Duck Hunting Chat

The Hyde County Commissioners are going to appoint a special commission to study passing new laws concerning waterfowl hunting in Hyde Co. While the Safe Hunter Law is dead as written as a issue, this commission, comprised of full time Hyde County residents only will look into new possible regulations to be presented to the State Legislature.

Here is the danger of this. First of all, we don't want a Game Commission like they have in Dare County where only the politically connected can hunt, people get lifetime exclusive access to the best hunting in the state.

Second, commissions tend to want to make recommendations. They would rather get bad law than none at all. I once heard some left-wing liberal politician, I think it was Nancy Pelosi ,say that "bad law is better than none at all". Nothing could be farther from the truth. This commission is going to make recommendations to go forward to the legislature. We have to make sure that we don't let something onerous slip through under our radar.

We need to keep the pressure on. Hyde County is going to do something, it is almost guaranteed to be bad. Politicians very rarely pass laws like this that are not restrictive and destructive.

Contact your local politicians and let them know your opposition to any restrictions on hunting. It is easy to keep a law off the books, it is impossible to get it off the books once it has passed.

Be vigilant. Don't let this go out of your mind. When only the landed gentry can hunt, this will cease to be America.

has anything come of this thus far? crazy how some folks think

Dog Tired wrote:has anything come of this thus far? crazy how some folks think

So far the "Committee has developed a recommendation. It has not been submitted to the County Commissioners for consideration.
The storm caused the Sept. meeting to be canceled. It was my understanding the committee would have a final vote on the recommendations. Not sure that has been rescheduled.

My understanding of the recommendations are:

300 yard separation between hunting groups. Landowners have priority for a location on their land if they get to their blind 1 hour before LST. (Trespassing laws still in effect - you cannot set up on private marsh)
No decoys to be put out before 4 am, must be taken up by 1 hour after sunset.
Float blind permit is required for all float blinds. If it is floating in the water an you are hunting out of it, the craft requires a float blind permit. Cost approximately $250 per year.
No pole blinds can be constructed in public water.

$250

I thought VA's blind laws and taxes to float hunt were bad at ~$40. haha