Do any Sunday hunting bills have a chance?
As usual, Sunday hunting is among the topics being considered by Virginia’s General Assembly.
As mentioned in my column in today’s Roanoke Times, one of the bills, Senate Bill 803, would allow for the hunting of coyotes on Sunday.
There aren’t too many fans of coyotes (including Todd Burton, who sent in this shot from Rockbridge County), so doesn’t it make sense to include them in the exceptions to the Sunday hunting ban?
The Senate seems to think so. It unanimously passed SB 803 but its fate in the House seems less certain since it will likely end up in the House Natural Resources sub-committee, where Sunday hunting proposals go to die.
That sub-committee also is in control of HB 2225, which would allow hunting on Sundays on private land with the landowners permission.
State wildlife biologists have assured us that Sunday hunting will not cause population harm to the state’s game wildlife. Given that, allowing landowners to make the call about allowing hunting — or not — seems a sensible, first-step compromise that respects property owners’ rights.
Still, I harbor zero optimism that it will pass.
Am I wrong?
January 22, 2013 - 8:03 AM
Who are the “seven” members of this commitee you speak of? How can we contact them and express our concern? I know so little about our state government, and I am a little embarrassed by that fact. I have not much interest in them now for I see some of the many traits of our Federal Government at the state level. Our lives and the lives of our families and friends pass us by while we wait….and wait…. and wait for people to make decisions that should not have to take so long to make. If these elected representatives can’t make decisions and eliminate bias, maybe we should find other people that can at the very least come to compromises. I feel that for a bill to be sent to a “SUB-Committee” and tabled without consideration is unfair. If paperwork crosses my desk and I “table” it because I don’t want to look at facts, or consider both sides, or simply spend some time for a “smaller” portion of the people of this state, am I being fair and just as a representative of state government? When you dig into what our politicians do on both sides, it is sickening to think about the tax payer money and time wasted. As I said before, our lives are passing us by as ALL politicians make comforatable careers for themselves with very little cares about the people……….. Thanks for letting me blow off steam.
As long as Ware is in the ACNR, Sunday hunting will never be approved
Good question, Ridge Runner. I just updated the post by hot linking to the committee on the Virginia Legislative Information System site. When you go to that page you’ll see the members named at top. Clicking on those names takes you to a page for the individual members, and that includes contact information, including email address.
The committee and sub-committee system makes sense, really. It helps keep the full chambers from getting bogged down with bills. Unfortunately there are times when a committee or sub-committee’s make-up can doom bills (like Sunday hunting bills) that may have more widespread support in the full chambers. My understanding is that there is a provision that allows sub-committee members to force a bill to the full chamber.
I’ve been informed that there simply isn’t enough time to consider Sunday hunting legislation this session. It was reasoned that with far more important bills to consider, coupled with a short session, and elections…..Sunday hunting would have to wait until next session. While, I don’t agree with the reasoning, it’s one I’ve heard from a number of legislators. So, no, it appears that Sunday hunting won’t move forward this year.
Mark, I agree with you, the bill will not pass. Sunday hunting is somewhat of a “third rail” in Virginia, mostly because of misperceptions and the influence of the religion-based opposition. But I know folks who are basically libertarian on most issues, who hunt, even, and oppose Sunday hunting. Go figger! I think if it was one thing or another, it would be possible to overcome, but I think it is an issue complicated by various, and in some ways contradictory, positions held by lawmakers, the general public, and hunters alike.
That being said, I do believe we are closer to Sunday hunting than we’ve ever been, incrementally moving toward the day the gates open. And in this instance, while most outdoorsmen recognize the problem coyotes can present, the public doesn’t…yet anyway. Add in the fact that coyotes have a way of responding to eradication attemps that make it virtually impossible to ever again get rid of them, and you make it difficult for game management to get on a high horse about it, either.
We need to wrest control of hunting laws from the legislature and let the VDGIF do it’s job. While we’re at it, get the management of menhaden away from them as well.
I love Virginia, but I get sick of the arcane approaches to today’s problems that are lumped into the “that’s just the way we do things here in ole Virginny” category. But I do what I can and refuse to support legislators who are in that mindset. Don’t like what they’re up to? Stop voting for them just because you’ve always voted for this party or that one and get some new blood into state politics. Unfortunately, it is difficult to put Sunday hunting ahead of one’s beliefs about other important issues, like abortion and taxes for example, but that’s the choice here in the Old Dominion.
If you wish you can email all the key players in the House Republican Leadership that fight these bills every year. It is the House Republicans that are suppressing hunter access to the woods.
Copy and paste this email list into you browser and let them know your thoughts on Sunday hunting:
delwhowell@house.virginia.gov; DelKCox@house.virginia.gov; DelBSherwood@house.virginia.gov; DelLWare@house.virginia.gov; DelMFariss@house.virginia.gov; DelJEdmunds@house.virginia.gov; DelJMorefield@house.virginia.gov; DelDRamadan@house.virginia.gov; DelSLingamfelter@house.virginia.gov; DelMKeam@house.virginia.gov; DelKPlum@house.virginia.gov; DelTWilt@house.virginia.gov; DelBKnight@house.virginia.gov; DelEScott@house.virginia.gov; DelBPogge@house.virginia.gov; DelCPoindexter@house.virginia.gov; DelMWebert@house.virginia.gov; sunhunt2012@gmail.com; DelTWright@house.virginia.gov; bob.duncan@dgif.virginia.gov; district03@senate.virginia.gov
You can also join in here for the latest information coming out on Sunday hunting: http://www.facebook.com/groups/vasundayhunting4all/
I totally agree with RJSteiner… As long as the “infamous 4″ are still in the ACNR (Ware, Edmunds, Wright, and Fariss) then Virginia will *NEVER* get Sunday hunting.
I will go on record by saying that the shenanigans of the ACNR, VAFB, VaHDA, are the main reason why I will never own any land in Virginia. Heck, I won’t even hunt in this state anymore for that matter either! There plenty of other states who would gladly welcome my hard earned cash to hunt as a non-resident. I’m done…
HB 2225 will languish in the Committee (not sub committee this time) so that it dies a usual death. I will not hunt Urban Archery in my county or help in nay way to reduce the population here. Time for the Republicans in the General Assembly to see what hunters really do for this state. I will also purchase as little hunting items as I can in state and will use out of state retailers in states that support the freedoms of all hunters instead of just a select few. I also will vote for Mr. Bolling if he decides to run as an Independant for Governor and will not vote for any candidate who does not stand up and say he is for the removal of this archaic Blue Law remanent. Republicans it is time to hear from the thousands of hunters who are not represented by the VaHDA or special interest groups and want Sunday Hunting like all those other states. Hunters stand up be counted and show the true truth to our sport.
Folks, the ACNR doesn’t care how much money you spend in the state hunting, and would rather that you go to another state to hunt. The ACNR is controlled by the VaHDA who want to kill all the deer themselves, and don’t want you or I to kill any. So for you to say that you aren’t going to hunt in VA anymore or spend any money, well, that couldn’t be any better for them if they planned it…which they did. As far as Ware and the other 3 goons, they are BOUGHT and paid for by the VaHDA, The Virginia Farm Bureau, and the Speeddogs website…the ACNR don’t need your money, they are already getting all they hold.
Virginia is where I’ve spent 2/3 of my life, and though I don’t live there anymore, it is my home. I’m one of the few who owns a lifetime hunting license for the Commonwealth. Yet, almost entirely because of the continued nonsense with the sunday hunting ban, I only hunt in Virginia on average once every three years, for just a few days. I’ve given up on hunting leases and duck blind leases in the state because I just can’t get into Virginia during the work week and saturday, by itself, does not justify the expenditure of my money. I live in a state with Sunday hunting, and I thank God for it. The numerous outfitters, local restaurants, and other businesses I support thank me and other hunters for it also, I assure you. And the state, who collects taxes on all of it, thanks us ALL for it.
Doesn’t seem like a difficult concept to grasp, but the Leave it to Beaver mentalities of Lee Ware and others make Virginia’s legislature look like a bunch of nincompoops stuck in the 1890s. A reminder – Virginia is one of the few states where the # of licensed hunters is shrinking – not growing.
“I also will vote for Mr. Bolling if he decides to run as an Independent for Governor….”
Same here!!!!!
It’s easy to believe that said subcommittee is not aware of or has forgotten the state’s motto, “Sic Semper Tyrannis”.
Todd I think you are wrong. When sporting business’s lesrn why they are not getting the hunters business and farmers and gardners why there are still so many deer even with the extended season it will then make a difference to the politicians. There are over 220,000 licensed hunters in Va. VaHDA only has about 50,000 as members. Simple math says if 150,000 quit buying in this stare it will make a difference
potstech — The VaHDA web site makes this claim: “Today, our membership stands close to 60,000 and it is our goal to enlist all of the 190,000 hunting with dogs in Virginia.”
Actual members: zero.
VaHDA is a political action committee. There is no membership fee, so there is no membership.
Of course by writing this I am admitting that the Mark Taylor Fan Club doesn’t actually have 90,000 members. (I came to that figure by adding up the individual readers of The Wild Life and my work in The Roanoke Times, whose readership constitutes support of my mission, hence membership, right? )
I’m not saying that the VaHDA doesn’t have supporters. It absolutely does. And I will say that Kirby Burch and other VaHDA leaders are darn good at what they do. I don’t agree with them on some things, but I think donors (and there are plenty) to VaHDA are getting their money’s worth.
Mark, I don’t think they are as big as they say or have anywhere near the donors they claim. They truly are an obscure organization with a bunch of bluster and bull. I know nobody takes their size and membership claims seriously but nobody ever calls their Leadership on it.
Here is a quote from just a few weeks ago from their President:
“We have over 700 hunts clubs on our web site that have claimed allegence with the VaHDA but only about 50 or so have come forward and made the commitment to become annual sponsors.”
Here is the link to the full statementhttp://pub16.bravenet.com/forum/static/show.php?usernum=1362885345&frmid=4&msgid=1141445&cmd=show
While SB803 may have gotten Senate support, I’m confident it won’t find support in the House. Essentially, all SB803 adds is public land hunting for coyotes on Sundays. Private landowners have been allowed to shoot coyotes and a number of other species on Sundays since 2004. Landowners that understand the law, understand how to have others control certain species. There’s plenty of Sunday hunting opportunity in Virginia……it’s just pretty exclusive.
Plenty of Sunday hunting in Virginia?????????? because a landowner can shoot a coyote???????? Come on! It is a blanket statement like that that keeps the opposition ok and unjustifiably ignoring our pleas for us to be able to use National Forest Lands on Sunday and to be able to pursue that which makes us happy, healthy, and alive!
Ridge Runner…..maybe if the Sunday hunting support builds on existing lawful Sunday hunting they’d strengthen their argument. Make the State defend the day of rest. Make them defend why it’s ok to shoot a firearm recreationally on Sunday, but not in the direction of a wild animal, unless the animal is first held in a trap. I’m on your side, and have been for decades.
@Ridge Runner, in VA, and on Sunday, VA allows hunting for all species, except for migratory birds. There’s not a Sunday when hunting is “banned”, but all Sundays have restrictions that aren’t present other days. We want to lift a “ban” when there isn’t an actual “ban”, and I always ask why? How about a focus on easing restrictions that are only in place on Sundays. Why continue to fight year after year to get hunting on Sunday legalized, when the State’s laws already agree that Sunday hunting is legal?
As far as the National Forests…..maybe if we forced them to create safety zones it would make folks feel safer, and make gaining access to National Forests on Sundays make more sense?
I agree Tony. I just need education on your interpretation that we CAN hunt on Sundays. I am missing something somewhere. As for Safe Zones, we have them. They are all over the place. The Appalachain Trail for starters, there are many, many state parks that allow no hunting at all, as well as every town/city and municipality has some form of walking trail available. The argument that non-hunters have nowhere safe to go is very unreasonable. Also, as I have stated many times here, hunters are only present a few months out of the year, and typically during the times that are least comfortable for non-hunters to be out in the woods. There does not seem to be any understanding of sharing, its all one way and only one way.I appreciate your comments Tony.
Virginia law doesn’t prevent anyone from hunting and killing wild animals on Sunday. VA defends it’s SH policy on a “day of rest”. There is no day of rest. Now VA lawmakers defend SH policy on risk. They can only defend the policy on risk because they aren’t challenged. If they agree that firearms can be used for hunting every Sunday, and unrestricted recreational shooting is legal……they’ve lost any foundation for a risk based argument.
I encourage every hunter to research VA codes, especially those under section 29.1. That’s where the official hunting regulations can be found. The only species that can’t be hunted and killed on Sundays in VA, are migratory birds. For all other species, VA has agreed that they can be hunted and killed on Sundays.
Hunters that want SH leave their strongest argument for expanding SH when they don’t incorporate into their argument that the Commonwealth has agreed that hunting should be legal on Sunday. Existing liberty justifies expanding liberty provided those liberties your seek are similar, and present no additional risk.
Continuing to fight to legalize hunting on Sunday is a wasted battle. Force the lawmakers to defend why they would support certain types of hunting, but refuse to support other types, when there is no increase in risk, and no detriment to wildlife management.
@Ridge Runner, there’s one remaining Sunday hunting bill. It’s passed through the House, and rests in the Senate Agriculture, Conservation and Natural Resources Committee. The bill doesn’t include either the word Sunday, or hunting……but if it passes, it will increase Sunday hunting for one particular species. And, if it’s not revised, it stands to be a major Sunday hunting expansion. Nearly every year, while most hunters beg for a chance to hunt on Sunday, Virginia approves increases in Sunday hunting opportunity. Some of the increases go through the General Assembly, while some are through DGIF.
What’s difficult to comprehend, is that Virginia’s lawmakers refuse to generalize Sunday hunting for landowners, yet, by law, no landowner in Virginia has the power to prohibit others from accessing owned land for hunting activity.
Here’s a perfect example of failing to argue existing liberty. SB803 failed as most suspected it would. Hanger and Deeds argued that it was just a bill that would open the Sunday hunting door……that door’s been wide open for decades. They also argued that people don’t want to dodge bullets on Sundays. Well if the bill’s sponsor knew the law he could have argued……1) it’s already legal to shoot coyotes on Sunday 2) it’s already legal to trap and shoot a trapped coyote on Sunday 3) Sunday is a busy day for recreational shooters 4) does that mean the people don’t mind dodging bullets so long as they’re led to believe they aren’t the bullets of hunters 5) why doesn’t anyone complain about dodging bullets during periods when there isn’t a Sunday hunting discussion?
Can farmers use damage permits to shoot deer on Sundays?