Carefree Truth

Issue #236, April 16, 2013

 

 

 

 

On Saturday, April 13th, Herbert and I attended the Arizona Game and Fish Commission meeting to record the agenda item about bow and arrow hunting in Carefree.  The meeting was also attended by Mayor David Schwan, Councilman John Crane, Town Administrator Gary Neiss, and several concerned Carefree citizens.   Unfortunately, the camcorder's rechargeable battery reached the end of its life, so no YouTube will accompany this edition.   I asked Mayor Schwan, who gave me permission to use COINS, which said it well, if he had anything to add.  

 

Carefree citizens north of Cave Creek Road identified a problem – archery hunters next to their pools walls and arrows found next to their homes. My objective was and is to eliminate archery hunting close to homes in Carefree. I think that has been accomplished with the action on Saturday morning.

David Schwan

    

 

 

 

Hunting in Carefree
Several years ago the State of Arizona changed the law concerning hunting. The new state law prevented cities and towns from prohibiting hunting within municipal boundaries and opened some private land to hunting.

In general Arizona Game and Fish Commission Regulations prohibit firearm hunting in Carefree.

On Saturday morning, April 13th, several Carefree citizens, Councilman John Crane and Mayor Schwan presented comments at the Arizona Game and Fish Commission meeting concerning archery hunting in Carefree.

The citizens and Mayor Schwan spoke in favor of the Game and Fish Commission Staff recommendation to eliminate archery hunting within 440 yards (1/4 mile) of residences in Carefree. The Commission voted unanimously to accept this recommendation.

This new restriction on hunting in Carefree will basically eliminate hunting in the part of Carefree where residential dwellings exist. This restriction applies to hunting area 26M which is north of Cave Creek Road

Please note that all hunting in Carefree south of Cave Creek Road has not been and currently is not permitted.

 

 

I routinely send COINS out to the residents in Sentinel Rock.  I don't tend to get responses, but did get a couple this time, the second of which I passed on to Gary Neiss for an accurate answer, as it was a pertinent question, and one that others may have wondered as well. 

 

Lyn Hitchon 

 

 

 

1. As you know I'm very much pro gun and 2nd amendment but I'm not, nor ever will, be a hunter. That being said I have nothing against it, it's just not for me. In fact, of all the shooters I know and shoot with, almost none of them hunt. But I have to say that hunting in or even near a residential development is insane even with bow & arrow. With today's modern compound bows even an arrow can travel a long way. A compound bow can launch that razor tip arrow at 350 fps. There is a LOT of open land in Arizona to hunt whatever they want. There shouldn't be a problem.

 

 

2. Regarding "Hunting in Carefree," so if I want to just do some "plinking" or target shooting or target bowing, it's okay?  No ordinance that prohibits that, despite the erroneous message on the sign that one sees entering Carefree and SR?

 

Carefree contains two zones defined by Game and Fish, 25M & 26M.  25M is a no hunt zone which includes SR.  26M is located generally north of Cave Creek Road and includes archery hunting.  From a hunting perspective, the use of a fire arm or archery is prohibited within ¼ mile distance of an occupied residence in Carefree.  The use of archery for target bowing can arguably occur if one does not present immediate danger to property owners/individuals surrounding them.  If one injures another based upon neglect they could be subject to criminal violations provided under Arizona Revised Statutes.  There may be additional restrictions established by ones CCRs which could provide more restrictive provisions on target bowing.

Gary Neiss

 

Prepared by Carefree Truth

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