Wisconsin Archery Park no longer allows... archery

EAU CLAIRE, Wis. - The city's Archery Park may need a name change. How about No-Archery Park? Tom Draper and his bowhunting friends have practiced archery at the park for more than 20 years, and he was surprised recently when he found a sign that cited a city ordinance prohibiting firearms — including bows and arrows.

"Several archers that I've talked to are kind of in disbelief," Draper said. "For all these years it's been there for the public to use. ... It was so convenient. And there was the camaraderie. During peak time it wasn't uncommon to have seven or eight guys down there."

The park is next to the Eau Claire River, and the city had developed earthen berms and even an archery tower for deer hunters to practice shooting from a platform.

Wooded hillsides helped provide barriers to arrows flying out of the park, but it wasn't enough, according to Parks Superintendent Phil Johnson.

The park was closed to archery in September after a neighbor complained of finding an arrow in his yard, Johnson said. It was the latest of several similar complaints from neighbors over 15 years or more, he said.

"Everybody's been most gracious about it up to this point, but the person has a legitimate concern," Johnson said.

"It's kind of interesting that at Archery Park you can't have archery anymore, but the fact remains that we have had a chronic problem with neighbors finding arrows in their yards."

Draper said he would like the city to appoint a committee of neighbors, archers and city representatives to review the situation.

"I would be really encouraged if there were some way that the city and a group of archers could form some kind of coalition where we could work at it and where we could police it," he said.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20071020/ap_on_fe_st/odd_no_archery_park;_ylt=AucZU1x5yr5yMS1rZW9BaVAsQ E4F

Why solve problems when you can form a committee instead.

The archers here have no one to blame but themselves. To fling arrows over all the safety precautions is just plain stupidity. They should have been patroling their own ranks.

"COJOMAY" wrote:

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The archers here have no one to blame but themselves. To fling arrows over all the safety precautions is just plain stupidity. They should have been patroling their own ranks.

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I seriously doubt they were shooting arrows into people's backyards for the fun of it or even out of recklessness.
If I had to guess, I'd guess that there's just not sufficient area and tree cover between the range and the neighboring houses.
People occaisionally miss the targets, after all.
Public parks are open to archers of all skill levels, including beginners.
And it seems like during the fall, when leaves are falling off the trees, the missed shot is more likely to travel through the wooded hillsides behind the targets and make it into people's yards.

As an amatuer archer (and a very poor one), I think it's too bad the park is closing.
But, as a choice between people having fun taking target practice and preventing some kid from getting hit in his backyard, the choice is obvious.
I'm sure they'll find someplace else to shoot.