# securing hunting access....one parcel at a time



## dleier (Aug 28, 2002)

Public bow hunting forum set for Tuesday
By Teri Finneman,The Forum
Published Monday, January 31, 2005

A public forum to discuss bow hunting in south Fargo's Orchard Glen and Forest River areas could turn into a long debate, if residential surveys are any indication.

Residents were evenly split in their responses about whether or not bow hunting should be allowed on county-owned property near their homes.

The rest of the community has a chance to share their views at 7 p.m. Tuesday at North Dakota State University.

The forum will be at the Beckwith Recital Hall in the Reineke Fine Arts Center.

Citizens deserve to share concerns when public land is involved, said Scott Wagner of why the forum is being offered. Wagner is a Cass County commissioner and chairman of the county's bow-hunting subcommittee.

"They have invested public tax dollars into properties. It just seems reasonable," he said.

The property in question is 30 acres in Orchard Glen and 32 acres in Forest River, Wagner said. An additional 18 acres under the jurisdiction of Stanley Township is adjacent to Forest River.

The bow-hunting issue arose when Fargo resident Dale Ziegler approached the County Commission in early December.

Ziegler said he had bow hunted in the area in the past, but "No Hunting" signs were posted this year. Cass County Engineer Keith Berndt posted the signs after realizing the property was being used for hunting.

The Cass County Commission Policy Manual states hunting isn't allowed on county-owned land.

The County Commission formed a subcommittee after hearing from hunting and safety advocates.

The subcommittee mailed surveys to residents in the Orchard Glen and Forest River areas earlier this month.

Residents who favored bow hunting said it's an effective way to control the deer population. Others worried about the close proximity to their homes, children and pets.

Besides choosing one view or the other, Wagner has said the subcommittee could recommend a compromise of allowing hunting with restrictions.

Bow hunting on city-owned land in Bismarck has been offered since 1987 and includes applying for a permit and completing a mandatory questionnaire after the hunt.

The opportunity has worked well, said Randy Kreil, chief of the North Dakota Game and Fish Department's Wildlife Division.

Deer bow hunting season ended earlier this month.

Wagner said input from the residential surveys and the public meeting will determine what recommendation the subcommittee makes to the County Commission at its Feb. 7 meeting.

Readers can reach Forum reporter Teri Finneman at (701) 241-5557


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## dleier (Aug 28, 2002)

Archery debate shows split
By Teri Finneman,The Forum
Published Wednesday, February 02, 2005

A subcommittee took no action Tuesday night after a nearly two-hour public discussion on bow hunting on county-owned property in south Fargo.

The group needs to digest meeting ideas and residential surveys before making a recommendation to the Cass County Commission, said Scott Wagner, a commissioner and subcommittee chairman.

A recommendation of whether or not to allow bow hunting for deer in the Orchard Glen and Forest River areas isn't expected by the commission's Monday meeting.

Residents' ideas about bow hunting near their homes remained as split Tuesday night as it was in the surveys they responded to in January.

About two dozen people attended the public meeting at North Dakota State University.

The property in question is 39 acres in Orchard Glen and 32 acres in Forest River. An additional 17 acres adjacent to Forest River is under the jurisdiction of Stanley Township.

Randy Kreil, wildlife division chief for the North Dakota Game and Fish Department, presented the subcommittee with a bow hunting proposal.

The proposal includes an experimental archery hunt for 2005 that's limited to a specific number of people.

The individuals participating in the hunt must purchase a $20 special doe only archery license and tag issued by the Cass County auditor.

All hunters must complete a survey after the hunt or face ineligibility to receive a new license. Portable tree stands must be removed daily.

Kreil said the state doesn't have any recorded incidents of a person or pet being hit by a bow hunter's arrow.

Cass County Commissioner and subcommittee member Ken Pawluk asked what other alternatives there are to solve deer population problems.

Kreil said catching does and feeding them a contraceptive isn't only difficult, but there can be human safety issues if the meat is consumed.

Trapping and transporting deer is dangerous and expensive, he said, because the deer can sometimes go into shock.

"Where would we move them to? There are few places in North Dakota and Minnesota looking for white tail deer," he said.

Subcommittee member John Miller, an Orchard Glen resident concerned about safety, asked what the range is of an arrow.

Kreil said bow hunters shooting down at a deer from a tree stand typically have a 30-yard span on the arrow. Miller asked if bringing in a sharp shooter is a possibility.

Sharp shooters are typically expensive and there are disposal issues to address, Kreil said.

Trinka Rogne, an Orchard Glen resident, asked if the season could be split between Orchard Glen and Forest River.

Bow hunting season typically begins in early September and goes through December.

Rogne said Orchard Glen residents like to pick apples in the fall and she doesn't think hunters should be out at the same time. She also asked where the hunters would park.

Richard Thomas, a Forest River resident, doesn't think there's a deer problem in the area.

"All of these animals are a great joy for us to see," he said.

"All I've heard tonight is why we should have hunting. I don't think there is any reason to hunt there."

There were 13,790 resident deer bow licenses sold in North Dakota in 2003-04, according to the state Game and Fish Department.

Bow hunters aren't limited to specific zones or counties, said Doug Leier with the Game and Fish Department.

Ronald Glaser, an Orchard Glen resident, said residents would have spoken up if they thought there was a deer population problem that needed to be handled.

"Hopefully you'll see it the way the residents see it and not the outside," he said.

Readers can reach Forum reporter Teri Finneman at (701) 241-5557


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