Sunday hunting in VA (Richmond Times-Dispatch newspaper article)
12-15-2006, 06:45 AM
#1
Sunday hunting in VA (Richmond Times-Dispatch newspaper article)
VA Hunters, read this....
Lee Graves (of the Times-Dispatch) wrote an article about Sunday hunting, complete with the breakdown from the VHDA.
http://www.timesdispatch.com/servlet/Satellite?pagename=RTD%2FMGArticle%2FRTD_BasicArti cle&c=MGArticle&cid=1149192187326&path =%21sports&s=1045855934844
I don't understand this section....
"Bottom line: 57 percent of members said they would not support Sunday hunting for the entire season; 43 percent would support it."
But then the next few paragraphs down, he writes....
"If you identified the younger hunters, I bet it would come closer to, 'Yeah, let's hunt all the time,'" Sadler said.
If Sunday hunting were legalized in Virginia, 54 percent of respondents said they would hunt on Sunday.
Well, there you have it.... That's a 54 - 46 vote right there... That's how I see it.
Grrrrrrrrrrr.... I'm getting all worked up again over Sunday Hunting... [:@]
Butch A.
Lee Graves (of the Times-Dispatch) wrote an article about Sunday hunting, complete with the breakdown from the VHDA.
http://www.timesdispatch.com/servlet/Satellite?pagename=RTD%2FMGArticle%2FRTD_BasicArti cle&c=MGArticle&cid=1149192187326&path =%21sports&s=1045855934844
I don't understand this section....
"Bottom line: 57 percent of members said they would not support Sunday hunting for the entire season; 43 percent would support it."
But then the next few paragraphs down, he writes....
"If you identified the younger hunters, I bet it would come closer to, 'Yeah, let's hunt all the time,'" Sadler said.
If Sunday hunting were legalized in Virginia, 54 percent of respondents said they would hunt on Sunday.
Well, there you have it.... That's a 54 - 46 vote right there... That's how I see it.
Grrrrrrrrrrr.... I'm getting all worked up again over Sunday Hunting... [:@]
Butch A.
12-15-2006, 06:47 AM
#2
RE: Sunday hunting in VA (Richmond Times-Dispatch newspaper article)
Here's the whole article - in case the link doesn't work.....
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Sunday hunting not favored, but the gap's starting to close
LEE GRAVES
TIMES-DISPATCH COLUMNIST Dec 15, 2006
At least one thing is clear from the first of two surveys gauging interest in Sunday hunting.
"There's no middle ground. . . . They're either strongly in favor of it or strongly against it," said Denny Quaiff, executive director of the Virginia Deer Hunters Association.
The group sent out 5,000 surveys with questions on a range of regulatory, legislative and management issues. About 1,000 members responded, Quaiff said.
In past surveys, Sunday hunting has been presented with a simple yea or nay option. This year's edition broke out 11 questions that give a more detailed picture of what hunters are thinking about the issue.
Bottom line: 57 percent of members said they would not support Sunday hunting for the entire season; 43 percent would support it.
That's a closer margin than the last survey in 2003, which showed 63 percent of respondents against Sunday hunting.
"It's getting closer and closer on the Sunday hunting issue," said William W. "Tex" Sadler, president of the association.
He and Quaiff said the responses might be weighted toward older, more experienced hunters. Only 8 percent of respondents are younger than 35; 82 percent have been hunting 25 years or more.
"If you identified the younger hunters, I bet it would come closer to, 'Yeah, let's hunt all the time,'" Sadler said.
If Sunday hunting were legalized in Virginia, 54 percent of respondents said they would hunt on Sunday.
"I guess the way to look at that is, 'If somebody does the work and puts it in, we'll be out there. We probably wouldn't initiate it, but if it becomes available, we'll partake of it,'" Sadler said.
The association has no official position on Sunday hunting.
Nor does the Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries, which began a survey last month. Questionnaires were sent to 5,000 people who had bought state resident hunting licenses since July; 1,896 have been returned (179 came back with wrong addresses), for a response rate of about 40 percent, board members were told at a meeting Tuesday. Now, department officials are following up with a second mailing.
The issue has spurred debate for generations. Impetus for the current re-examination initially came from comments hunters made before a general $5 license increase was approved earlier this year.
According to Virginia game officials, 41 states allow Sunday hunting. Four have blanket bans. Virginia, like several states, has some exceptions - allowing Sunday hunting on licensed shooting preserves and hunting raccoons until 2 a.m. Sunday mornings in season.
VDGIF officials expect to have results of its survey compiled before the General Assembly convenes Jan. 10.
One bill for 2007 already has come and gone. Del. Daniel W. Marshall III, R-Danville, filed a measure in November to allow hunting on Sundays from noon to half an hour after sunset. A spokeswoman in his office said it was introduced at the request of constituents, then withdrawn after overwhelmingly negative response from people in his district.
Whether that issue even makes it to the General Assembly, the Virginia Deer Hunters Association survey contains some other interesting insights into hunters' heads.
Most respondents (68 percent) don't hunt on public land. Most of those who do say they have seen deer populations decline in recent years (55 percent) and they point to loss of wildlife habitat as the cause (63 percent).
However, nearly half of respondents (49 percent) said they would pay $5 to $10 for a habitat permit earmarked for public lands.
"I was pleased with that," Sadler said.
He said he was surprised at the strong negative response (77 percent) against having Sunday a youth-only hunting day if the Sunday ban is lifted. The association is working to involve more youth, seniors and disabled people in hunting. One annual activity is an outing for disabled veterans, and Quaiff said 24 hunters bagged 15 deer at this year's event.
Sadler said the association's survey goes beyond measuring members' views, and it raises awareness of issues beyond Sunday hunting.
"If nothing else, it gives the nonhunting public a note of what the hunters are doing. And the fact is, hey, let's all wake up and take care of this world."
Contact Lee Graves at [email protected] or (804) 649-6579.
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Butch A.[/align][/align]
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Sunday hunting not favored, but the gap's starting to close
LEE GRAVES
TIMES-DISPATCH COLUMNIST Dec 15, 2006
At least one thing is clear from the first of two surveys gauging interest in Sunday hunting.
"There's no middle ground. . . . They're either strongly in favor of it or strongly against it," said Denny Quaiff, executive director of the Virginia Deer Hunters Association.
The group sent out 5,000 surveys with questions on a range of regulatory, legislative and management issues. About 1,000 members responded, Quaiff said.
In past surveys, Sunday hunting has been presented with a simple yea or nay option. This year's edition broke out 11 questions that give a more detailed picture of what hunters are thinking about the issue.
Bottom line: 57 percent of members said they would not support Sunday hunting for the entire season; 43 percent would support it.
That's a closer margin than the last survey in 2003, which showed 63 percent of respondents against Sunday hunting.
"It's getting closer and closer on the Sunday hunting issue," said William W. "Tex" Sadler, president of the association.
He and Quaiff said the responses might be weighted toward older, more experienced hunters. Only 8 percent of respondents are younger than 35; 82 percent have been hunting 25 years or more.
"If you identified the younger hunters, I bet it would come closer to, 'Yeah, let's hunt all the time,'" Sadler said.
If Sunday hunting were legalized in Virginia, 54 percent of respondents said they would hunt on Sunday.
"I guess the way to look at that is, 'If somebody does the work and puts it in, we'll be out there. We probably wouldn't initiate it, but if it becomes available, we'll partake of it,'" Sadler said.
The association has no official position on Sunday hunting.
Nor does the Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries, which began a survey last month. Questionnaires were sent to 5,000 people who had bought state resident hunting licenses since July; 1,896 have been returned (179 came back with wrong addresses), for a response rate of about 40 percent, board members were told at a meeting Tuesday. Now, department officials are following up with a second mailing.
The issue has spurred debate for generations. Impetus for the current re-examination initially came from comments hunters made before a general $5 license increase was approved earlier this year.
According to Virginia game officials, 41 states allow Sunday hunting. Four have blanket bans. Virginia, like several states, has some exceptions - allowing Sunday hunting on licensed shooting preserves and hunting raccoons until 2 a.m. Sunday mornings in season.
VDGIF officials expect to have results of its survey compiled before the General Assembly convenes Jan. 10.
One bill for 2007 already has come and gone. Del. Daniel W. Marshall III, R-Danville, filed a measure in November to allow hunting on Sundays from noon to half an hour after sunset. A spokeswoman in his office said it was introduced at the request of constituents, then withdrawn after overwhelmingly negative response from people in his district.
Whether that issue even makes it to the General Assembly, the Virginia Deer Hunters Association survey contains some other interesting insights into hunters' heads.
Most respondents (68 percent) don't hunt on public land. Most of those who do say they have seen deer populations decline in recent years (55 percent) and they point to loss of wildlife habitat as the cause (63 percent).
However, nearly half of respondents (49 percent) said they would pay $5 to $10 for a habitat permit earmarked for public lands.
"I was pleased with that," Sadler said.
He said he was surprised at the strong negative response (77 percent) against having Sunday a youth-only hunting day if the Sunday ban is lifted. The association is working to involve more youth, seniors and disabled people in hunting. One annual activity is an outing for disabled veterans, and Quaiff said 24 hunters bagged 15 deer at this year's event.
Sadler said the association's survey goes beyond measuring members' views, and it raises awareness of issues beyond Sunday hunting.
"If nothing else, it gives the nonhunting public a note of what the hunters are doing. And the fact is, hey, let's all wake up and take care of this world."
Contact Lee Graves at [email protected] or (804) 649-6579.
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Butch A.[/align][/align]
12-15-2006, 06:46 PM
#3
Fork Horn
Join Date: Nov 2005
Location: Virginia
Posts: 281
RE: Sunday hunting in VA (Richmond Times-Dispatch newspaper article)
Thanks for the info...
There's your calling Butch
ORIGINAL: ButchA
"I guess the way to look at that is, 'If somebody does the work and puts it in, we'll be out there. We probably wouldn't initiate it, but if it becomes available, we'll partake of it,'" Sadler said.
Butch A.
"I guess the way to look at that is, 'If somebody does the work and puts it in, we'll be out there. We probably wouldn't initiate it, but if it becomes available, we'll partake of it,'" Sadler said.
Butch A.
