Sunday Hunting in VA
 

The one committee in the Virginia legislature that historically tables all sunday hunting bill passed all Sunday Hunting Ban removal bills in a package deal on a vote of 11-4. It now has to pass the State Senate and the State House. To all of you who helped in this effort THANK YOU but the war is still on. Battle one is over with a win for all Va hunters. 3 more key votes to go to get this blue law ban removed. Help us finish off the nay sayers and the doggers on this issue.

THat's great and I hope you all are hunting on Sunday this coming Fall or maybe even this SDpring for a turkey depending on how fast things move in your state!

Disagree...
 

I live in VA and am obviously an avid hunter, however, I hope they don't lift the Sunday hunting ban.

-I think that it gives the deer a rest and they are not as spooked on the following Monday (for those of us who also hunt during the week and not just weekends).
-Lots of movement and hunting with dogs on the weekends really gets the deer wary for those of us who stand hunt, and the 1 day reprieve allows me to see more deer
-I am religious. I make no excuses for that. Sundays are when I head to church in the morning, spend some time with the family. The knowledge that I couldn't be hunting anyway doesn't allow my mind to wander.

That is me personally. About the only reason I wouldn't mind seeing it go through is that it would be a blow to the anti's.

Deluxe

DeluxeJunk,

First, I would say that you are not "obviously" an avid hunter, as you apparently just signed up to this forum to make your post.

Second, your opinion that the deer are less wary because hunting is banned for 1/7th of the week is completely unevidenced, contrary to common sense, and contrary to my personal experience in VA as compared to other states I have hunted without a sunday ban.

Third, no one is asking you to make apologies for your religion. I am asking you not to use your religious beliefs as an excuse to limit what I do with my weekend on my own private land.

Fourth, hunters should not try to limit each other in ways that provide no benefit to the sport. This is divisive and corrosive. Bag limits, etc. are necessary to conserve the resource. A ban on Sunday hunting, by contrast, provides no discernible benefit.

Fifth, limiting hunting opportunities limits the spread of the sport. Like many people, I work five days a week and sometimes have other obligations on Saturdays. Banning Sunday hunting just makes it harder for me to introduce friends and eventually my children to the sport. Most hunters fear that our passion is becoming a relic of the past. When fewer people have been introduced to hunting, fewer people will appreciate hunting, thereby opening the door to more bans, more hostility, and more liberal intolerance. You reap what you sow, and I would think long and hard before supporting unnecessary restrictions.

I'm sure glad we don't have to put up with that crap In Mo. Don't know if i could abide by that law. My weekends are my weekends, don't need no state law to tell me how and when I can hunt. If its season its season, let them hunt.

As has been discovered your reason for having dogs running all weekend is a mute point. The VaHDA, a fully dog hunting organization, slipped in a rider at the last minute that says that dogs can nor be used to hunt Sundays. Next item on their agenda is to limit it to only bow hunters so it matches their rant against removing the ban. This group will do anything and everything to keep the ban on. Yet they say they are for expanding hunting opportunities for every one.

All who disagree with them should go to www.http://vahda.org/ and let them know. There is a contact point on their website to use for this. Also they are on a site called www.speeddogs.net/ calling on all "hunters" to do all that is necessary to keep the ban in place.

Virginia hunters want this removed. Please help us defeat those against this ban and show those who stand with PETA and HSUS how their stand is felt by the Hunters throughout the nation.

Wow I guess I have been living under a rock. I didn't realize there were states left that banned Sunday hunting. It doesn't get much more conservative than where I live (Alabama) and we can go to chuch on Sunday and then climb in a stand, if we are so inclined to do either. Heck some of my best praying happens while I'm in the stand... I too would have a hard time obeying that law. Good luck and I hope yall get the ban lifted soon.

to Stonewall308
 

So, just because I have visited this site for years and felt no need to comment, I am not an avid hunter? I realize that I am in the minority and that most VA hunters want Sunday hunting. I am ok with being in that minority for MY specific reasons.

Since I choose to comment, I am less of an outdoorsman than you? You have no idea about me, the same as I know nothing of you. I love how the internet allows someone to be a hero rather than face to face. I chose to comment, big deal. Last I heard you could do that. I fully expected to hear some arguments, and there are some good ones on here, but your quote about not being an avid sportsman is silly.

Put the "mine is bigger than yours" pride aside. I personally don't know anyone who hunts more than I do, but I know they are out there. Just not in my group of friends who hunt. Having a home office allows some of us to get out a bit more than others. I consider myself lucky to be in that situation.

-I personally didn't know about the no dog clause, but that makes perfect sense.
-I personally have conflicts on Sundays, but just didn't think about those of you with conflicts on Saturdays. I can admit I am wrong and didn't think that through like I should have.

I feel for others that can't get out like I do and I must admit that I could be swayed in my decision only because of what it stands for us to gain as hunters politically. My personal inclination is not to hunt on Sunday's, but that is MY personal inclination. I won't, and don't, push it on you, but I will express my opinion whether you like it or not.

I work in the marketing industry and am happy to say that we have turned down PETA, Defenders of Wildlife, and others of the same ilk. I don't agree with ANYTHING they stand for. BTW...if you didn't know, and you should, Defenders of Wildlife is even more anti than Peta. They have bigger marketing budgets, are a bigger organization, and they have the ear of more politicians than any of the other anti's. They should also be on our radar but I fear they are not.

How was the VAHDA able to slip the rider in at the last minute? What Senator did they get to do this? Can you provide any links?

That is still being researched. It was put in the bill at somewhere along the process one seems to know who or when. But this was mentioned in letter by VaHDA as early as spring of last year. There are also statements by their chairmen that Sunday Hunting will be limited to bowhunters in the final bill. There seems to be alot of back door politicing and deals being made on this issue. That is why the fight can not be given up. At least two more votes needed and carefull looking at the bill that is up for vote is needed. Sundfay Hunting needs to be open to all hunters with all legal means utilized on the other 6 days. But should not be just limited to bowhunters. Time to really start writing and calling the politicians and let them know you are aware of the de3als being made.

Thanks for the information. Looks like one of the 15 committee members would have had to have proposed this change? Need to find out who it was to see if there is a connection between them and the VaHDA.

[QUOTE=vapahunter;3903138]As has been discovered your reason for having dogs running all weekend is a mute point. The VaHDA, a fully dog hunting organization, slipped in a rider at the last minute that says that dogs can nor be used to hunt Sundays. Next item on their agenda is to limit it to only bow hunters so it matches their rant against removing the ban. This group will do anything and everything to keep the ban on. Yet they say they are for expanding hunting opportunities for every one.

vapahunter..... It doesn't make any sense for the VaHDA to put a rider in that says dogs can not be used on Sundays and then ask to limit it to bowhunting only.....because if it were bowhunting only you couldn't use a dog anyway....And I agree .....it sure sounds like they want to keep the ban on......the VaHDA sounds like a bunch of LIBS.....If I don't want to hunt on Sunday then nobody can....

Will be glad to see this ban lifted.

Just because Sunday hunting is legal doesn't mean you "have to" hunt on Sunday.

If you want to go to church on Sunday thats your choice, don't use it as an excuse.

Also remember not everyone has the same religious beliefs as you do. So its not right for me to hunt around your religion, or have you hunt around mine.

Sunday Hunting
 

I agree on that. I am originally from Va., born and raised there. I never understood those stupid laws based on mixed religion. Can't hunt on Sunday. Can't shoot a gun on Sunday, but it is ok to get drunk and fight on Sunday.

Ah but you can shoot a gun on Sunday. There is no law against that here. You just can not shoot at an animal even though you can eat it on Sunday. The only restriction is you can hunt.

What is even more interesting, is that it is completely legal on Sunday for me to go into the woods and do everything that I would do while hunting including carrying a weapon, and without evidence to the contrary such as shooting an animal, I am considered to be not hunting.

@deluxejunk Although I don't agree with you on your views of sunday hunting I commend you on your ability to refrain from responding in an immature way. Takes a WISE man to do that.
Good luck hunting, my friend.
Tim

This is just the Senate...
 

One thing to remember is that this is just the Bill that is in front of the Seante. THe House still has bills to hear and vote on as well. 99% sure that there will be NO bill heard by both houses until ALL the bills are vetted thru the committee's and side they currently reside on.