[HISTORY: Adopted by the Town Meeting of the Town of Walpole as Article XIII, Sec. 4, of the 1973 General Bylaws, as updated through 2002. Subsequent amendments noted where applicable.]
GENERAL REFERENCES
Enforcement by noncriminal disposition — See Ch. 295, Art. II.
[Amended 5-11-2005 SATM, Art. 41; 10-21-2019 FATM, Art. 20]
No person shall discharge any gun, including paint ball guns, fowling piece, pistol, or firearm or release an arrow from a bow or hunt or trap or set fire to any material known as fireworks, or other combustible matter, in any of the public ways, streets or places of the Town, including but not limited to conservation land and other Town owned property, or within 1/2 of a mile of the South Walpole Common, the Walpole Town Hall or the East Walpole Square, or within 1/2 of a mile of any of the wells or water tanks or other structures operated for the purpose of supplying and storing drinking water for the people of the Town; or within 1/2 of a mile of any one of the public schools of the Town; except on such occasions and of such character and mind as the Chief of Police may, with the approval of the Select Board, by public notice, permit; provided, however, this section shall not apply to any person abating a nuisance or in the exercise of duty required by law.
[Amended 5-11-2005 SATM, Art. 41]
No person shall, except with the written consent of the landowner or his authorized agent and where not otherwise prohibited by law, fire or discharge any firearm of any caliber or gauge, or a CO2 or an air rifle, or paintball gun, or release an arrow from a bow on any private property or hunt or trap in the Town; provided, however, that the provisions of this bylaw shall not apply to Police Officers in the performance of their duties, nor to the use of such weapons at any military exercise or at an established shooting range, or sportsmen's club, or in the lawful defense of the person, family or property of any citizen, or except as otherwise authorized or required by law.
No person while hunting or trapping on private property in the Town shall release an arrow from a bow within 150 feet of any road or within 500 feet of any dwelling in use, nor violate any other applicable state hunting or trapping law. No person shall hunt or trap on private property except when in possession of the carrying for inspection all licenses, permits, and stamps required for hunting or trapping under state law as well as written permission from the landowner or his authorized agent to hunt or trap on the property in question.
For the purpose of this chapter, the penalty for violation of any provision of this bylaw shall be a fine of not more than $200 for each day said violation exists, unless otherwise specified in the General Laws of the Commonwealth.