Having lost a friend to a hunting accident early last month, Mono resident Sandy Proudfoot sought answers from council Tuesday evening as to why the Town still allows hunting.

She suggested that the fact that Mono, as a town instead of a township, shouldn’t allow hunting within its limits.

Her friend, Marianne Schmid, had been walking through the Simcoe County Forest on the Second Line of Adjala on Nov. 6 early in the afternoon, as she did every day, when she was shot by a hunter.

Ms. Proudfoot is not against legalized hunting, but she is against hunting in residential areas.

Since hunting was not allowed in Dufferin’s other two towns (Orangeville and Shelburne), she asked why it is allowed in Mono.

Councillors didn’t have any answers for her.

Councillor Laura Ryan said that to her understanding the County has jurisdiction in that area and wondered if the Town were to pass a bylaw restricting firearms use how it would affect what the County offers.

Having recently been shot at himself, Councillor Jean Gabriel Castel said he’s of two minds on this issue.

He would like a restriction, having been shot at while picking up his mail, but on the other hand the deer population was increasing quite rapidly, along with the number of deer-related car accidents.

Councillor Ken McGhee said after talking to some hunters he was told hunters from outside the area are coming here to hunt and don’t follow the basic rules of hunting, such as wearing orange clothing.

He agreed with Councillor Castel that if the deer aren’t culled they, too, can become a danger. He suggested council should investigate ways to make it safer in the town for residents.

Deputy Mayor Dave Baldwin said hunters using a shotgun should be able to see who they’re shooting at. Hunting was a danger to everyone and the town should have a bylaw, but before anything is finalized he said a lot

of work needs to be done and suggested creating a sub-committee to look into the issue.

Ms. Proudfoot provided council with a copy of the Town of Caledon’s bylaw on firearms, which has a maximum penalty of $2,000.

She suggested that since it may not be too difficult for people to come up with $2,000, Mono’s bylaw should be much stricter, with a penalty of $5,000 or $10,000.

Council decided to look into the issue further before deciding what path to take.

Mrs. Schmid was fatally wounded when shot in the county forest near her home by a Keswick man who said he mistook her for wildlife.

Ontario Provincial Police have charged Frederick Paul Thomas, 60, of Keswick, Ontario with criminal negligence causing death and careless use of a firearm.

Family members said Mrs. Schmid wasn’t aware of the fact the hunting season had begun and she normally wouldn't have taken her daily hike had she known.