I sent the below letter to my state senator Ken Stolle. I'm hoping some of you will also do the same.

The next task I would like for you to undertake as one of my representatives in Richmond is the repeal of the Sunday hunting ban. I am aware of the history of other attempts to make this happen for Virginia Hunters.

Currently there is no ban on fishing in the commonwealth on Sunday. Why should that be the case when hunters cannot enjoy their pursuits on Sunday? I am not saying anything bad about fishing but there does seem to be a double standard.

Reasons given in the past not to lift the ban have been fear of over harvest. But, recent regulation changes have increased the number of tags issued east of the Blue Ridge. This would seem to contradict the idea that the Deer herd in Virginia is in peril at all. Even if over harvest was an issue the Department of Game and Inland Fisheries could reduce the number of tags issued per hunter quite easily. Even bear hunting has been opened in counties where it has been closed for a long time. This leads me to believe that population is also doing well in the commonwealth.

Since many outdoorsmen work a lot of overtime and own their own businesses they only have one day off to hunt. For me its Sunday. It seems unfair to make the most productive and responsible citizens in the Commonwealth suffer for their productivity and contribution to society.

Previous reasons for not lifting the ban have also included "keeping the Sabbath holy." I won't go into the role I think religion should play in government. I will suffice it to say that I would rather be in the woods hunting and thinking about God than in church thinking about hunting.

The constitution of Virginia gives us the right to hunt, trap and fish. Are we to believe that these rights only exist Monday through Saturday? What if the Bill of Rights only applied 6 days a week?


Thank You for your time and attention to my concerns.
Chris Nicklin