Hunting bill passes

Published 10:16 am Tuesday, March 6, 2018

A bill introduced by Del. James E. Edmunds, R-South Boston, which would require someone hunting from an enclosed ground blind to put blaze orange or pink above the blind, has passed both the House of Delegates and the State Senate. If signed by Gov. Ralph Northam by a deadline of March 5 at midnight, House Bill 564 will increase safety for hunters.

James Edmunds

“It’s a safety measure,” Edmunds said. “We believe that once you get to the blind other hunters need to know where your location.”

According to the bill, it allows a hunter hunting from an enclosed ground blind during any firearms deer season, except during the special season for hunting deer with a muzzle-loading rifle only, to display attached to or immediately above the blind at least 100 square inches of solid blaze orange or solid blaze pink material visible from 360 degrees in lieu of wearing specified hunting apparel.

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He said last year blaze pink was approved to be used as a substitute for blaze orange.

“We didn’t specify that it had to be a solid color,” Edmunds said.

He said the second part of the bill clarifies that blaze pink or blaze orange has to be a solid color “not just a blaze pink camo or in conjunction with other colors swirled in.”