Since August, Londonderry Fish & Game Club has seen an uptick in lost hikers arriving at the club. On one such occasion, the club received a phone call from lost Horseback riders back in August. The other five wayward hikers simply showed up on our property at various locations. Fortunately, our shooting ranges are set up so that it is very difficult terrain and people do not wander into them. Nevertheless, this uptick in people becoming misplaced bears looking at.
Last month, It was discovered that the Conservation Commission was blazing a new hiking trail along the east-most property line of the Londonderry Fish & Game club, a hundred or so feet from the club property line.
The Musquash conservation land is public land. Certainly, the commission has every right to construct trails for the use and enjoyment of all. But with the construction of the trails come some minimal degree of responsibility not to to create a nuisance or problem for adjacent property owners.
LFGC asserts that a trail so close to the club will invite complaints of loud gunfire. People presently hiking in other places in the Musquash already complain about the gunfire noise, so this trail will only exacerbate this issue.
There is some concern that hikers and bikers will stray from the trail and enter upon the LFGC property. While there is no immediate danger and LFGC is not harsh about trespass, LFGC does in fact control and monitor who is on its property for what reason and when for obvious reasons. Those who are not members may not enter our range facilities unless accompanied by a Club Member or Club Officer.
One of the unintended consequences of trail construction is unauthorized use by ATV's. Like the Musquash conservation land, LFGC has ongoing issues with unauthorized ATV use. While there is some minimal ATV use on our property by club membership, LFGC has undertaken the time and expense to mark wetlands and vernal pools present to prevent encroachment. ATV use by club members is utilitarian in nature and is not recreational trail riding as occurs in power line corridors or in the Musquash.
When people become lost and end up at the club, we assist them in the manner that they require, be it providing water or giving rides to their vehicles...back on Hickory Hill.
Mike Considine is the Conservation Commission member who blazes these trails in the Musquash. The Londonderry Residents should be thankful and grateful for Mike's hard work and efforts to create and maintain the trail system on the 900-acre parcel. Were it not for his and his volunteers' efforts and hard work, there would be very little maintenance on those very trails. Mike spends considerable hours and sweat equity on these very trails with hand tools creating these trails.
As a neighbor to the Musquash Conservation Land, LFGC humbly seeks the following considerations.
- Name the new trail (which comes off the Betty Mack trail) a name that reflects our presence or what we do: operate a shooting range.
- Placement of signage instructing hikers to keep to the trail.
- Review the maps of the trails for clarity and accuracy.
In going forward, it is LFGC's hope that these considerations will be taken seriously by the Conservation Commission.
