent to demonstrate that you're organized and have done your due diligence. It may be very difficult to find the ideal spot in an area as inhabited as Eastern Ontario, so, if you get lucky and find a good spot, it's in your best interest to be proactive about complaints.

On my farm, its very common to hear shots going off all year long, sometimes just sighting, sometimes singe shots for butcher/dispatch/( I assume) and othertimes, its clear multi range target etc.. while I live between Ottawa and montreal and rural, I am very happy personally that so many locals in all four directions are active in this area.

Much appriciated folks.

loads of good intel

thanks

I'm reposting excerpts from a discussion paper published in 2003 about Marlborough Forest. Comments after.

Full text at: http://ottawa.ca/calendar/ottawa/citycouncil/a-ofac/2004/01-12/Marlborough%20Forest.htm

"Regarding the discharge of firearms in Marlborough Forest: It appears that there is practically no time of the year which is entirely free of some kind of season on the hunting of some creature in Marlborough Forest. For this reason, it seems that there is a great likelihood that there could be someone hunting for something at just about any time of the year."

"Persons living adjacent to the forest have told me that sounds of gunfire may be heard pretty much year round on any day of the week. In recognition of the fact that this forest is owned by the people of the City of Ottawa, perhaps it is time to establish some kind of policy concerning what is acceptable and not acceptable in regards to the discharge of firearms -- and also related to bow-hunting. Acknowledging that there are concerns about deer populations and involvement in highway collisions, as well as their impact on forest vegetation, the autumn deer hunt may prove to be a necessary annual event. However, a continuance in the hunting of coyote seems illogical as these predators help to limit deer populations too. What is the logic behind destruction of both predators and prey in the same range? These kinds of issues should be carefully reviewed from the point of view of wildlife conservation and from that of best practices for a forest that is owned by all of the citizens of the City of Ottawa -- many of whom would like to venture into the forest for the purpose of recreation, but who are deterred by the sounds of gunfire."

"If Marlborough Forest is to be a place used by all residents of the City of Ottawa, then steps must be taken to make it as safe as is practically possible for those who wish to enter the forest.

"While acknowledging that hunters may wish to make use of the forest during certain seasons, there should be an evaluation of City policies concerning the discharge of firearms and the use of bows in the forest. There is a large percentage of the population -- potential users of Marlborough Forest -- who do not feel at ease with the knowledge that other forest users are walking around firing guns or shooting arrows.. This is a decidedly normal response to a situation, which can very well prove to be dangerous. Additionally, for some citizens of the City, particularly those who may have immigrated from countries where the presence of gunfire often has nothing to do with game hunting and everything to do with personal peril, the sound of gunfire in a public forest can be a source of fear. A review of the Ontario hunting regulations reveal that there is almost no time of the year when at least some kind of hunting could be in progress. Under the current situation in Marlborough Forest, all kinds of hunting may take place -- meaning, in essence, that one could expect to hear gunfire throughout most of the year ---- and, in fact this is exactly the case, as has been confirmed by residents who live adjacent to the forest.

"It seems hardly fair that the majority of the citizens of Ottawa should have to be continuously concerned about gunfire when they go into Marlborough Forest. It’s time to look at the City’s regulations concerning discharge of firearms in this forest, and perhaps other forests and parklands as well. If there is to be hunting, there needs to be some serious thought given to when and where it can take place. The goal should be to find a way, which will allow all citizens of the City of Ottawa to have a chance to visit Marlborough Forest under relaxed conditions when they need not have to worry about or be in fear of the presence of gunfire. This may require that the use of guns and bows be restricted to certain areas of the forest, or to certain dates. It’s time to examine this issue - now - as the number and type of recreational users of Marlborough Forest is rapidly changing."

"Recently, signs were erected at trailheads in order to let non-hunting users know that hunters are using the forests. Although this goes a long ways towards making one user group aware of another, there is still room for change. It would be useful to post additional hunting season information on a bulletin board at major trailheads so that the non-hunting public would know when there is increased likelihood of there being hunters in the forest -- such as during deer season when hunters may be more numerous than at other times of the year."

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Last word was that the city was closing the gates of Marlborough Forest to vehicular traffic from April to September because of illegal dumping. Hunters and recreational shooters are less of a problem than construction workers or individuals abusing the commons.

This should be good news for outdoor enthusiasts. ATV's are not banned, according to accounts on the Ontario Federation of Anglers and Hunters website.

there is a quarry somewhere between Oxford Mills and Prescott. A buddy of mine from Spencerville goes there all the time but I have never been. He says there are often people in there shooting off their guns and even camping in the pit. On one trip he said he found a group of girls in bikinis shooting guns with their boyfriends. Couldn't tell you exactly where it is.

http://www.lio.ontario.ca/imf-ows/imf.jsp?site=clupa_en

Yes. That's the source for crown land maps (and wow, what a crappy navigation map - it's difficult to compare it to real streets and locations on Google I've found). And an excellent post (especially the image) in your second response.