BISMARCK, NORTH DAKOTA — Delta Waterfowl applauds the Virginia House of Delegates for passing Senate Bill 8 — which promises to dissolve the state’s remaining Sunday hunting restrictions — by a strong, bipartisan vote of 69-28. Previously, the bill was approved by the Virginia State Senate by a convincing 29-11 margin. It now heads to the desk of Gov. Glenn Youngkin, who is expected to sign it into law.
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“This is a wonderful victory for ‘Old Dominion’ hunters, including waterfowlers,” said Cyrus Baird, senior director of government affairs for Delta Waterfowl. “It will double the number of available hunting opportunities for many school-age youths and hard-working adults.”
Delta’s Defending the Hunt program has advocated for Sunday hunting in Virginia for more than a decade. In 2014, Delta was instrumental in opening 7-day-per-week waterfowl hunting on the state’s private lands and publicly navigable waterways. However, Sunday hunting of other game was permitted exclusively on private lands. And even for waterfowl, many areas remained off limits on Sundays, including certain national forests, national wildlife refuges, military bases and wildlife management areas.
“Now the final domino has fallen,” Baird said. “With the governor’s signature, the number of new acres that Virginia hunters can access on Sundays will total in the millions.”
Given that Sunday hunting prohibitions are a well-documented barrier to recruiting, retaining and reactivating hunters, The Duck Hunters Organization is committed to their repeal in the U.S. states and Canadian provinces where they remain.
Delta’s advocacy in Virginia included sending its membership a Duck Hunters Action Alert, issuing op-eds to leading state news agencies, sending countless letters to state legislators, and testimony from Baird before the Virginia Senate and House of Delegates.
“I’d especially like to thank Sen. Chap Peterson for introducing the bill, and Delegate James Edmunds for supporting Sunday hunting for three straight legislative sessions,” Baird said. “Their diligent efforts will greatly benefit ducks, duck hunters and conservation.”
For more information, contact Cyrus Baird at (703) 254-6737 or cbaird@deltawaterfowl.org.
Delta Waterfowl is The Duck Hunters Organization, a leading conservation group working to produce ducks and ensure the future of duck hunting in North America. Visit deltawaterfowl.org.
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