Hidden Cove residents say the sounds of high powered rifles are keeping them up at night
DENTON COUNTY (CBSNewsTexas.com) – They moved to a neighborhood for its picturesque beauty and tranquility.
But a lot of homeowners who live near the edge of Lewisville Lake say their lives have been upended by the constant sound of something they shouldn't be hearing.
If it sounds like a war zone, then imagine what it's like for residents in the neighborhood of Hidden Cove.
"Hearing the gunshots all day and all night it's kind of spooky," said Hidden Cove resident Bill Bailey, adding that he wouldn't have moved there if he knew it would be this way.
Bailey and as many as 1,400 other homeowners say the sound of high powered rifles keeps them awake at night and rattles their nerves during the day on weekends.
The neighborhood is in Denton County with the borders of Frisco, Little Elm and The Colony all within about a mile.
The gunfire is coming from the undeveloped eastern shoreline around Lewisville Lake. The threat of a stray bullet in constantly on the mind of Jessa Garcia, who lives in Hidden Cove with her son.
"It's clearly an assault rifle and that's an irresponsible gun owner if you're going to be shooting a gun at midnight with kids laying in their bed," Garcia said. "One stray bullet is all it takes."
Shannon Greer is one of the concerned homeowners – her house backs up directly to the shoreline beyond several hundred yards of high grass and woods.
"When you can hear the 'zips' of sound, it's way closer than it's ever been," Greer said. "Even my neighbor Robert said, 'I hear the zip zip.'"
Homeowners say the Denton County Sheriff's Office has told them there's nothing they can do.
A spokesperson for the US Army Corps of Engineers, which maintains the lake and property surrounding it, told CBS News Texas,
"I've discussed this with Lewisville Lake park rangers and our staff and have been told that in the past, they have indeed received calls regarding gunfire, but that typically is during deer hunting season or water fowl hunting season. Those events are authorized, using shotguns or bow and arrow, and are regulated with time periods specific to that season and at specific locations. In all of our Corps-managed lands, firing a rifle or semi-automatic weapon would be a violation unless specifically authorized. The lands controlled by the Corps of Engineers fall under Title 36.
We are committed to ensuring the safety of the communities surrounding not only Lewisville Lake, but all our lakes and reservoirs. We value our relationships with local law enforcement agencies and balancing our different authorities with respect to Title 36 lands and local responses."
Richard Bumgardner
Fort Worth District Public Affairs
"There's no hunting back here, so there should be no guns going off," said Greer.
But Greer says maps she found online clearly show that hunting isn't allowed anywhere close to the neighborhood.
Homeowners also say they've witnessed people firing randomly from a couch that sits on the shoreline.
It has them feeling helpless and now calling the serene peninsula they live on, a 'no man's land.'
