Sunday huntin illegal or legal?

[Lilred]

Found this on the va dept game & fish website tonight...seems like after all this time we might be workin towards huntin on sundays...although I caint say we need it...nor could i say i'd be huntin on sunday. But anyways...kinda interestin input....esp note the 1997 results...some folks find it hard to swallow that most of us wanted it this way lol

BTW: notice where all the votes for this came from and what area they are in

A SUMMARY OF VIRGINIA HUNTERS’ OPINIONS ON SUNDAY HUNTING Submitted January 4, 2007 Prepared by Wildlife Division Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries
Summary
On November 22, 2006 the first mailing of the survey was sent to a random sample of 5,000 licensed hunters throughout Virginia. A second, follow-up mailing was sent to non-respondents on December 8, 2006. A response rate of 59% was obtained from these two mailings. This sample size of 5,000 hunters reflects over ten times the number of completed surveys required to ensure that survey results would be generalizable to the total population of Virginia licensed hunters within a five percent margin of error at a 95 percent confidence level. The survey consisted of fourteen questions. First, 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. The 2006 survey results indicate that 53% of all responding hunters said they Strongly Supported Sunday Hunting in Virginia, compared to 28.5% who said they were Strongly Opposed. This question was measured on a seven point scale (1=Strongly Oppose, 4=Neither oppose nor support, 7=Strongly Support). When the categories were combined, 62% of responding hunters indicated some level of support for Sunday hunting compared to 34% who were opposed. In the 1996 -1997 Virginia hunter survey, a similar question asked hunters whether they favored or opposed Sunday hunting. The results of this survey indicated 39% said they Strongly Favored Sunday hunting whereas 45% Strongly Opposed it. The 1996-1997 hunter survey question also used a 7-point scale (1=Strongly Oppose, 4=Does not matter, 7=Strongly Favor). When categories were combined, 45% of hunters favored Sunday hunting and 48% opposed it. The results from these two surveys indicate there is a significant difference in hunters’ opinions about Sunday hunting since 1996.
Regionally, there were minor differences in hunter’s support for Sunday hunting. Overall support ranged from 66% in northern Virginia (Region 5) to 58% in the south central Piedmont (Region 2) area of the state. Hunters were asked their level of support or opposition to certain restrictions or limitations to Sunday hunting. Hunters indicated their opposition to most of the restrictions. In fact, allowing Sunday hunting “with no limitations, just like any other hunting day” was supported by 56% of hunters and no one category of restrictions or limitations were supported by the majority of hunters. Hunters were also asked if they supported or opposed Sunday hunting for certain species. Generally, the majority of hunters supported the hunting of all species on Sundays, with two exceptions. First, 59% of hunters expressed opposition to deer hunting with dogs on Sunday whereas 37% of hunters opposed deer hunting without dogs on Sunday. Additionally, 55.5% of hunters said they opposed bear hunting with dogs while only 40% said they opposed bear hunting without dogs on Sunday. Over three-quarters (77.5%) of responding hunters believed that Sunday hunting would increase the amount of time to hunt and 63% said it would increase “opportunities for hunters to try new places to hunt in Virginia.” Sixty-two percent of hunters thought Sunday hunting would increase youth participation in hunting. Additional statistical analyses revealed a significant relationship between certain questions. A relationship was found between a hunter’s place of residence and support of Sunday hunting. Fifty-five percent of hunters who reside on farms supported Sunday hunting compared to 70% who reside in the suburbs and 77% residing in urban areas. A relationship between the age of hunters and support of Sunday hunting was also found. Specifically, 76% of hunters under the age of 30 supported Sunday hunting while only 41% over the age of 60 were supporters of Sunday hunting. 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.

[rickjordan]

We can't hunt in Maine on Sunday, either and that irks me. If I want to go hunting on Sunday, I don't even have the option and the last I heard, there were only like 7 states that you can't hunt on Sunday in the US. Most are in the so called bible belt and my state way up here in the northeast. Most people around here have Saturday and Sunday off and we can only hunt one of the two days.

[Dan Morris]

Just another day in Dodge in Colorado.
Dan

[gd357]

I'll give you this, it's a real drag to find out if you set up an out-of-state hunt. Found that one out the hard way, but it worked out pretty well anyway.

gd

[M.T. Pockets]

In Minnesota we can hunt on Sunday. Can't buy beer though.

[Nulle]

SD is open for hunting and beer lol

[Andy L]

Its just another day here too. Only difference I see is cant buy beer til 11am. And thats a joke.

Yeah, I have my religious beliefs, but I wouldnt like the no huntin on Sunday thing. Dont drink anymore, so that doesnt bother me personally, but dont want it to go away. That would be just another chink in the armor against big brother. If folks wanna get up and get sauced on Sunday morning, let the heathans do it. Not my problem and they can answer for themselves when the time comes.

No huntin on Sunday has to be a drag for folks that work a normal job, 5 days a week. That leaves one day. Also has to suck for folks planning out of state huntin trips, especially if they have to plan around two weekends to make the hunt feasible.

I like freedom. Nothing to do with religion. People are free to choose on that too. I never read anywhere in the bible that says, thou shalt not sit in a treestand on sunday. LOL

[Duffy]

Originally posted by Andy L
[B]Its just another day here too. Only difference I see is cant buy beer til 11am. And thats a joke.

Just like Ohio!

I agree with you Andy. I am fortunate enough to have a job that allows me some freedom with days off, but for a lot of people, the weekend is all they have. There is nothing wrong with hunting on Sunday. If the Sabbath is meant as a day of rest, then it only follows that hunting should be allowed. I can't think of anything more restful and relaxing than hunting, even if I have to drag a big doe up out of a steep ravine (like I did on a Sunday two years ago!).

[Skyline]

There is no Sunday hunting in parts of Alberta, Saskatchewan and Manitoba. Basically this is in areas that are mostly private land and bible areas.

I am a rural person and it does not really affect me as I still have 6 days to hunt.............but having said that I am completely FOR Sunday hunting. In this day and age when most people are from urban areas it is rediculous that Sunday is closed to hunting. As mentioned this only leaves one day for them to hunt. It limits weekend tourism in rural areas, which is self defeating for the rural people and their local economy. I also would like to know why others have the right to tell me I can't hunt on my own ranch on Sunday. Total B.S.!!!

Lastly, since we are apparently free to follow our religious beliefs regardless of which religion it is, why should the Christian Sunday have any bearing on what any person choses to do for recreation on Sunday? What makes hunting on Sunday a no- no, but it is OK to go out and catch fish and bash them on the head? Day of rest argument perhaps.........when did hunting become defined as work?

If Sunday hunting is personally objectionable to you or you do not believe in hunting on Sunday for what ever strange reason, then by all means don't do it. Others should have the choice to hunt on Sunday if they wish to. Heck, you can even get an afternoon hunt in after church.

What is next? The Seventh Day Adventists honor Saturday as their day of Sabbath and some Jews honor the Sabbath from sundown on Friday to sundown on Saturday...........if freedom of religions is really OK, perhaps hunting shouldn't be allowed on Saturday either and urban people would have ZERO days to hunt on the weekend.

[Rocky Raab]

Isn't it curious that the liberal whiners who want to ban anything that has any reference to religion even remotely connected to the government (but who also are against hunting) are silent when it comes to this issue?

Complete hypocrites, I'd say.

(For the record, I think hunting should be allowed on Sunday as a matter of choice. Those who choose to hunt and those who choose not to should have the ability to decide for themselves.)

[Skinny Shooter]

Sunday hunting in Pa is legal for crows, coyotes and some other minor varmints.
Nothing else. Yet.
I work 6 days a week during prime groundhoggin' season and would like an option to go out on Sundays.
Have mixed it up over this topic on another board dedicated to Pa hunting and its hard to believe how much folks think it will ruin hunting, more land will end up being posted, etc.

[Andy L]

Good point Skyline. I almost mentioned the other religions. I have a friend that is a 7th Day preacher (or whatever they call themselves). He is always busy with the church on Saturday, but doesnt say anything to anyone else who doesnt. He loves to hunt and would be in sad shape if there were no hunting on Sunday.

Freedom to hunt any day should be the same as freedom of speech, freedom of religion, ect....

If Im wrong, Ill have to answer for it someday. Maybe? Depending on what religion you choose.

[Swift]

I'm here in PA with Skinny. We are still trying to get Sun huntin passed......maybe some day...

[Lilred]

OK...let me argue this point. While all ya'll hunt on Sunday...most of you have a 2 week gun season. We now have a 2 month gun season. If we legalize huntin on Sunday...will we lose huntin days?? YES...and a helluva lot of em too.
Will we lose all our 14 days (give or take-diff in each county) of doe days??? YES
This goes ACROSS the board too. Our fall turkey season is from mid-november till jan....gun season mind you...hen or gobbler. Will we lose that??? Hell yeah.....not to mention all our birds, small game etc.
And as far as huntin.....without dogs....esp as the season gits older...yer chances of baggin bucks are few and far between...private land is gittin scarce...and public land is hunted HARD now as it is. This would only make things worse.

Anybody can beotch about what THEY want....but they dont take the time to consider what everybody else wants, nor do they consider the uniqueness of each state. Not to mention runnin their mouth fore they realize they'd be cuttin off their nose to spite their face.
I say it again...and that report just proved it worse....bein invaded again. There's alot more to this than religion too....Not to mention that when this Sunday law was made...huntin WAS work. At least in our state anyways.

Ya know...all I got to say is: If you dont like it here...well then by god...dont come here and that goes for the freedom of religion thing too. That freedom of religion crap is what got Merry Christmas it's now Happy Holidays" and Santa Clause is now called "nondenominational holiday figure!"

[Skyline]

That is bunk.