StevieP
NES Member
Hoping some of our friends from Upton will attend this meeting and heartily object:
http://www.upton.ma.us/pages/conservation-commission/public-hearing.php
Basically, residents of a new development are trying to change the laws so that the discharge of a firearm, release of any arrow or any form of hunting be prohibited within 1000 feet of any dwelling or building in their neighborhood.
Existing laws, as you know, state the limit is 500 feet.
I do not think it is in the best interest of ‘the public at large’ to be denied their rights and privileges to free and responsible use of public lands, including but not limited to fishing, hiking, trail riding, hunting, etc. The state has already established extremely reasonable guidelines for hunting from distances considered responsible and safe. Responsible, legally licensed hunters should not be denied the opportunity to hunt within the existing legal distances from dwellings, just because some people who live near there don’t like hunters (or whatever their objection may be).
As a free American, and law-abiding citizen of Massachusetts, I fear that if this proposal is passed, it sets a very dangerous precedent which could result in denial or reduction of rights and priveleges in other areas as well, resulting in the loss of access to public lands available for use by responsible outdoorsmen and women. Once the rights of the many have been relinquished to appease the few, it is VERY HARD to get them back.
Is this something that outdoorsmen and women have to deal with frequently? It's the first I've heard of it. I'd have to research it, but I have a strong feeling the developers of this neighborhood had to get variances in order to build their houses so close to conservation land in the first place! For them to effectively remove a large tract of land from the public, seems extremely selfish and self-serving.
Thoughts?
http://www.upton.ma.us/pages/conservation-commission/public-hearing.php
Basically, residents of a new development are trying to change the laws so that the discharge of a firearm, release of any arrow or any form of hunting be prohibited within 1000 feet of any dwelling or building in their neighborhood.
Existing laws, as you know, state the limit is 500 feet.
I do not think it is in the best interest of ‘the public at large’ to be denied their rights and privileges to free and responsible use of public lands, including but not limited to fishing, hiking, trail riding, hunting, etc. The state has already established extremely reasonable guidelines for hunting from distances considered responsible and safe. Responsible, legally licensed hunters should not be denied the opportunity to hunt within the existing legal distances from dwellings, just because some people who live near there don’t like hunters (or whatever their objection may be).
As a free American, and law-abiding citizen of Massachusetts, I fear that if this proposal is passed, it sets a very dangerous precedent which could result in denial or reduction of rights and priveleges in other areas as well, resulting in the loss of access to public lands available for use by responsible outdoorsmen and women. Once the rights of the many have been relinquished to appease the few, it is VERY HARD to get them back.
Is this something that outdoorsmen and women have to deal with frequently? It's the first I've heard of it. I'd have to research it, but I have a strong feeling the developers of this neighborhood had to get variances in order to build their houses so close to conservation land in the first place! For them to effectively remove a large tract of land from the public, seems extremely selfish and self-serving.
Thoughts?
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