Sunday hunting push hits dead end in House subcommittee !

RICHMOND VA. — A push to lift Virginia’s ban on Sunday hunting ran out of steam late today even before a House of Delegates subcommittee held a hearing on the legislation.



http://blogs.roanoke.com/politics/2012/ ... committee/

I'm not going to get into a religious discussion, that, in my opinion, is for individuals to decide for themselves anyway, but bans on Sunday hunting are simply archaic laws that don't have much relevance in today's world, in my opinion. We used to have so-called "blue laws", which meant you couldn't buy certain things on Sunday's. Some of them were just plain stupid, similar to other old laws you occasionally hear about being on the books from 100+ years ago. They were largely unenforced, but occasionally some religious zealot would throw a hissy about this or that.

I found two things intersting about that article. First the fact that an insurance company is opposed to more hunting. Insurance companies are usually the ones pushing for more liberal seasons. Fewer deer=fewer deer/car collisions thus less pay out. Another thing I found interesting was the statement that no one wanted Sunday hunting. Who exactly are these people? I think a more accurate statement should be the preachers don't want sunday hunting. The article didn't specifically say this but when a representative is stating that Sundays should be for rest and worship and not hunting you can get a pretty good idea of who's interests he's looking out for. I just don't get it. I go to church on Sunday and it's nice to get to spend afternoons with friends hunting. Sportsmen need to speak up at the ballot box. No Hunting, no vote.

Banning Sunday hunting is simply another example of the few forcing their views on the many. I'm guessing that if an honest poll were taken in VA, the majority of the populace would either be for Sunday hunting, or not give a rip one way or the other. What I don't quite understand is the idea that church and government should remain separate, and, obviously, this is a religious issue. The law also assumes that everyone observes the sabbath on Sunday, which isn't true.

What is needed in this discussion on both sides:

"Consider the rights of others before your own feelings, and the feelings of others before your own rights."

John Wooden

A lot of credit for this goes to the deer doggers. They know their obnoxious method is what people don't want on Sunday and they fear that if it becomes legal to hunt on Sunday without dogs, a lot of folks will notice that Sundays remain peaceful and get the idea that it is deer dogging that needs to be curtailed instead of Sunday hunting. Their rhetoric about family values and religion is disingenuous. The Farm Bureau's membership and clientele is heavy with deer doggers and their sympathizers and this explains their opposition to Sunday hunting, not insurance considerations.

You all know my stance and I'm not going to get into an argument or let this get out of hand so everyone keep it civil.

Here's my 2 cents... Between Farm Bureau, VA Horseman's Association, and other similar groups there are A LOT of non-hunting landowners that don't want this passed. Of course the majority of hunters are going to want this changed, but hunters are generally a small minority in the grand scheme of things. I dare say the majority of non-hunting landowners that are gracious enough to allow hunting on their property do not want Sunday hunting.

I'm a landowner and a hunter, but I don't want it passed (although I think eventually it will), and I am certainly in the minority, but I'm okay with that.

I am with Freddy on this one. I too am a land owner and hunter. I hope it will not pass as well. It really does not matter what my reasons are. I feel that I have the right to feel this way. Dont have to have a reason as to why?, although I do have my reasons, I will keep them to myself as to not start a argument. But on the other hand I wont loose any sleep over it when it does pass! I still wont allow any hunting on my land on Sundays.

Todd... you don't allow hunting on your land monday-saturday

Doug

I live out of state but wish it would pass. Would make the cost of my license seem more worth it.

Freddy, do you hunt on Sundays out of Virginia?

Ron, I do hunt on Sunday when I'm out of state... and I certainly see your point and respect that. I'm just content with the way things are here... as are many of my landowner friends.

I have hunted in a couple states that didn't allow Sunday hunting and adjusted my schedule accordingly.

BTW, there is still one more bill out there that has a chance, albeit a slim one, to get the Sunday hunting resolution through.

I am just trying to get my head around why people are against it.

From your reply it is not a religous thing or you would not hunt anywhere on Sunday.

It cannot be a "game needs rest" thing.

It puzzles me.

The most response i get is.."it has always been that way"

Well abortions have always been legal.. does not make it right.

We checked with our landowner and several landowners and they could care less.

People scout on sundays, hang stands, site in rifles and guns, work on food plots and such

I am just puzzled about this.

what about the religions that have their worship on other days? Are they upset. silly issue to me

That is it!

Need to get a group of Jewish hunters. Muslim hunters, Jehovah witness and any other religion that celebrates on any daqy but Sunday to file a lawsuit to get their day a non hunting day.

Every aspect of hunting except the actuall pulling of the trigger is already done on sunday.
scouting, checking cams, food plot work, posting property, etc... all except the yaking of tha animal.
Kind of hard for animals to rest with all that going on in their woods

Your landowners may not care... most of mine do, and have a very strong feeling about it. I also believe that landowners who lease probably do not have a strong opinion as they have already given up certain rights anyway for $.

In talking with one of my landowners last week about the issue... the jest of the conversation was "I'm gracious enough to let a few people hunt my land and I enjoy using the land on Sunday with my family. Yes, I could "request" people not hunt on Sunday, but we both know how that would work."

I look at it from the non-hunting landowner side... They are gracious enough to allow us to hunt 6 days a week, do we need to take the whole thing? It's typical of the world we live in... people have something... and they just want more. The argument that they work everyday but Sunday is flawed to me... Why not work on Sunday instead of Saturday? Aren't all the days the same anymore? Hmmm...

As hunters we are in the minority... we don't need anything to push people off the other side of the fence.

Ron... None of this is aimed directly at you. I just wanted to put out the differing opinion.

Doug, you know all you have to do is just ask...lol

This issue is going to take small incremental changes in attitudes and policies. In my opinion, the general public would not initially be as strongly opposed to Sunday hunting if it were restricted to archery use only. A majority of the naysayers are not as much opposed to the hunting activity as they are to the noise that is created by the guns. By eliminating gun hunting on Sunday there would be less of an argument about the safety question for the non-hunters' activities. Furthermore, it may be necessary to agree to either a.m. or p.m. hunts only. Traditions in Virginia are difficult to change and if we can stress a workable compromise I think our chances would be much better.