By The Archery Wire

In its effort to permit bowhunting deer inside its city limits, Reedsburg Common Council members are preparing to act on an ordinance that will also decriminalize snowball throwing in this south central Wisconsin city of 10,000.

Really.

Currently, Reedsburg city ordinance states: "No person shall throw or shoot any object, arrow, stone, snowball or other missile or projectile, by hand or by any other means at any other person or at, in, or onto any building, street, sidewalk, alley, highway, park, playground or other place within the city of Reedsburg."

In order to permit deer hunting by archers, that ordinance would first need to be repealed during a planned public hearing Oct. 8 in Common Council Chambers at City Hall.

The proposed replacement ordinance would allow the shooting of arrows on private or public land, as long as the activity is more than 300 feet from any building, including businesses and homes, according to a report in last week's Reedsburg Times-Press.

If approved, bowhunting for deer could take place during the regular statewide season, as well as during specially designated hunts aimed at controlling deer numbers in the city, according to Mayor Dave Estes.

If the measure receives Common Council approval next month, not only will things change for the local whitetail population, but citizens will need to be particularly vigilant when they venture outdoors following a fresh snowfall.