Saturday, July 5, 2008
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Tracking Virginia’s General Assembly
since 2007.
HB1016: Deer; Department of Game and Inland Fisheries to allow killing thereof over bait.
Chief Patron
Del.
Tim Hugo (R-40)
Tim Hugo
(R-40)
Centreville, VA
Served: 2003–
Progress
 |
Introduced |
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Passed Committee |
|
Passed House |
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Passed Senate |
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Signed by Governor |
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Became Law |
Status
02/22/2008: signed by governor
Summary
Killing of deer over bait; local authority. Allows the Director of the Department of Game and Inland Fisheries to allow the killing of deer over bait in counties with a special late antlerless season when specifically requested by the governing body of the locality.
View Full Text »Video
Votes were cast on this bill on the following dates for which Richmond Sunlight has video: 01/17/2008, 01/21/2008, 01/21/2008, 01/22/2008, 01/22/2008, 01/23/2008, 01/23/2008, 01/24/2008, 01/24/2008, 02/12/2008, 02/13/2008, 02/13/2008, 02/14/2008, 02/14/2008, 02/15/2008, 02/15/2008, 02/19/2008, 02/19/2008, 02/22/2008, 02/22/2008 and 02/25/2008.
Poll Results
8 votes
Tags
Bill Text
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Comments
I wouldn't want to see this implemented everywhere in Virginia due to concerns about the spread of chronic wasting disease, but as an option for DGIF to use in certain cases I think it's a great idea.
The public interest in hunting regulations are that it be done in a manner that is safe to other people, unlikely to merely wound an animal rather than kill it, and in accordance with bag limits so as not to deplete the resource. These are the 3 rational bases for laws regarding hunting.
Fair chase, while an admirable personal virtue, is not part of the public interest. Whether a hunter shoots deer over bait or as they cross a field makes little odds to the deer and affects the Commonwealth not a whit.
Fair chase is a subjective concept. Many people think that hunting with anything other than a bow is 'wrong.' Others think that single-shot rifles should always be used in order to be 'sportsman-like.' And then you have some who think that hunting over bait is somehow more wrong than the basic idea of putting a bullet through a deer's heart under any circumstances. All of these people should hunt their own hunt and let others hunt as they will, so long as it is done safely and in accordance with bag limits.