Hunters in Howard County could face increased safety restrictions under a new proposal by County Executive Ken Ulman who was outspokenly alarmed this month when a hunter’s stray bullet shattered the window of a Clarksville day care center.
Howard police said the shot was fired from well beyond the 150-yard buffer zone required by state law.
But Ulman’s proposal, which he plans to introduce to the county council on Monday, would double the safety zone to 300 yards, while maintaining the 150-yard limit for hunters who pose less of a risk.
“The 150-yard zone hadn’t been looked at in a while, and technology has brought about some more powerful weapons,” Ulman said in a phone interview.
The proposal also would prohibit hunting on properties smaller than 10 acres and ban firing a gun toward any building or camp designed for people within the gun’s maximum range, or within 100 yards from a public road.
“People should be able to go about their daily lives without the fear of a stray hunting bullet. I believe that this legislation creates a better balance between the safety and security of our residents and those who hunt in the county,” said Council Chairwoman Mary Kay Sigaty, who co-sponsored the bill.
— Carolyn Peirce
