Bow hunting in Northeast Philadelphia could be a reality this fall, but neighbors there have concerns

PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — There’s a small plot of land in far Northeast Philadelphia that the Pennsylvania Game Commission is touting as its first-ever bow hunting grounds within city limits. The problem? Neighbors say they weren’t consulted about how it would be used, and they have safety concerns.

Chris Bordelon runs the Somerton Civic Association and says he and his board members found out about the new bow hunting grounds in their neighborhood from a Facebook post.

“It was certainly not something people had expected to hear,” Bordelon said.

The new grounds announced by the Game Commission are set on a 17-acre plot between two developments on Carter Road and Dahlia Drive just off Southampton Road.

“There was really a lot of amazement that a property that’s in a position like that — between two subdivisions with so many people in them — that the Game Commission would think to acquire this property without talking with anybody.”

Dustin Stoner with the Game Commission said a regional director met with the civic association at a meeting back in April to assuage any fears.

“We have state game lands throughout the state but we’ve never had any state game lands in Philadelphia county,” he said.

Stoner says the new plot is an extension of Benjamin Rush State Park’s hunting grounds in Bucks County.

“We’re going to be incorporating our lands into basically their hunting program.”

Stoner says the parcel will be highly regulated and restricted as far as hunter access. Only bow-hunting for deer will be allowed, and those hunters must shoot from stands set up in trees. Hunters must also get a permit before using the plot, and only five at a time will have access every two weeks in the fall.

Even with the regulations in place, Bordelon still worries about safety.

“You can’t count on people, even if they are following the rules, that you’re not gonna have people slip up.”

He said no one from the Game Commission consulted with the community before acquiring the land and deciding its use. Before, it was owned by a private company that promised a park.

“This was not really what people were led to believe would happen. Now, we’re talking about something that could actually put at risk the community members rather than something that would be an amenity.”

The civic association sent a letter to game commissioners on Friday, asking for usage of the hunting ground to be postponed to consult more with neighbors and local elected officials.