[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.]
[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.
