ACLU SEEKS TO CHANGE SUNDAY HUNTING BAN IN RITCHIE

(05/25/2006)
The American Civil Liberties Union is asking the WV Supreme Court to allow Sunday hunting on private land in Ritchie County.

The ACLU case is an appeal of a Ritchie County Circuit Court ruling that said members of the Hartley Hills Hunt Club could not hunt because county voters decided four years ago to prohibit Sunday hunting in that county.

The private club leases about 2,000 acres of Ritchie woodland, which it uses for social get-togethers as well as hunting deer, squirrel and other game.

ACLU attorney Jason Huber filed the appeal last week, saying the ban serves no useful purpose.

The basis of the case is that the Legislature can't give counties the ability to revoke the constitutional right to hunt based on popular vote.

Ritchie County voters were among voters in 41 counties to ban Sunday hunting on private.

Those elections were held in 2002.

Sunday hunting is prohibited on public property in all 55 counties.