PUSLINCH – Puslinch is the latest municipality in Wellington County to permit gun hunting on Sundays.
Approved with caveats at a Puslinch council meeting Wednesday afternoon, staff will confirm whether the township can opt out at a later date and that various conservation authorities, the County of Wellington and other public landowners have proper signage in place to "advise prohibitions" before the Ministry of Natural Resources (MNR) is notified about the decision.
Staff were also directed to develop a page on the Township of Puslinch website outlining Sunday gun hunting and linking any relevant information from MNR's website.
Once confirmed, staff will contact the MNR to amend its list of municipalities allowing gun hunting Sundays in Ontario to include Puslinch. This should be in place by September.
Currently, hunters can hunt with a gun six days a week within the applicable season in Puslinch. Guns can only be discharged on Sundays at a gun club or with the owner's permission while target shooting or hunting on private lands.
While the decision was approved unanimously, Coun. Sara Bailey did share concerns about the approval potentially bringing in more hunters to the township considering surrounding cities like Guelph don't permit hunting point blank.
In response, Mayor James Seeley said it's not typical to see hunting permitted in a city and those hunters are "likely already coming" to hunt in Puslinch- which Bailey said is her point.
"I don't feel we're going to be set up or prepared for all of that," said Bailey.
Backed by Seeley, Coun. Russel Hurst suggested adequate signage indicating where hunting is permitted as a way to "alleviate potential concerns with individuals assuming they can now hunt on public land."
"In my mind, that would make a lot of the apprehension go away really quick," said Hurst.
When asked how illegal hunting and/or hunting-related trespassing would be dealt with, Seeley said the first call should be to the OPP since they can respond the quickest. If needed, the OPP could then call the MNR's area representative.
In Wellington County, gun hunting is not currently permitted on Sundays in Centre Wellington and Erin.
Minto and Mapleton approved Sunday gun hunting earlier this year. It is also permitted in Wellington North and Guelph/Eramosa.
Isabel Buckmaster is the Local Journalism Initiative reporter for GuelphToday. LJI is a federally-funded program
