FreeLists / va-bird / [va-bird] Re: Proposed bill for Sunday hunting

["Suzanne Richman" <suzanne_richman@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

I wonder if the bill that was passed that you refer to can be reversed.  Is 
this a US or VA law?

> From: "Tom & Lynda Blair" <tomlyn@xxxxxxxxxxx>
> Reply-To: tomlyn@xxxxxxxxxxx
> To: "va-bird" <va-bird@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
> Subject: [va-bird] Re: Proposed bill for Sunday hunting
> Date: Tue, 02 Jan 2007 22:02:02 -0500
>
> I don't know about the birding conditions in Alexandria or much of the 
> northern part of the state, but here in New Kent County, it wouldn't be 
> wise to be laying on the ground at the edge of the water, taking pictures 
> of ducks on any day but a Sunday. Even at the Cumberland Marsh Reserve. 
> This was a no hunting preserve until last year when another such amendment 
> (actually a little-known mandate) to a bill was passed, making any water, 
> even on reserves and private land, legal to be hunted. Of course, I was 
> unaware that such a sneaky little bill was attached to something else and 
> passed without any notice.
> I always check to make sure there is no hunting before venturing out to 
> bird on any day but Sunday. This past month, I was alone, lying on my 
> stomach at the edge of Holt's Creek at the Cumberland Marsh, taking 
> pictures of Green-winged Teals when a hunter in a canoe with a motor 
> attached, came by and began blasting away at the birds I was just 
> photographing. I was shaken up to say the least. Especially after carefully 
> checking that this was indeed a No Hunting area.
> After sending an email to the Nature Conservancy, I was informed of the 
> amendment that forced them and others to allow hunters access to formerly 
> safe havens for birds and people. The NTC was negligent in not posting 
> signs about hunters being in the area, so I suppose they were lucky that I 
> wasn't shot. I have been going there weekly for over a year and didn't 
> think I had a  reason to worry on a Thursday morning.
> Hunting has undergone a decline in the US as a result of Suburbanization 
> and changing attitudes towards killing animals.
> According to a poll by the US Fish and Wildlife Service, only 6% of the 
> adult population hunted in 2001, and a whopping 31% photographed, observed 
> or fed wildlife.
> The statistical info can be found here, as to revenues generated by hunters 
> vs, non-consumptive wildlife enthusiasts. The argument that hunters are the 
> greatest support of conservation just doesn't cut it anymore.
> http://library.fws.gov/nat_survey2001_birding.pdf
>  Must the hunters have every day of the week to take the lives of the 
> creatures we enjoy observing and photographing? I really don't think it's 
> too much to ask for one day a week for the wildlife to have a break and 
> allow the people to enjoy watching them.
> Lynda Blair
> New Kent County
>   ----- Original Message -----
>   From: Flyfishgrl@xxxxxxx
>   To: tomlyn@xxxxxxxxxxx ; va-bird@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
>   Sent: Tuesday, January 02, 2007 7:41 PM
>   Subject: [va-bird] Re: Proposed bill for Sunday hunting
>
>
>   I have signed a petition in favor of hunting on Sundays.  I don't think 
> any birders have ever been accidentally shot Monday through Saturday.
>   Suzanne Malone
>   Alexandria, Va
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