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Residents split at Carver County hearing over rifles and shotguns for deer hunting
Summary
A stream of township residents testified both for and against allowing rifle hunting in Carver County, citing local topography, hunter behavior, accuracy, and safety; speakers included township supervisors and long-time hunters.
More than a dozen residents from townships across Carver County addressed the board during the public hearing. Several speakers from San Francisco Township, Camden Township, Dahlgren Township and Benton Township urged the board to restrict deer hunting to shotguns only, pointing to local bluffs, home density near river valleys and concerns about inexperienced hunters. Jeanie Ofterretti of San Francisco Township said the bluff topography means residents regularly hear shots nearby and urged the board to "adopt an ordinance to keep the shotgun."
Other residents and hunters argued rifles produce more accurate, humane kills and result in fewer follow-up shots. Pete Parrish, a Laketown resident with decades of hunting experience, told the board: "I feel the rifle is much more accurate." Several commenters also noted practical complications if adjacent counties adopt different rules, creating a patchwork of hunting allowances across short distances and across township lines. The board heard these contrasting perspectives before closing the public hearing and taking no further action at this meeting.
