By Cory Boothe
Coryboothe@hotmail.com
There is a statewide push to get Sunday hunting on private land back on the ballot.
Support has been overwhelming in Calhoun County and their are enough signatures to have it on the ballot in spring 2014.
To be on the ballot in a county, 5% of registered voters in that county must sign a petition for Sunday hunting.
43 of 50 states allow Sunday hunting.
Fourteen counties in West Virginia allow Sunday hunting.
West of Wood County all the way to the Pacific Ocean, people can hunt on Sunday. This is a landowner rights issue and for private land only.
Even if landowners are allowed to hunt on their own land on Sundays, it doesn't mean that a landowner has to grant permission to anyone to do so on their land.
We have hardworking individuals who work six days a week, pay taxes on their property, and are told that they cannot hunt on their own land due to one of the only remaining blue laws left on the books.
Sunday hunting will not lower church attendance rates. The state with the highest church attendance rate is Mississippi which has Sunday hunting.
Two states with nearly the lowest church attendance rates are Massachusetts and Maine. Neither allow Sunday hunting.
People say animals need a day of rest.
Unfortunately, animals do not know a day of rest. Coyotes still stalk deer on Sundays and deer still dodge vehicles on Sunday. Also, they are not capable of knowing days of the week.
It is worth noting that Sunday hunting adds one, that's right one day to the buck rifle season. There are no rifle Sundays for doe season the way the seasons are currently at Thursday through Saturday.
Farmers and hikers say they are fearful on Sundays. However, neither a farmer or hiker have ever been shot by a hunter in West Virginia on Sunday or any other day of the week for that matter.
Currently 14 counties in West Virginia have Sunday hunting with zero problems.
In conclusion, democracy is alive and well in Calhoun County. The petitions will be sent to the county clerk soon. Other counties are on the way.
As soon as a county is on the ballot, it is then time for sportsmen to arrive at the polls in masses to put an end to this antiquated blue law that restrains landowner rights.
For further information, log onto "Sunday Hunting in West Virginia" on facebook. or email sundayhuntingnwv@hotmail.com
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