Darrell Tingley and Susan Dennis wrote council last week voicing their concerns after they observed hunters engaged in their sport on several occasions in a field on the western side of Green Street.

 "There had been a hunting blind set up directly across from the ... provincial government building," Ms Dennis explained, adding she phoned the Department of Natural Resources (DNR), whose local office happens to be located in that structure, to make some inquiries about the blind.

 "You know, whether it was legal to be hunting there, for starters, and two, was it within the boundaries of the Town of Lunenburg or was it part of Lunenburg [municipality]," she said. "I also wanted to find out what the regulations were in respect to that in either of those two locations."

 Ms Dennis said she also phoned the town hall to find out where the town boundaries are and did not receive a reply. However, she said she was told by an official with DNR that the blind was set up within town limits and was in fact illegal as it was located within 182 metres of the closest residence.

 "They dealt with it. They talked to the fellows and they said fine, we'll move it," she recalled. "My other concern early on was that there was a real problem because we were ... initially in bow hunting season but the following weekend it was going to become rifle [season], so I thought a rifle [shot], as far as I understand it, can go up to five kilometres."

 DNR spokesman Terry Beck confirmed that two hunters were bow hunting using portable blinds early in the season and that they were doing so too close to nearby residences.

 He said they were told to move their blinds further away from the houses and complied with the request.

 To his knowledge there has been no further hunting within the prescribed boundaries. However, he has observed hunters crossing the field in question en route to the relocated blinds.

 Ms Dennis said that while it is illegal to discharge firearms within town limits, there are no such regulations when it comes to bows of any type.

  "The good news is, I guess, that the arrow can't travel as far ... but still, I found it pretty outrageous," she said.

 Although the blind was initially removed, hunters reappeared in the field on November 11, something that made Ms Dennis "really angry.

 "I just thought it was so inappropriate," she said. "First of all, the whole issue of the town not having an updated, proper bylaw to cover that. Two, that Natural Resources seem to be 'oh well, it's all legal because they were using bow.' But it's within town limits."

 She was also told that the hunters, while Nova Scotians, were not residents of the town.

 "I just think the Town of Lunenburg has to have its bylaws updated," she said.

 Provincial regulations stipulate that bow hunters must take a bow hunting education course which involves passing a written test and shooting three out of five arrows into a 30-centimetre circle from a distance of 13.7 to 18.3 metres.

 The Wildlife Act also states that it is illegal to discharge a firearm within 100 feet of a highway boundary or a rifle within 402 metres of a dwelling.

 Town officials are investigating as to whether the blind was indeed located within Lunenburg's boundaries and have put the matter on the agenda for the November 30 session of council.