When Ohio's archery season opens at the end of September for white-tailed deer, hunters in Mount Vernon will be permitted to harvest them on private property within city limits. This follows the passage of an ordinance by the Mount Vernon City Council on August 11.
According to a YouTube video recording of the meeting, the city council amended the proposed ordinance to allow hunters within 30 yards of any inhabited dwelling, building, or public roadway. The original proposal required a distance of 500 feet. Hunters will need permission from private property owners to hunt on their land, while public property, including city parks, remains off-limits for hunting.
"We have to make this realistic if we actually want to control some of the deer. I mean, 500 feet is just, it's ludicrous. So I recommend the 30 yards, and then we see how it goes. And if we decide we need to go under 30 yards in a year from now, or whatever, we can do that," said Council member Mel Severns.
Public-Safety Director Tanner Salyers said that in developing the city's ordinance, they took into account the Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR) program recommended statewide and added layers of protection. These protections include evidence of liability coverage with a minimum of $100,000 for personal injury and property damage. Hunters must obtain a signed waiver of liability for the city and carry a valid government-issued photo ID along with an active Ohio hunting license with all applicable deer tags when hunting.
The ordinance restricts hunters to using bows, longbows, and arrows as defined by ODNR. Hunting is allowed only during the white-tailed deer bow hunting season established by the state, which runs from one-half hour before sunrise to one-half hour after sunset. Hunters must have written permission from landowners before hunting on private property and use an ODNR land permission slip signed by the property owner. This slip must be kept on their person at all times during hunting activities.
Hunters are subject to penalties for violating the ordinance. Civil penalties begin at $50 for a first violation, with subsequent fines set at $100 each. In addition to other penalties, criminal violations may be charged for failure to comply with provisions of the ordinance under appropriate sections of Ohio Revised Code's hunting laws. Hunting permits may be revoked for violations or behavior deemed unsafe.
