Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Deer Hunting Sunday Hunting In Pennsylvania???

If they grant it, the farmers association may post more property than that is already posted, but on the otherhand, there are properties posted no Sunday fishing! My concern would be, you know and I know there are those who would try to sneak onto someone's land on a Sunday that did not want anyone on their property on Sundays. Religious rites still play a part in the effort- a day of rest!

How about bear season, no weekend days at all. Explain to your employer that you are going to take Mon Tues Wens off the week before Thanksgiving vacation for bear hunting, and then have Thurs and Fri off for thanksgiving, and then Mon for opening day of deer hunting. It goes over like a fart in church, let me tell ya.

I have a lot of buddies that drive Semi's for Wise Potato Chips. in Berwick . The entire plant shuts down for opening day of deer, but they have to go to work. Tell me that don't suck

So without wardens in the field Sunday should be a special day for poachers according to that reasoning. NC is the same way. Except this year archery hunting on private land is finally legal. In the mean time the following are legal on Sunday:
1)Golfing (including the 19th hole)
2)Shopping for non-essential items
3)Tennis
4)Boating
5)Fishing (and you don't have to wait until Monday to kill the fish)
6)Killing animals (re: slaughter houses or private slaughter)
7)Shooting guns
8)Professional football, basketball, baseball, soccer, la crosse, badmitten, etc.
9)NASCAR
10)Political campaigning
11)Fill in the blank with any activity not essential for society to exist yet personally attractive to those who choose to participate.

All hobbies, sports, passtimes and voluntary activities EXCEPT hunting are allowed on Sunday. I have a problem with this. Hunting season, bag limits, etc. should be determined not only according to reasonable biology but with respect to allowing equal opportunity for any and all wishing to participate. Disallowing Sunday hunting effectively reduces by half those who can hunt only on weekends. And even more importantly, agree or not, anti-Sunday hunting initiatives are essentially anti-hunting initiatives. You see, in my very basic way of thinking, it is not the right of government to dictate my activities on any given day including Sunday. Should I choose to worship God with other members of my congregation then share a treestand with a family that afternoon it is my business and none or either the government or the Farmers Assosiation.

This business of game wardens in Pa is a whole nother sore subject. With license revenues at an all time low the game commission seems to have embarked on a hunter harassment campaign to find and fine every petty infraction in an apparent attempt to drum up some cash. Which of course has the effect of alienating even more hunters and chasing them away from the sport, and reducing license revenues even more. The game commission is supposed to be protecting us from the bad guys, not fining little kids and their dads for not carrying their license with them or wearing the proper square inches of hunter orange.

If you are a hunter and don't live in Pa...I wouldn't recommend moving here for the great hunting and the friendly helpful game wardens. Pa is a mess.

Shootem, very good point..the no-sunday rule seems a bit biased when all the other sportsman get to enjoy their interests. wonder if they made a no-fishing, no-golfing, no-ballgames rule how that would fly?

A little old, but it is an issue that is being given thought. Not sure if that is a current phone contact, but it may be a better avenue for expression than here.


Bill 779) that would remove the prohibition on Sunday hunting from statute, allowing the Pennsylvania Game Commission to fully regulate hunting on Sunday, as it does the other six days of the week. FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE COMMONWEALTH OF PENNSYLVANIA
May 31, 2008 Governor�s Advisory Council for Hunting,
Fishing & Conservation
Commonwealth News Bureau
DRAFT Room 308, Main Capitol Building
Harrisburg, PA 17120

CONTACT: Robb Miller
(717) 772-3292


COUNCIL SEEKS DIALOG ON HUNTING�S FUTURE

HARRISBURG -- The Governor�s Advisory Council for Hunting, Fishing and Conservation is preparing to reach out to a variety of stakeholder groups, including sportsmen�s clubs and recreation organizations, to listen to ideas about how to improve the hunting experience for individuals and families.
�More than any other reason, people hunt because it gives them the opportunity to get together for outdoor recreation with family and friends � it is a social phenomena passed on from generation to generation. And while the desire to put food on the table may have been more of a motivating factor in the past, it has been surpassed by the desire to spend quality time with a daughter or son or aunt or uncle,� enthuses Linda Steiner.
Steiner, a council member since 2003, reports that she and her fellow council members are concerned about the steady decline in hunting participation. She views the problem as an opportunity for policymakers to look for fresh ideas about how to slow, stop and hopefully reverse the downward trend. Hunting license sales have fallen 28 percent from 1981 to 2007, and projections indicate that another 24 percent decline may occur by 2025. According to a recent study on the subject, time constraints appear to be the biggest barrier to increasing hunting participation.
�Giving people more time to hunt may very well be the best way to solve decades-old problem of declining participation in hunting. The biggest obstacle we�ve discovered comes in the form of an archaic blue law that prohibits hunting when people are most likely to have available time, during the weekend,� says Steiner.
�Interestingly, most states contiguous to Pennsylvania now allow people to hunt on both days of the weekend, including Maryland, Ohio, New York and West Virginia. These states have experienced few of the problems some people assume would plague Pennsylvania, such as increased posting of private land. Not one of these states has plans to repeal the added day,� Steiner observed. �Given this positive experience, council believes that doing away with the blue law is worth considering.�
Pennsylvania dropped its ban on Sunday fishing in 1937 and other blue laws, such as those limiting the sale of liquor and beer, have been greatly relaxed. With the exception of car sales, hunting remains the only activity restricted on Sunday in Pennsylvania.
�Understandably, this topic can stir a range of emotions even among hunters, not to mention other important user groups like hikers and bicyclists. But viable solutions can be found where good listening takes place,� said Steiner.
She added: �Undoubtedly, there will be long-term consequences if we don�t address the decline in hunting, and fishing as well. Nationally, hunters and anglers have been the largest contributors to government wildlife programs for game and nongame species alike, contributing over $10 billion for conservation and more than 80% of the funding our state fish and wildlife agencies rely on. All of us who care about wildlife and wild places should be concerned. It�s time we started to think about how to �conserve� hunters, and what hunters are telling us is that they need more time to be afield.�
Legislation has been introduced in the Pennsylvania House of Representatives (House
Most assume that deer hunting would be considered part of any expansion, but other species, such as waterfowl, turkey and grouse, would also create a great deal of interest among hunters and may gain quick public support.
�One thing is for certain, we won�t know unless we begin exploring options,� said Steiner. �That is the impetus behind this effort.�
Groups or organizations interested in learning more about this topic and contributing information are encouraged to contact the Governor�s Advisory Council for Hunting, Fishing and Conservation by calling 717-772-3292.

###

PA had Sunday exclusion laws (blue laws) until about the mid to late 60s. About the only things you could shop for on a Sunday, were food and clothing.

Our Sunday hunting is limited to crows (when in season, only Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays) and some furbearers.

The PA Farm Bureau is the main impediment to increased Sunday hunting, with their main threat, that of more land posted if Sunday hunting ever comes about. IIRC, the Ohio Farm Bureau used that same threat/argument to fight Sunday hunting in Ohio. It happened anyway, with little accompanying problem.

The Game Commission cannot adopt Sunday hunting. That is something the legislature would have to adopt by making it legal. Although there is/was a bill introduced to cede that authority to the PGC. It has gone nowhere.

Limited Sunday hunting on public land is stupid, because it deprives all of those who own land, from participating. If farmers and other land owners don't want Sunday hunting, then let them post it so.

Don't much care if Sunday firearms deer hunting comes about, but if a season starts on a Saturday (turkey, small game, archery deer, etc.) and thousands have driven hours to get to where they hunt, one day of hunting is a bummer. Or a half day, in the case of spring gobbler (yes, we don't have all day spring gobbler, either).

Given the experiences of all the other states where Sunday hunting is the norm, no Sunday hunting in PA is ridiculous.

The cost of enforcement is also a non-issue. Due to budget restraints, WCOs are already on a 40 hour work week, with approved OT. The yahoos just have to figure out which days they ain't "on duty". Many WCOs just patrol anyway during peak hunting season participation, essentially on their own time.

I manage (until they close it later this year) a county farm in Southeast Pa. We are open for public hunting and get a ton of dove hunters. They start banging away at noon and fire 3 shots at every dove that comes within 100 yds. I get tired of hearing BANG BANG BANG. 6 days a week. We are surrounded by houses, I'm sure the neighbors get tired too.

That is why I can't support Sunday hunting for 'heavy gunfire' seasons like dove, firearm deer, and early small game.

The PGC has proposed Bear season for Saturday, Monday, Tues. I could support Sat, Sun, Mon. on that.

Once you get outside of the southeast, most schools and many businesses are closed for the first day of rifle deer season. My parents trash hauler adjusts the schedule only for Deer Season, not Christmas, not New Years, not July 4th.

Dale

I live in PA and have 340 acrs of land. My reason for not wanting Sunday hunting is personal. I like to go for long walks on my property with my dogs and do not want to have to worry about some butthead shooting them. At least on Sunday I have that opportunity.

Yea I heard all the remarks about posting, but I am have been a landowner long enough to know that not everybody heeds the posters, and if the butthead tresspasses anyway he would be just the kind of idiot to shoot my dog if she spooked a buck for him. Then it could get real ugly.

Pa's main problem is NOT a lack of time to hunt, heck deer season is about 3 1/2 months long. The main problem is lack of game. I used to love to hunt rabbits and pheasnts. Well protecting birds of prey pretty much fixed that. The PGC has decimated our deer population so they are doing their best to destroy that too. Squirrels are not a problem yet. Grouse pretty much left with the rabbits.

First thing to fix is to combine the game & fish commisions. What the heck does a fish cop do all winter and what does a game warden do the other 9 months? How about the PGC actually getting off their lazy butts and improving the game lands with food plots and managing it for cover?

Sunday hunting on game lands is fine, but leave the private land owners out of it so we have at least one day a week to use our property the way we would like to without worrying about some butthead tresspasser.

I have 3 friends who each get over 100 rabbits per year. They spend their time and have good dogs. We do pretty good on Ruffed Grouse. We spend our time and have good dogs. Pheasants are pretty much gone and the GC will tell you it is because we don't have large tracks of continuous habitat. The odd part of that is that I tell them of land that is essentially unchanged since the 60's, on which you could flush 20 or so wild birds per day and they don't want to listen. Avian predators, stocked birds-which hunters wanted-diluting the wild strain, trapping no longer a financially attractive pastime, with increased numbers of nest robbers and other factors are the problem not available land. Then again the GC would not look forward to the old days when the opening of Pheasant hunting was as much a tradition as opening day of Deer with hunters everywhere. Then again the land owners would look at it much the same as Deer today and post everything up. Damn buttheads they are.

We do just fine on Deer, but again spend a good deal of time and don't plan on hunting only one or two days per season. However, the GCs war on does-again with the assistance of hunters who buy every license they can-along with increasing numbers of coyotes have changed things greatly.

Coyotes have also hit the Turkeys hard in my area, but we had to many and their food scratching had a negative impact on successful Grouse nesting IMO, so I'm glad their numbers have decreased some. With their decrease Grouse numbers have risen some in areas. Turkeys seem to be feeding more out in the open than previously. I think-could be wrong-it's because they can spot coyotes easier than when in the woods.

The whole thing is complicated. Then we have the buttheads-just funnin yea-who have made posting a Pa. tradition and things go to hell.

With the farm association threatening to post even more land if Sunday hunting is allowed, I doubt if you will see the legislature make any move in that direction at the present time.

Of course if Pa. hunters made the effort to flex their political strength-they no longer are as vocal as in the past-things could improve.

Only place around here where the bunny hunting is any good are the Christmas tree farms. Then if you have some good beagles you can do pretty good, other than that pretty bad. I am lucky to see 10 grouse a year. Decent supply of turkeys though.

If the state would see fit to put some teeth in the tresspass laws like the people out west do it would be a great help. Tresspassers here get treated about the same as jaywalkers, that is if you can find anyone to get off their butt to even write them up. Out west you can lose your truck, guns and even worse. As a result there is just not a big problem with tresspass in the western states. In addition it is up to the person to know where they are, not the duty of the landowner to mark it. Pretty good system thinks me.

Goin Huntin

You have your views, I'm probably not going to change them. I just don't agree with them in entirety.

In Pa. we have-IIRC-approximately 200,000 less hunters than 15 years ago. New hunters today are better educated than in the past re: respecting landowner rights. From my experience I see more hunters today respecting those rights than in the past, so with less hunters, better education and from what I have seen better compliance, I have to say it is less of a problem then in years past and with continuing education will get better.

Everyday I also see more landowners regarding what they own as the equivalent of the Kings land and to hell with others. This is a relatively recent phenomenon in the West also over lets say the last 50 years.

It's the way things are today and I will not change it. However, if you want this sport to continue, you best understand that kids today-or most any day for that matter-are not going to put up with the hassle of not being able to find a place to hunt.

Where I grew up the land has not changed much with the exception of posting. When we were turned loose, we just went hunting. The kids that live there today don't have the enthusiasm for hunting those in the past had. I have to think lack of convenient access has something to do with it. Just because that is how the West does it, doesn't mean it is good for the future of hunting. So methinks it is not a pretty good system for our future.

If one only is concerned with what they have, I guess it works. When we no longer have the numbers to have political influence re: hunting we all will eventually lose.

Landowners own land, but not the game that resides on it. We decided that issue a long time ago.

Then again, I have a distinct propensity to be a butthead.

Addition: A little known Pa. law is that if you allow hunting, you can't be sued if someone is injured on your land. However, if you post it and someone is hurt thru negligence of the owner-much the same as a swimming pool and no fence-the owner can be held responsible.

Damn good law methnks.

I grew up hunting in Ohio and Pennsylvania, and never knew folks hunted on Sunday until I moved to Minnesota. It seems archaic that Pa. still refuses to endorse Sunday hunting. This is not the first monumental blunder their Game Commission has made. Heck, give the folks Sundays to hunt-it would give them a chance to harvest one of the 6 deer that remain in the state, courtesy of their much ballyhooed "Quality Deer Management" program, otherwise known as shoot every doe in the state and then wonder why no one sees any deer during gun season-must be the fact that they can't hunt on Sunday! It's time to repeal the Blue Laws and join the modern world.

Edit: Needless argument on my part. I try so hard to stay out of the internet pizzing matches. Sometimes I just can't help it...

See above...

Gophergunner

Now don't try to stay on subject I'm having way to much fun with this landowner detour.

Why I even had one of the highly esteemed landowners who has property nest to mine, open to hunting by the way, and it really pisses then off that someone may get one of "their" Deer, try to throw me off of my own little piece. He hadn't seen me for years and just didn't know. While I was playing the ignorant butthead, he just kept getting madder. Until I offered to call the GW and go and get my deed. Just loved it.

Long live the KING!!!!

Coldbore,

Just picked up your post after I wrote my previous. Yes I do own a little land. Only 56 acres I admit, but when you string it out with all the adjacent properties each of no more than around 80-100 it amounts to I'm guessing around 800 give or take all lined up.

I can understand many landowners frustrations. My main concern is that I wish we didn't have to be at odds with each other-which seems to be more frequently the case-and work to reach some common ground. We both need each other if the average man is going to be allowed to continue hunting. Look at countries that used to have a great hunting tradition where the average guy has been pushed out. Yes, many of them have an imbalance of people to land which has magnified the problem.

All to often I see the I have mine mentality, which has little to do with an entitlement predisposition of others.

The second thing I often see is second generation landowners, who essentially paid little for the land they have. It was given to them by Daddy who often did allow access by others. Now they act as if they worked for what they now have.

So yes, I do have an admittedly small piece of land. Hope the day never comes that I will have to do all my hunting just there.

Glad you have land, and I hope it's much greater in size than mine. If so, give the future of something you love some thought.

Enough from me. Just got a new rifle and it needs to be shot.

I welcome an exchange of ideas, after all none of us know everything. I also like some of Coldbore's thoughts, by the way do you own land?

I started out leasing hunting ground for a place to hunt. I was eventually able to purchase 60 acres and then kept adding to it. I now have just over 340 acres. If memory serves me right I have about $268,000 in JUST the land. I have since built my home here and some outbuildings. I also started my own business and built it up over the years and thank God every day for my blessings.

So anyway got side tracked there. You can lease ground, buy ground, or form a club and buy ground as a group. If you cannot do any of that, how about offering the landowner some labor over the year to help out in exchange for a place to hunt? Now there is a novel idea. I get approached regularly by people wanting a place to hunt but NOT ONE has had enough ambition to help with anything.

I hunt along with some freinds and family and quite honestly that is all the activity I want. I catch tresspassers most every year and give each a stern warning along with recording their name and license number and inform them that if they are caught again they will be prosecuted. I have picked up garbage most every year left by slob hunters.

I spend about $3,000 every year along with many hours of labor maintaining and creating food plots. I put out feed all winter to make sure the deer survive. I could go on but hopefully I am getting my point across.

Now any of you that feel you are entitled to hunt anywhere you want because you bought a license you need to step up to the plate and earn the right to hunt private lands.

Gone Huntin: I just had to take one more look before leaving.

See my above post re: land ownership.

The truth be I was saying some off the wall things to get others to post essentially what you and Coldbore have to eventually allow myself the opportunity to post my thoughts about us all being in this together.

I am on a 1000 acre lease, and in Pa. we are fortunate to have a large quantity of Game Lands that if you are willing to get back a bit are essentially unused. I didn't realize just how good some of them are until posting became so prevalent. I also have a few farmer/landowner friends who for some obscure reason like me enough to almost insist that I come and hunt on my own or with them. As far as available hunting land I am blessed.

However, in this particular case on does not have to be that bright to see the future, and it doesn't look that those who follow will experience the same blessing unless others who are can find a way to give back.

Now I'm going shooting.