[Hey folks, I'm a property owner in va., an avid deer hunter, and someone who supports the rights of all hunters in va.; but allowing dog hunters to stand in the middle of public roads with loaded weapons is a black-eye none of us can afford to have!! It is perfectly legal for a hunter to "stand" in a public roadway in some counties of virginia with a loaded weapon, waiting for deer to cross. Is this really necessary? Is it pure laziness, or a lack of respect for other people that keeps virginia hunters from stopping this unsafe practice?
The first thing any young hunter learns in a hunter safety course is to keep your firearm pointed in a safe direction, safety on, until you see a clear, defined target, always with a safe "background" to prevent personal injury to others; but in Essex, Caroline and other Virginia counties, loading up your gun and standing in a public roadway is not only acceptable, but encouraged!!! Can you believe this nonsense?
How do you teach your kids to hunt like this when you know they could kill someone, or through careless practice, cause all anti-hunters to take this problem all the way in an already hostile media?
I would love to find someone out there who would be willing to assist me in passing a law that keeps all hunters off the road with a loaded weapon. Hunters should be at least 100yds. from a public road for everyones safety, and if nothing else to keep the sport of hunting from being called a public nusance. I am surprised that PETA has not filmed this activity and put on the major network news stations. If they did that we would all look like a bunch of jackasses. Please help me get a petition started to prevent the loss of the sport we all love!!