Support is growing statewide for Sunday hunting proposal

Ken Perrotte's Outdoors Column

Date published: 1/11/2007

IN A SIGNIFICANT reversal of sentiment from a decade ago, 62 percent of state hunters responding to a survey expressed support for Sunday hunting.

The Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries sent a statistically valid, 14-question survey to 5,000 licensed, randomly selected hunters statewide in November. Fifty-nine percent responded.

VDGIF board member Jimmy Hazel, chairman of the Wildlife and Boating Committee, stated: "This survey was a necessary first step in determining the importance of this issue to Virginia hunters. Getting a response rate of almost 60 percent is impressive on any survey. In this case, it suggests that hunters have strong feelings about this issue and want to be heard."

In 1996, slightly more hunters opposed Sunday hunting (48 percent) than supported it (45 percent). Of 62 percent supporting Sunday hunting in the latest survey, 53 percent were strongly supportive. Of 34 percent who opposed it, 28.5 percent were strongly opposed.

Virtually every region of the commonwealth had a majority of hunters expressing support, with Northern Virginia leading at 66 percent. The south-central Piedmont area was the lowest at 58 percent.

Over the last decade, I have heard from many hunters for and against Sunday hunting. I don't take a strong position on this, but consistent themes merit addressing as both sides work this issue.

First, Sunday hunting supporters effectively stress that past Virginia legislators seemed interested in preserving only two "blue" laws banning certain things on Sunday: hunting and bottled liquor sales from the state-run monopoly. Everyone else can now fish, play golf, shop, have soccer tournaments, attend concerts, see the Redskins, even go to big NASCAR races, etc. But hunting--well, that's just wrong.

They have a point.

Some opponents have, apparently, capitalized on confusion about the ability of land owners to restrict hunting on their property should Sunday hunting be permitted. One Stafford County reader, Joseph Hirtz, wrote to implore me to address this myth following the announcement of the survey results.

Land owners always can prohibit Sunday hunting on their property even if the state authorizes it. They could limit hunting to Wednesdays and Saturdays; after all, it is their land. Even federal properties could choose to opt out of Sunday hunting. Some currently opt out of current seasons adopted by the state.

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Date published: 1/11/2007