Published: October 17, 2006 11:16 am         

Edwards: Dissolve no-firearms zone

SAVAGE RIVER LODGE - Delegate George Edwards on Monday called for the dissolution of a restricted zone that forbids hunting and the possession of weapons within 150 yards of a hiking trail on the Savage River State Forest near the Savage River Lodge, a private resort.

"I want those signs to come down," Edwards said. "Just go by what it says in the rule book, that it is illegal to shoot within 150 yards of an occupied dwelling." Numerous bright yellow signs currently mark the off-limits zone established earlier this year.

Edwards called "totally false" a claim by the owner of the lodge that Edwards set up a meeting with Department of Natural Resources administrators that resulted in the creation of the no-hunting/no-weapons zone.

This past week, during an interview that included Savage River State Forest Superintendent Larry Maxim, lodge owner Mike Dreisbach said Edwards had facilitated a meeting with Assistant DNR Secretary Mike Slattery and State Forester Steve Koehn that resulted in establishment of the restricted zone.

The zone makes it illegal to hunt or possess a weapon within 150 yards of the Green Trail, a footpath on the state forest that is accessed by guests at the lodge. Dreisbach had sought the zone, claiming hunters often intimidated his customers. A similar zone is also in place on both sides of Mount Aetna Road, which leads to the lodge.

The lodge sits on 45 private acres surrounded by a 640-acre portion of the state forest near Frostburg Road in eastern Garrett County.

Edwards said that not only did he not set up the meeting in Annapolis, but that neither he nor Sen. John Hafer were made aware that it had taken place, even though the lodge is in their political district.

Delegate LeRoy Myers confirmed Monday that he was the person who facilitated the meeting between the lodge owners - Dreisbach and his wife, Jan Russell - and Slattery.

Myers said he has known Dreisbach, a former Williamsport resident, for a long time.

"Mike and Jan had come to Annapolis looking for George and couldn't find him and asked me if I could help," Myers said. "I told them it was their lucky day because I already had a meeting set up with Slattery about Terrapin Run (proposed housing development). I get notified by the state if there is going to be 10 feet of paving put down on a road in my district, so I assumed that the DNR would notify Delegate Edwards about the meeting."

Myers said that had he known the issue was volatile that he would have made more of an effort to contact Edwards directly.

Since then, however, Edwards has met with Natural Resources Secretary C. Ron Franks, seeking a resolution to the conflict between Dreisbach and local hunters, 75 of which gathered recently to express to the delegate their displeasure at not being able to hunt on the public land.

Koehn said that the restricted zone, established earlier this year, is the only one of its kind on state forests in Maryland.

Franks said Monday that he is looking into the "whole situation" at the lodge and had a meeting scheduled later in the day concerning the matter.

One of the more popular hunting seasons on the state forest, including the portion around the lodge, is the early muzzleloader hunt for deer, which begins Thursday. Maryland's bear season opens Monday.

Michael A. Sawyers can be reached at msawyers@times-news.com.