Fox Pens, Sunday Hunting Discussed

Editor,

It appears the urban representatives in the General Assembly have launched a ‘cultural war’ against Virginia’s rural population with introduction of Senate Bill 42 which is designed to criminalize the behavior of honest, hard working, taxpaying, law-abiding rural citizens who operate or participate in fox hunting through fox pens. To me it appears to be the PETA motivated lead-in to outlawing hunting and trapping.

Some points for consideration:

1. Fox pens are more humane than regular fox hunting.

The animals aren’t killed in the hunt.  They live a longer, safer life in captivity than in the wild.

2. Promotes Cultural and Wildlife Preservation

Fox pens play an important part in preserving and promoting a significant part of Virginia’s rural culture while also promoting wildlife preservation.

3. Fox pen events have a considerable impact on our local economies.

Any attempt to criminalize fox pens should require a two-year study.  The study should include the impact on local economies where fox pens are located, the impact on the dog breeding industry, on the retail establishments, freight industry and veterinarians/medical suppliers that cater to fox pen owners and users as well as dog owners.  Further, inputs should be solicited from the broad range of stakeholders from fox pen owners, users, the hunting dog industry, the retail industry and local governments in whose jurisdictions fox pens are located.

In my opinion, the proposed legislation is nothing less than an attack by urban representatives against Virginia’s rural population.  It smacks of an ethnic/cultural cleansing of our rural mores and values.  What’s next, our Christian faith? The reputations of our honored war dead?  We’re not in Kosovo and it should be made known to the urban representatives that their attempts to demonize and criminalize the proud culture of Virginia’s rural constituencies will not go unnoticed or unchallenged in the legislature and in the courts, if it be required, and on the political battlefield. As Charlton Heston so famously said, “Political correctness is tyranny with manners.”

Citizens should contact their respective House and Senate members to vocally oppose any restrictions on fox pens and other hunting and firearms activities.

Greg Eanes, Crewe, Va

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Editor,

The Sunday hunting topic is ever more heating up so I may as well toss my cup of gas on the fire! First off, Sunday hunting is but one of a number of hunting laws that needs to be changed in Virginia. I believe many like the “no Sunday hunting” policy because it simply has tenure and most people are afraid of change. Laws do need to conform to changing times however. We have an Old and New Testament to the Holy Bible if I’m not mistaken. Although I’ve read that those against Sunday hunting dominate the polls in a 5 to 1 margin, are those who are against all hunting weighing in heavily on this matter as well? Do 2 wolves and a lamb voting for what to have for supper necessarily make the wolves right? Why are people allowed to fish on Sunday but not hunt? Presently, trappers are required to check their traps every 24 hours, which means there is a type of hunting going on as is on Sunday required by law. Any trapper who runs his line on Sunday must dispatch any animal (that requires such) unless there is some fine print that says otherwise in the game regulations.

What of a person required to work 6 days a week with Sunday being the only day off. Too bad for that guy huh! What of people who have a farm, garden or raises livestock. If they see ground hogs or crows destroying their crops or foxes running off with the chickens on Sunday, by present law, they have no recourse but to stand by and just watch it happen. Personally speaking, I have several hundred acres that cost hundreds of thousands of dollars to acquire and thousands more in taxes each year to own and am presently forbidden to hunt (or even protect my interests) on my land from predators just because it’s Sunday …oh really! That smells like discrimination to me because a “hunter” has been singled out and maligned as some form of “sub-human” that needs to be reigned in for at least one day a week.

For those who feel Sunday hunting somehow flies in the face of God, I would suggest reading the book of Luke in the Bible, Chapter 13, verse 10-17. Jesus was taken to task about healing a woman on the Sabbath and then reminded His critics of all the activities they routinely do on a Holy day. Why should hunters be singled out and curtail just their pursuits while the rest of society gets a pass. If Virginia wishes to live by the old “Blue laws”, they should apply to all or apply them to none !

Karl Schmidt, Farmville, Va

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