Woodbridge bans hunting on its land

Richard Weizel, Register Correspondent December 14, 2000

WOODBRIDGE - Prompted by the accidental hunting death last year of Deputy Police Chief William Garfield, the Board of Selectmen this week unanimously approved a new law to ban hunting on town-owned property.

The law, which will take effect in 30 days, makes it illegal to shoot  firearms or engage in hunting of any kind on town land. It also strongly encourages landowners to strictly comply with state regulations regarding the use of firearms on private property, urging them not to permit requests to hunt on their land.

Previously, anyone hunting on town-owned land was required to obtain permission from the town, which in recent years was rarely granted, town officials said.

But officials said after Garfield was fatally shot that they wanted to  eliminate any chance of hunting on town property.

The town now will post "no hunting" signs on hundreds of acres of
municipal property.

"After the deputy chief's death, there was a lot of concern expressed about whether it was safe on town land," said Selectman Charles Goetsch, a member of the board's Ordinance Committee that drafted the new law. "Now people will know it is illegal to hunt on any town parcel, which includes hundreds of acres of open space used for passive recreation."

One part of the original proposal that was challenged by several town residents - to prohibit anyone from carrying firearms without obtaining a permit from the police chief - was dropped from the ordinance after officials learned it couldn't be enforced. A state permit to carry firearms supersedes local law.

Some private landowners told selectmen the town cannot prohibit hunting on private property.

"The town may impose whatever restrictions it wants on town-owned property," but "the proposed ordinance is inconsistent with state regulations and therefore not legally supportable in a number of respects," Bethany resident Diana Cooper told the selectmen.

Cooper told selectmen she is a joint owner of 60 acres on the Bethany-Woodbridge town line, with between 45 and 50 of those acres in Woodbridge.

"Any local attempt to prohibit or discourage these legitimate (hunting) activities (on private property) is explicitly counter to the state regulations and is properly unenforceable," she said.

Selectman Ed Sheehy, Ordinance Committee chairman, said, "The tragic death of our deputy police chief last year brought about an outcry from residents that we enact legislation to prohibit hunting on town land and even discourage it on private property."

Garfield, 49, and his hunting partner, Stephen Gombos, 60, were illegally tracking game on town property off Litchfield Turnpike when Gombos accidentally shot Garfield to death.

Gombos has been charged with negligent homicide. Attorneys are negotiating on a plea bargain, police said. Gombos is scheduled to appear in Superior Court in New Haven Jan. 3 for sentencing, police said.
©New Haven Register 2000