While the Sunday hunting prohibition has its roots in North Carolina's 19th century blue laws, the policy now has a much more relevant and timely rationale: it provides a balancing of interests between hunters, who can hunt six days a week, and the much larger population of non-hunters, who have their own claims to nature's beauty and bounty. North Carolina citizens who enjoy the outdoors --hikers, campers, birdwatchers, dog walkers, horseback riders and others -- have one day a week when they know they will be safe in the woods and not harmed by a stray bullet or arrow.

This may change, as some hunters have mounted an effort to lift the 137-year-old Sunday hunting ban. The state Wildlife Resources Commission is now accepting public comment on this concept, and any change in the Sunday hunting law would have to be made by the General Assembly.

The ill-conceived and shortsighted plan is one thing that should be shot down, no matter what day of the week.

One of the most compelling arguments for maintaining the current ban on Sunday hunting is that it eases some of the tension between hunters and other land users and property owners.

Deer hunting season lasts for almost a third of the year, not to mention other species hunted year-round, and non-hunters can count on one day of rest during that time. They know that Sunday is the one day a week when they can enjoy the outdoors -- even their own property -- without dressing their kids and pets in blaze orange and worrying about their safety.

Even if Sunday hunting is restricted to certain lands, arrows and bullets know no boundaries and don't stop at property lines. A hunter's carelessness can injure non-participants and damage private property. In Pennsylvania, for example, a hunter shot a pregnant woman sitting in her car in her driveway nearly a mile away. In Virginia, a hunter's bullet lodged itself in a bookshelf in a girl's bedroom. And in Maine, a woman was killed by a hunter in her own backyard.

Moreover, domestic animals, such as dogs and horses, are sometimes mistaken for game animals.

Expanding recreational opportunities for hunters will hold families hostage inside their homes on Sundays. A benefit for hunters is a loss for horseback riders, hikers and others, creating even greater conflicts among outdoor user groups.

While hunters spend an estimated $438 million annually on their activity in North Carolina, wildlife watchers outspend them by nearly two to one and generate $827 million for the state's economy. Forcing these people to stay home on Sundays is not only unfair but also fiscally irresponsible.

In addition, Sunday hunting is no magic bullet for deer management problems. Without Sundays, there already are 98 days of deer hunting each year in North Carolina -- bow-hunting, muzzle-loader, shotgun and rifle seasons. Farmers can obtain deer depredation permits to kill deer throughout the year. Adding a few extra Sundays of recreational hunting to the mix will not reduce deer populations in any meaningful way.

In short, there is no compelling reason to change a public policy that has been in place in North Carolina for 137 years. Citizens should voice their opposition to the Wildlife Resources Commission, and lawmakers should shoot down any attempt to overturn the Sunday hunting ban. Surely one day of peace a week during hunting season for people and animals is not too much to ask.

(Bob Reder is state director for The Humane Society of the United States (www.hsus.org).)