LONDONDERRY — A public discussion on a local golf club proprietor's concerns about noise from nearby firing ranges has sparked discussion about residents firing guns inside the Musquash Conservation Area.

Over the years, town officials have dealt with multiple reports of people shooting at old appliances, bottles and junk cars strewn illegally across the conservation area.

During Monday night's Town Council meeting, Councilor Joe Green said he doesn't allow his children to play in the Musquash for those very reasons.

“I think the town has a lot of liability with bullets flying every which ways and people hiking through,” Green said on Monday.

On Oct. 4, members of the public, along with town councilors and local police, gathered at the Londonderry Country Club on Kimball Road as part of the council's efforts to address country club owner Tom Kimball's noise disturbance complaints.

At the onsite meeting, local police shot several rounds using various types of weapons at their firing range, while the group gathered in front of the country club's clubhouse to listen attentively.

Following the meeting, which was attended by members of both the Londonderry Fish & Game Club and the country club, several town officials wondered whether the real problem, in fact, might be the presence of illegal target shooters in the nearby Musquash area.

Chairman John Farrell said he'd like to see signs posted at the conservation area reminding gun users that it's illegal to fire guns within 300 feet of a home, among other things.

Police Lt. Ryan Carney said the department has been researching the issue and has determined that many of the noise complaints likely stem from the Musquash.

Over the past three years, the police department had 29 calls for service to the Kimball Road area regarding firearms or noise complaints. Of those, 16 calls were made over the course of the past year.

Carney said only two of the 29 gun complaints generated actual police reports, while the remainder turned out to be unfounded or there was otherwise no illegal activity involved.

“Our stance on this is that we can't really have a position on people conducting lawful activities. As long as people shooting in the Musquash aren't near any structures, they're allowed to be there under state statute,” Carney said.

Farrell said the topic of hunting wouldn't be addressed by the Town Council, and the council limited this week's discussion to noise concerns at the golf course and surrounding areas, and the presence of target shooters in the Musquash area.

Police Chief Bill Hart noted that in New Hampshire “there are very few places where you can't shoot.”

Dolan said he personally had safety concerns about the prospect of local gun owners not having the appropriate skills.

“These skills are most often accomplished at a firing range,” he said. “We don't want anyone getting hurt because they're unfamiliar with their weapons.”

Citizens who instead opt to fire freely inside the town's conservation areas present another safety risk.

“To send people to the Musquash where there are no (safety precautions)… I think it's just a matter of time before someone is hurt unintentionally,” Dolan said. “This is an accident waiting to happen.”

Fish and Game Club President Rick Olson said while this evening's discussion centered primarily on the Musquash and the police range, his own club has yielded more than its fair share of complaints.

Olson said the noises from the club are seldom higher than 47 decibels.

“It's a constant source of aggravation for us,” Olson said. “There's a lot of shooting that goes on in the power line corridors, a lot of shooting in the Musquash. That should be the main concern here.”

“If people are putting old cars in the Musquash and shooting at them, that's a whole different issue. It's polluting,” he said.

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April Guilmet may be reached at AGuilmet@newstote.com.