Help! VA ban on sunday hunting

[michaelschwister]

Please help us repeal Virginia's sunday hunting ban.  Non-residents have standing as they are eligable to purchase a non-resident licence - it only takes a moment.

 http://www.capwiz.com/nssf/issues/alert/?alertid=58502501&type=ML

[Mojostick]

To make your point, you should ask all across the web for any Jewish or Muslim hunters, and have them demand that their sabbath also be closed to hunting.

Then find any agnostic or athiest hunters and have them ask the powers that be why they should be forced to observe any religion's sabbath.

If someone wishes to not hunt on their given sabbath, that's just fine and dandy. But it should never be mandated by the government that all hunters may not hunt because some wish to observe their sabbath.

To further make your point, demand that all golf courses close on Sunday and that all football on TV also be banned from the airways.

[MikeW]

Originally posted by Mojostick:
To make your point, you should ask all across the web for any Jewish or Muslim hunters, and have them demand that their sabbath also be closed to hunting.

Then find any agnostic or athiest hunters and have them ask the powers that be why they should be forced to observe any religion's sabbath.

If someone wishes to not hunt on their given sabbath, that's just fine and dandy. But it should never be mandated by the government that all hunters may not hunt because some wish to observe their sabbath.

To further make your point, demand that all golf courses close on Sunday and that all football on TV also be banned from the airways.

There you go I feel the same way.

I think this is one of the reasons we left England in the first place and went to war isn't it?

I moved to the "Bible Belt" about 30 years ago and it never ceases to amaze me that the same chit is still going on.

I bet this thread goes down hill real quick and gets closed.

Any takers?

[briarpatch]

Very well said, Mojostick

[Stinger]

Done!  This is one of those laws that really annoys me living here in Virginia.  Can you imagine restricting Sunday hunting in say, Wisconsin?

[Mojostick]

While I was only trying to illustrate the absurdity of Sunday hunting bans, the reality is that retail sales, tax revenue and antlerless kill is what will change this old law and is your ace in the hole.

Michigan got rid of the remaining "no Sunday" counties in 2003.

You and all your friends there should email your legislators and inform them of the money hunters spend out of state to hunt weekends elsewhere. Then find small town business owners to do the same. Diner owners, party store owners, gas station owners, etc.

MAKE SURE you contact the state Chamber of Commerce and any small business association and get them on board for being for more Sunday business.

Legislators ears will perk up when small business and/or the Chamber of Commerce wants something changed AND if they realize how much more tax revenue can be generated by hunters hunting on the 2nd weekend day.

Also, if some area's have too many deer, then contact the Insurance lobby (yes, use them) and suggest that since most hunters hunt weekends, then Sunday allows more antlerless tags to be filled, thus reducing auto accidents. Legislators will hang up on their spouse and kids to take the call from the Insurance lobby. LOL

I'd also point out that the state would see an increase in high revenue creating out of state license sales. Who wants to travel to a state, pay a couple hundred for a non-resident tag, spend all the money to travel there, get a motel or campsite, just to have only a Saturday of a weekend? Non-resident tags are really needed in many cash strapped DNR's.

It's not enough that repealing the ban just makes sense. Legislators need a "good reason" to do so. Increased retail sales, increased sales tax revenue, businesses needing more staff because of an influx of sunday hunters in rural area's (jobs), etc. Politics is still politics. Wave the $$ flag around and ears perk up and votes get cast. Use the system to your advantage for a change.

Here's several links from when Michigan got rid of the last counties...

  http://www.legislature.mi.gov/documents/2001-2002/billanalysis/House/htm/2001-HLA-6348-a.htm  

  http://www.legislature.mi.gov/documents/2003-2004/billanalysis/House/htm/2003-HLA-4011-a.htm  

  http://www.jesseshunting.com/forums/archive/index.php/t-47392.html?s=28c5ff1eb6afed41a64fde457f81d61b  

I go by the handle Pinefarm on a Michigan site. Notice this link from 2003 when Michigan got the ban repealed. My thinking in post #7 hasn't changed a bit on this issue...

  http://www.flytyingforums.com/forum/showthread.php?t=41583

[Stinger]

I received a response to my letter from my delegate, Tom Rust.  He said that the problem with this legislation in the past is that it never gets past the Agriculture,Chesapeake and Natural Resources Committee, so it has never reached the floor of the House for a vote.  He suggested contacting members of that committee since they will see the bill first.  He did say that his initial thought was "to consider lifting the ban on private property with the permission of the land owner.  This would be similar to a private land owner now being permitted to ban hunting on his/her property so I think the logic is consistent."

[michaelschwister]

My delegaet is on the ag committee.  He responded saying he is undecided.

[Winterhawk1960]

Best of luck to you on repealing this ridiculous ban. I can tell you that IF it is ever put up for a vote in an election, county by county, that it will FAIL........and by a landslide.

That's what they did here and the truth is that MOST people (and WE are in the minority) do NOT hunt. Even though it failed by a legal vote, I agree that the voting on it was better than having the government tell us whether we "can or can't".

Winterhawk1960

[NOVAnewbie]

I got this response from my state senator

"Thank you for your email supporting SB 464 which would allow hunting of wind birds and wild animals on Sundays. This was a difficult decision.  I received many e-mails supporting both sides of the argument. For many of my constituents who work full-time, this is the only opportunity to hunt, especially with their children. I voted in favor of this bill and it passed. In the House of Delegates, a subcommittee recommended laying the bill on the table, which killed the bill."

It seems we will have to try again

[BowPlinker]

Growing up in Louisiana it was not until a year ago I ever even knew there was any place in this country you could not hunt on a Sunday and I am 44 years old.   I must have had my head under a rock.... Wasn't until I went up to hunt in CT where my wife is from I ever heard of such a thing having only hunted in LA and Mississippi...

[Mojostick]

If I was to guess, the "no hunting on Sunday" bans were probably tied to the Temperance Movement.

For example, North Carolina banned Sunday hunting in 1868. Connecticut banned Sunday hunting in 1877. Most all of these bans came between the end of the Civil War and the start of Prohibition.

Back in those days, I imagine the menfolk often came back from a hunt with a lot of booze on their breath. I also imagine the temperance womanfolk said "ok, we'll just ban alcohol sales on Sunday and any activity where there's men drinking". LOL

Of course now, billions are spent on beer ads on any given Sunday and the NLF really sells beer, not football and is partially "owned" by AB-Inbev.

[longrifle346]

But...NC finally approved at least a smattering of Sunday hunting last year...archery only on private land. Most ridiculous thing I've ever heard of. You can participate in any other sport on Sunday! Just repeal the ban! Anyone who doesn't want to hunt can stay home, go to church, go fishing, whatever. It's ridiculous to regulate a hunter from access on one of the only two hunting opportunities that the working hunter might have off from work. Florida allowed hunting on Sunday and I was flabbergasted to find that my old home state of Carolina was that far behind the times!