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Christian Trejbal

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Hunters grabbed their firearms yesterday and stalked through the swirling fall leaves searching for deer. Today, the forests are empty, and the deer prance without fear. Virginia is one of the few states that still forbids hunting on Sundays. It's time to end that silly sop to religious righteousness.

I'm no hunter by any stretch of the imagination. The closest I've ever come to shooting Bambi's mother was the year I scored a hunting license but never made it into the forest. Killing a defenseless animal with a rifle strikes me as neither fun nor an interesting test of man against nature.

Still, I recognize and respect the need for hunters. They fill an ecological niche left empty by humans. In our attempt to tame the world, we have eliminated many predators that curbed population growth among deer and other animals. As a result, their numbers grow rapidly. So rapidly, in fact, that their habitat cannot sustain them year-round.

If not for hunters thinning the herds, deer would starve during the winter when foliage becomes scarce. During the 2006-07 season, hunters harvested -- the official euphemism -- a quarter of a million deer in Virginia. Better they died quickly than suffer for weeks before falling over.

When animal populations grow large, they also push into developed areas. Motorists risk deadly crashes on dark roads, and homeowners see their gardens and bushes ravaged.

Hunting isn't about preserving some outdated heritage. It isn't a fundamental right, no matter what incongruous amendment voters rammed into the state constitution.

It's a pragmatic necessity. If some guys have fun going out and shooting animals in the process, so much the better.

There are some nice side benefits, too. People who hunt spend money on gas, food, lodging and other incidentals.

Granted, state tourism officials found that only 1 percent of people who travel 50 or more miles to, through or within Virginia hunt on their trips. That's less than for every other reason but snow sports and Elderhostel programs.

Nevertheless, hunting is not an economic blip. Three-quarters of Virginia hunters travel less than 50 miles to shoot something. Their wallets open and boost the local economy.

The U.S. Census Bureau found that hunters in 2001 spent $321 million in Virginia. Were it not for the Sunday ban, they would no doubt have spent more.

Out-of-state hunters surely think twice before visiting for a long weekend when they realize that they will have to sit on their hands for a day. In-state hunters, those who work, anyway, have only the weekend, and half of it is off limits.

The New River Valley and the rest of rural Southwest Virginia should be particularly keen on lifting the ban for its economic potential. Wide-open spaces and the George Washington and Jefferson National Forests provide ideal environments for hunters.

The only reason a ban might warrant consideration is that the forests become downright dangerous during hunting seasons. Smart mountain bikers, hikers, dog walkers and campers steer clear. They should have at least one day to recreate.

It sounds reasonable, but it's a red herring. Hunters cannot shoot just anywhere. In the New River Valley, many head into the national forests, but some areas are off-limits. There's no hunting at campgrounds and day-use areas such as Pandapas Pond. Most state parks and all national parks, including the Blue Ridge Parkway, are also hunter-free.

Some people might be a little inconvenienced during hunting season, but it's hardly unreasonable and does not justify shutting down another recreational activity every Sunday.

Besides, creating an opportunity for other users is not the real reason for the ban. If it were, the ban would not apply to private lands, where two-thirds of hunters do most of their hunting. This is a blue law, plain and simple.

Hunting has been declining in the commonwealth for years. The number of hunting licenses sold by the Department of Game and Inland Fisheries was off 15 percent just from 2004 to 2006.

That hurts recreation and environmental stewardship broadly. Licensing provides more than one-third of DGIF's budget. As revenue falls, the department has a harder time fulfilling its mission.

Fewer hunters also means more chance for the deer population to get out of control.

The General Assembly in January considered a few bills to ease or lift the Sunday ban. All died. When lawmakers gather again in Richmond, the backers of those bills should try again.

Sure, some hunters would skip church on Sundays, but filling pews is not the commonwealth's job. Fostering tourism and protecting natural and recreational resources are.

Trejbal is an editorial writer for The Roanoke Times based in the New River Valley bureau in Christiansburg.