My name is Derek Toombs, I'm a Charlotte County Board of Supervisors member for the Saxe/Bacon District. In a rural community like Charlotte County, recreational sports like dog hunting, are a way of life. Not only a way of life, but a major source of revenue for small businesses in our county. Small businesses in Charlotte County are at a struggle at all times. Country stores, gun shops, feed and seed businesses, and the list go on, work months without profit waiting on hunting seasons to balance their budgets. Also, with a county that has little opportunity for our youth, it builds good character, responsibility, life lessons, and keeps our youth on the right path away from trouble. This proposal jeopardizes the opportunity to take those key building blocks from our youth. Also, this topic has been killed during the General Assembly, many times. That in itself should stand for a lot to explain the importance of this sport to the state of Virginia. I believe this proposal will be used maliciously and in a deceitful manner by the few that are against this sport. I've lived in Charlotte County most of my life, dog hunting has been a powerful asset for our area, it has created great revenue, structure for our businesses and has made better Virginia citizens. I ask DWR, the state of Virginia, and all that have evaluated this proposal, to kindly deny.

Derek Toombs
Charlotte County, Board of Supervisors - Saxe/Bacon