Woodbury archery range closes after arrows purposely shot into nearby nursery fields

The archery range at Carver Lake Park in Woodbury was closed permanently to the public this week because a few people were intentionally shooting arrows beyond the targets, creating a dangerous situation for nursery employees working in the fields.

Woodbury city spokesman Jason Egerstrom said Wednesday that he doesn't believe the archers were aware of the many Bailey Nurseries workers on the other side of the targets, hay bales and berms. No workers were struck, he said.

Signs warned that the range on the south side of the park could be closed to the public if the wayward arrows continued falling, but it kept happening and the closure took effect Tuesday, Egerstrom said.

"I don't think we ever caught them," he said, referring to the out-of-bounds archers.

In announcing the closure, the city said, "This behavior was extremely dangerous."

The angle of the arrows as they stuck in the ground made it obvious that they were fired at a high arch intentionally over the targets, Egerstrom said.

Mike Adams, assistant director for Woodbury Parks and Recreation, said the arrows have been showing up sporadically on nursery property over the past three years.

Soon after the range opened for the spring, more arrows were found in the planting fields on successive weekends, prompting the closure, he said.

Arrows also have been found on a trail for mountain bikes, he said.

While the range is now closed permanently to the public, supervised archery instruction for youth will continue there.

An archery range at the Lake Elmo Park Reserve, also in Washington County, continues to be open to the public.

Paul Walsh • 612-673-4482