Last week, Gov. Youngkin signed Senate Bill 8 into law. This legislation expands Sunday hunting opportunities in Virginia to include public lands throughout the state. This victory for hunters was a long time in the making and many thanks go to a number of individuals who worked hard to see this through. The bill’s sponsor, Sen. Chap Petersen, and Speaker Todd Gilbert provided much needed leadership, which when combined with the sportsmen’s voice, became too much for anti-hunters to thwart in this session.
Access to opportunities is long-cited as the number-one reason that hunters simply stop hunting and Sunday hunting bans play a huge part in limiting access. In fact, there is no greater limitation to access than these archaic blue laws, which despite being remnants of a bygone era, have remained in place for far too long.
Hunters throughout the region can celebrate this critical victory while turning to opportunities to overturn Sunday hunting bans in other state. Just as in Virginia, united we can sweep these Sunday hunting bans into the dustbins of history. Which is precisely where they belong.
About the Sportsmen’s Alliance: The Sportsmen’s Alliance protects and defends America’s wildlife conservation programs and the pursuits – hunting, fishing and trapping – that generate the money to pay for them. Sportsmen’s Alliance Foundation is responsible for public education, legal defense and research. Its mission is accomplished through several distinct programs coordinated to provide the most complete defense capability possible. Stay connected to Sportsmen’s Alliance: Online, Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.