WVCritter

Growing up here in WV, we never had it but a few years ago a Sunday Hunting Law was passed state wide. No sooner than it was passed it was voted out, county by county until now there are just a few counties that have it. I only went a couple times in the 2 years we had it in Putnam County. The arguments I heard against it was that on Sundays, hikers and non hunters could enjoy the woods without fear of being shot..........lol. In my opinion, it was the religious groups that didn't want it and they were the ones that got it banned in some counties.

Gunplummer

I live in Pa. and over the years have had a lot of hunting seasons when I could barely get out. Well that is tough &%$#. If you can't get out other than a Sunday, too bad that is the way it is. I live in 5-C but do not often hunt here. A whole lot of Pa. is special regulations like 5-C and it is a zoo the first day and Saturdays. Aside from giving the deer a break, what about giving people that do not hunt a break? A lot of people around here don't hunt but have nothing against it. Yet. It is greedy self centered people like you "Want to hunt Sunday" guys that will cause more damage to the sport of hunting than poachers. It is almost impossible to find a spot to hunt in 5-C yet I have had one or two non-hunters invite me to hunt on their property as the result of light conversation ( Me telling deer stories) at holiday get-togethers. Right there is the whole argument in Pa. The farmers don't want to be bothered on Sundays and I can't blame them. People with huntable property don't want to be bothered on Sundays. Most threaten to close their property to hunting permanently if the Sunday hunting thing is passed. It (Sunday Hunting) will cause more conflict than it is worth. Pro Sunday hunting people are a minority in Pa. so just leave it alone, or better yet just leave and hunt in one of your "Preferred" states.

W.V. Guy, I have been hunting down there for over 20 years and there was never a state wide O.K. to hunt Sunday law.

WVCritter

I've hunted here all my life and I know what I talking about. We had Sunday Hunting statewide until election time and the people who were opposed got it put on ballots and it was voted down county by county. Some counties still allow Sunday Hunting. Here's a list of ones from the DNR that still have it as of 2005. I don't know if it's current.

As of 11/10/2005

The following counties may change if referendums are placed on future ballots. Hunters should check with the respective County Clerk's Office concerning Sunday Hunting. Hunters must have written permission of the landowner. Hunting is prohibited on any Sunday preceding the Monday opening of a big game season( Deer, Bear, Turkey or Boar). The counties listed below will be opened to Sunday hunting on Private lands only. Boone
Brooke
Clay
Hancock
Jefferson
Lincoln
Logan
McDowell
Marshall
Mingo
Ohio
Wayne
Wetzel
Wyoming


The counties listed below will be closed to Sunday hunting. Barbour
Berkeley
Braxton
Cabell
Calhoun
Doddridge
Fayette
Gilmer
Grant
Greenbrier
Hampshire
Hardy
Harrison
Jackson
Kanawha
Lewis
Marion
Mason
Mercer
Mineral
Monongalia
Monroe
Morgan
Nicholas
Pendleton
Pleasants
Pocahontas
Preston
Putnam
Raleigh
Randolph
Ritchie
Roane
Summers
Taylor
Tucker
Tyler
Upshur
Webster
Wirt
Wood

Gunplummer

If you can't hunt state land I don't consider it state wide. Management units in the Panhandle were never open to Sunday hunting. Only private property was open.

VAhuntr

It's really attitudes like yours that do more damage than anything. Just because it is legal to hunt on Sunday does not mean you have to hunt or a landowner has to let you hunt. The landowner can still stipulate what days or times hunters can use their property. I find it amazing that in the states where it is legal to hunt on Sunday(I think 43 of the 50 states), you don't hear any complaints.

cubfan56

Sunday hunting should allowed for all species....... here in Maryland we have limited Sunday hunting for deer on private land . I am thankful that we are allowed to bow hunt from around the second week of October thru mid November. I know there are arguments that Sunday is a religious day to spend with family, but what can be more religious than to spend the day afield. With hunter numbers slipping adding another weekend day to hunt with children certainly cant hurt! Recent Maryland youth weekend hunt produced high deer kill (not harvest) is an example of what can be.

Terasec

many of those who oppose sunday hunting
are: bible thumpers
farmer types who hunt M-F and dont want people hunting game on sunday that they plan on hunting on monday
and many dog runners
as for those who claim its crowded as is,
they should find better spots
I hunt PA, 3c and 4d
parking areas on main roads may have 3-4 cars in it on opening day and 1-2 cars on other days
parking lots/access points off main roads usually through backroads barely have any cars,
i went out 3 times this year on saturdays to 1 place in 3c, parking area that can hold 10 cars or so did not have any cars at all.

sunday ban started as a way to prevent freed slaves and working poor from hunting as were the intentions of many blue laws.
Bible thumpers took up sunday ban as it was in their favor,
today its moving toward the antis who support sunday bans.

if one doent believe in hunting on sundays, then dont hunt on sundays,
as stated. land owners are free to continue sunday bans on their property,
they shouldnt try to impose their outdated views on others
and i generally go to church saturday nights over sunday,
guess i should push for a saturday ban

buckwild41

Although born and raised in a Christian home I believe a person’s beliefs or what day they choose to practice it should be left to the individual. The craziest part here in Va is that there is a Hunting Organization (Dog Hunters) that opposes it??? They don’t want to hunt on Sundays which is fine, but they don’t want anyone else to hunt?? I really think it has very little to do with the Church. The arguments that repeatedly come up opposing Sunday hunting just don't hold water.
1)Give the animals a day of rest. If you believe this select your own day of the week to stay home.
2) Churches don’t want to see hunters along the roadways on Sundays. Restrict it to Still Hunters only which are rarely seen anyway. (Totally opposed my dog hunters, go figure?!)
3) Sunday hunting will reduce church attendance.. Really? Do we need to even discuss that concern?
4) Non Hunters need a day to enjoy the woods without a fear of hunters. Here again, Really? How about the thousands and thousands of acres in our National and State Parks that are never hunted? Shouldn’t be any fear there. Heck, much of the funding that supports those non hunting activities in the woods are paid for with hunting licenses. We bow hunt the National Forrest here in Va every year and there are just as many horse riders on Saturdays and any day of the week. They do not appear concerned in the least that’s hunters are present. If it’s private land the landowner will make the choice for you. Besides, I can’t remember the last time a non hunters was injured must less shot by a hunter in Va by accident anyway.

What will Sunday Hunting do for your State?
1) Increase the opportunities to get youth interested in the outdoors.
2) Increase the dollars spent in hundreds of small towns across the state that depend on the purchases made by hunters.
3) Increase the opportunities for many adults that have limited days off or work Saturdays.
4) The Insurance Companies continue to lobby for more liberal bag limits, adding days will help no adjustment required.

Ok thats my 2 cents on the matter...

Palehorse

In states that ban Sunday hunting, is it on state land only, or does it apply to private property, or perhaps varies state to state?

One of my best hunting spots ONLY allows Sunday firearm hunting, but it is Federal land under the jurisdiction of the DoD. Ordnance activity during working hours prevents weekday or Saturday hunting.

AZyogi

No ban on Sunday hunting in AZ, IMHO blue laws are too close to establishing a state religion for my taste.