Cortland legalizes some bow hunting

Ordinance allows for deer pursuits on private areas of 5 acres or more

CORTLAND -- Bow deer hunting is officially legal on some Cortland properties with the approval of an ordinance Monday night.

The ordinance legalizes cross bow or bow-and-arrow hunting on private areas of five acres or more, which can be comprised of two parcels next to each other, for the remainder of bow season, which goes through Feb. 5.

Hunting was previously prohibited by an ordinance that made it illegal to discharge a firearm within city limits.

Councilman Jim Bradley, who introduced the legislation early last month, has said that he thinks the new bow hunting legislation is a "good program" and that it has an educational aspect. Hunters, including those hunting on their own land, must have a free permit from the city and provide proof of having passed an Ohio bow hunter safety course.

Hunting must be done from a tree stand at least eight feet above the ground, so that arrows will always be fired downward. Only deer can be hunted and hunting with a gun is not allowed.

Requirements and restrictions, harvest and tagging information and permit applications will be available at the police department, 400 N. High St.

Also Monday, council again tabled the $850,000 purchase of the former Cortland Bank building, 194 W. Main St., from Canfield-based Farmers National Banc Corp.

New, more exact estimates on renovation and construction costs for the building are due next week, according to council President Kevin Piros. Council is expected to discuss the new numbers at its next meeting at 7 p.m. on Nov. 21.

In other business, a scrap drive to raise funds for an interactive Safety City at Pearl Park collected 9,360 pounds, or 4.68 tons, of scrap, raising $580, according to Ryan Stan, owner of Northeast Ohio Junk Removal. Stan donated an additional $500, as did the Cortland Lion's Club, for a total of $1,580 toward the project.

This was the second time Northeast Ohio Junk Removal and the Cortland Lions Club teamed up to hold a scrap drive. A drive in the spring garnered 15,140 pounds of scrap worth $1,973 for Safety City.

Safety City is expected to be built on the basketball courts at Pearl Park and will include miniature buildings, street signs and painted streets. It would serve both as a play space and a learning tool, where police, fire and EMS, schools and community groups will be able to host events and teach children about safety.

Stan said he plans to make the scrap drive a twice annual event, with the next one occurring in the spring.