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Council advances amended urban bow-hunting ordinance after safety debate; lowers minimum age to 16
Summary
After extended debate about safety, deer population and enforcement, the council amended and placed on first reading an ordinance permitting bow hunting on private parcels of at least one acre under permit and safety rules; amendments lowered the minimum age to 16 (under-16s must be accompanied by a licensed adult), aligned hunter-safety requirements with state rules, and added an ID/arrow-marking provision.
Council members debated a proposed ordinance to allow limited bow hunting on private property within Joplin City limits during the June 7 meeting, with extended discussion focused on public-safety, enforcement and population management.
Assistant Chief Lewis and the city attorney outlined the draft rules: hunting would be permitted on private parcels of one acre or greater, require homeowner permission, impose minimum stand heights and safe shooting directions, and require either a Missouri Department of Conservation hunter ID or a city-issued permit number to be affixed to arrows for identification. Mr. Shaw voiced safety concerns, calling the idea "crazy" and warning about arrows near trails and neighborhoods. Supporters cited deer overpopulation, vehicle collisions and tick-borne disease as reasons to allow a regulated option for property owners.
The council adopted several amendments on the floor: reduce the minimum age from 21 to 16 (with under-16s accompanied by a licensed adult), mirror the state's hunter-safety-course age exemptions (born before 01/01/1969), create an alternative numbering system for permit-holders without a Missouri hunter-safety ID to affix to arrows, and add a limited "right of retrieval" with permission from an adjoining property owner. After amendments, council voted to place the ordinance on first reading as amended; the motion carried (first-reading vote 5 in favor, 2 opposed, 2 absent). The ordinance will return for subsequent readings where further amendments are permitted under council rules.
