CAPE GIRARDEAU, Mo. — Smart solution or dangerous decision? Folks in a local city are at odds over the city's plan to manage deer.

"This could be the dumbest decision you've ever made in your life."

Four months of sheer terror: that's what some people say their city's decision will bring to their neighborhoods.The plan is to allow hunting deer with bows during deer season inside Cape Girardeau city limits.

City leaders passed the first reading of the ordinance to allow hunting in city limits Monday night.

The city says it's a safety issue. But the issue is there are too many deer and that's causing a hazard for drivers.

But more than a dozen people packed city hall Monday night, saying this decision would do more harm than good.

Cape Girardeau's Capaha Park is a peaceful place for families, fishermen, bird watchers and Hannah Kinder.

"It's friendly and it's beautiful," Kinder said. "There's ducks to feed."

In fact, it's the nature that attracts Kinder's 6-year-old mentee. Kinder can't believe the city is considering letting hunters hunt deer within city limits.

"I think idiots are going to get bows and go around shooting wherever they want," she said

She's worried about safety.

But there are safety provisions in place. For instance, hunters have to be 150 yards from playgrounds, churches and schools.

Alvin white said that's plenty of space.

"I don't see no problem with it if they're doing it with a bow and arrow," he said.

He said urban hunting is a smart solution.

But at Monday night's city hall meeting, the opposition made its case clear and nearly a dozen spoke out against the move.

Nevertheless, the city decided to move forward with the plan that some say could be a deadly mistake.

The group, Friends of Wildlife, are the ones so adamantly opposed to this. They said the city hasn't provided enough proof that urban hunting is needed.

Now, as the city moves forward with this controversial issue, that group plans to circulate a petition to put this issue on the ballot. They're not going down without a fight.

The next reading on this ordnance is July 2.

The mayor said if passed, it will likely go into effect 10 days after that in plenty of time for deer season.

If you'd like to see the ordnance for yourself, click here. go to our webchannel at wpsdlocal6.com.