Letter to the Editor: Proposed Bill Threatens to Overturn Sunday Hunting Ban

Editor's Note: The following letter was submitted by Dedham resident Elizabeth Tov. 

For decades, Massachusetts residents have been able to enjoy the outdoors on Sundays without having to worry about conflicts with hunters. But the Massachusetts legislature is now considering a bill that would overturn the Sunday hunting ban, permitting deer hunting by bow and arrow. This bill is supported by several national groups, including the National Rifle Association and Bass Pro Shops. Supporters say it will produce additional state revenue, but what they don’t tell you is that non-consumptive nature users here vastly outspend hunters, and that 86% of residents support the current Sunday hunting ban.

Hunters make up 1 percent of our state’s population and already have six out of seven days to hunt. And while many are exceptionally careful and responsible, accidents can and do happen. Just last year in Norton a State Trooper mistook a woman for a deer, shooting and wounding her. We live in one of the most densely populated states in the country, and the existing law has helped limit these kinds of negative encounters. 

Let’s not let outside groups like the NRA overturn a law that works well and makes sense in our state. Please let your state legislators know that you oppose H. 4114.