On June 17, the Massachusetts House of Representatives unanimously passed the Environmental Bond Bill (S. 3064) that included provisions to allow for Sunday hunting, expanded legal crossbow use and reduced hunting setbacks near occupied dwellings. Since the Senate passed an earlier version of this bill that did not include these provisions, it now goes to a House-Senate Conference Committee made up of three representatives and three senators.
This is a massive blow to the residents in our state that enjoy our fields and forests on Sundays. The majority of Massachusetts residents are not hunters. Currently hunting is allowed six days a week, leaving just one day a week for hiking in the woods with your family and dog without concern about gunshots being fired. How is it that a small percentage of hunters in our state have amassed the power to take away the one day a week non-hunters feel safe to enter the woods?
The proponents supporting lifting the Sunday hunting ban promote the idea that our deer overpopulation will be addressed by adding another day. One more day to hunt will not result in significantly larger numbers of deer being eliminated. Why not just expand deer hunting season by another week or two? Why a year-round lifting of the Sunday ban on all types of hunting not just deer? Why are legislators bowing to the hunting lobby when the majority of their constituents don’t hunt? If Sunday hunting is allowed, we and our pets are all going to have to wear fluorescent orange in the woods to ensure our safety.
I urge Rep. Susannah Whipps and Sen. Jo Comerford to make their positions known on the Sunday hunting issue. I urge everyone who enjoys the peace of mind that the centuries old hunting Sunday hunting ban provides, to make their voice heard. To say nothing ensures our enjoyment of our fields and forests are forever diminished.
Susan Wright
Northfield