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WADENA — Should archery hunting be allowed within Wadena city limits?
The Wadena City Council is considering allowing limited archery hunting on select public and private (with the owner's permission) parcels in the city.
The first reading of a city hunting ordinance has been heard by the council, without any opposition, and the second and final reading is set for the Dec. 13 city council meeting.
“Basically the council is creating an ordinance to allow archery hunts on specified city property and some private property,” said Wadena City Administrator Kim Schroeder.
From one to two archery hunters per city site, determined by lottery, will get permits to hunt on city property. “Privately-owned property is not our call,” she added.
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The ordinance provides for archery hunting “during Minnesota designated hunting seasons,” and also allows for archery target practice in those specified areas within city limits. “It would be limited to certain parcels during deer, bear, turkey seasons,” she said.
City parks will not be among those public areas open to hunting, Schroeder added. Instead, hunting would be limited to other sites. “There’s a large area of city-owned property with (huntable) land and trees,” she said.
The proposal for city hunting was not necessarily driven by a problem with nuisance animals, rather by a request from several hunters, she said.
Kent Scheer of Wadena came out against the proposal in a letter to the editor. “We never have (hunting safety concerns) in Wadena City. We jog, and bike, and walk dogs without concern. We have no worry because everyone knows there are never hunters inside this city,” he wrote.
Under the proposed ordinance:
- Elevated stands can be used for archery hunting, but portable tree stands are recommended, especially those that don’t use nails driven into the tree. “Nails are a safety hazard for woodcutters and may harm the tree,” the ordinance states.
- No littering is allowed, and personal property must be removed from city land within 14 days after the hunting season ends.
- City property can’t be destroyed, including cutting trees to create shooting lanes. No permanent buildings or hunting stands will be allowed, and no obstructing of roads or trails.
If approved, the ordinance will take effect upon official publication.
