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Land steward asks council to amend ordinance to allow controlled bow hunting at Matheska parcels
Summary
Tim Batchelor, land steward for the Methodist Theological School in Ohio, asked Delaware City Council to amend Ordinance 505.11 to permit controlled bow hunting on two MTSO parcels to reduce serious deer damage to Seminary Hill Farm.
Tim Batchelor, land steward for the Methodist Theological School in Ohio, urged Delaware City Council on Oct. 27 to amend Ordinance 505.11 to allow controlled bow hunting on two parcels of MTSO land to address severe deer damage to Seminary Hill Farm.
Batchelor said the farm spans about 80 acres and that roughly 10 acres are actively used to grow produce for CSA shares and donations to local food pantries. He described damage to crops and native tree plantings, and said the farm’s nonlethal mitigations—fencing, repellents and monitoring—are costing about $15,000 annually and have not sufficiently reduced losses.
Batchelor told council MTSO identified two qualified bow hunters who would follow state rules enforced by the Ohio Division of Wildlife, complete a state‑approved bowhunter proficiency course, use only longbows, crossbows or compound bows, and hunt from elevated stands more than 8 feet high and at least 100 feet from any property line, street or driveway. He said hunters would notify the land team and law enforcement when on site, and MTSO would provide signage and other communications.
Batchelor said hunting would be limited to 22.8 acres on the north end of MTSO holdings and that the area would be downhill and isolated from residences and roadways. He asked council to “consider the amendment to ordinance 505.11.”
Council did not take formal action during the public‑comment period; the request was recorded for staff follow‑up. No ordinance amendment was introduced or scheduled during the meeting.
Asked at the podium, Batchelor provided his address and emphasized that the proposal followed guidance from an ODNR wildlife officer and that the plan included notification, restricted weapon types and elevated hunting positions to reduce risk.
The record contains no staff report, legal analysis or a formal motion to amend the city code; council will need to schedule the subject for a future agenda if it wishes to pursue the requested change.
