Sunday Hunting Hearing
Pennsylvania
For the FIRST time ever, the HOuse Game and Fish Committee has scheduled a hearing on Sunday Hunting!
Hearing will be December 15.
Seven of the co-sponsors of the bill sit on Game and Fish. I believe it takes 14 votes to vote it out of commitee if all members are present.
Senator Brewster of the Pittsburgh area is looking for co-sponsors of a duplicate bill in the Senate.
So, some movement....
Link? I can't find anything.
No link, sorry. Just passing info on.
Correction, NINE of the co-sponsers of the SH bill sit on the Game and Fish Committee.
If all 27 members show for the hearing, we would need 14 votes to pass it out of committee.
IIRC, there are 35 sponsors of the bill, which is pretty darned good for any bill.
Thank you. HB1374. I had emailed my state rep on this and his staff would not put out a position. He finally emailed me himself and said he won't make up his mind until this bill comes out of committee.
Can you imagine? It'd be like a different world having people in the woods both days on weekends.
It didn't seem like such a big deal after it passed in Ohio. Pretty anticlimatic.
Yes to hunting deer on Sunday. Yes, Yes, Yes...
1950 called, it wants it's old tired religious biased,based blue laws back!
The shocking part will be all the guys who complained against it for decades will be out there shoulder to shoulder with us enjoying what we have been denied for so long. Let's see how their "principles" hold up once it is passed.
Awesome news, like 5C said it still amazes me how many are against it, no one will force them to hunt on sundays, its still and option but please don't make my mind up for me. They(those who are against) can still go to church service and watch football as I will choose to do the same or sit in a tree, that's what a choice or option is.
I have said it before and I will say it again, most of the anti SH voices are all about the fact they do not want anybody "shooting their deer" because they have/want to be somewhere else. They do not want anybody in the woods when they are not. Tradition, bleecchh.
Simple.
I've had the "My Deer" argument so many times I cannot count. No such thing as "My Deer" unless you own a high fenced operation they are the commonwealth of Pa's deer.
Jeff... maybe everyone will just start cutting their grass on Saturday and hunting Sunday instead. lol
I would like to have the option so I can pick. There have been many weekends where I was busy on Saturday.... and aggravated on Sunday because I had nothing to do and could have hunted.
This past weekend was a classic example of non-Sunday hunting blues.
Rained all day Saturday, beautiful and cold all day Sunday. UGH!!!!
Kids and I would have been out all day Sunday if it was legal.
Saturday was depressing weather wise. However, it would still be nice to have the "CHOICE" to hunt or not on Sunday.
The hearing has now been cancelled!
Shocking. They cancelled a Sunday Hunting hearing, no say it aint so.
Typical politico finko tactics.
Farmers protested. Threatened to stop donating money to the politicians slush fund.
There are 9 sponsors of the bill that sit on Fish and Game. If every member of the committee had shown up it would have needed 14 votes to get it out of committee.
The committee chairman, Gillespie, is not in favor of Sunday hunting. I'm thinking he did not want to see it pass thru, so, HE cancelled the hearing.
This is an example of how ONE person, stops legislation.
Keep in mind, this bill has over 35 sponsors on it. Few bills have that many sponsors. Speaks volumes about how far this issue has come.
The Farm Bureau is the prime opponent to this bill. They have stopped it for many years. I think the days of them stopping it are coming to an end.
Not sure when, but they will lose on this issue eventually.
I knew it... it was the Children of the Corn. I don't get it. If you own land and don't want anyone to hunt it just post it. If you're a farmer you hardly ever leave home anyway so go patrol it a little if you want to. Or let a friend or family member hunt it and patrol it for you. But for God's sake (can I say that any more?) don't screw the entire state because of what might go on on your property.
It amazes me how may things have changed over time while that law still lives on.
Email Gillespie and ask why it was cancelled. I already sent one.
He won't answer email about Sunday hunting. He didn't answer mine.
Let us know what his answer is..... I'm guessing you won't get a response.
Here is the phone number of his Harrisburg Office. I'm sure they will have an answer.
Phone: (717) 705-7167
Mule, Wish that posting was that simple. I dread the next 7 days with doe coming in. Just today we had someone shot from their vehicle below my house towards my house. The neighbor chased them down and got the plate number and called it in. We live on a back road and its a free for all in gun season. I had the state police here last year and have had attorneys send letters to the dirt bags. AS a hunter I want Sunday hunting but as a land owner no way in hell I want an additional two days of this crap. Pretty simple allow game officers to enforce trespass laws like other states and stiffer penalties. Sunday hunting WILL pass and be supported from the farm bureau.
The FB doesn't want Sunday hunting under any circumstance.
If trespass was such a bad issue with FB, why have they not done a thing to increase penalties for trespass?
BTW, this bill simply gives REGULATORY authority to the PGC to use SH as they see fit. It does NOT open ALL Sundays to hunting.
I bet there is so much turmoil right now with the budget; that they can't think of anything else but getting that done and heading for their vacations.
2dapoint..... I feel your pain. But the solution is not to penalize everyone.
If the FB is has a problem with trespassers they should be spending their time lobbying for stiffer penalties for the crime... really stiff ones. Ones as stiff as no Sunday hunting for law abiding ethical hunters. Furthermore banning Sunday hunting doesn't solve the problem the other 6 days a week while pushing for stiffer penalties 7 days a week does.
How about this: Can we trade Sundays for Mondays? The FB can still limit us to 6 days a week... but one of those 6 doesn't have to be when hunters are working and their kids are in school. No... they aren't interested in any compromises.
By the way... I had many Pa farmers for clients when outfitting in Montana. Not that they represent the majority but they would tell stories of stacking up deer illegally whenever they pleased. Year round. Those trespassers don't represent the majority of hunters and most I know don't even hunt near farms.
This state has as much or more public land than any other in the country. The land the law is made to protect is a very small % of land we can hunt but that law affects all of it. Total BS.
Again... I do feel your pain. if I owned a farm locals would be afraid to set foot on it!
Anyone called yet? I have some time in an airport tomorrow will give it a shot.
Require written permission like Ohio does.
Art's suggestion is a very good one.
Maryland requires the same thing, and not only do you need written permission from the landowner/lease holder, you MUST have the permission slip in your possession, just like your license.
Even if you have written permission, if it's not in your possession, its an automatic $25.00 for the first offense.
Granted, it's not perfect, but it allows the Sheriff's office to cite trespassers on the spot.
Called. Secretary said someone will have to call me back. I urge everyone on here to call. If they aren't hearing from us nothing will get done.
Anyone hear a reason why it was removed? No one ever called me.
I called a week or more ago, left a message, they have NOT returned a call.
I might notify party leaders of the rude behaviour.
Trespassing is the oldest tradition in PA, and no one seems interested in stopping it. It's been happening for so long, people just accept it as a fact of life, which is sad. I wish PA was like the Midwest, where trespassing will get you beaten, shot, or arrested. Or all 3. The sense of entitlement PA hunters have is mind boggling.
If you have a trespass issue, call the PSP or local police.
From what I see with a 14 and 12 year old, without Sunday hunting the trespass issue will take care of itself since there won't be any hunters. People don't live on farms anymore so kids don't get to hunt out the back door after school. Parents have the kids in activities (and not just sports, there are a lot of activities geared towards college admissions that go on as well) that take up most Saturdays. Add in that no one works a 9-5 job anymore, and there you have it. Many parents look at it nowadays as giving their kids the chance to get into the college of their choice, or go hunting. Why are we making them choose?
Definitely some bad apples Ron. But I can tell you just from my own experience when there is a science or art or band or computer program at the local university on Saturday, 9-3, and the kids are not only getting credit at school but also putting on the 'college resume', hunting is going to lose. It's not just sporting events. And I can also tell you that the people that attend these are the 'right type' that you would want representing the hunting community. And I can tell you that none of those programs are ever going to be be on Sunday. Where I live one used to be able to get home from school and grab whatever weapon was in season and hunt for an hour or so before dark. Now, get home and drive an hour to hunt for 10 minutes before dark. Sprawl has taken a lot of opportunity away. Not to mention the uproar if a kid got home and was walking through a neighborhood with a shotgun to get to a hunting area. There are multiple chunks of property in my family and I am very familiar with trespass laws. We have problems with them ourselves. Gotten cameras stolen, stands stolen, you name it. I am totally on board with any improvements there as well.
Just because "I'm not that interested in Sunday hunting until something is done about trespassing and safety zone infractions." doesn't mean other aren't, speak for yourself not all hunters. If you don't want to hunt on Sundays if it were legal then don't! No one is forcing you to do it so please don't try to be the voice for all hunters because you got your panties in a wad.
Another one of those " if you don't agree with me you are wrong threads." I believe we live in a free country. Everyone is entitled to their opinions. So here is mine. Around here a lot of landowners will probably just close off their land to all hunting if Sunday hunting is opened. We will lose alot of opportunities. But then we can just crowd on the SGLs.
Lol just like all the Ohio farms were gonna close when sundays were make legal to hunt, how'd that work out??
Don't hunt Ohio so not my problem. Even know Ohio is about 40 miles away.
Here we go, "they will close their properties" discussion. I Call bull. Co-op programs, crop damage.. NOt
Like it or not, I don't think hunting is as important to most people as it was even 20 years ago. I don't think Sunday hunting will change that. I help coach alot of kids. I see that we are in a world where there are so many distractions for kids. It is rare to see a kid without a phone, game system, or computer. No many kids want to leave their comfortable house to go out to the woods. Do you think that they want to use the whole weekend away from the house?
"Its kind of funny that the parents make it priority for their kids to participate in sporting programs but then complain they have no time for hunting and need Sunday hunting. All is I can say is parents and kids have to set their priorities...can't have their cake and eat it too. I believe even if we had Sunday hunting they would still complain there isn't enough time to take their kids hunting."
^^^^^^^ This ^^^^^^^
If Pa farmers close their land, then take away their red tags, and don't pay them for crop damage. Screw them, all they do is whine about too many deer but want to post their land if Sunday Hunting comes around. BullCrap...
Your exactly right RC. In my section of 2a, most of the land is already posted. Farmers are salt of the earth people but they can't have it both ways. Take away the Red tags, quit paying for crop damage, and don't not pay them for CRP or CREP programs. Not paying them for the latter will get in their pockets deep,and only then, will they change their tune.
Don't be fooled into believing we live in a free country! Laws keep you from being free to do lots of things, most are there to protect us from the poor judgement of ourselves or other people. I own property which was purchased for hunting, the taxes get paid on time, but every Sunday I am denied the intended use of that property. If I bought a golf course or an atv park, or a lake, I could use my property as I wished, except to hunt!
Marlin nailed it! agree 100%.
Sounds like the Wyoming wilderness law. You can hike, camp, fish, photo, rock climb, or bird watch in there but no big game hunting on a bazillion acres of PUBLIC land. Talk about blatant!
As far as more land getting posted or restricted from hunting... really? Can there be more than there are now? If I had a penny for every yellow sign I'd have a big lease in Kansas where I could hunt for monsters 7 days a week.
But if they do post it so what. The amount of opportunity is still increased for the majority of hunters.
The answer like a lot of guys have said is letting us hunt and weed out the bad guys by having severe penalties and using them to set examples. Just think... once they are wedded out you won't have to worry about them for even 1 day a week. Win/win.
I don't believe stiffer penalties for trespassing would make much of a difference, enforcement of such laws is difficult and expensive, there are only so many law enforcement officers. It's kinda like speeding on the highway, most everyone has done it sometime for whatever reason, thinking the risk is worth the gain! Sunday hunting will only pass if a large enough number of registered voters express their support of the issue, Plain and simple, this is exactly what I was told by a representative I sent E-mail to supporting Sunday Hunting. The silent majority doesn't win over the vocal minority. So if you want it be vocal, take Action!
"Its kind of funny that the parents make it priority for their kids to participate in sporting programs but then complain they have no time for hunting and need Sunday hunting. All is I can say is parents and kids have to set their priorities...can't have their cake and eat it too. I believe even if we had Sunday hunting they would still complain there isn't enough time to take their kids hunting."
My $.02 as a parent watching this. These parents are prioritizing, and on Saturdays hunting is going to lose. These are parents that realize this isn't 1950 and to get a job now you have to have a college degree. The better college, the better life opportunities. Extracurricular activities that are school/sports related help in that regard. Not to mention the kids enjoy them. Putting hunting on the college application isn't going to help get in (probably not even for a wildlife biology major anymore from what I am hearing:)). In their minds, they are setting their child up for long term success in life versus a day of hunting. There will still be some that hunting on Sunday is still just too much effort. But without the opportunity we will never know.
You guys are too much.. Yunzs are all a bunch of whiners.... Most states around the Pa border allow Sunday Hunting. Just go do it... Pretty simple if ya ask me... It will never happen here in Pa, do to our politicians sleeping with the farmers...
Go back to bed crabby! :-)
Pa.... simple question: Sunday hunting, why not?
And what's the difference between Sundays and expanding the season?
Adding or expanding to archery season would make the butt hurt gun hunters even more butt hurt because archers kill to many deer before they even hit the woods so that's not a good idea. Allowing sunday hunting gives not only the archers but the gun hunters another day to hunt and if you have kid activities then continue them no one is forcing you to hunt on sundays but once again please don't make my mind up for me, my priority will be to be in the woods on a sunday if legal!
Ron I sure well appreciate that, but a degree sure makes it easier. And everyone that we would want representing the hunting community also want what is best for our children. Life sure becomes easier with that degree, and the parents that we would want representing the hunting community are the same parents that work to make a better life for their children. It's not all about a scholarship either. Putting down that you were a part of an organized, school related function has it's place. Two identical applications, one has sports, Key Club, school play, 6 Saturdays each year of science labs at the local university, as well as classes taken on Saturdays at the same local university. The other doesn't. Both should be able to get the chance to go hunting. You want to tell one that "You need to prioritize. We are going to drop all these activities and go hunting."? That is what we are doing. And losing some of each generation in the process. My $.02 and pretty sure that's all I have on the whole topic.
Sunday hunting, if expanded to deer and archery season, would give archers an extra week of hunting.
Do you really think Sunday hunting will lengthen archery season? We might get same number of days, but that means we will lose a calendar week. Probably the second week in November. A week in the rut. The seasons are set so that the harvest isn't too great. But I guess you guys want to hunt Sundays in October, not the rut in November. Be careful what you wish for.
Sounds good, Land in Mercer county is going for $5000.00 acre without the mineral rights. So you would want at least 50 acres, that's only $250,000.00. I think I'd rather have 100 acres, that's only $500,000. Then I could shoot a couple of deer.lol
Anybody actually hear a reason for removing the bill?
It is a funny thing about the anti-Sunday hunting crowds. They are usually one of those "traditionalists" who are so resistant to change because, well it is change. And they are greedy. They do not want anyone in the woods on a day they "must" do something else. For fear someone who wants to hunt Sundays, will shoot "their" deer. "Their Deer"! They do not want to share any of Pa's public resources on Sunday. Simple, greed. And it all starts with the notion that everybody should follow a set of antiquated laws that were put in motion for reasons that have no biology or resource first agenda to them. They however were put on the books to satisfy the greatest and oldest of Quaker traditions, religion. None other than a crutch to keep people out of the woods and in the churches. I say, the time has come to abolish a law that is religious biased, based. Get rid of it now.
I will say this, those against it so adamantly will do one of two things, do what they have been doing on Sunday or get in the woods and hunt like the rest of us want to. Me thinks it will be the latter since they do not want us "Shooting their Deer"! And will be shoulder to shoulder with us in the fields. They will not give up a day of "greed" to let anyone else have a crack at one of "their" bucks that I know....
Calling those of us who don't want Sunday hunting greedy is immature. John, there is no need get personal. The topic is Sunday hunting. If you can't keep on that subject, then maybe you need to consider the real reasons you are in favor of it. Without being able to voice your opinions concisely, how are you going to win anyone over. I don't believe that I need to support anything I don't believe in. So I will speak my mind. If you don't like that fact, just skip my posts.
EXPANDABLES SUCk!!!!
But I did save alot of money on my car insurance :)
Happy New Year!
You might think they suck but they drive an arrow though a deer. Most deer don't even know they were hit. Down within 30 yards. But a 63 lbs longbow with 750 grain arrow might have something to do with it. I like the durability of glass laminated bows
LMFAO, I pass on immature dinks like that.
I will shoot dinks. Easier to drag and load.
Good to see you in a happy mood, RC.
You should Thank him redbuff. Youve just been elevated into the highest of ranks of internet lore!:)
He puts up with me, because I live in grape country.
Trail kill. Hit with 4 wheeler while adjusting crossbow. Make it good RC.
When it comes to the weapon of choice I am a to each his own hunter. After having a 4 week bow season most of my life I'm grateful to have the season we do now. I see no reason to try to draw a line between bow and gun hunters when it comes to Sunday hunting.
This Topic has been locked. Thank you.
