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Police chief proposes restricting deer hunting in city to shotguns after state ends rifle/shotgun zone
Summary
After the state eliminated shotgun/rifle zones, the city police chief recommended an ordinance amendment to continue allowing only shotguns for deer harvest within Forest Lake during the seven-day season, citing public-safety concerns; council directed the chief to draft ordinance language and noted public-notice requirements.
Police Chief opened discussion by saying a recent state change eliminated the historical shotgun-and-rifle zones, which means high-powered rifles could be used for deer harvest anywhere in the county unless municipalities act locally.
"Allowing high-powered rifles in this kind of area ... is a lot different than a fully high-powered rifle," the chief said, expressing concern that rifle rounds travel much farther than shotgun slugs and could pose a safety risk in developed and rural-residential parts of Forest Lake.
Council members generally supported drafting a local ordinance amendment that would limit lawful deer harvest within city limits during the season to shotguns and include precise legal definitions. Staff noted an ordinance amendment would be posted on the city website at least 10 days before council consideration to allow public review. The chief said neighboring municipalities are also exploring similar amendments.
Next steps: the chief will draft ordinance language amending the city's discharge-of-firearms ordinance to restrict deer-season harvest to shotguns within city limits and return to council with proposed text; staff will set public-notice and hearing dates as required.
