Fargo City Commission votes to end bow hunting of deer within city limits

The vote passed earlier this evening due to possible safety concerns

FARGO, N.D. (KVRR) – The Fargo City Commission votes three to two to end bow hunting of deer in city limits.

Seventy-thousand North Dakotans participate in hunting according to North Dakota Game and Fish and it has carried over to public parks.

Fargo Police Chief David Zibolski and Commissioners Arlette Preston and John Strand feel hunting in these populated areas can be dangerous and want to limit access to bow hunting of all animals to more isolated rural areas.

Commissioners Dave Piepkorn and Tony Gehrig argue safety concerns are overblown.

“This brings with it an obvious conflict in terms of community members ability to safely utilize our parks system with those who would like to utilize our park system to hunt deer and turkey with a bow and arrow. “There is substantial public hunting land opportunities within the Fargo area for bow and arrow hunters to otherwise safely hunt deer,” Zibolski said.

“This might be the safest program in Fargo. For the park system to have a 15 year program where no one has been injured. Zero people and no property has been damaged. That’s unprecedented,” Gehrig said.

“It’s the perception of safety just as much as the fact that there haven’t been incidents,” Preston said.

The commission will now look into alternatives to control the dear populations. Bringing in professional sharpshooters was suggested.