Virginia Protects Game From Being Hunted On Sundays

As deer hunting season begins, The Hook reported yesterday that one of the remaining "blue laws" in Virginia bans hunting on Sunday. Code of Virginia Sec. 29.1-521 provides, rather cryptically, that it is unlawful: "To hunt or kill any wild bird or wild animal, including any nuisance species, with a gun, firearm or other weapon on Sunday, which is hereby declared a rest day for all species of wild bird and wild animal life, except raccoons, which may be hunted until 2:00 a.m. on Sunday mornings." Virginia residents are split on whether the ban on Sunday hunting should be repealed. Apparently the state Game Department favors repeal to counter a decline in the sale of hunting licenses.