A. Discharge Of Firearms:
1. No person shall discharge any firearm within the city, except peace officers in the line of duty or peace officers using a police target range, airport, or animal control employees of the city acting in the scope of their employment for wildlife control; however, the city council may, upon written application, grant annual permits to groups, organizations or individuals approved by the city council, allowing the permittees to conduct trapshoots, skeet shoots or rifle ranges in certain areas designated by the permit and under conditions that will in no way endanger persons or property, and under the supervision of the permittee. Persons discharging firearms upon the areas designated in the permit and while under the supervision of a permittee shall not be subject to the terms of this section. The city council may revoke its permit at any time at its discretion, where discharge of firearms under a permit, in its opinion, constitutes a nuisance or in any way endangers persons or property. (Ord. 5306, 9-28-2015)
2. Subsection A1 of this section shall not apply to the discharge of pistols and shotguns in the course of hunting game on land devoted to agricultural use, containing forty (40) acres or more, and not closer than two hundred (200) yards to any building inhabited by people or domestic livestock unless the owner or tenant has given consent and under conditions that will in no way endanger persons or property.
3. No shotgun slugs shall be discharged within the city, except by airport employees of the city acting in the scope of their employment for wildlife control. (Ord. 5220, 6-2-2014)
B. Discharging And Possessing Air Rifles And Similar Devices; Exception:
1. No person shall discharge or carry on or about his person or in a vehicle, any air rifles, pellet guns, slingshots, or similar devices capable of discharging any leaden or other dangerous missile or substance within the city, except peace officers in the line of duty. However, it shall be lawful to carry one or more unloaded air rifles, pellet guns, slingshots or similar devices if the unloaded weapon is carried in a gun case or closed container which is too large to be effectively concealed on the person or within the clothing of an individual. (Ord. 4912, 6-16-2008)
2. Subsection B1 of this section shall not apply to licensed bow hunters engaged in deer hunting from the second Monday in October to January 10 of the following year in the Leonard Katoski Greenbelt Park, on other city property as may be authorized by city officials from time to time, or on private property, as allowed by the Iowa department of natural resources under its special deer management zone procedures. During October hunting shall only be allowed during weekday mornings until twelve o'clock (12:00) noon. However, no bow may be displayed within six hundred feet (600') of any residence without the permission of the property owner, or on city property except as stated above, or within seventy five feet (75') of any bike trail, nature trail, other recreational facility or any other area posted as a no hunting area. (Ord. 5071, 9-6-2011)
3. Subsection B1 of this section shall not apply to a public health technician, who is in possession of a fur harvester license and under the oversight of a health officer, from May 1 until October 1 each year. The public health technician may use a pellet rifle to control burrowing animals only on the city of Waterloo flood dike system.
4. Subsection B1 of this section shall not apply to any person with a valid fishing license engaged in fishing with the use of a bow and arrow during time periods permitted by state law, provided that the following restrictions are complied with:
a. The arrow must be constructed of a solid shaft and equipped with a heavy fishing point. Arrows designed for flight through the air are not permitted;
b. The arrow shall be tethered to a line or cord no more than twenty feet (20') in length and having a test strength greater than or equal to a fifty (50) pound test line;
c. The bow used to propel the arrow must be one that is hand pulled and hand released. Crossbows and draw locking mechanisms are prohibited;
d. Any person bow fishing shall always shoot the tethered arrow directly into the water;
e. Fish, once taken, shall not be returned to any waters, nor shall fish of any kind be left on the banks of any waters or any public or private property;
f. Persons shall not bow fish within three hundred feet (300') of a dwelling house, place of business, or other structure likely to be occupied by people, any boat dock, pier, or restricted or residential areas, or the outside limits of any marked or designated swimming area;
g. All bow fishing must take place from a boat. Bow fishing is not allowed from the bank, any boat dock, or while wading;
h. Persons under the age of fifteen (15) shall be accompanied by a person of legal age. (Ord. 4912, 6-16-2008)