sundays

This is the article---Nice find RG --- Good to see we aren't the only ones trying to sort out the pros and cons of the issue through the fog of politics. Different states have different outlooks on social issues depending on what they are and for most Pa. citizens this is a social issue.

hunting

By Judson Berger

Published February 17, 2012

| FoxNews.com




A Virginia House panel has shot down a plan to lift the state's ban on Sunday hunting, ending for now a passionate debate that pitted hunting groups against clergy and challenged a longstanding -- albeit unusual -- Virginia tradition.

Virginia is one of roughly a half-dozen states that still restrict Sunday hunting. The ban has been challenged in past sessions but seemed to have momentum going for it after the Virginia Board of Game and Inland Fisheries last summer came out in favor of allowing hunting on the biblical day of rest.




The state Senate passed the bill by a wide margin last month, as supporters decried the ban as unfair and hailed the proposal as a way to invigorate hunting in Virginia.

But a House subcommittee on Wednesday tabled the proposal, effectively sidelining it for the session. For now, churchgoers, hikers and emboldened animals will have Sundays to themselves without hunters disturbing the peace.

"Even the animals deserve a day of rest," said Rev. Eddy Aliff, director of the Virginia Assembly of Independent Baptists.

Supporters and opponents of holy-day hunting came armed with a litany of arguments.

From the church perspective, Aliff said congregations support the ban because they don't want services and Sundays in general interrupted by the sound of gunfire.

"You shoot a gun, the sound doesn't just go a little ways," he said.

Aliff said hikers, horse riders, farmers and others also deserve some "peace and quiet" -- and safety -- on Sundays. Plenty of other groups sided with Aliff's organization, from the Virginia Farm Bureau to the Humane Society, for that reason.

But the state Board of Game described the ban as an antiquated vestige of colonial "blue laws," and argued that lifting it would have "no impact on wildlife populations."

The board, along with gun-rights groups, said taking Sunday off the table effectively limited hunting to one day -- Saturday -- since many hunters work the other five days.

"People are working longer hours. Saturdays are usually taken up with children's sporting events and other activities. ... People find it hard to find time to hunt," said National Rifle Association spokesman Andrew Arulanandam. "Not being able to hunt on Sunday basically takes one day off the plate completely. That's totally negating one whole day for people to enjoy their pastime."

The NRA, as well as the National Shooting Sports Foundation, argued that permitting Sunday hunting would give a jolt to the economy. They said state hunting license sales have fallen from 500,000 in the 1970s to 300,000 now.

"It's a way for the state to increase revenue," Arulanandam said. "There'll be more people buying licenses, there'll be people buying -- whether it's ammunition, whether it's firearms."

Arulanandam dismissed the claim that allowing Sunday hunting would disrupt religious services.

"The way that argument is framed is that hunting regularly happens outside churches, and that's inaccurate," he said, adding that the NRA would continue to fight for the repeal.

The bill, sponsored by Democratic state Sen. Ralph Northam, would have allowed hunting on state waters and private property only -- provided the landowner grants permission.

The bill would have prohibited any Sunday hunting within 250 yards of a place of worship. The House panel also turned away a last-minute attempt to narrow the bill down further and limit the hunting to military bases.

While the Sunday hunting bill is dead for now, the state continues to allow hunters to let their dogs chase bears for training purposes. The state carefully restricts the hours and months for "chase season," but does permit Sunday chases during that period


Read more: http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2012/02/17/virginia-lawmakers-preserve-ban-on-sunday-hunting/#ixzz1mez7Boij

Viirginia is one state hit hard by falling hunter numbers.  Scary, in fact.
 
Many interesting comments in there are about "gunfire" and "day of rest for the animals". Humanizing game which is a advantage to the antis.

Here is another tidbit that relates to this issue. Some prefer that our general assembly regulate hunting on Sundays. Some also prefer more oversight by politicians of the PGC.
 
Sarah Speed of the HSUS will be running for a seat in the Pa house. Rumor is two other HSUS card carrying members are as well.  The game has been changing for awhile now as some have been trying to point out.  We enjoy a hunter friendly state at the moment. That is changing and will continue to change with our changing demographics.
 
It is paramount that hunters recognize the new approaches the antis are taking and put aside short sighted differences by uniting around hunting and pro hunting initiatves.
 
This approach has been in the works for some time. There will be alot more of it.

I have agreed with you many times on this issue, S-10. The antis have changed their game and are recognizing what didn't work in the past. There are making some significant ground lately. Yes, even having meetings with PGC officials.
 
Alot of bad on many fronts. S. Smith didn't like it when I called him out on it either.
 
At least with the PGC, it is contains a large percentage of employess that hunt and have the interests of hunters in mind.

DPM and 10 are absolutley correct--
     Hunters tend to stay to themselves on the local level unless there is an issue pertaining directly to them. Rarely if ever have representatives of Hunters become  involved with local political parties. MISTAKE.
  Reasonable common sence folk are needed on local Town comittees to insure long term  objectives are clearly heard and participated in at grass root levels.  Even to run for office.
    Thats where your future politicos come from. Early friendships and liasons WORK --just look at the story bout that Humane Society woman and others just posted. They got thier start in all likelyhood by being put up for office by a local Town committee.
   Your State reps were most likely all from a local community organizations and the fact that the ANTIS are working them speaks for itself-they are steps ahead. When running for office they tour the state speaking to those local committees and garnering support first.
This from personal experience.
   Also might not be a bad idea to always represent yourselves as 'Conservationists' just like the antis do. Some feel that it is some kinda earned title even though we know better. The antis are using that title to great advantage- take a page from their book.
   Start making friends BEFORE there is an urgent issue and always represent yourselves as Conservationists who believe in hunting thus splitting the ranks of those who use the liasons and words against us. It used to be a good word for us and is now most generally associated with antis.
Have seen too many self styled conservationists who 'arent against hunting' get involved and slam us HARD.
  Said similar stuff bout  a year ago here and wasnt heard- -folks considered it just an URBIE thingie from a guy who lives in a very populated state- I guess- Now the Humane Society is gettin muscle in your backyard- gotta take the long road just like they did.
  DARN I hate to seen our sport slipping but our numbers are down all over and the other side sees weakness and has learned to hit us politically in very effective ways.

sounds like we need an enema in this area !

^It's all those years of being wormed with smart pills.