Jo Stern wants Sunday hunting back.
For the past year, Stern, who owns a 73-acre farm just outside Tornado, has been collecting signatures on a petition to allow hunting on private property in Kanawha County on Sundays.
"For the one year they did have Sunday hunting, it was nice to go out and sit in a tree stand in the late afternoon or early evening, without anyone else around," Stern said.
Stern has collected about 5,700 signatures - enough to convince the Kanawha County Planning Commission to host a public meeting Wednesday.
The Planning Commission will hear arguments for and against Sunday hunting before making a recommendation to the Kanawha County Commission.
"Frankly, it's my inclination to put it on the ballot and let voters vote on it," said County Commission President Kent Carper.
So far, the county has received a letter from Stern in support of Sunday hunting, as well as one letter against it.
Sunday hunting hasn't had an easy time on the ballot.
"The last Sunday hunting bill, pardon the pun, was shot down pretty bad," Carper said.
That vote took place in 2001, and the county chose to opt out of Sunday hunting by a 2-1 margin.
In 2001, all but 14 counties chose not to allow hunting on Sundays.
Since 2014, though, nine counties have decided to reinstate Sunday hunting.
Stern said he thinks the measure was voted down in 2001 because people didn't have all the facts.
"It got voted down because there was a fair amount of misinformation about it."
For example, Stern said, people might not have realized that the law only allows for hunting on private land, with permission from the owner.
Stern wouldn't need to get permission from a private property owner. He'd be able to simply hunt on his own farm.
One of the reasons Stern gives for supporting Sunday hunting is that he can do whatever else he wants on his property on Sunday, except hunt.
But Stern said he understands the opposition.
"I know there are people who oppose it because they think you ought to be in church on Sunday," Stern said.
Carper acknowledges that there might be some opposition because Sunday is supposed to be a holy day.
"There are some folks who work Saturdays," Carper said. "They may want to hunt with their child after church on Sundays."
Reach Daniel Desrochers at dan.desrochers@wvgazettemail.com, 304-348-4886 or on Twitter at @drdesrochers.