Pursuant to NRO, 618.12, the Chief of Police hereby establishes the following Rules and Regulations for the issuance of a Municipal Deer Damage Control Permit.
(a) Preapproval process.
(1) Application must be completed and submitted as follows:
A. Municipal Deer Damage Control Permit application shall be submitted within 15 days of receiving the ODNR Deer Damage Control Permit.
B. Municipal Deer Damage Control Permit application shall be submitted no later than August 15 for the state bow hunting season (September-February).
(2) Applicant must demonstrate to the satisfaction of the Chief of Police or his designated representative the following.
A. Applicant is a qualified archer;
B. Applicant and/or landowner has been issued either a deer damage control permit and/or hunting license and deer permit as required by ODNR;
C. Applicant's acknowledgement of bow-hunting only (long bow and crossbow) of white-tailed deer;
D. Provide written permission (affidavit) from the property owners (minimum five (5) contiguous acres unless otherwise determined by the Chief of Police or his designee) for a limited period of time as set forth in the permit;
(3) Hunting shall be conducted from an elevated platform only. The platform and its location shall be inspected and approved by the Chief of Police or his designee prior to the permit issuance;
(4) Applicant shall provide a map, with boundaries outlined on the map of the property or properties and the global positioning system ("GPS") coordinates of the approved site/platform;
(5) Approval/certification from an approved archery proficiency test site, a valid Ohio hunting license, or successful completion of Ohio Hunter safety course, if applicable, and all other state requirements;
(6) Compliance with all laws, rules and regulations of the city and state of Ohio;
(7) All applicants shall agree, in writing, to defend and indemnity the city for any negligent or other acts committed by the applicant;
(8) Any person obtaining a permit under this chapter and any property owner giving written permission for deer hunting on the owner's property shall have consented to the entry upon the property by police officers and/or other persons designated by the Chief of Police to enforce the provisions of this chapter;
(9) Payment of the registration fee.
(b) Issuance of permit/post approval requirements.
(1) After the Chief of Police or his designee has visited the property and determined that hunting with archery equipment can be safely conducted on the property and that the applicant is a qualified archer, the Chief of Police may issue a permit or may impose any other requirements, conditions or restrictions as deemed necessary to preserve and protect the health, safety and welfare of the residents as determined solely by the Chief of Police.
(2) The Chief of Police's decision to grant or deny a permit application in a final decision which is not appealable.
(3) Prior to the issuance of a permit, the applicant shall personally notify or notify by ordinary mail the occupants of the properties that share a common boundary with any portion of the shooting property, that an application for permits has been received, unless the Chief of Police determines that such notification is unnecessary or impractical.
(4) Permit holder shall post "caution archery hunting" signs if deemed necessary by the Chief of Police.
(5) Deer permit shall be used only by the named permit holder.
(6) Deer permit shall be valid only during the dates specified on the permit and only during daylight hours.
(7) Deer permit shall be an antlerless permit only; subsequent permit(s) may be issued for antler or antlerless, unless otherwise noted on the permit.
(8) Permit holder shall remove all deer carcasses and deer remains from the hunting site.
(9) All harvested deer must be timely reported to the ODNR, website at wildlife.ohiodnr.gov or by calling 1-877-TAGITOH (1-877-824-4864).
(10) All hunters must complete and submit a North Royalton Check Form to the Police Department within 24 hours of harvesting.
(11) Chief may terminate/cancel the permit within his sole discretion and without the obligation to give any reason therefor.
(Ord. 16-83. Passed 6-7-16; Ord. 17-63. Passed 5-2-17.)