A passionate but civil crowd of residents gathered at the Duluth Township Hall on Thursday night to discuss how to handle what some said is a growing problem: deer hunters firing rifles around the most densely populated area of the township.
Township supervisors called the meeting to gauge the community's feelings on possibly banning the use of firearms in a small section of the township. The approximately seven-mile-long strip of land between Highway 61 and Lake Superior is home to a number of residents -- and plenty of deer.
In recent years, some residents have complained about hunters shooting from the railroad tracks near the highway and near occupied homes and barns. Those actions violate state law, which prohibits hunters from using a firearm to take a wild animal within 500 feet of someone else's occupied dwelling.
Most who attended the meeting agreed that hunters from outside the township were violating the laws.
"It's not locals. Locals aren't the problem," said township Supervisor Jeff Cook. "But if this persists for years, my feeling is, public safety first, hunters' rights second."
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Yet many in the crowd -- and many hunted on their own land near the shore -- said there already are plenty of laws that dictate safe hunting in the area.
"What's one more law going to do?" asked Steve Brown.
Al Anderson introduced himself to the crowd by saying he lives at mile marker 10 on the Grandma's Marathon route, "and I have more trouble with marathoners than hunters."
Several people suggested posting their land closed to trespassers. Doing so may not seem that neighborly, but it makes your intentions clear, said Minnesota Department of Natural Resources Conservation Officer Matthew Miller.
Township Supervisor Dave Mount said township supervisors will digest the public input and plan their next step, if it seems like there is a next step to plan. He emphasized the Township Board didn't want to force any decision on residents.
"We want to create a dialogue of what would be the elements of a successful path forward," Mount said.
