Novi Outlaws Hunting in City
The Novi City Council adopted an ordinance Monday that prohibits the use of weapons for hunting and outlaws archery.
Photos
Since the 1970s, residents of Novi have been allowed to hunt in the city as long as they got special permission from the chief of police – until now.
The Novi City Council passed an ordinance Monday that prohibits the use of weapons for hunting in the city. Previously the city's law that prohibits the use of firearms had an exception where the chief of police could grant individuals 60-day permits to use bows or shotguns for hunting on private property. The new ordinance removes that exception.
Firearms are now only allowed to be used at shooting galleries and ranges.
The new ordinance also adds that bows and arrows may not be shot in the city, except at ranges.
Mayor Pro-tem Dave Staudt and council member Andrew Mutch voted against the ordinance.
Mutch said the law already has standards that are in excess of what the Department of Natural Resources requires and that residents should be allowed to practice archery if they have enough space.
"I recognize that obviously [the city has] changed quite a bit from when this was adopted back in the '70s, but there are still high-acreage parcels, there are still residents who live outside a subdivision, live on pieces of property where I think those activities can be done safely," he said.
Mutch and Staudt both supported a resident who spoke at the meeting and has been hunting on his land for more than 40 years.
"Novi still has areas that are predominantly rural, and to take away property owner rights because it's our preference, to me isn't an acceptable reason to do it," Staudt said. "I don't think there are safety issues in this situation."
Novi Mayor Bob Gatt disagreed.
"I think in the year 2012, most residents of the city of Novi would be shocked that there is still hunting allowed," he said. "Not only is it dangerous, it's terrible waste of man power when a police officer is called to the scene of a hunter. Now he's got to trudge into the acreage to find the person, determine if that person had permission or not, go back to the owner, it could take hours."
KK
9:42 am on Tuesday, September 25, 2012
Thanks Novi Council!!!!! Good job! I enjoy having the deer run through my property. The deer belong to all of us, and it isn't right that someone should be able to deprive all of us of their presence.
Mike Yokubison
9:58 am on Tuesday, September 25, 2012
Law should only apply to small parcels of land.
Steve Erdman
3:49 pm on Tuesday, October 2, 2012
KK:
Go hug a tree and leave me out of your "all of us" clique.
What isn't right is the Novi Council telling someone who has safely hunted on their property for over 40 years that they can no longer do so. Their rationale: It's dangerous. It's a waste of police manpower. Well apparently in this situation it's not dangerous to anyone but the landowner and we assume that risk as hunters. Mayor Gatt also thinks people who trespass and hunt where they are not welcome is going to stop because Novi outlawed hunting. This won't stop the poachers and the police will be still be "trudging" through the woods. Mayor Gatt, some people like trudging through the woods. Give it a try some time.
Bottom line there was nothing broken about the law when hunting was allowed on an exception basis. Unfortunately this is a typical government decision…take it all away because it fits your preference.
JJ
5:48 pm on Tuesday, October 2, 2012
Novi home and land owners should be happy that there local goverment is telling them how to do or act on there property......Maybe your mayor should work on filling some of those empty stores on Novi rd..VOTE THAT BUM OUT!!!
Joe Luther
2:24 pm on Wednesday, October 3, 2012
This situation is pretty clear based on the bogus reason given by the mayor for making a complete ban. The police know which landowners have permission to hunt before they go out on a call because its the police chief who gives the permission. I wish politicians would just be honest. They banned hunting because they don't like it. It is a shame that dislike for hunting is usually based on misinformation. Hunting is necessary to cull the herd -- and this is more true in areas (like Novi) where natural predators no longer exist. And hunting numbers continue to drop each year. This article explains the problem nicely: http://www.txtwriter.com/onscience/articles/deerpops.html
Joe Erdman
8:30 pm on Wednesday, October 3, 2012
I agree with Mayor Gatt, people would be shocked that there is still hunting in Novi. When is the last time you have seen a hunter in Novi? The answer is never. To take away a man's tradition of forty years is simply not right. Mayor Gatt should be outright embarrassed. Hunting is not all about harvesting a deer. Hunting is a tradition involving deep talks with family, sharing great times with friends, and appreciating nature; but you tree hugggers wouldn't know anything about that. The reasoning behind this law is that hunting is dangerous, which is untrue. The police time excuse offerred is complete non sense. Hopefully this law doesn't cause a boom in the herds population and an increase in car accidents involving people getting hurt or even killed. Hopefully. But that and robbing a man of his forty year old tradition will be worth it as long as you can see two additional deer in your backyard. What a joke.