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Main Boards => Hunting Legislation & Policies => Topic started by: vermonster13 on January 24, 2007, 10:16:00 PM
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The Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries (VDGIF) announced today that it has initial results from its recent hunter survey on the topic of Sunday hunting. The results from the 2006 survey, when compared with the results from a survey conducted in 1996, indicate a significant difference in hunters' opinions about Sunday hunting has occurred in the last ten years.
When hunters were surveyed on this subject in 1996, the overall response was close. Slightly more hunters opposed Sunday hunting (48%) versus those who supported Sunday hunting (45%). It is worth noting, however, that of the 48% of hunters who opposed the concept of Sunday hunting in 1996, 45% were strongly opposed. Of the 45% supporting Sunday hunting, 39% strongly favored it.
The 2006 hunter survey results indicated that 62% of responding hunters expressed some level of support for Sunday hunting compared to 34% who were opposed. Of the 62% supporting Sunday hunting, 53% were strongly supportive. Of the 34% who opposed Sunday hunting, 28.5% were strongly opposed.
Regionally, there were minor differences in hunters' support for Sunday hunting. Overall support ranged from 66% in northern Virginia to 58% in the south central Piedmont area of the state.
VDGIF Board Chairman John Montgomery said of the survey, "Many people incorrectly believe that Sunday hunting is regulated by the Board of Game and Inland Fisheries, but it is a Legislative matter. However, the Legislature does regard us as a source for information on hunters and hunting. Since our information on hunters' opinions on the issue was a decade old, we undertook this survey to get current information which we are providing to members of the General Assembly."
The 2006 survey was sent in November to 5,000 licensed Virginia hunters who were randomly selected. A second follow-up mailing was sent to non-respondents in early December. A response rate of 59% was obtained from these two mailings.
Board Member Jimmy Hazel, who chairs the Wildlife and Boating Committee of the Board of Game and Inland Fisheries, observed, "This survey was a necessary first step in determining the importance of this issue to Virginia hunters. Getting a response rate of almost 60% is impressive on any survey. In this case, it suggests that hunters have strong feelings about this issue and want to be heard."
The survey consisted of 14 questions. Individual hunters were asked about their support or opposition to Sunday hunting. Other questions asked hunters how they felt about potential restrictions or limits placed upon Sunday hunting, the distance they traveled to hunt, the number of days they hunted, and types of land they hunted on. Hunters were asked their opinions about how Sunday hunting could potentially impact relationships with landowners, time and opportunity to hunt, and the number of animals harvested. Finally, a series of demographic questions were included to obtain information about the hunters' age, gender, and place of residence.
VDGIF Director Carlton Courter said, "As Sunday hunting is considered by the General Assembly in this session and in the future, we will certainly gather additional input from other constituents, including landowners, other outdoor enthusiasts and state residents in general."
The average age of hunters responding to this survey was 45.2 years and they ranged in age from 14 to 83 years of age. Ninety-seven percent of the respondents were male and 3% were female. Twenty-three percent of the respondents said they lived on farms, 43% lived in rural areas, 13% lived in towns with a population less than 50,000, 12% lived in the suburbs, and 9% lived in urban areas.
A Summary of Virginia Hunters' Opinions on Sunday Hunting is now available on the Department's Web site www.dgif.virginia.gov. (http://www.dgif.virginia.gov.) A full report will follow after more in depth data analysis has been completed.
It is the mission of the Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries to maintain optimum populations of all species to serve the needs of the Commonwealth; to provide opportunity for all to enjoy wildlife, inland fish, boating, and related outdoor recreation; and to promote safety for persons and property in connection with these outdoor activities.
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Why is Sunday hunting not allowed- why not thursday or tuesday hunting.... there is supposed to be a separation of church and state.
I wonder if the Seventh Day Adventists think of this?
Its purely a law designed around religion; and should be shot down.
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I was one of the Hunters who participated in the survey. I have ALWAYS been in support of Sunday hunting. Hopefully this will be allowed in the near future.
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I personally like the law for many reasons.
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Chuck, I would like to hear your reasons. Send me a PM if you like.
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I'm not sure where I stand on this one.Here in Pa. we are looking at Sunday hunting also,its not legal now.I know a few land owners who allow hunting that may have a problem with it.And I can see thier point.
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Its no different than playing golf, or going to a movie on a Sunday.
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It is if you are a land owner trying to enjoy a picnic or do something else.Guns make noise,bullets fly far.
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SO why not public land? Private land by permission. If you don't want Sunday hunting and you own land then don't allow it on your property.
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Trouble is they would just post the land and there would be NO HUNTING 7 days a week.Also alot of public land borders private land.Like I said bullets travel far. :smileystooges:
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They travel everyday of the rest of the week so should we just outlaw hunting? You're argument against is weak and smacks of the antihunters reasoning when they fight against us. Most arguments against Sunday hunting are emotional or religion biased which we won't get into here as for religion is off limits period.
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BTW have you guys ever seen the orange army of Pa ?LOL.with all the new roads and houses we are looseing enuff private land already,and dont forget about safety zones when public land borders private.
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Well,it is a good reason to use slugs only in some places.Like I said I dont know where I stand on this issue yet,just trying to look at it from other points of view,not just the hunters.It is important to consider all involved or we will stop hunting.
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You choose to build against the public land you do so with full knowledge of it's uses. Excuses are growing old and we need to draw a line and start fighting or we are going to be pushed out. Your odds of getting hurt with a car are much greater than being shot by a stray bullet. Private land is going to be posted regardless of what the laws are, it is the nature of the beast. Before long as farms are closing down or looking for ways to prevent it and the herd improves from antler restrictions, PA will enter the world of hunting leases. When there is money to be made we'll see what happens.
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The the point I always like useing is this, we pay taxes on sunday and we work on sundays thats a big no no, why can't we hunt om sunday.
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Yup,lots of angles here.I see no reason it wont go through so I dont understand all the huffiness.
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Well HSUS will put up a million or so to prevent it. They are willing to spend big bucks to stop Sunday hunting whenever they can. They realize this limits huge numbers of hunters to one day a week of hunting and alos helps to get some out of the woods or never there at all.
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It was just shot down in N.C.One of the statements made by the ncwrc was that the amount of game taken would almost double.Also they would need additional officers to enforce laws.I have mixed feelings on the issue.I hunt public land for ducks.They are only open 3 days a week.On the weekend they are so packed you can't enjoy a hunt.Also they run deer with dogs where I live and some off these groups would run 1 thru the church parking lot and shoot as it crossed the grave yard.Which would surely turn some people against hunting in this area.
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Good example.We cant afford to turn people who dont hunt into anti-hunters.Whats wrong with giving the critters a rest one day a week?
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Head on over to HuntingPA.com forums and go to Outdoor Issues and look for the post on Sunday hunting[beware what you wish for]post.Very interesting.
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Wow , Ya'll have been busy since Ive checked in.
Here are some of the reasons I support it.
It gives me an extra day to take my kids hunting without pulling them out of school.
It gives me an extra day to hunt without using a Vacation Day that could be spent with the family.
The weather dictates alot of hunting possibilities. Some of the Sundays during hunting season have been Superb for hunting.
I strongly feel that if you own your land you should be able to hunt on it when you like. If there is a law against hunting on Sunday then why not a law against Fishing?
If you dont want to hunt on Sunday then Don't. I'm sure alot of people will not take the opportunity if it is made into a law.
These are just a few that come to mind. I have heard some points against it that I can understand the view points, but most can be remedied if the law states boundaries. It wouldnt bother me a bit to have to still hunt without the aid of dogs on Sunday which seems to be the biggest arguement Ive heard.
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Good points.I've decided I'm for hunting on Sundays,but according to what I've heard it will mean shorter seasons and less doe tags here in my state.I still see some of the concerns nonhunters have though.These topics can go on and get ugly. :knothead:
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I would love to be able to hunt on Sundays, I have a job, wife , and two kids, somtimes I have obligations on Saturdays and I do not get enough vacation time to take more than a couple of "hunting days" off a year. I have only been hunting a few years and I am amazed that people who profess to want to expand the sport/life also want to limit the days also.
Adam