An editorial from The Dominion Post
MORGANTOWN, W.Va. — Shooting first and asking questions later is usually not recommended.
But we’re almost inclined to say it is in the matter of passing a statewide law legalizing Sunday hunting.
As it stands, West Virginia is one of only 11 states, including our neighbors in Pennsylvania and Virginia, that either prohibit or restrict hunting on Sundays.
Though the Legislature repealed the longtime ban on Sunday hunting in 2001, that measure came with a caveat. Lawmakers decided to allow each county decide whether to repeal Sunday hunting.
In 2002, 41 counties, including Monongalia and Preston, defeated the idea. It hadn’t been brought up again until this year. However, since then 22 of the state’s 55 counties have approved measures to allow Sunday hunting on private land.
Monongalia and Preston counties will feature referendums on their November ballots to join them.
During this week’s interim legislative session, a lobbyist for a national sportmen’s advocacy group urged lawmakers to take up a statewide Sunday hunting bill next year.
According to the lobbyist, legalizing statewide Sunday hunting would create about 2,600 jobs and spur up to $155 million in economic activity yearly.
We ’re not sure if we buy those numbers, but it’s undeniable that such legislation would create jobs and come with many economic benefits to our state.
In addition, it would give state residents a reason not to travel to states where there are no restrictions on Sunday hunting. Furthermore, it might lure some hunters from elsewhere to the Mountain State. Clearly, the confusion caused by county-by-county Sunday hunting laws doesn’t do that.
Ending West Virginia’s ban on Sunday hunting would add 19 days to the state’s big-game season and four to the small-game season.
Buck season would gain an extra day, ending on a Sunday, instead of a Saturday.
Though we do not oppose county referendums, this issue is not particular to just some counties but indeed is a statewide issue.
That being the case, why not decide it in a statewide forum? That would also give lawmakers the opportunity to extend Sunday hunting to prime public hunting lands.
We urge local legislators to raise this issue as a statewide initiative in the coming regular legislative session in February.
Sanction the counties that have already locally approved Sunday hunting and either add the others, or not, depending on the bill’s outcome.
Deciding this issue statewide also ensures enhanced tax revenues, added jobs and business activity is shared by all, rather than just some.
Why not give statewide Sunday hunting another shot in the Legislature?
