No Shooting in Town

I saw a No Shooting Within Town Limits sign the other day as I was driving into Paragonah, a small town in southern Utah. At first I thought that this was a sign that might belong in the category of things that don’t need a sign. I mean, do we need to tell the random visitor to keep his Uzi to himself? The next day, however, I noticed that the City of Parowan, where I live, had “Shooting Within the City Limits” on the City Council’s meeting agenda. Twice in one week seemed like more than a coincidence, so I began to wonder about it.

I first wondered about shooting deer. There would be something to that. In the early morning, with the .30-.30 on my lap as the herd came through to eat my garden? In many states, the local Department of Natural Resources offers “depredation tags” to farmers or ranchers. Why not gardeners? I live within the city limits, but that does not exempt me from depredation; should I be exempted from the DNR’s dispensation? And it is not just deer. I remember once using a garden shovel on a raccoon on the back porch. It had gotten into a friend’s box of peaches during the night and I sent it packing with a bad headache. I could have just as easily used the .22.

Next I wondered about the pet. We have a cat—a scaredy cat to be exact. Mostly the cat sleeps on the sofa, but every once in a while she likes to go out and sit in the yard. I have, on occasion, needed to help her fight off a feral cat that has spotted her out there. I have done that by shooting it. Granted, it is just the pellet gun for that. But it requires shooting within the city limits.

Finally, there is the family. And I’m not talking about crime. I live in a rural village in southern Utah and I’ve often joked that I could leave a bag of cash lying on my front yard and no one would touch it—unless they were picking it up to put it on my porch for me. But, everyone has a horror story about a dog bite. And loose dogs are not uncommon in rural areas. If one bit my daughter, I would be furious. I would be, in fact, in a shooting mood—and, in town, no less. So, I can see this being a good reason for shooting within the city limits.

In Parowan, actually, shooting vicious dogs may be legal. There is a city ordinance (Title 1, Chapter 5, Section 1-5-6(4)) that allows me to kill an attacking dog. Aside from that ordinance, however, there does seem to be a prohibition against the use of firearms (Title 16, Chapter 2, Section 16-2-1) although the language contains some ambiguity. If I am allowed to kill an attacking dog, but not allowed to discharge a firearm, how am I going to kill the dog?

The other day I noticed that there is to be No Shooting Within the City Limits of Paragonah. I also noticed a similar topic on Parowan’s City Council agenda. I wondered whether such a sign was really necessary, but I also wondered whether there might be good reasons for shooting within the city limits. Indeed, I might be tempted to shoot to protect my garden, my pet, or my kid. I am allowed to protect these things; if I can’t shoot, how am I going to do it?

April Fools

This year the joke is on all of us who thought the long, cold winter of 2009/2010 was winding down. Nope. Another eight inches and counting this morning, with the thermometer settled at 22F. We've been ordering seeds, pruning the orchard, and looking for buds on the elm trees. It looks like we've jumped the gun; winter ain't over yet. Actually, according to my notes, we started burning during the first week of October. October! It is now April and the stove is going full blast. This is month seven. I don't think I've ever had to burn for seven months before. Especially foolish are those who thought this would be a good time for an arts festival.

Saw Repair

A few weeks ago I broke the pull cord on my chain saw. It is probably something I should learn to fix myself, but I needed the chain sharpened, too, so I took it to the local small engine repair shop. The proprietor took care of both problems for about forty dollars, and had the saw ready for me in a couple days. When I went to pick it up, he pointed out some wear and tear on the bar, as well as some flattening of the links on the chain. He told me that it was caused by pressing down too hard on the saw during the cut. The saw should pull itself through the kerf, you shouldn’t have to force it, he said. He warned me that I would have to replace the bar if I weren’t more careful. He said that I should just bring it in for sharpening more often—instead of hand filing it myself—and then I wouldn’t feel the need to push on it. He also reminded me that it needed bar oil each time I used it. I listened politely to his scolding, thanked him, and hustled out of there before he could turn me in for saw abuse.

As I pulled away from the shop with Valerie in the car, I started laughing. If that guy knew how hard I really worked that saw, he would have me arrested. First of all, I’m not going to bring it to him every time the chain loses its edge. He charges $15 to sharpen the chain. A new chain costs $22. At that rate, I’d be better off throwing it away after one sharpening. No way. I can make a chain last for a couple years with some hand filing. Second, I have heated my home for six years with that saw and I have never replaced the bar. If he had any idea how many cords of wood that bar has cut, he would be praising my light touch rather than scolding my heavy hand.

The saw is a Stihl MS250 with a 16 inch bar that I bought in 2004. It is an admittedly small and underpowered saw that I have used like a workhorse for more than six years. And, I am not above taking advice from a small engine repairman. But, I have to laugh when he scolds me for actually using the saw and warns me that I might need a new bar. After keeping my family warm for six years, if that saw needs a new bar, it is well deserved, and I will have no regrets about buying it.

Before and After, Part II

Last March, I did a before and after for our living room. Now it is time for the dining room. Patching and painting just one room each year seems like a slow way to go. But, we've also cut, split, and burned five or six cords of wood; developed a 600 square foot garden; and done some major patching on the roof. It is currently time to finish the pruning in the orchard, so the interior improvements may be on hold for a while. Next winter . . . the kitchen.

Trailer Loading Lessons

Since I had to move our household to Parowan last winter, I got to be pretty good at loading a trailer and a truck. The better you are at loading, the fewer trips you have to make. Most Parowan residents are pretty good at trailer loading, too. From hay bales to appliances, locals are prepared to move it themselves. I think all of us, however, could take a lesson from this guy. I wasted all that fuel last winter driving the car to Parowan when I could have just put it on top of the load.