BY MAIRE O’NEILL
maire@losalamosreporter.com
Los Alamos Police Department is reminding residents to obey local laws pertaining to discharging firearms and other hunting devices.
The Los Alamos Municipal Code states that it is “unlawful to fire or discharge a firearm or any muzzleloader of any description within 1,000 yards, or any bow and arrow, crossbow or other hunting device within 150 yards of any dwelling, house or inhabited building….” Safe use of bows and arrows is allowed within private property. It is also unlawful to “sling, throw, shoot or project by amy means any kind of missile, object or substance whatsoever in such a manner as to be reasonably likely to cause injury to persons or damage to property,” The complete section is below.
LAPD Cmdr. Oliver Morris had no comment on allegations of an encounter with two men shooting bows near the Pueblo Canyon pedestrian bridge accompanied by an LAPD officer. He said LAPD has not received a report but is looking into the matter.
Alex Viech told the Los Alamos Reporter Wednesday morning that he and a friend were hiking on the edge of Pueblo Canyon Tuesday evening before sunset near the old sewage plant when they observed people shooting bows at the other end of the pedestrian bridge near the end of Olive Street. Viech said he approached an LAPD officer who was with the two men and asked what was going on. He said the officer told him the men had been contracted by New Mexico Department of Game & Fish “to deal with aggressive coyotes”.
Viech said he had a long discussion with the men and argued with them about the merits of managing of coyotes. He said one of the men told him he considered it a public service. Viech said he and his friend were concerned because of he number of people walking, running and mountain-biking in the area.
Cmdr. Morris said he contacted NMDG&F who told him they do not contract with anyone to shoot coyotes because coyotes are not a game species. He noted that while it is legal to kill coyotes the laws noted above must be obeyed. He reiterated the law and the distance requirements for firearms or bows and arrows.
The pertinent Municipal Code section may be viewed at: https://library.municode.com/nm/los_alamos_county/codes/code_of_ordinances?nodeId=PTIICOOR_CH28OFMIPR