Any Update on Sunday Hunting??
Pennsylvania
Just wondering if anyone has any current news on this?
Tied up with kids' activities Saturday (because that's when they are). Going to be high pressure, low of 40, high of 60 this Sunday. Would love to be in a tree. Got to be the most asinine law ever........
It's depressing.
I hear you Herd! Haven't heard anything lately.
My oldest is in college now, so my Saturdays opened up a bit this year. But I got tired of waiting and got a Jersey license for the first time. Starting a new tradition on Sundays this year! ;-)
As soon as my kids are in college I'll be moving and taking my tax dollars elsewhere, as in where I can hunt on Sunday. There is no reasonable explanation for the ban on Sunday hunting.
The update for eastern PA is that we can still hunt on Sundays in NJ, DE, & NY.
Ohio baby. September 24th to February 4th archery season
Ohio baby. September 24th to February 4th archery season
My son played college football, there went four years of hunting I'll never get back. We had a great time following him and his team, and I wouldn't have missed it for the world, but I didn't hunt much those four years. I'm retired now and making up for missed days in the woods. It sure would have been nice to be able to hunt Sundays back then, and now.
I just looked at my son's schedule for the next month and realized how much we need Sunday hunting if we want kids involved.
Still vist PA to hunt a couple times each year, wish we could hunt sundays too. I moved to Ohio in 2000 and been hunting sundays here since. Makes it nice with my son playing sports to have that extra day. Shot a couple deer and turkey on sundays and my son shot his first bow buck last year on a sunday. Its really a non issue here now thats its been in place for so long. A good friend of mine in PA uses his sundays for steelheads. PA needs to join the 21st century.
I've hunted OH, but not since gas went to $4/gal a few years back. If I happen to kill a buck here early I may try it again.
It's an absolutely ridiculous law! I've really been wanting to do some western-style backpack hunts up North over a long weekend, but without the ability to hunt on Sunday what's the point?
If it's changed, the PGC will chop a week off archery season though, and it would likely be the back end and not the front. That's a tradeoff I would not want to make. I wish we had two more weeks in November as it is.
Lived in Ohio when they passed Sunday hunting. All the same arguments from their farm bureau, horseback riders, bird watchers etc. They passed it and it was the largest non-issue ever! Hardly any complaints and now it's business as usual. This needs to get done.
Herd....Go for it buddy. If you wait for these worthless politicians to get anything accomplished, other than a pay raise for themselves, you'll be waiting a long time!!
I go to the mid-west every year. Its a pleasure to get to hunt Sunday's,and also, to be able to bow hunt right up to the beginning gun season!!
I hunt every Sunday with my kids in the great state of NEW JERSEY!!! Pa truly blows!!
There is no really good news on this. However do not let the typical fear mongering over losing season length scare you into thinking that this would be the effect to Sunday hunting. Regardless their is still game management and resource driven results to think of. And one thing they do not want, is to take steps back from the progress they have made the last decade.
And as a side note, this antiquated blue law has nothing to do with deer management but is religion based. It was implemented by people long ago that had a religious stigma attached to it. And they decided for all of us what we are allowed to do on Sunday and what they deemed illegal since they wanted to be at church and also wanted you there as well, not chasing whitetails. It is upheld simply for greed. Greed over not letting people into the woods while they are at church, hence they do not want to you hunting to kill "their" deer. And the "traditionalist" crowd also prohibits the thought of anyone hunting on Sunday because that's a "travel" day and we can't have you in the woods shooting again, "their" deer. It is all so stupid, Pa. The only two things you can not do on Sunday, hunt a deer or buy a car. Booze, you betcha, Bars, you betcha, any other activity "insert here", you betcha. Deer hunt.... Nope you got to be subjected to other peoples ideas of what they deem legal on that day. and the ones that made those stupid laws are not even alive. Irony.
Once again, this weekend looks like rain and low pressure on Saturday, then high pressure and nice on Sunday.........ugh........
I'm feeling the same pain as you, Herd. Really sucks having crappy weather Saturdays, and then sunny skies just to watch football games on TV. I've never been more of a proponent of Sunday hunting, until this October!
Just took my farm out of the game farm program. Told them I would reconsider if they allow Sunday hunting.
Sunday hunting was finally OK in Virginia (last year) on private property.
The enemy is, The Farm Bureau
Farm Bureau and 'hunters'. We can be our own worst enemy. Still too much "I don't want to be in the woods Sunday so you shouldn't be either" mentality here. Was just talking to a woman last week about this and she says "My husband is the most die hard hunter and he doesn't want Sunday hunting." Asked her when he got the time to take his dogs for pheasants, grouse, woodcock, ducks or geese. "Well he doesn't hunt those." "How about fitting archery in there?" "He doesn't archery hunt either." Turns out he hunts Monday Saturday and Saturday of gun season and doesn't believe anyone needs more days.
Did you ask what possessed her to marry an ignoramus?
LMBO! He's a DIEHARD hunter who hunts 3 days a year! ;-)
Many hunters fear that the deer herd would be further reduced by Sunday hunting. It won't. The number of doe tags issued and the amount of time to use them determines how large our deer herd is.
What was strange, was the last time I talked to a UBP muckety muck, he said they really could support Sunday hunting because the last survey they did showed they didn't have a huge majority of member support. Fools.
Prob one of those 3 day hunters who complain there isn't any deer left because on those 3 days he saw nothing....If you can add all the hours logged in one season by this "die hard hunter" into a single day afield for us "fair weather hunters" are you really anything more then a walking contradiction???
I expect he's a guy that goes to camp three weekends a year and uses Saturday nights to get bombed out of his mind and doesn't want anyone shooting deer while he's sleeping it off. BUT, he's adamant that he's going to camp:). Didn't want to push it. Will find out more as I have some dealings with her so......
Brad, the UBP has held fast in the general approval for SH. The majority of the the UBP ranks have voted yes to this initiative for many years. So I am not sure where your info comes from?
And anybody that goes away to "camp" and hunts 3 whole days of an entire season gets my vote as totally "hardcore"... ahahahaha
There was an article in the recent Outdoor Times about many PA farmers complaining about crop damage and that the Game Commission needs to do something about it. How ironic. The Farm Bureau is the main reason that we don't have Sunday hunting and they complain about crop damage from too many deer. Seems like they talk out of both sides of their mouth. Unbelievable. It is undisputed that Sunday hunting will greatly help hunter recruitment. But the FB just doesn't care. The Farm Bureau can't have it both ways. I have no sympathy for them.
I do hear legitimate concerns from a few 'nature watcher' friends that enjoy being in the woods on Sundays during the fall. I have to remind them that the 'Sunday' issue is really with rifle season, and really only 3 Sundays a year at most that we are talking about. Not to mention that hunters have paid for the land they are accessing and that my family pays taxes on the land we bought for hunting. I can only imagine how fast the state would be on us if we sent in 6/7ths of the taxes due!
Right, nature watchers on property the did not put $ into. Classic.
yeah... so, I saw on the news this morning that the Wolf is gonna sign a bill allowing semi-auto rifles to be used for hunting... but the won't pass Sunday hunting? yeah, we know who has the deeper pockets.
That's so stupid.... You can "spray and pray" a forest with high powered rifle fire. But you can not hunt a deer on Sunday?...
That is the always antiquated, back wards thinking of Pa... What a dumb thing. But hey Wolf is a dummy any way...
Perry, sorry, "couldn't".
Wow, just because I don't hunt as much as some, I'm not "hardcore". LMBO
This site is a trip.
When I am discussing Sunday hunting legislation with a well known UBP officer, and he tells me the membership didn't support it like they once did, so the UBP was lukewarm to support, I take it at face value what he said.
Oh well.....
As far as the semi auto issue, this bill gives REGULATORY CONTROL of semi auto's to the PGC.
It does not mean black rifles will be out there in deer season with 30 round mags.
Many assume the PGC, WITH HUNTER INPUT, will start slowly, like use them for yotes and groundhogs, and with a magazine limit.
As hunters, we should APPLAUD anytime hunting laws become less restrictive. We should cheer when the PGC is given regulatory control of a previously banned implement or policy. When the PGC is given control, we as hunters have a direct say, and that is good.
When the legislature has all the say, that means anti-hunters are given way to much weight.
"As far as the semi auto issue, this bill gives REGULATORY CONTROL of semi auto's to the PGC. It does not mean black rifles will be out there in deer season with 30 round mags.
Many assume the PGC, WITH HUNTER INPUT, will start slowly, like use them for yotes and groundhogs, and with a magazine limit.
As hunters, we should APPLAUD anytime hunting laws become less restrictive. We should cheer when the PGC is given regulatory control of a previously banned implement or policy. When the PGC is given control, we as hunters have a direct say, and that is good.
When the legislature has all the say, that means anti-hunters are given way to much weight. "
I wasn't commenting on the semi auto rifles per-say, but that they would pass legislation like this but not about Sunday hunting.
WOW! That's a shocker! Wolf actually passed a bill to let AR's be used for hunting? LIBERAL Gov. WOlf???!!! That is good news! Now maybe I can use my new AR someday for predator hunting instead of just plinking at the range! :)
I'm not sure that Wolf has signed it, but it had passed the legislature and was being sent to him.
It sounds like the Pa Game Commission would still have the final say IF Wolf signs the bill.
OK- so he didn't sign it YET! :(
But it says: "The legislation has spent the past 20 months winding through committee and floor votes before passing the Senate on Tuesday 40-7 and the House 160-25 Thursday in veto-proof margins."
So that means he cannot VETO it? If not, what is the next step?
He can sign it or let it become law.
and yet, Sunday hunting gets stalled every time.
"Right, nature watchers on property the did not put $ into. Classic. "
This kind of thinking is a joke!!!! I've been hunting for 37+ years. It's a joke that "us" hunters think they only have rights to the thousands of PGC acres out there. And yes, many PA hunters think this way!! It's just sad.. I enjoy hiking, mtn biking, mushrooming, photography, etc.. Many of my friends and relatives also enjoy the same. Some of them don't purchase hunting license. And, they're not allowed to enjoy PA's beautiful nature on "your" land. What a joke!!
So it's just a matter of time before this becomes the law Brad?
Groundhtr, they are 'allowed' Monday through Saturday as well, no reason not to let them share the woods with us on Sunday as well. Works in just about any other state. Are you saying PA people are too stupid to make it work here too?
The nature lovers you speak of Groundhtr can use the woods year round, 7 days a week! Hunters don't have that option.
Not to mention the fact that it was the hunters that payed for the SGL in the first place.
Groundhunter- just read your post. Those state game lands were bought and paid for by HUNTERS! So yes- I think WE should be able to use them 7 days a week(for HUNTING! ;-)
Whoa!! I was just making a statement about this quote from previous comment somebody said. "Right, nature watchers on property the did not put $ into. Classic. " With this statement is sounds as though only hunters should be on PGC property.. Not true IMO! I'd love to hunt Sundays as well. Heck, most of 2016 archery so far has been rainy, windy Saturdays and beautiful Sundays...
Well, I guess our perceptions differ Groundhtr. When Bowhunting 5C made that statement, I took it to mean simply Nature watchers should not have a say in how these lands are managed because they did not contribute towards them. In other words, they can still use the land, just don't try to keep hunters off of it.
Gotcha Groundhtr! sorry i misinterpreted!
to tell the truth, bird watchers and hikers should be very thankful that they can be on sgl without having to pay for a permit. Every time I go onto the sgl during the summer months I end up picking up trash from them. I passed a group one time that was throwing mcdonalds trash into the woods about a mile up the trail. I gave them an ear full and explained that just cuz I was armed doesn't mean they had to pick up their damn trash... but they did anyway for some reason. Then there was the time I cleaned up the remains of a bonfire with busted beer bottles and trash all over. Took 2 trips with a wheel barrow. When I asked a neighbor if they heard anything they said yes but didn't call the cops cuz they don't hunt so it wasn't any of their business. But I guess it's there business if the don't want hunters on the land on Sundays. But I'm glad they don't have to buy a permit cuz if they did then they would think they had a voice in deciding the usage of the sgl. Which they don't. jmho
I agree with not issuing permits for the non-paying public to purchase on SGL's. Why should they have any say in what the state does with land purchased off hunting license fees? If they did, I am sure not one hunter would like the outcome. And yes, they get the rest of the year to use it, so time balance is not the issue. It is the entitlement attitude of not putting in to use something that is not yours.
Brad, I am not sure where you are getting this info from. Sunday hunting was voted on among the ranks and was approved as voting for it, many times. There have been some voices against, but the polls for Sunday hunting was in favor.
Last update I got was we are looking at 10 more years!
RC, I hope that is wrong...
the non hunters I talked to that objected to Sunday hunting so they could be in the woods without fear were only concerned about rifle deer season. I explained, that was only one Sunday a year, that didn't sink in.
I was doing work around the house yesterday and looked out the back window around noon. Spotted a decent 8 pt(I would have shot) that was tending a doe(not chasing, just watching intently). They milled around feeding at times and then bedded down for a couple hrs. The buck was 30y from my back deck and doe was 20y. I watched them on and off until just before dark, the buck never more than 20y from the doe. When I went out at last light they had moved to the side yard. Just then I heard something walking down over the bank and assumed it was more deer until I saw a turkey fly up and roost in one of my mature oaks. Man, I WISH we had SUNDAY hunting! ;-)
I heard that the Pa. Farm Bureau is behind the NO Sunday hunting. If so, I will not renew my membership.
I heard that the Pa. Farm Bureau is behind the NO Sunday hunting. If so, I will not renew my membership. An if so, why does the Game Commission still give farmers money from the licensing money for so called crop damage. Help me understand this.
Boris I agree on the money. As for your membership,, I think you should keep it and Start working to get Sunday hunting. It's the members that need to get working on getting Sunday hunting.. Maybe guys need to start becoming members of the FB just to be a voice in getting it. Just food for thought !! Ed
The PAFB is one of the biggest obstacles against SH. Them and a religion based cronie system in Harrisburg that is entrenched in dictating to us what we are not "allowed" to do with our Sunday's.
So can anyone join the PAFB? $72 in my county.
Sunday is for church and football. If you can't get a deer in 6 days, what the heck will one more day do?? Ya whiners....
I attend mass 3 times a day on Sunday. It does a person good. Try it sometime. I'll pray for you guys to kill a deer.
RC, thanks for the reminder but would you say the same thing to the other 44 states that currently allow SH? Your opinion is great, and great for you. But why can your rights to worship be protected as they should be, and our rights as Pa residents and hunters be violated because religion biased dictates we are deemed not worthy to do anything that does not involve a religion? That is the real question, and a question that never gets answered in Pa. Why are people restricted on this? Religion. And if the role was reversed, people would cry foul.
I believe RC was being sarcastic.....
I honestly..got nothing to add:) Ferget how anyway:)
Just got off the phone with Donald Trump..
He said he would take care of it.
But hey, Wolf is going to sign a semi auto bill. You can "spray and pray" Penns woods with large caliber rifle fire but can not hunt a deer on Sunday? Backwards Pa never fails to disappoint.
Yes! Saw that on WNEP last night! He signed it. Now it's up to PGC to say when and for what. Looks like I may be able to use my new AR next season(at least for varmints ;-)
Disgusting! Can you say ass backwards!
as stated earlier in the thread, it will be up to the PGC to decide where and when semi-autos will be used if at all, as it should be. This legislation takes the decision out of the hands of politicians and puts it in the hands of those better able to make such decisions. Chances are, they will be used in small game or varmint control.
Yep SPider....................................time to write the PGC BOC! : )
Heck, I've been deer hunting for years with my M-60 machine gun. Haint got one yet worth eating. M-60 is worse than those buck bombs. They don't make deer like they used too.
If sunday hunt tabu, then Pa. should return to the Blue laws.
Blue laws are antiquated, buying a car and hunting a deer are the last 2 left. Sad isn't it?
The whole religion argument goes out the window as well when you are talking about Sunday hunting, go to the bible belt down south in Mississippi, Alabama, Louisiana, etc and they all allow Sunday hunting, but hey Pa needs semi-autos! So dumb
