2012 VA General Assembly...Sunday Hunting
 

Fellow VA hunters, I wanted to pass along a few bills that have been introduced this year concerning Sunday hunting. Have only been able to find one on the House side but there are 4 on the Senate side.

From the House:

HB 369, by Del. Michael Webert, Would allow hunting on Sunday on private lands.

From the Senate:

SB 151, by Sen. Phillip Puckett, Would allow hunting on Sundays.

SB 173, by Sen. Chap Petersen, Would allow landowners and people with a landowners written permission to hunt on Sunday.

SB 464, by Sen. Ralph Northam, Would allow hunting on Sunday.

SB 512, by Sen. Frank Wagner, Would allow anyone who obtains a hunting license to hunt on Sunday.


The above are just very short and generalized descriptions of the bills. I urge all to go to the Virginia LIS website at http://leg1.state.va.us/lis.htm for more information and to keep track of these bills and others.

As a side note for gun owners, on the Senate side there are at least 2 bills that would provide for a "castle doctrine."

VAhuntr ..... Thanks for the post ..... I looked yesterday and could only find HB369 ... I would love to see SB151 ... SB464 or SB512 pass then EVERYONE could HUNT on SUNDAYS.......

The less restrictive the better, IMO. However, I think private lands only is probably the only realistic chance we have. I hope I 'm wrong on that!

You might be right.....but even on private land it would be a great start...and once you get the public to see that the world didn't end because people hunt on Sundays I think a few years down the road you have Sunday Hunting everywhere for everyone....and that's really what we need here in Virginia ......

i dont see why they dont at least pass something like they have in nc, you can hunt on private land with a bow on sundays. It wouldnt be ideal but it would be a start, and the safety and noise issues would be nonexistant. Any of these bills would be awesome, i also like that the castle doctrine is up, i cant believe we dont already have that.

I agree with Vahunter. The less restrictive the better, but I would since I hunt private land, even HR 369 would be nice. I like many people here have a day job and don't have time to hunt daily. So I cherish my Saturdays, but to be able to have 2 days of hunting would be great!

And now we can watch the anti hunting forces, including hunting groups (VaHDA), decend upon the VA General assembly and lie and give half truths to try and defeat these bills. I truely hope this year the NRA will take a very active roll in getting these passed but I do not see it. Even the VDGIF came out last year and said they supported this change.

If you live in Va please write your Representatives to show support for removing the ban on Sunday Hunting.

We can sit and watch or we can let our voices be heard. The VDGIF came out in support of Sunday hunting after last years General Assembly session was over. I spoke with a couple legislators last year and they felt the VDGIF needed to take a stronger stand....either support it or not. Well now they finally have.

The NRA published an article in their American Rifleman/Hunter magazines in late 2011 that explained the fight Virginia and a couple
other states were having concerning this issue.

It will be an uphill battle but it is gaining support. More and more legislators are introducing bills and saying they would be willing to support Sunday hunting outright or with some restrictions. As you said, contact your legislators and urge others you know to make calls as well.

There is also HB 912 for Sunday hunting.