The Constitutional Right to Hunt
New Recognition of an Old Liberty in Virginia
March 23, 2017
Published Paper
The Constitutional Right to Hunt
New Recognition of an Old Liberty in Virginia
Also published in William & Mary Bill of Rights Journal (VA) Sat. January 30, 2010.
The Constitution of Virginia was amended in 2001 to provide: “The people have a right to hunt, fish, and harvest game, subject to such regulations and restrictions as the General Assembly may prescribe by general law.” Currently, ten states recognize hunting as a constitutional guarantee, and proposed amendments are pending in other states. The oldest, dating back to the American Revolution, sought to guard against royal privilege as practiced in England, while the newest, adopted in recent decades, seek to preempt hunting bans sought by “animal rights” zealots.
