CROZET

One of the arguments they, their legislators, and Gov. McDonnell put forth is that this is about property rights. Sen. Chap Petersen (D-Fairfax) has said, "You can hunt your own property or people can hunt your property with permission. For the life of me, I don't see how you can stop somebody from doing that as long as they're in season."

The point the senator is missing is that hunting does not take place in a vacuum. Currently, most non-hunters feel forced to avoid natural areas from Monday through Saturday to reduce their chances of being mistakenly shot. Sharing the woods with hunters does present a real danger, and you don't need to be away from home for an accident to happen.

A bullet whizzed by my head one year when I was standing in my own rural front yard. That bullet emanated from a neighbor's private land. Therefore, allowing Sunday hunting only on private land does nothing to diminish the danger to people in the vicinity.

The point of retaining the ban on Sunday hunting is to show consideration for other folks. You can't shut down the outdoor lives of other people every day of the week during hunting season.

Non-hunters--Sen. Petersen's "other" constituency of hikers, bikers, birders, joggers, wildlife photographers, etc.--should not be forgotten or ignored. They deserve one day a week to be able to go outside without hearing gunshots that induce worry or fear.