Fairhaven couple raises concern over town bike path that runs through hunting area
FAIRHAVEN, Mass. (WLNE) – A Fairhaven couple is calling on the town to make its bike path safer after they said they encountered more than half a dozen hunters in the woods lining the path on Monday morning.
Robert and Jacqueline Kenworthy stroll the Fairhaven bike path every morning, but said during hunting season, they’ll find another path after their experience this week.
“Yesterday was opening day, we didn’t know, opening day for hunting season and we did our everyday walk, and Jacqueline’s very observant. She happened to look off to the side and saw a hunter, and then a little further we walked and then we saw another hunter, and then a little further we walked we saw two hunters, and then we heard gunshots.
In total, the couple said they saw eight people hunting just feet away from the path.
“It didn’t feel safe,” said Robert, “and I was really surprised that an area where people walk was open for hunting.”
Jacqueline snapped a photo of one hunter standing on the bike path. The others, the couple said, were hunting less than 100 feet away from the path where people walk, bike, and run.
They called Fairhaven police and voiced their concern.
“For now, until hunting season’s over, we will no longer walk on this trail,” Robert said.
Lt. David Sobral with the Fairhaven Police Department said Tuesday that officers did respond to the bike path after the Kenworthys called. Lt. Sobral said the responding officers spoke to the hunters and deemed no one was in the wrong.
The hunters were warning of the state law that requires people to hunt at least 500 ft. away from a dwelling, and 150 ft. away from a highway. Since that area is a hunting area, and the bike path is considered an access way, the hunters didn’t do anything wrong, he said.
The Kenworthys said they’re still worried, no matter how careful hunters are, as accidents can happen. They said on their walk Sunday, the path was the busiest they’d seen.
“The day before yesterday, we saw the most people I think we’ve ever seen in here. There was a couple of adults pushing a baby carriage, there were families with children, there were the typical bicycle riders, the runners, the walkers,” Robert explained. “We need to kind of bring this up to the 21st century and have a discussion and say, you know, what do we want to do? Is it important for it to be open? Is there an issue with that many hunters in that small of a space? Is it better to leave it open for the walkers and not the hunters? But I don’t think they should be in here together.”
Lt. Sobral said the department has considered putting warning signs up on the path in the past, and will now revisit the issue and work with the town’s department of public works to erect signage that it’s a hunting area.
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