Westford MA Hunting Policy Committee

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To any Westford residents:

http://westfordma.gov/pages/FV1-00046751/FV1-00045F63/S06ACC723-06ACC8BA

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[SIZE=+1]The Board of Selectmen is seeking candidates for the Hunting Policy Committee.

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[SIZE=+1]The committee shall investigate the Town’s existing hunting policies, related votes and documents (inclusive) on town-owned land and make recommendations to update these policies, with a primary focus on land controlled by the Board of Selectmen. Emphasis shall be placed on balancing hunting with public safety and other needs. The committee shall report a preliminary finding by September 1, 2014 for implementation beginning with the 2014 deer-hunting season. The committee shall ultimately provide criteria that may be applied to all town-controlled parcels. The final policy recommendation shall be presented to the Selectmen and all other town boards that have care, custody and control of Town parcels, each one of which may choose to adopt or reject the policy recommendations, according to a reasonable schedule provided by the committee.[/SIZE]
[SIZE=+1]The committee shall be comprised of up to nine voting members and two alternates, one of which will be a representative from the Board of Selectmen and one of which will be a representative from the Conservation Commission. The Board invites applicants with expertise in conservation, public safety and hunting as well as abutters to town parcels.[/SIZE]

[SIZE=+1]Interested residents are encouraged to complete a Citizen’s Activity application form, available online at: [/SIZE][SIZE=+1][url]www.westfordma.gov[/SIZE][/URL][SIZE=+1]. [/SIZE]

[SIZE=+1]If you have any questions please contact Tina Landry in the Town Manager's office at 978-692-5501 ext. 1.[/SIZE]
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So Westford is looking to become just like the "inside 495" towns and dramatically increase their Lyme Disease infection rates and Deer pest rates? Smart!
 
So Westford is looking to become just like the "inside 495" towns and dramatically increase their Lyme Disease infection rates and Deer pest rates? Smart!
I'm not 100% sure, but I believe they are already like that. They may actually be looking to do the opposite (especially if enough hunters get on the committee).
 
Wasn't westford the town that was having a shitfit over the bow hunter? People were bitching about the risk of hikers getting an arrow to the knee or something?
 
Wasn't westford the town that was having a shitfit over the bow hunter? People were bitching about the risk of hikers getting an arrow to the knee or something?
One in the same. Funny enough, it wasn't even the neighbors that directly abutted the property who were concerned (they were at first, but when the hunter walked them around, they changed their minds.) It was people who weren't even really close to the property who were "worried." A bunch of people who have no education or experience bow hunting thinking that, and I quote, "arrows flying through my back yard," is what is going to come from one guy hunting in a tree stand. Gah, people are stupid.
 
Here are the remaining dates that the Hunting Policy Committee is meeting:

Monday 5/12 - Millennium School
Thursday 5/22 - Town Hall
Monday 6/9 - Millennium School
Thursday 6/26 - Town Hall

The meetings start at 7:00pm

Any hunters in the area should attend, at the beginning of the meeting (first 5 minutes or so), to offer their opinion. I was told you do not need to be a Westford resident, although it would certainly help.
 
To any Westford residents:
... The committee shall investigate the Town’s existing hunting policies, related votes and documents (inclusive) on town-owned land and make recommendations to update these policies, with a primary focus on land controlled by the Board of Selectmen. Emphasis shall be placed on balancing hunting with public safety and other needs. ...

What's to "balance"? As always, when it is hunting season, people need to be cautious if they go in the woods. Maybe REQUIRE "hunter orange" for everyone during hunting season?

What the heck does "other needs" mean? Hunting seasons are short enough as it is.
 
What's to "balance"? As always, when it is hunting season, people need to be cautious if they go in the woods. Maybe REQUIRE "hunter orange" for everyone during hunting season?

What the heck does "other needs" mean? Hunting seasons are short enough as it is.

Go to one of the above mentioned meetings and say that to them.
 
Second to last meeting tonight. 7pm at the Millennium School

I have heard that there have not been (m)any hunters showing up to these committee meetings to offer their opinions.... If you are in the area, and especially if you are a resident of Westford, you should try to make it to one of the meetings.
 
The Westford Hunting Committee has concluded its work and posted a draft
policy document to the Town website. You can read it here:


On Tuesday, October 14th, the Board of Selectmen are expected to

consider this policy and vote to accept or reject it. The Selectmen may
accept, reject or modify the proposed policy in any way.

When or if a hunting policy is adopted by the Selectmen, it is expected
to be shared with the other boards that have care/custody of town land,
for example, Conservation Commission. Those boards will be asked to
consider and accept the policy. They may accept, reject or modify it for
their lands.

A few concerns have been raised that you may wish to consider. If you
have concerns, please call or write to your Selectmen to let them know
you are not in support of this policy.

If this policy is adopted the following restrictions would be imposed on
land owned by the Town of Westford under the control of the Selectmen:
- ONLY Westford residents can hunt
- hunting would be limited to Sept 31 to Dec 31
- hunters can only hunt on BoS land if they win a town lottery
- hunters would have to put an ID on their dashboard to identify the
vehicle as a hunter's vehicle
- shotgun hunting is banned; muzzle loader is banned

If you have concerns about this proposed policy, please let your
selectmen know before October 14th. The Westford Board of Selectman are:
Andrea Pereaner-Sweet Chair 978-692-7399 [email protected]
Jim Sullivan, Vice Chair 978-692-8248 [email protected]
Scott Hazelton, Clerk 978-692-9350 [email protected]
Kelly Ross 978-692-8775 [email protected]

Note, as presently constructed, this proposed hunting policy effects only Town of Westford owned land; it would not impact private property.

 
Wait, how can they ban shotgun and muzzleloader, when rifles and handguns are already banned?
 
Since it only covers land owned by the "Town of Westford under the control of the Selectmen" I would be interested in seeing those areas.

They maybe listed above but I have not looked yet. I doubt that is really a whole lot of land but the part that you have to be a Westford resident blows.

Not to many areas they own:
areas.PNG
 
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Also from the proposal:
Hunters must use a tree stand, or ground blind. No still hunting or stalking is permitted, except for tracking previously shot game.
..........
Hunters should be considerate of where they field dress their game. Hunters must stay at least 150 feet
away from private property, roads, parking areas, standing or flowing water while field dressing game.

While I would disagree with it, I would have understood the reasoning if they had said "Can only hunt from a tree stand".
But tree stand or ground blind? Is just sitting/standing next to a tree not OK? What about a "natural" ground blind?
 
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Looks like they only approved hunting on seven town controlled parcels and your permit only let's you hunt on a single parcel listed on the permit.
 
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