Charles City County to Hold Public Hearing on Hunting with Rifles

On March 22nd I posted that Charles City County was considering ending the ability of hunters to use rifles in the county. VSSA has received an update on this issue. The Board will hold a joint Public Hearing with the Planning Commission on April 22nd at 7:45 PM. The meeting will be held at the Charles City Government and School Board Administration Building, 10900 Courthouse Road, Charles City, VA 23030. The Board will consider one of the following three options to amend Section 16-1 of the Charles City County Code:

1. Rifles will be allowed in the general deer season , provided they are used only from a height of 10', are unloaded until in the tree stand and are not used within 1000 ' of a residence, unless the owner gives written permission, or within 1000' of a county owned recreation area.

2. The same as #1, above, except the use of rifles will be limited to 4 weeks or less at the beginning or end of the general season.

3. Rifles will not be allowed to hunt deer.

You can read the complete document here.

It is important that all hunters and gun owners who can, attend this meeting and make your voices heard. If you cannot attend, please contact the Board and politely express your view to keep rifle hunting legal in Charles City County. The Chairman has expressed to me that he has received some "vulgar" emails from people on this subject. I am sure none of these came from VSSA members but the Chairman is not against us on this issue and it is important that those communicating with the Board do so in a professional and respectful manner.

Timothy W. Cotman,
Sr. Email: tcotman@co.charles-city.va.us
Phone: (804) 652-4701
Fax: (804) 829-5819

Sherri M. Bowman - Vice Chairman
Email: sbowman@co.charles-city.va.us
Phone: (804) 652-4701
Fax: (804) 829-5819

Gilbert A. Smith – Chairman
Email: gsmith@co.charles-city.va.us
Phone: (804) 652-4701
Fax: (804) 829-5819

Charles City County Seeking Ban on Hunting with Rifles

Charles City County is seeking a ban on hunting with rifles. If the county is successful it would eliminate precious hunting opportunities and would discourage hunters from taking to the woods to pass their hunting heritage on to the next generation and to help manage Virginia’s wildlife.

Hunting with a rifle has only been legal in Charles City County for the past two years, and just last month, the Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries (DGIF) testified before the County that there have been no firearms-related hunting fatalities in the last decade. There have been four shooting-related incidents. However, none involved rifles. DGIF officials are the experts regarding hunting safety and scientific game management practices and have actively represented hunter interests through the years. These two factors alone should be used to shape hunting regulations in the Commonwealth.

It is critical that hunters attend the Charles City County Board of Supervisors meeting on Tuesday, March 25 at 7:30 p.m. in the Auditorium of the Government & School Board Administration Building, 10900 Courthouse Road, Charles City, VA 23030 to oppose changes to the county ordinances governing the use of rifles for deer hunting. In the meantime, please contact each member of the Charles City County Board of Supervisors and strongly encourage them to refrain from making any changes to county regulations that have proven to be successful.

Please contact each member of the Charles City County Board of Supervisors and strongly encourage them to refrain from making any changes to county regulations that have proven to be successful. Also, please be sure to pass this information along to your family, friends, and fellow hunters.

Timothy W. Cotman, Sr.
Email: tcotman@co.charles-city.va.us
Phone: (804) 652-4701
Fax: (804) 829-5819

Sherri M. Bowman - Vice Chairman
Email: sbowman@co.charles-city.va.us
Phone: (804) 652-4701
Fax: (804) 829-5819

Gilbert A. Smith – Chairman
Email: gsmith@co.charles-city.va.us
Phone: (804) 652-4701
Fax: (804) 829-5819