Lawmakers are about to consider a bill that would expand hunting on Sundays.
Hunting in Virginia used to be prohibited on Sundays. Then, a few years ago, lawmakers took action to allow hunting on private land on Sundays. Now they're about to consider allowing hunting on public land on Sundays, things like nature preserves or wildlife management areas.
Senator Chap Petersen is a Democrat from Fairfax City.
"We want to compete with other states, and I know Maryland has Sunday hunting," he says. "That's one of two days that people have off. Otherwise you have to take a day off from work. Hunting is an important part of our traditions."
Critics wonder about other traditions that don't mix with hunting, things like hiking or horseback riding. Senator Creigh Deeds is a Democrat from Bath County who says he worries that hunting might crowd out other things people want to do on Sundays.
"Hunting is an activity that by necessity excludes other things," Deeds explains. "You don't want to get in the way of a stray shell, a stray bullet."
Lawmakers will be debating this bill when they gavel into session on January 12th.
This report, provided by Virginia Public Radio, was made possible with support from the Virginia Education Association.
