Big Push for Hunting in Pennsylvania

It looks like Pennsylvania’s ban on Sunday hunting is going to be challenged in the courts since the legislature refuses to act. The suit will apparently be brought on rather interesting grounds:

Specifically, the letter says “the prohibition on hunting certain species on Sunday” is “unconstitutional under the First, Second and 14th amendments to the United States Constitution.”

And on a somewhat related note, some new partnership to highlight the economic benefits of hunting is launching at the State Capitol tomorrow.

I actually think that the economic benefits of hunting are under utilized as talking points in the Second Amendment community. We look at gun sales data and think nothing of using those data points, but hunting is one of our community’s sports that requires far more than just a gun and ammunition. The equipment and trips drive quite a bit of money into government coffers. That should be highlight just like other economic indicators in the sports.

In fact, I think it would be handy if more groups that sanction, run, or really do any kind of formal organizing of shooting sports did some economic impact studies. Hell, even local gun clubs could just do some not-so-scientific polling of their members to get an idea of what kind of economic impact they have on the local communities, and that can be used when talking to lawmakers about why it’s good to avoid restrictions on our rights.

37 thoughts on “Big Push for Hunting in Pennsylvania”

  1. A ban on Sunday hunting is rather discriminatory for those of us where it isn’t the Sabbath. I’m not sure how many shomer shabbos hunters are out there… but it is a novel approach.

    1. The initial ban for hunting deer on Sunday was put into place in 1749. According to the Game Commission, it was extended to all game in 1873. The current statute with the language was put into place in 1971. So the ban is longstanding, and very likely based in religious issues.

  2. Sad to say, but PA has long been “behind the curve” in hunting as well as blue laws in general. When I first started with a muzzle loader it was round ball & flintlock only. Semi auto rifles? The list goes on.

  3. {lurk; off} Might the reluctance to use hunting data be linked to trying to keep the antis from continued use of “YOU DON’T NEED _____ FOR HUNTING”? Just a thought. {lurk; on}

    1. If so, that’s a stupid view to take these days. I mean it has been 5 years now with the Supreme Court decision making clear that the Second Amendment is about the right individual self defense.

      1. It may be, but I think a lot of us from the old days remember hunters throwing us under the bus. You know the Fudders,

        I think Gun Culture 2.0 has change a lot, but that perception is still there.

        1. If you want to win, you’ve got to change that thinking. The political battle has changed, and if your excuse for not considering all of you allies and all of your potential tools is that you’re happy fighting the old ways, well…we’re going to lose. I mean what if a state put a blue law into place that restricted range shooting on Sundays? Would you blame hunters for taking the attitude that you’re not worth helping because you wouldn’t help them? I wouldn’t. It would suck, but they would just be giving the range shooting community a dose of what too many of our people are giving to them. Multiple wrongs don’t equal a right. Multiple politically disadvantageous wrongs can lead to the loss of a right.

          1. I completely agree. Just we are clear- I don’t feel that way. I don’t hunt but I’ve always supported hunters’ rights. However, I think its an issue that needs raised for the very reasons you cited.

      2. I wasn’t saying that that was the way I felt about it, just an idea I’d had whilst reading the post. And yes, if that is the reason, you’re correct, it does need to change. I think the fewer regulations and restrictions they have is a boon to me and vice versa. While I’m not a full Wookie suiter, I definitely have the coveralls. More power to the hunters rights groups is more power to me period. I’ve no problem with the “Fudds” because I are one when needs demand it.

  4. I don’t hunt but anything that can be done to produce more dead deer is great. Heck I wish deer season was all year long and that hunters could take as many as they want. Again since I’m not a hunter, I’d be cool if those rats with hooves were to become extinct. I’m a motorcycle guy and deer scare the crap out of me.

  5. How about the economic benefits of fewer deer running in front of my car? Western NJ / northeast PA is absolutely overrun with deer.

  6. I can’t see how this will win in court. Every state already broadly restrict hunting in all sorts of ways.

    1. Only two, Virginia and PA, have a broad prohibition on Sunday hunting across the board.

    2. Agree. I just wish this malcontent “hush” group was going to lose all their money on the case instead of money begged from unknowing donors.

  7. I would love to see this and all of the other blue laws stricken from the books.

    It would be nice to use my perfectly capable 30.06 semi rifle to take big game in PA as well.

    1. By definition not a blue law. Unless hunting coyotes crow and fox is “holier” than hunting deer? lmao!

  8. My concern is the statements from farm associations stating their members (the farm and large tract owners) will not allow access to their land is the ban us lifted. I’m all for Sunday hunting, but a lift of the ban would be a shallow victory if there’s no land to hunt on.

    As someone who entered the world of firearms from the personal defense angle, I’d rather see an effort to legalize semiauto hunting, so I can multipurpose my firearms. But multipurpose means no $$$, so it’ll never happen,

    1. That’s bullshit.

      It’s their right to allow anyone access. Or not. Farm Bureau’s position is based on the religious views of many (but not all) of its most vocal members who are being fed talking points by the church.

      Most will allow access, especially once they see their neighbor can make money allowing access. Or, they would see the value of rural land rise further as it became more attractive for lease or purchase for hunting purposes.

      And if they someone doesn’t, then nothing changes on that particular land. Plus some people want to hunt their own land. Why does farmer Joes religious preferences in Intercourse, PA get to dictate your use and enjoyment of your land in 6 hours away in St Mary’s, PA?

  9. The ban on Sunday hunting gives land owners a little relief from all the city hunters that overrun us during the season. If city folk would get over their feelings of entitlement toward hunting on other people’s land habitat owners might feel differently about the issue. Perhaps make Sunday hunting legal only on state game lands?

    1. What if I want to hunt my own land? Someone else’s religion gets to tell me how to use it?

      1. One step at a time. Once folks see that the world won’t come to an end if people hunt on Sunday I would expect (hope?) that they would reconsider. It will be a long, slow battle – much the same as acceptance of concealed carry. After all, the streets didn’t run with blood as predicted by the antis.

      2. Someone elses religion isn’t telling you anything. You are free to hunt some species on sunday. You simply choose not to. Don’t like the species available? Tough. Maybe some don’t like not being able to hunt bucks at night like coyotes or fox or coon…. Maybe some would like to hunt deer in summer like groundhog…

        Tough. There are reasonable regulations in place and they shouldn’t be changed without very good reasons.

  10. The Sunday hunting ban is becaue of farmers. They appreciate hunters taking the critters who eat their crops, but they want a day of rest. Most of them are conservative and, yes, they want to go to church on Sunday and eat a nice supper without dealing with hunters asking for permission to shoot, as welcome as the may be normally.

    The Farm Bureau is influencial in the General Assembly, so as long as they don’t want Sunday hunting (except for what, crows and groundhogs?), it won’t happen.

    1. Funny, farmers don’t seem to have all that much trouble in all the other states where hunting on Sunday is legal.

      Seems like a BS excuse to me. And I live on a farm, in a state without these ridiculous holdovers from the Puritans.

      1. “My mind is made up, so don’t try to confuse me with facts” might be a good explanation.

      2. Actually I don’t see it as an excuse. I merely stated that I and others appreciate the relief from the hubbub. I am not going to campaign for either side of the issue. What other states do in this regard doesn’t interest me at all. I’m glad that you are satisfied with how your state does it. At the moment I am satisfied with how Pa does it. How is it you see my position as an excuse?

        1. An excuse is an attempt to explain why you are inconveniencing other people, which you are by not allowing ANYONE to hunt, even on their own or state lands, just because someone MIGHT bother you on a Sunday. And this excuse is bullshit because experience in other states shows that it really isn’t that big of a problem.

    2. ITs not soley because of farmers. Plenty of hunters oppose for various reasons. As do many landowners who do not farm.

  11. I personally have done a 90 degree change on this issue (used to be vociferously opposed, now I am neutral about it).

    Weirdly, I have seen on other websites how some hunters are opposed! Certain hunters are tying Sunday Hunting into the “Deer Wars” issue-A belief that the increase in hunting will result in the killing of more Deer, presumably resulting in no Deer.

  12. There is no religious reason for no sunday hunting these days. There is no sunday hunting because less people want it than the number that don’t according to legislators. For many reasons. And it isn’t “religious” based ban because we ARE permitted to hunt certain species. That would not be the case otherwise.

    I have issue with the fact this HUSH group is nothing but a few well known environmental extremists. And also the ex-executive director of the Pa game commission that was in place and largely responsible for the herd reductions of the deer for alternate interests/agendas. Therefore I cannot support further sunday hunting at this time.

  13. “presumably resulting in no Deer”

    NO deer Rich?? SO you are saying hunters have absolutely NO complaint as long as SOME deer exist, no matter how low the densities? Brilliant…

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