BW - so what you’re saying is that the majority should rule when the majority is “non-hunters.”  But simultaneously, the majority should never rule, when the majority is “states who have Sunday hunting.”

Let me know how to work out the logic of “We should heed the minority, while ignoring the minority.”

The fact is, most people “stay away from the outdoors” in December and January because it is cold in December and January.  USFWS data has shown that the % of Americans who leave home to participate in non-hunting wildlife activity is falling at the same rate as the % of Americans who buy hunting licenses.

Nobody’s going outdoors in America…..and that’s a bigger problem than all of this.

A lot of emphasis has been put on horse people but there are many other non-hunting activities in the woods.  As to the statements that there are few non-hunters being shot, maybe part of that is the avoid the woods during hunting seasons Mon-Sat.  I know I do.

Anyway, looks like the bill will fail this year.  For those that argue Va. is one of a few states prohibiting Sunday hunting.  I like being in an exclusive group.  Just because the majority does it does not make it good for all…....

It doesn’t matter what the state, county, city or you come up with.
It’s the property owner that will decide who hunts on Sunday, unless you are the typical trespasser that does not have the approval to be there. Typical in this county.
Charge an extra game fee for Sunday use, take the revenue to add more wardens to supplement the sherrif department and, for damn sake, prosecute the people and not continue to tell us owners to put up signs and call if we have a problem.
You hunt with permission or you own the land. Your decision who uses the property, not the government.
Think, don’t opinionate or feel something.

If we could cut thru all the bull,I find it hard to beleive we could not come up with some way for me to take my son hunting on Sundays.Even if we tried it on a trial basis for a couple of weeks. It sounds to me that half the people who are against it, dont even hunt.We could try it with just bow for a few weeks and ease into shotgun season. We dont even need to use dogs. Just go hang out at the hunt club. Come on people, We could use Sundays to go load up on hang guns for home protection.

Hunter that makes great sense. But, it really gets a little more complex than that. I’m not sure the Virginia taxpayer can afford what could happen if the House fails SB464, which is the private property, pro-Sunday hunting bill. It’s become absolutely apparent that the greatest consideration surrounding this bill is the risk that hunting poses to the nonhunter. So, if this bill fails…..it will create a legal precedence that could restrict a person from enjoying any recreational activity within the boundaries of their very own property that poses equal, or greater risk as hunting does. So it could ultimately place bans on riding horses on one’s own property, riding motorcycles and atv’s, cutting down trees…..and certainly it would make recreational shooting on your own land completely out of the question.

But, what needs to be a great concern to every taxpayer, is that if the House fails this bill, it’s unlikely that they will place any restrictions on chasing game with hounds where no weapons are involved. Essentially, the State, through it’s taxpayer could be found to be responsible for many of the deer/dog auto crashes that have become commonplace across Virginia. Of course this could include a church bus full of youngsters on their way home from a Sunday visit to Kings Dominion.

One of our greatest rights, is the right, equally to a safe State. It will be impossible for VA to ban Sunday hunting, without restricting other fun stuff that is just as dangerous as hunting.

Of course, those that ride horses and appreciate their access to Virginia’s public riding places, will understand that your activity respresents similar risks as does hunting, and while we’re sorry, we had no choice but to throw you into the bag along with the Sunday hunter.

Of course, VA may have to make kids walk to school if they are unable to find a ride, sense we know that kids have been run over by buses.

The restrictions could seem endless…...but we all deserve equal, and safe access.

Hunter…..I’m pretty sure we’re talking only to each other at this point. But, I suspect these comments continue to be read.

Let me provide a hypothetical situation:

I’m and avid hiker. I just love to hike and enjoy the beauty and quietness in nature. I have many friends that also like to hike and watch birds and nature.

The thing is I have fear too. I fear hunters may shoot me accidentally or a stray bullet may hit me or my beautiful dog. Hunters have six days a week currently to hunt. Please allow me and my friends one day (Sunday) to enjoy nature without disruptions or the fear of getting injured.

Another thing is…I also fear horses. They are big animals and can potentially cause a lot of harm to me and my friends. I’ve heard of them getting startled and throwing a rider and stampeding. Therefore in order for my friends and I to enjoy our Sunday hikes and nature viewing please also ban horse riding on Sundays. After all they have six other days of the week to enjoy their animals so let us have just one day to enjoy our activities without the fear of having them around.

And I’d like to take it one more step. Since bullets don’t know property boundaries and could potentially come onto or across my land please do not allow Sunday hunting on “private lands only”. Because I fear my neighbor might shoot me. Same deal with horses. They don’t know property lines, can’t read no trespassing signs, and can jump fences. So horse riding even on private lands should be prohibited on sunday because I fear they could get loose and come onto my land and cause me harm. After all I should be able to have one day of the week dedicated to my activity (hiking and nature watching) without disruptions from others or the fear of being harmed.

Who’s with me on this one?

Let’s agree that hunting is too dangerous to allow it to take place on Sunday. So Virginia restricts hunting on Sundays only. By doing just this, would Virginia not be exposing itself to responsibilities for hunting accidents that take place outside of Sunday?

Regina….something that the equine community might ought to consider very much, especially considering that the basis of their opposition argument is risk based….or a concern of the risks that hunting poses to the equine enthusiasts, is the risk that equine recreational activities poses itself. You should know that if this hunting legislation results in a study of hunting, that study will also examine other elective and recreational activity risks. Many of us know that equine activities respresent a fair amount of risk to non participants. As Virginians one of our greatest rights is the right, equally, to a safe ebvironment. So if a study establishes the risk of hunting warrants it’s restriction, it could do the same to equine activities. If the State finds that it has a duty to restrict hunting based on hunting’s dangers, it would have a duty to restrict non hunting activities that pose risks similar to hunting. We know our experience associated with dogs and horses includes incidents that involve personal injury, and death.

We know that the some animal right’s activists not only oppose hunting, but oppose equine activities as well. I’m confident that some will see that risk forced the restriction of hunting, and I’m confident that these same principles could be used to restrict equine activities.

Our governement can’t remove one activity, and not remove others that are just as dangerous…..it can’t matter that one is more accepted than the other, but it does matter that they all expose others to a certain level of risk.

Regina, as a hunter one of our most incosiderate arguments is that we pay for all expenses associated with the WMA’s. It proves that we don’t really know the facts. Yes, hunters pay the bulk, but anyone that has bought guns, and or shooting supplies has contributed too. Hunters are consumptive users, where nonhunters are considered nonconsumptive users. I understand, and support access fees. But, if each hunter would take a few minutes to calculate their own contribution to WMA’s they’d very likely find they’ve contributed much less than a penny an acre. I tried to estimate my contribution based on 40 years of license purchases, and used a 50% factor….meaning 50% went to WMA’s…..shoot I’ve lost more money in the sofa than I’ve contributed to the WMA’s. I say allow nonconsumptive access without fee. If we examine the entire SH denbate, it essentially all boils down to the refusal to compromise. Hell, if any “one” will guarantee a change that gets SB464 passed…..I’ll pay your $18 fee….each year, until I hang up my hunting boots. Sounds reasonable to me.

And yes Darrell G. we will disagree on the language revision. I’ve been in the woods on Sundays with firearms each year of the past 45, and never once been approached by a game warden.

I know, at some point, there was some discussion about equestrians being required to purchase a permit to ride on Public Wildlife land and that as a group, most riders did not argue about it..In fact, some offered it as a good solution to providing badly needed maintenance for the land.  If this is, indeed, a financial consideration that the hunters are arguing, their point is moot.  Horse people, on the whole, don’t mind paying our way.  If this is about money, raise the hunting licenses, but don’t give them more access to the lands, to the detriment of the rest of the population.