DISCHARGE OF FIREARMS AND BOWS AND ARROWS IN HAM LAKE (HUNTING REGULATIONS)

3-200  Discharge of Firearms and Bows and Arrows

(1)       Except as permitted in subsection (2) below, no person shall discharge a firearm upon, onto, or across any “Prohibited Areas” within the City of Ham Lake.  No person shall discharge an arrow from a bow upon, onto, or across any Prohibited Area within the City of Ham Lake.  “Prohibited Area” shall include the following:

a)  The outside perimeter of all platted subdivisions, including auditor’s plats;

b)  The outside perimeter of all areas of residential concentration in which lots have been created by metes and bounds, and which have been identified by the Zoning Administrator as the equivalent of platted areas;

c)  All schools and churches, measured from the lot lines of the parcel upon which the school or church is situated;

d)  The outside perimeter of all City or County parks;

e)  The traveled portion of any public road.

(2)       Notwithstanding the foregoing, firearms and bows and arrows may be discharged upon, onto or across Prohibited Areas described in Article 3-200(1)(a) and (b), under the following conditions:

a)  The person is the owner or lessor of, or has the written or verbal permission of the landowner who owns the land upon which the firearm or bow and arrow is discharged, the land upon which the projectile comes to rest, or the land over which the projectile passes; and

b)  The discharge of the firearm does not occur within 500 feet of any residential dwelling, unless the written or verbal permission referred to in item 2(a) above specifically permits discharge within 500 feet of the dwelling.

(3)       In areas which are not Prohibited Areas, persons may discharge firearms or bows and arrows, but only under the same conditions as are listed in Article 3-200(2)(a) and (b).

(4)       The provisions of paragraphs (1), (2) and (3) of this section do not apply to the discharge of firearm by law enforcement officers while performing their duties.

(5)       The term “firearm” as used in this section includes pistols, rifles, revolvers, and shotguns.

(6)       Notwithstanding the provisions of subsections 1 through 6, inclusive, of Article 3-200, it shall be unlawful for any person to discharge a firearm for the purpose of target practice, including the terms clay pigeon shooting, skeet shooting, trap shooting, gun-sighting or other recreational shooting not aimed at actual game, except under the following conditions:

a)  The activity is carried out on premises which have a conditional use permit for the activity; or

b)  The activity is carried out on premises and under conditions which meet the criteria outlined in Article 3-200 (2) of this Code, and

i)  The activity is limited to no more than two sessions every seven days; and

ii)  The activity takes place between the hours of 10:00 a.m. and 7:00 p.m., and

iii)  The activity introduces no lead shot onto any wetland which has been so designated by the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources.

The discharge of firearms within any land area inside a Shore Impact Zone, or upon or over the surface of any water within the normal high water mark of Ham Lake, Coon Lake, Lake Netta or Little Coon Lake is prohibited.