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By Erin Smith
A standing room only crowd filled the Bladen County Superior Court Room as the Bladen County Board of Commissioners conducted a public hearing regarding a possible law making it illegal to hunt or discharge a firearm on, from, or across a state-maintained right-of-way or to retrieve dogs from a public road while in possession of a loaded firearm. More than 30 individuals signed up to speak on the matter.
Commissioners Chairman Ray Britt said, “I want to emphasize tonight, there is no action to be taken. This is strictly a hearing. When we have something presented to the board we take it seriously.”
He added that the board felt it appropriate to seek public input into the matter and all comments will be taken into consideration and a decision will be made at a later date.
Joe Britt, who originally brought the matter before the board, spoke first. “This proposed law has nothing to do with dog hunting. I was a dog hunter for 17 years. I loved it. I did not hunt on public roads.”
He emphasized the issue is not about dog hunting nor is it about gun control.
“The proposal is about safety,” said Britt.
He explained that many times, folks have encountered hunters along the sides of the roads waiting for a deer to come out of the woods. Britt said, “Our public roads are to drive on, not to hunt on.”
Doug Bordeaux of Sweet Home Church Road, said he believes the problem is not the way the hunting laws are written. Rather Bordeaux said the problem is a lack of enforcement due to the state not having an adequate number of Wildlife Officers.
“If I own the land up to a highway, I feel like I ought to be able to stand there on that right-of-way and shoot back on to my property,” said Bordeaux.
He added that someone who has the property leased should be allowed to catch his dogs. Bordeaux said that no one can control where the dogs are going to go during a hunt.
Mr. Butler, of NC 131 near Bladenboro, said the problem is a few disgruntled land owners. Butler said there has not been any safety issues and he felt like his second amendment rights will be infringed upon if the county adopts the proposed law.
Dale Hall of Bladen Springs Road and others gathered at the meeting said they are not aware of anyone who has been shot by someone hunting on the side of the road.
Eddie Knight of Tar Heel said he has hunted for more than 50 years in Bladen County and been a member of several hunting clubs. He said most of the hunters he knows are safety conscious.
“I don’t recall ever being around a hunting club where we left a 10 or 12 year old unattended on a highway,” said Knight.
He encouraged the board to move slow on this issue and look at the adjoining counties and their legislation. Knight said many hunters now have tracking equipment where they can keep track of where their dogs are located. He said they try their best to keep their dogs out of the roadway due to the fact it is a safety issue.
James Wright of NC Highway 41 near Elizabethtown said he has resided in Bladen County his entire life and he has hunted in Bladen County his entire life. Wright said he does not feel there should be any changes made to the hunting laws.
“We have enough laws to take care of the situation that we have,” said Wright.
He also said the if anyone owns a piece of property or leases a piece of property and it adjoins or crosses a right-of-way, he should be able to hunt at the right-of-way.
Not everyone was against the proposal. Doug Smith of Garland spoke in favor of the proposal.
“Tonight I feel like hunting season is open again,” said Smith.
He told the board that during the hunting season the residents of Bladen County are surrounded by hunters who are not from the county and our highways are “turned into legal shooting lanes.” Smith said the residents are again being subjected to that same feeling by all of those wearing the orange hats present in the courtroom. He requested the board approve the proposal.
“We (the citizens) ask that you take this action to make Bladen County as safe as Robeson County and Cumberland County and the majority of the counties in North Carolina where roadside hunting is totally prohibited,” said Smith.
Next, Maggie Smith echoed his sentiments. She told the board she is a new resident to Bladen County. Smith also said she hunts and she owns guns. She said when she first moved to Bladen County and began driving to Elizabethtown she noticed all of the trucks and people with guns and seeing dogs on the side of the highway. She said she didn’t know what to do so she started slowing down.
Smith said, now, when her family and friends come to visit they, too, are uneasy traveling down the roads and seeing people hunting on the roadside.
Charles Brock also spoke in favor of the proposal. “I’m not here to take away anyone’s rights.”
He echoed the sentiments of earlier speakers that the problem is with enforcement and renegade hunters.
Erin Bass of Garland also spoke.
“It is concerning to me,” said Bass. She noted that it is a safety issue to her when she has to travel on a road where there is roadside hunting taking place and her child is in her car with her.
In closing the public hearing, Chairman Britt told those gathered that the board will take all of the comments made tonight into consideration as they consider the proposal. No action was taken on the matter on Monday night.
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