The State Gives and the State can Take Away

Last week I wrote an editorial complaining about the process that is being used to change the law on Sunday hunting. At no point did I take a stand on hunting on Sunday either pro or con. However, within an hour after the paper hit the stands I started receiving calls and letters promoting hunting on Sunday.

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My concern is, as I stated (clearly I thought), that a single small group can change state law. I am concerned that the change is being brought about and will affect many rural Virginias who have not been involved in the process.

I am also concerned with the way laws, particularly hunting laws, are passed. VADGIF presents a package to the legislators. The legislators usually pass the package. They pass it without discussion and, in at least some cases, without reading.

I expressed concern that densely populated areas can pass statewide laws that affect rural areas with little or no input from the areas involved. I am also concerned that

THE STATE can and has passed laws regarding how I may use my own property when my actions affect no one but me.

The calls and letters I have received validated my concerns.

For the record, I support Sunday hunting on private property. But I believe each county should have the option to approve or disapprove the proposal. One Sunday hunting supporter stated this wouldn’t work because it would leave the decision in the hands of a small group of Supervisors.

I contend that local Boards of Supervisors are more responsive to the will of the majority of the citizens because they are directly elected by that group and in the case of rural Virginia often know many of their constituents personally. In Charlotte County each supervisor represents fewer than 1500 citizens. The farther you get from local control the less control and input each citizen has.

I also discovered there is a group of about 6000 pro-Sunday hunting supporters spearheading the Sunday hunting effort. This also reinforced my opinion.

Virginia has a population of 8.186 million. 6000 is less than one tenth of one percent of the population. In fact, if you compare this to the locally elected board in Charlotte County each of the pro-Sunday Hunting contingent is arbitrarily representing about 1500 Virginians.

VADGIF and our legislators have passed numerous laws and regulations protecting black bears in Virginia. So far not one law has been passed to protect rural landowners and their property from the bears.

If you live in a rural area and a black bear is damaging your property or threatening your livestock or family your only option is to call a “conservation officer.” If you can document damage, the officer will give you a damage permit. You will be able to legally kill the bear if it commits a second offence within 60 days except the bear is given Sunday off. This also assumes you have the personal resources to kill the bear. If you request the department to trap the bear you will be told they “do not have the resources.” If you live in a city and a bear enters your neighborhood it will be promptly trapped or sedated and released in a rural area.

According to VADGIF these rules are formulated by a group of “stakeholders.” One of their stated goals is to meet the needs of people who want to “observe a wild bear in its natural habitat.”

Unless you illegally bait for bears and observe at night, the odds of your ever seeing a wild bear except dead on the road or at a checking station are almost nil.

I believe all decisions regarding local land use should be made at the local level. That is democracy and that is what this great country is all about.