Hi Guys,
I was wondering if any more experienced MA hunters can help me decipher the Walpole by-laws on air rifle shooting and killing nuisance rabbit and wood chuck. I live on a suburban 1 acre plot and the rabbit and woodchuck numbers have gotten crazy. Its gotten to the point where I have bare spots on the lawn and my gardens are getting dug up before anything can grow. I have a decent .22 pcp air rifle and I want to use it to try and control some of the numbers. The way I read the by-laws below and according to MGL: 131 s37 I can shoot rabbit and woodchuck with my air rifle as long as it is reported within 24hrs. When I called the police station to confirm the dispatcher just said " not within 500ft of a dwelling" and hung up, which has confused the hell out of me because the distance section below only seems to apply to bows? Does that also mean that you cannot target practice with a bow on your own property? Can I target shoot with the air rifle on my own property? For reference I have taken the hunter training course, have not had a hunting license, and I do target Pistol shooing as well. I will be stopping by the police station with a printed copy of the by-laws in the near future to try and officially clear up these questions but in them meantime I would appreciate the input.
Thanks for any guidance!
A. No person shall, except with the written consent of the landowner or his authorized agent and where not otherwise prohibited by law, fire or discharge any firearm of any caliber or gauge, or a CO2 or an air rifle, or paintball gun, or release an arrow from a bow on any private property or hunt or trap in the Town; provided, however, that the provisions of this By-law shall not apply to Police Officers in the performance of their duties, nor to the use of such weapons at any military exercise or at an established shooting range, or sportsmen’s club, or in the lawful defense of the person, family or property of any citizen, or except as otherwise authorized or required by law.
B. No person while hunting or trapping on private property in the Town shall release an arrow from a bow within 150 feet of any road or within 500 feet of any dwelling in use, nor violate any other applicable state hunting or trapping law. No person shall hunt or trap on private property except when in possession of the carrying for inspection all licenses, permits, and stamps required for hunting or trapping under state law as well as written permission from the landowner or his authorized agent to hunt or trap on the property in question.
I was wondering if any more experienced MA hunters can help me decipher the Walpole by-laws on air rifle shooting and killing nuisance rabbit and wood chuck. I live on a suburban 1 acre plot and the rabbit and woodchuck numbers have gotten crazy. Its gotten to the point where I have bare spots on the lawn and my gardens are getting dug up before anything can grow. I have a decent .22 pcp air rifle and I want to use it to try and control some of the numbers. The way I read the by-laws below and according to MGL: 131 s37 I can shoot rabbit and woodchuck with my air rifle as long as it is reported within 24hrs. When I called the police station to confirm the dispatcher just said " not within 500ft of a dwelling" and hung up, which has confused the hell out of me because the distance section below only seems to apply to bows? Does that also mean that you cannot target practice with a bow on your own property? Can I target shoot with the air rifle on my own property? For reference I have taken the hunter training course, have not had a hunting license, and I do target Pistol shooing as well. I will be stopping by the police station with a printed copy of the by-laws in the near future to try and officially clear up these questions but in them meantime I would appreciate the input.
Thanks for any guidance!
A. No person shall, except with the written consent of the landowner or his authorized agent and where not otherwise prohibited by law, fire or discharge any firearm of any caliber or gauge, or a CO2 or an air rifle, or paintball gun, or release an arrow from a bow on any private property or hunt or trap in the Town; provided, however, that the provisions of this By-law shall not apply to Police Officers in the performance of their duties, nor to the use of such weapons at any military exercise or at an established shooting range, or sportsmen’s club, or in the lawful defense of the person, family or property of any citizen, or except as otherwise authorized or required by law.
B. No person while hunting or trapping on private property in the Town shall release an arrow from a bow within 150 feet of any road or within 500 feet of any dwelling in use, nor violate any other applicable state hunting or trapping law. No person shall hunt or trap on private property except when in possession of the carrying for inspection all licenses, permits, and stamps required for hunting or trapping under state law as well as written permission from the landowner or his authorized agent to hunt or trap on the property in question.