Fort Thomas debates deer hunt

AMANDA JOERING | AJOERING@NKY.COM

FORT THOMAS – Fort Thomas City Council is still not sure exactly what the city’s deer hunt this year will be like.

At a meeting Monday, May 19, the council again discussed possible changes to the archery ordinance that was passed last December.

The council members agreed that eligible properties for discharging an arrow must be at least three acres and that the setback on both sides between the shooter and a neighboring property should be raised from 50 to 100 feet.

Everyone also agreed that the hunting should be limited from Nov. 1 to Nov. 21 and Jan. 1 until the end of the hunting season, which was Jan. 21 last year. This year’s end date is not yet determined.

The hunt will also be limited to the hours of 6 a.m. to noon.

“We have had people say they don’t feel safe walking, so if we limited the time, people will know when hunting is not going on,” said City Administrator Donald Martin.

Council also discussed posting a map of the eligible properties, which Martin said for the most part are on the outskirts of the city, on the city’s Web site and at the city building.

The council was split on whether it would be best to require property owners who are allowing hunting on their land to register with the city and whether adjoining property owners should be notified.

Martin said he worries that the more requirements like this that the ordinance includes, the less likely people will be to participate, which would make the program not work.

“With the restrictions of the property size, we have solved the biggest safety issues,” said councilman Eric Haas.

Councilwoman Barbara Thompson-Levine said she is in favor of the registration and notification because it adds an extra layer of safety to the ordinance.

Fort Thomas residents Patrick and Kathy Williams, who attended the meeting, said they are scared for children to be around their house, which is surrounded by eligible properties.

Children, Patrick Williams said, don’t know what no trespassing means.

“I grew up in Fort Thomas,” said Kathy Williams. “We used to go from one end of this city to the other through those woods.”

Kathy said she thinks the registration and notification are good ideas to give people more warning of when hunting may be going on.

The original ordinance allowed for hunting on private property with the owners consent from Dec. 27, 2007 to Jan. 21 of this year. Hunters, who weren’t required to report kills, reported 42 deers killed.

No injuries or accidents involving archery were reported during that time.

The council is revisiting the ordinance to give residents, many who spoke out against the hunt, peace of mind to help them feel safe in the city, said councilman Roger Peterman.

The council will continue to discuss the changes at a later meeting, which has not yet been set.

Martin said he expects to have a draft of the amended ordinance sometime in June.