Board votes to not restrict hunting in Cornwall Preserve

PARIS —  Hunters will have unrestricted access to the town-owned Cornwall Preserve this year, following a unanimous vote on the issue by the board of selectmen Tuesday. 

The 147-acre preserve was given to the town by Alice Cornwall's children in 1982. An extensive public trail network runs through the park.

Last year, the board voted to split the preserve into hunting and no-hunting halves, after hikers complained about irresponsible and threatening behavior by some hunters.

The arrangement led to complications, according to resident Calvin Woodworth.

"If somebody shoots a deer at the hunting part and it runs over to the no-hunting part, they're morally – and legally – obligated to go get that deer," he noted.

Board Chair Sam Elliot said that the preserve was surrounded by woods and it would take hundreds of signs to prevent hunters from entering the no-hunting section of the preserve.

"There's hunting in that whole general area," Elliot said. "To restrict a chunk out of the middle of the woods ... sounds like a difficult thing to do."

Vice Chair Bob Kirchherr noted that a bullet wouldn't be restricted by a boundary in the preserve if it was fired from outside.

"It's a dangerous place to be and restricting that space, I'm not convinced will make it any less dangerous," Kirchherr said.

Conservation Committee Chairwoman Franca Ainsworth told the board she was not opposed to hunting in the preserve, but recommended putting up signs at the entrances notifying people that hunters were present.

Ainsworth said most of those who hunted in the preserve had been doing so for their whole lives and were respectful and responsible.