Archery Ban Faces Pushback from San Angelo City Council Members

SAN ANGELO, TX –– The ordinance meant to prevent shooting a bow and arrow inside the city limits received some push back from members of the San Angelo City Council earlier this week.

As San Angelo Live previously reported, the decision to update the current city ordinance came after an incident that occurred last year. According to Assistant Chief Tracy Fincher, a San Angelo resident contacted SAPD after finding an arrow on their property. The current laws and ordinances did not provide the necessary guidance for SAPD officers to take direct action in the case.

The proposed update would prohibit archery inside the city limits and require bows and arrows to be fired in spaces of 10 acres or more or at a commercial archery range.

Councilmember Tom Thompson pushed back on the update arguing the ordinance was not fair for archers who took the appropriate precautionary safety measures. 

Thompson talked about his son practicing archery in his family's backyard and of the archery competitions he organized at the former Marketing Director and Rodeo Production Manager of the San Angelo Stock Show and Rodeo. 

Thompson argued it was not fair to prevent individuals from safely practicing the sport in a safe manner.

During public comment, Neil Grant, the owner of The Outdoorsman, discussed the impact the ordinance would have on current and prospective archers.

As a result, the council agreed to introduce several changes to the proposed ordinance that would allow the sport to be safely carried out within the city limits.

A second reading of the ordinance will take place in a future city council meeting.