For many years, responsible bow hunters in Columbus, Ohio have played an important role in wildlife management and conservation. Ohio’s urban bow-hunting programs, with nearly 400 collective years of operation have a perfect safety record: there have been 0 injuries to humans and 0 accidental injuries to pets, providing irrefutable evidence of the safety of urban deer management programs (source Perceptions vs. Reality: Assisting the Decision Making Process For an Urban Archery Hunting Program by Laura L. Graber & Geoffrey D. Westerfield).

Based on the above evidence, urban bow-hunting is demonstrably safer than many other recreational activities, including golf and cycling. Concerns about safety issues with urban bow hunting are unfounded, ideological conjecture with no supporting evidence. On the contrary over-populated deer pose are very real and measurable threat to public safety, threat to the sustainability of wildlife and ecosystems, as well as a threat to the economy.

The Benefits of Bow Hunting in Columbus:

• Enhanced Public Safety: Hunting reduces deer-related risks, including deer-vehicle collisions (over 110,000 in Ohio from 2019-2024 with 45+ human fatalities), wildlife-pet conflicts, and property damage. Hunting also helps mitigate the spread of diseases like Lyme disease and leptospirosis.
• Healthy Deer Populations: Hunting helps control deer overpopulation, reducing disease transmission within deer herds and minimizing deer-human conflicts. It also instills a natural wariness of humans in deer, contributing to safer interactions. Critically, managing deer populations helps protect them from diseases like Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD), which has been confirmed in neighboring counties to Columbus and poses a significant and existential threat to all of Ohio's deer.
• Environmental Balance: Over-browsing by excessive deer populations devastates native vegetation, hindering the natural process of regeneration in our forests and impacting other wildlife, including threatened and endangered species. This disrupts vital ecosystems and threatens biodiversity. Controlling deer populations helps restore ecological balance and protect watersheds. Several natural areas around Columbus are already suffering from the effects of over-browsing.
• Economic impact: Overpopulated deer negatively impact property values (reducing tax revenue), decrease residential landscaping activity (further reducing tax revenue), and increase insurance premiums. Conversely, hunting contributes approximately $1.9 billion to Ohio's economy annually and supports over 12,000 jobs. Hunting license fees also directly fund conservation and habitat restoration projects (Source: Ohio Department of Natural Resources).

Despite these proven benefits, the right to bow-hunt in Columbus is under threat. The Columbus City Council is considering an ordinance to ban hunting based on recommendations from the Clintonville Area Commission. Recognizing hunting as a legal activity empowers hunters and conservationists to effectively manage wildlife and protect our natural resources.

We, the undersigned, urge the Columbus City Council and all appropriate authorities to reject any proposed ban on bow hunting. Preserving this time-honored tradition and environmentally responsible practice is essential for the health of our community, our ecosystems, and our economy. Please sign this petition to protect the right to hunt in Columbus, Ohio.