Report: Woodbury Residents File Petition Over Hunting Concerns

Sixty people in 38 homes have signed a petition asking the city to take back permits issued to hunters who shoot waterfowl at Bailey Lake, according to a FOX 9 report.

At an Oct. 9 Woodbury City Council meeting, several residents expressed concerns about safety, spoke about being woken up by the sounds of shotgun blasts before dawn, and were concerned about hunting’s impact on other wildlife and the environment in southern Woodbury.

Overdue revisions to the city’s hunting map brought both hunters and residents to the meeting. The council approved the changes to the map 5-0, but set an April 16, 2014, workshop to go over it again.

The primary areas of concern for those who spoke against hunting were Bailey Lake and the Wild Canyon neighborhood.

A man speaking on behalf of a group that hunts at Bailey Lake said they stay within the city’s regulations and always keep safety in mind.

“None of them live here to understand what they’re causing, and as I said in the council meeting, walk in our moccasins. If the hunters actually lived here, they wouldn't shoot here either,” Kathy Jorgensen told FOX 9.

The changes to the map, which hasn’t been updated since 2008, are needed to reflect further development in the city. However, the police department has been denying hunters access to some parts of the city over the intervening years, essentially updating the map administratively.

The lines are drawn based on state law and Department of Natural Resources guidelines, said Public Safety Chief Lee Vague. He could not remember a hunting accident in Woodbury during his tenure with the department and told the council it’s a quality of life issue.

• • • •

For updates and other information about the community, join us on Patch, Like us on Facebook and follow Woodbury on Twitter.