Resident: Has Banning Bullets Been Considered?

A resident who lives adjacent to a hunting club and whose home was penetrated earlier this year by a stray shutgun projectile asked township officials Tuesday night if an ordinance to ban the use of slugs has been considered.

In January, a from a leased hunting field 1,200 feet  away struck Linda Hoefele's home in the Hillsborough Chase area.

Hoefele said Tuesday that she learned the members of the hunting club that leased the open space mostly hunted birds, but there were two who hunted deer.

She also said the club officials said members mostly used buckshot, which does not have the ability to travel great distances.

Councilman Douglas Tomson said he has been discussing the issue with police officials and the township attorney to craft a legal response that does not result in lawsuits against the township.

State law does not allow a municipality to ban a specific ballistic item, he said.

Hoefele asked why there has been so little discussion by the committee about the issue.

Tomson said the issue is not being ignored, but is part of discussions that include finding a legal remedy.

Mayor Carl Suraci said deer hunting season has ended and small game season ends soon. He told Hoefele that these seasons don’t begin again for months.

The committee plans to use that time to craft a proper response to the incident, Suraci said.