Sunday Hunting: Myths vs. Facts
There are many myths out there surrounding Sunday Hunting in North Carolina. We address those myths here and give you the real facts.
Click on any of the topics below to reveal the truth about the various Sunday Hunting myths.
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MYTH: Allowing hunting on Sundays would negatively impact church attendance.
FACT: According to a 2014 Gallup poll, out of the top 10 states in the country for church attendance, North Carolina is the ONLY state that restricts hunting on private property on Sundays. Furthermore, three of the bottom 10 states for church attendance fully prohibit hunting on Sundays. Hence, giving citizens the freedom to hunt on Sundays will not determine their religious tendencies.
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MYTH: This is an attack on the Christian Sabbath.
FACT: Hunting is currently allowed in North Carolina on Sundays on private property by two methods of take—archery and falconry. House Bill 640 would simply expand these methods of take to include firearms. Furthermore, hunting with a firearm is the only recreational activity banned in North Carolina on Sundays.
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MYTH: There are safety concerns with hunting with firearms on Sundays.
FACT: Hunters in North Carolina have a remarkable safety record with more than 500,000 hunters and only a handful of firearms-related incidents occurring in the 2013-2014 season. Hunting will continue to remain one of the safest recreational activities in America—currently ranking third safest behind camping and billiards, according to the National Safety Council.
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MYTH: The Sunday Hunting effort is for the "elite."
FACT: These so-called "elite" can travel to one of the other 41 states that allow some form of Sunday hunting. House Bill 640 would allow ALL North Carolina residents to enjoy the hunting lifestyle seven days a week on private property with written permission from the landowner—whether it is their property or that of a friend or family member—in their home state. It would also welcome non-residents to spend their time and money in the state by allowing them the opportunity to hunt a full weekend.
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MYTH: The noise of hunting with firearms on Sundays would disturb church services and family activities.
FACT: The infrequent sound of gunfire while hunting would be far less disruptive than the various other noises currently allowed on Sundays, such as: running lawn mowers, leaf blowers, motorcycles and off-road vehicles.
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MYTH: Hunting on Sunday affects sportsmen who hunt deer with the aid of dogs.
FACT: If passed, House Bill 640 would not change current law regarding deer hunting with dogs on Sundays.
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MYTH: Expanding the opportunity to hunt on Sundays will increase conflicts between landowners and hunters.
FACT: The 41 states where hunting is allowed on private property have not experienced an increase in conflicts on Sundays. In Virginia, where the ban on hunting on private land on Sundays was repealed in 2014, Department of Game and Inland Fisheries conservation police officers said that "they were confronted with far fewer complaints on Sundays than on Saturdays" during the 2014 hunting season. (The Roanoke Times).
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MYTH: An extra day of hunting per week would affect the sustainability of wildlife populations.
FACT: The state-recognized wildlife management experts of the North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission support expanding the method of take for hunting on Sundays. The Commission recently passed a resolution which states, "The current prohibition against expanded options for Sunday hunting serves no purpose regarding conservation of North Carolina's wildlife resources and their habitats." Furthermore, states that allow hunting on Sunday have the most abundant game populations.
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