Virginia lawmakers table Sunday hunting

Published 8:44 am Friday, February 8, 2013

RICHMOND—A proposal to allow Sunday hunting on private property has been tabled by Virginia lawmakers.

State Del. James Morefield, R-North Tazwell, proposed the bill.

Last year, the Senate passed legislation that would have allowed Sunday hunting. The subcommittee of the House of Delegates’ Natural Resources, Agriculture and Chesapeake Committee denied the proposal.

In other matters:

• A proposal to allow Sunday hunting on private lands in Fairfax, Fauquier, Loudoun and Prince William counties has also died. Del. David Ramadan, R-South Riding, introduced the bill. Del. Scott Lingamfelter’s proposal for Sunday hunting on state and federal military bases, installations and facilities also failed.

• The Senate voted 24-16 to outlaw training hunting dogs by chasing foxes and coyotes within fenced-in areas. Sen. David Marsden, D-Burke, introduced the bill. Marsden introduced similar legislation last year, calling the practice cruel while claiming 3,600 foxes died in 41 pens over the last three years. Penned-in areas are normally 100 to 900 acres. The Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries requires an escape route for fox every 20 acres.

• The House voted 98-0 to allow the use of GPS or other electronic tracking devices to manage dogs when hunting or pursuing fox. Current law allows hunters to “follow” the dog and does not explain what “managing” might encompass. The bill introduced by Charles Poindexter, R-Glade Hill, has been referred to the Senate Committee of Agriculture, Conservation and Natural Resources.

• The House also voted 87-0 to allows landowners to shoot muskrats and raccoons during the closed season without obtaining kill permits from the Department of Game and Inland Fisheries. The legislation also would allow landowners to trap beaver, muskrat and raccoons during the closed season. The bill introduced by Tony Wilt, R-Harrisonburg, has been referred to the Senate Committee of Agriculture, Conservation and Natural Resources.

• A proposal to allow hunting birds or animals with bow and arrow or crossbow on Sundays is dead. Del. Michael Webert, R-Marshall, introduced the legislation.