Lake Minnetonka bowfishing law proposed

[Jameson]

The following is from here: http://www.weeklynews.com/main.asp?SectionID=10&SubSectionID=10&ArticleID=11262

3/18/2013 4:00:00 PM

LMCD to consider a bow fishing ordinance

Ordinance could regulate bow fishing lake-wide

By Casey Merkwan

Reporter

The Lake Minnetonka Conservation District is continuing to explore the idea of a lake-wide ordinance that would regulate bow fishing on Lake Minnetonka.

The LMCD's ordinance review and public safety committees will draft an ordinance that will be brought back to the board for review.

"A number of the cities support the idea of a lake-wide bow fishing ordinance, the concept of it at least," LMCD Executive Director Greg Nybeck said. "There are some cities that don't fall into that camp."

Currently bow fishing is legal by state law, but some cities around the lake have different ordinances regarding weapons.

The LMCD has reported it annually receives calls asking if bow fishing is allowed on Lake Minnetonka but due to unclear city boundaries over water and different ordinances, that question has proved difficult to answer.

The ordinance, which would be lake-wide, would likely be more restrictive than state law.

A letter was sent to the 14 member cities of the LMCD toward the end of January.

The letter sought feedback and outlined three options for the cities: continue to operate as they currently do, prohibit bow fishing entirely on Lake Minnetonka or consider an ordinance more restrictive than state law but less than a total prohibition.

Nine cities submitted written feedback while three cities gave verbal feedback.

Six of those cities indicated support for a lake-wide ordinance. The city of Victoria stated it currently has an ordinance prohibiting bow fishing but expressed interest in updating its ordinance based on a lake-wide ordinance the LMCD may adopt.

Deephaven, Excelsior, Minnetrista and Woodland expressed they'd like to operate as they currently do.

"We recognize the ecological value of controlling the population of rough fish in the lake and understand that bow fishing may support this effort. On the other hand, we are reluctant to compromise when it comes to public safety and wish to ensure the right of our lakeshore property holders to the secure and undisrupted use of their homes," stated Woodland Mayor James Doak in a letter to the LMCD.

"Although supporting our position, banning bow fishing on Lake Minnetonka is a very blunt initiative that disregards the power of lakeshore cities to determine the compatibility of bow fishing with the preferences of their residents," Doak's letter stated.

Spring Park was the only city to express interest in prohibiting bow fishing from Lake Minnetonka entirely.

Because bow fishermen typically target rough fish like carp, some of the cities who indicated their support also supported the removal of rough fish.

"We support the removal of rough fish from Lake Minnetonka, so we would like to see very few restrictions added to state statute," the Greenwood City Council stated in their feedback to the LMCD. The City Council suggested a restriction of a 300-foot setback from swimming beaches, swimmers and divers as well as a 50-foot tether.

Currently the Public Safety Committee recommends allowing bow fishing only during the daytime hours on Lake Minnetonka, having the 300-foot setback, the 50-foot tether line and through open water only.

The LMCD has been discussing a lake-wide ordinance for the last couple of years.

In May 2011, the LMCD sought comment from the cities on their ordinances and what their opinion was about bow fishing, eight cities had responded.

The LMCD discussed bow fishing again at its Aug. 22, 2012, meeting.

The timeline for an ordinance to be drafted is unclear, but Nybeck said he hopes it will be sooner rather than later.

....

Your thoughts?

I'm surprised every city around the lake doesn't want it banned.

[mrklean]

i think the fact that rough fish are becoming more of a problem on certain area lakes they wanna try and nip it in the butt before it does get bad but found it funny bowfishing would disrupt lake shore owners and there homes thats just a joke

[Neighbor_guy]

I used to have a client who's mother lived on greys bay. She and her husband lived on the chanel from the main lake to peavy pond.

I recieved a ticket for bowfishing from the dock on greys bay for discharge of a weapon.

I recieved a written warning for bowfishing from the dock at peavy pond. However, I was told that if I was in my boat and it was not tied to the dock, no ticket.

It was some of the best bowfishing I have ever had or seen, but its not worth the hastle. To many people scared that they might take an errant fiberglass shaft through the living room window. And they will not hesitate to call the police, over and over again....

[Neighbor_guy]

come to think about it, that was a least 10 years ago...

cripes I'm getting old...

[TylerS]

Public safety? How many bowfishing accidents have occurred, hmmm??? Let me guess...uh, NONE. Yet here we go, making laws to prohibit it. By and large, more people are killed from drinking on a pontoon on Tonka than bowfishing.

Stupid, stupid, stupid. Good thing Minnetonka isn't the only lake to bowfish in the metro, but I fear a law like this sets a dangerous precedence. Slippery slope, folks...

[Jameson]

....and they made some new laws, I put a couple of highlights in bold text: http://www.weeklynews.com/main.asp?Secti...amp;TM=30359.38

4/29/2013 4:01:00 PM

LMCD passes bow fishing ordinance

Ordinance is more restrictive than state law

By Casey Merkwan

Assistant Editor

After continuous discussions the Lake Minnetonka Conservation District passed a bow fishing ordinance to make a uniform law for Lake Minnetonka.

At the Board of Director's April 24 meeting, the board voted 10-3 (one member was absent) to pass the uniform ordinance, which is more restrictive than state law. The ordinance will go into effect on May 1.

An ordinance like this needed at least eight members to approve. David Gross, representing Deephaven, Andrew McDermott, representing Orono, and Jeff Morris, representing Excelsior, were the nay votes.

McDermott said he voted against it because a clause stating bow fishing would be prohibited at all times within 150 feet of a swimmer, an anchored watercraft or person outside on the shore or dock was removed.

"I just think it added an extra degree of comfort and safety," he said. "It just reinforced the safety aspect a little more when it was in there, at least in my mind."

Morris stated he didn't think the ordinance was necessary.

"The current state statute covers Lake Minnetonka and has been sufficient up until now. This sport has not been problematic, why must we impose with further restrictions?" he said. "The ordinance that passed gives more clarification, but it comes at the cost of being more restrictive to sportsmen who have given us no cause to do so."

Every year, the LMCD gets questions from bow fishers asking if they can bow fish on Lake Minnetonka. Since there are 14 cities around the lake with different weapons ordinances and it's unclear where land jurisdiction stops and water jurisdiction begins, the LMCD couldn't give a clear answer.

A few years ago the LMCD set out to find a clear answer. The LMCD also met with Brian Petschl, president of Land of Lakes Bowfishing Association, who educated the board about bow fishing.

"We would like to thank the LMCD for the opportunity to provide information as they looked at the sport of bow fishing on Lake Minnetonka. It was our hope from the beginning to work with the district to educate both bow fishers and non-bow fishers about etiquette related to the sport before seeking further restrictions," Petschl said. "While the council has chosen to seek additional restrictions, above state law, it is our hope they will continue to work with the Land of Lakes Bowfishing Association to possibly provide further opportunities on Lake Minnetonka in the future."

Most recently, the LMCD sent letters to the 14 cities in January seeking feedback on their feelings about bow fishing and a possible lake-wide ordinance. The feedback showed that the majority of the cities supported a lake-wide ordinance.

The board held the first reading of the ordinance at its April 10 meeting.

At the meeting, Hennepin County Sheriff's Office Deputy Art Saunders expressed he thought the ordinance was a step in the right direction.

Judy Corson of Deephaven spoke in front of the board at the meeting and expressed she would rather have them ban bow fishing.

Corson said when she saw bow fishermen within 3 feet of her shore, it terrified her.

"I think the only way to have a uniform rule for the lake is to prohibit this on Lake Minnetonka. There are many lakes in Minnesota, we don't need it here," she said.

Chair Doug Babcock stated that the majority of the cities did not support a ban. In the feedback from cities, Spring Park was the only city to support a ban of bow fishing on Lake Minnetonka.

According to the new ordinance, bow fishing is prohibited from Nov. 15-May 1. It is also prohibited from a half hour after sunset to sunrise.

In regards to public safety, the ordinance states that bow fishing is prohibited from Memorial Day through Labor Day from 10 a.m. on Friday through sunrise on Monday, and on public holidays in high traffic areas, including, but not limited to, anchorages, commercial marinas, public or municipal docks, charter boat ports-of-call, public launch ramps or public swimming beaches.

Other specific areas include the anchorage known as Cruiser's Cove on the northeast side of Big Island, the anchorage on the northeast channel between Maxwell and Crystal bays, and Goose Island in Spring Park Bay.

The Hennepin County Sheriff's Water Patrol has jurisdiction on the water. However, the ordinance states that any law enforcement of any city bordering the lake is authorized to tell a person to cease bow fishing in the interest of public safety.

The ordinance also covers the disposal of fish. Fish cannot be disposed anywhere on the waters of Lake Minnetonka, within 300 feet of shoreline, except in private refuse containers or where the remains are used as buried fertilizer by residents of the property or at any public access point, except in containers specifically signed to allow fish disposal.

....

So, it looks like no bow-fishing on the weekends, and no bow-fishing near known high traffic areas.

[merkman]

Public safety? How many bowfishing accidents have occurred, hmmm??? Let me guess...uh, NONE. Yet here we go, making laws to prohibit it. By and large, more people are killed from drinking on a pontoon on Tonka than bowfishing.

...

I fear a law like this sets a dangerous precedence. Slippery slope, folks.

[TylerS]

Quote:

Judy Corson of Deephaven spoke in front of the board at the meeting and expressed she would rather have them ban bow fishing.

Corson said when she saw bow fishermen within 3 feet of her shore, it terrified her.

"I think the only way to have a uniform rule for the lake is to prohibit this on Lake Minnetonka. There are many lakes in Minnesota, we don't need it here," she said.

This, my friends, is why we continue to lose hunting rights in the U.S. Not based on fact, not based on science, not based on expert opinion, but the "FEAR" of a citizen who knows nothing about the sport except what he/she sees on television and ASSUMES.

What about bowfishing terrified Ms. Corson? The loud noise? The bows? The fact that they were *gasp* shooting arrows at fish less than 10 feet from the boat?! Good heavens. I bet they were going to motor right through some swimming buoys and start shooting at little kids. I mean, seems like that must happen all the time, right?!

If I was Ms. Corson, I'd be a lot less worried about a couple guys shooting rough fish, and a LOT more worried about high-horsepower speedboats under the influence of drunken occupants.

But wait, aren't there already laws to prohibit that sort of thing???

Interesting, isn't it?

I think I'm checking out of work early today, boys! Garbage like this is enough to drive me to drink. Good grief.

[Alagnak]

Sick, and sad. $$ and the loudest biotching wins I guess. I've never been on that lake in a boat but it sure makes me want to find her dock. So I can take a big duece on it. LOL

[TylerS]

All it takes is one lake, ONE, for something like this to snowball. I mean, Minnetonka is gigantic. If they effectively ban bowfishing on the entire lake, what's to stop other metro lakeshore owners from see that and thinking, "hey, we should do that too!"

Pretty soon, what started with one lake, turns into two. Then four.

I grew up in the Twin Cities, and after the weeds got high, spent most of the summer bowfishing. Ninety-nine percent of the time, I was THANKED for getting rid of "all those trash fish." I didn't have the heart to tell them that my paltry take was barely a drop in the bucket, but hey, if they were for it I wasn't going to argue. It was a heck of a lot of fun, and it truly did keep me out of a lot of trouble (it's really hard to drink beer and shoot a bow at the same time. After the first try, I pretty much gave up the idea).

[Archerysniper]

I've never been on that lake in a boat but it sure makes me want to find her dock. So I can take a big duece on it. LOL

+1

[Shawn Kellett]

Funny, they're Obama liberals...

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[Yooperguy]

Máybe I should start a group called "sportsmen for responsible bowfishing " and go and stick my nose where it doesn't belong and get the lake association all fired up with as many lies as I can come up with and try to pass them as fact.

[Jameson]

I had a quick chat with some bowfishermen on Tonka yesterday. They weren't having any luck and were thinking the water was still too cold.

[merkman]

Máybe I should start a group called "sportsmen for responsible bowfishing " and go and stick my nose where it doesn't belong and get the lake association all fired up with as many lies as I can come up with and try to pass them as fact.

Wow yooperguy...

Now you are upset with bowfishermen too?

What has the bowfishing community ever done to keep you from fishing/stocking muskies?

Not sure why every conversation has to turn into how muskie fishermen are once again oppressed, but each to their own.

Luckily not all muskie guys think like yooperguy and they actually support bowfishing.

Good luck out there....

-Merk

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[Yooperguy]

Really have no problem with bowfishing or bowfishermen, just making a point on how some sportsmens groups like to conduct them selves. Get it. I think the bowfishermen do the lakes a big service in controlling the carp population in light of lakes having a depleted big predator population to keep them in check.

[Jameson]

Saw another big muskie on Tonka today. That makes two monsters this spring and also one very small muskie with a very visible tag. Haven't seen a carp yet, though.

[merkman]

Really have no problem with bowfishing or bowfishermen, just making a point on how some sportsmens groups like to conduct them selves.

I am pretty sure there is a more appropriate forum for your attacks on non related sportsmens groups than this thread. Thanks for your understanding.

-Merk

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[Jameson]

Saw my first shallow carp of the year on Tonka today. Saw another monster muskie, too.