Public hunting area brings fire from neighbors
4:22 p.m. Thursday, September 25, 2008
The area is a former wildlife preserve in the 500 block of Urish Road. The property butts up to the Museum of Natural History.
Neighbors say they're worried about stray bullets, but Wildlife and Parks officials aren't worried.
"I'm sitting on my on my porch, having my cup of coffee and I thought, 'dang I better take cover'," said Larry Hesse.
He said he and other neighbors got a surprise on the first day of dove season. This area had become a public hunting ground.
Hunting Area
Peter Letch was walking on the nature trail behind the Museum of Natural History.
"It was sort of like walking into a combat zone cause it was lots of shots were fired," Letch said.
Kyle Maichel is an avid hunter and teaches classes on hunting safety. He took the first group of young hunters that day. He says all that shooting won't likely happen again because the doves have migrated away.
"That dove opener was kind of a fluke deal. They kind of had a baptism of fire. They really got the worst they're going to get the first couple of days," Maichel said.
Neighbors worry that stray bullets might head their way or toward the museum. But Maichel believes there is an adequate buffer zone.
"There's no rifles. It's shotgun only. Your danger range with a shotgun is so limited. It's just physically not possible for them to reach these areas," Maichel said.
Neighbors took photos of shells left behind. Jennifer Miller says the area has a history of poachers who don't follow the rules.
"The whiskey bottles and beer cans now being found down there. When you combine alcohol with people with guns, that's not a good combination," Miller said.
But John Sivolsky with the Department of Wildlife and Parks believes that is the exception and not the rule.
"We've had no issues with anybody getting injured or hurt or anything like that," Sivolsky said.
Silovsky says next year they will alert neighbors during dove season.
But that hasn't done much to comfort people who live nearby.
They are circulating a petition to ask the state to ban hunting in the area.
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Comments
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Sep. 27, 2008 at 8:17 a.m. (Suggest removal)Freedom46 (anonymous)
This was a great location to take my son dove hunting, the Wildlife & Parks did a great job of providing great habitat. My son is 11 yrs old and passed hunter saftey this year. He shot his first doves and was so excited, talk about making memories of a lifetime. This location was close to home, we did not have to go out of the county and spend our money elsewhere as we have to for most outdoor hunting adventures. I hope the actions of a few hunters (if they were drinking and any other questionable actions) do not ruin it for everyone. We were checked by a game warden and we passed all regulations. I would like to say thanks to the W&P for making it a great experience for me and also my new hunting friend and our sons. He and his son had a similar great first dove hunt experience also.
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