NEWSFLASH: SUNDAY HUNTING IN PA!
 

I just saw it on the news. A bill was introduced to enact sunday hunting in PA. Deer hunting wasn't specifically listed but implied that it could be a possibility. Keep your ears open.

RE: NEWSFLASH: SUNDAY HUNTING IN PA!
 

Greg,

I saw this maybe a year ago. I had sent a note to my Senator about Sunday hunting. He said they were trying to pass legislation that would allow for Sunday hunting for buck only, and on game lands only. I don't know if this is the same bill, but it might be.

Thanks for the heads up.

Tom

RE: NEWSFLASH: SUNDAY HUNTING IN PA!
 

Rep. Staback introduced the bill to the House of Reps. He doesn't anticipate going anywhere but introduced it as a means to get the word out and the ball rolling for potential future bills.

RE: NEWSFLASH: SUNDAY HUNTING IN PA!
 

Heres a thought, why don't they give us Sunday hunting and take away Monday's instead? Most people can't get into the woods other than the weekend, it would just make sense. Its essential that give the animals a rest. Chasing them 7 days a week for three months is pretty harsh. Not to mention it could jeoperodize their health for the upcoming winter. I don't have any facts to support this but it just seems logical.

But buck only on state gamelands? Thats the dumbest thing I ever heard. They want to take more does, but let us hunt for bucks more than does. Hmmmm... Also, it seems to me that there are many, many more deer on private ground than the already exhausted game lands.

I think Sunday hunting for archers would be a good thing, but gun hunters I don't agree with. If you can't kill a deer with a gun during that two weeks, you have more problems than not enough days.

RE: NEWSFLASH: SUNDAY HUNTING IN PA!
 

Here's a recent article about the bill being introduced : http://www.timesleader.com/mld/timesleader/9410139.htm

My personal opinion is that Sunday hunting should be legal statewide for all hunting seasons. I just do not see a legitimate reason why Sunday hunting should not be allowed. Actually, when you look at it, Sunday hunting IS legal. You just have to hunt for coyotes, foxes or crows.

RE: NEWSFLASH: SUNDAY HUNTING IN PA!
 

Agreed, but 'they' don't see it that way. Which can only mean that Sunday as the chosen day is purely for religious reasons.....which is a direct violation of the US Constitution.

The animals will manage just fine, their entire livelihood is based on survival and procreation. They have more predators after them than just hunters. And, almost all of the "chasing" is going on for two weeks of rifle season.....not much at all in archery and late muzz/archery. Some "chasing" going on in the early muzz/rifle I pressume. The brunt of the stress that deer see is just as they head into winter during the rifle seasons. We have very minimal winter kill anywhere in this state, so your stress "jeopordizing their health" issue it pretty much a moot point.

I agree, very dumb idea with what we're trying to accomplish. As far as exhausted SGL's....well, there are some that hold few deer, there are some that have many, many deer. Not all are exhausted and any that I've been to aren't hurting for deer....that's in my area, maybe not the case in all or your areas.

Sunday hunting for everyone! There's no reason why rifle hunters shouldn't be allowed to hunt on Sunday just like archers. It's the principle of the matter. Hunter numbers are declining and time to hunt is a cause to some degree. Kids aren't getting involved because they only have Saturdays to hunt because of school, sports, friends, etc. Sunday is another day that can offer an all day hunt that many don't do anything at all but lounge around the house.

All of this is coming from a seasoned archer that seldom picks up a rifle....maybe three days a year to accompany his wife. I keep one doe tag available for hunting with my wife....I usually fill it the first day and then push for her the rest of the day and/or on the Saturday's. All of my buck hunting is archery and all of our hunting is on public land.

RE: NEWSFLASH: SUNDAY HUNTING IN PA!
 

JasonN, very good points.


I didn't think of it that.

I am fortunate enough to hunt on 600 acres of private ground that has an 8pt rule now for us old buggers in the clan and shoot what you want for the kids. The game commission laws don't really effect us much.

The state ground around my area doesn't hold many deer usually. They get thinned out pretty good every season from pumpkin patch after Thanksgiving.

RE: NEWSFLASH: SUNDAY HUNTING IN PA!
 

You all hunt on sundays, Me I'm going to church Sunday morning. Gods creatures will wait for Monday. he is the creator. His creation , He will save it for me. I call that faith some call it stupid. Your choice ,wont condemm anyone

RE: NEWSFLASH: SUNDAY HUNTING IN PA!
 

Theres no pracitcal reason as to why you can't hunt Sunday. Just seems like an old-fashioned type law to me.

RE: NEWSFLASH: SUNDAY HUNTING IN PA!
 

Guys---this is PA that we are talking about.. Do you really think that they will move into the 21st century in terms of loosening the rules??

Jersey could not do it and I really do not see PA making it happen.

Good luck though..

RE: NEWSFLASH: SUNDAY HUNTING IN PA!
 

Muzz88, thanks for understanding. I was just making points....nothing hostile!:)

Cardeer, I got to church on Sunday too....doesn't mean I can't hunt after church or even before. It's the premis that the state has a law against hunting on the Sabbath for no real reason whatsoever. Besides, which is worse.....going to church and thinking about hunting or going hunting and enjoying God's creations? Not arguing, just a different way of thinking for me.:)

BH88, I sure hope we can make some headway. NJ voted it down, correct? We haven't even voted on it. I hope we get the ball rolling soon....it sure would help!

RE: NEWSFLASH: SUNDAY HUNTING IN PA!
 

Ok here is what I have been told, If PA allows Sunday hunting this is what may occur.
They say only 10-12% of bucks survive from year to year, shot, road kill, winter kill and so on. If they allow sunday hunting then that means that YES there will be more people in the woods, since most can only hunt on the weekends. So then that would mean that the number of bucks killed would hypothetically be more, So then probably only 7-9% would survive, DO you think that's a healthy herd of bucks, I don't.

RE: NEWSFLASH: SUNDAY HUNTING IN PA!
 

That's only true if you can hunt for two weeks. Those with work and family obligations will not spend 2 weeks in the woods. They will hunt 1-3 days of the first week and they might get away for those two weekends. The Sundays would help them out.

RE: NEWSFLASH: SUNDAY HUNTING IN PA!
 

I hope they don't pass it. I get in enough trouble hunting Monday through Saturday.;) Although I can see the other side of the coin. I can hunt most weekdays, so Sunday is a break for me.

RE: NEWSFLASH: SUNDAY HUNTING IN PA!
 

Pat, I don't know the exact numbers off the top of my head, but since AR what you're saying isn't the case anymore. Like I said, I don't know the exact numbers, but before AR we were killing something to the effect of 75-80% of all of our bucks and 80%+ of those bucks killed were 1.5's. Since a good portion of 1.5's are saved we're no longer killing 75-80% of our bucks. Now, our 2.5's are taking a beating but there are more 1.5's are being carried over.

RE: NEWSFLASH: SUNDAY HUNTING IN PA!
 

Most of my days afield are M-F too, but I'll fight for what's right. I want it instituted. Those that want to fight to keep Sunday's out of season are only fighting against other hunters and taking the side of the anti's that want to destroy our hunting altogether. If you want to stay home on Sunday by all means have at it. But, don't fight to keep others out of the woods for no reason whatsoever.

RE: NEWSFLASH: SUNDAY HUNTING IN PA!
 

Jason, So what you are saying is because NC is allowed to hunt with dogs we should be able to do that too? And because Michiganb can bait we should be able too? I'm not for sunday hunting, but I am just trying to figure out why you think I am with the anti's because of that? Pat

RE: NEWSFLASH: SUNDAY HUNTING IN PA!
 

Supporting the Sunday ban because of it's potential effect on the deer population makes no sense at all. There's lots more to hunt than deer, and removal of that outdated ban wouldn't automatically bring about Sunday hunting anyway, as that decision would be up to the PGC as our seasons already are.

It's an overly burdensome law that may have once had a purpose, but now discriminates against hunters. There's no longer any justification for it's existance.

RE: NEWSFLASH: SUNDAY HUNTING IN PA!
 

What is the purpose of not permitting deer hunting on Sunday? Is the purpose to give the deer a rest? Then why not Wednesday? Is the purpose to keep holy the sabbath? Lots of red flashing lights on that one. "Rules" change all the time, such as Saturday as the sabbath, right? I hunt with family and friends every other year in PA archery. We use Sunday to put up/move stands then visit the nearest town with a "Big Screen" to watch the Eagles. I can't say I saw more bucks, but I saw fewer deer last October. I'd like to hunt Sunday and all the guys in our camp would also. Quaker State, seems to be more than the name for a motor oil. There is no room for bio-politics. If its biolocally sound to permit deer hunting on Sunday, it should be implemented IMO:eek:

RE: NEWSFLASH: SUNDAY HUNTING IN PA!
 

My point about supporting the anti's is simple. If you are fighting against doing something to support the sport of hunting then you are helping the anti's acheive what they want. You don't have to be excited about Sunday hunting, agree with it or participate. But, please don't fight to keep other hunters out of the woods.

I don't think using dogs or baiting is right for me, but I'm not going to side with those that want to abolish it. What that has to do with this discussion I'm not quite sure though!?!?

RE: NEWSFLASH: SUNDAY HUNTING IN PA!
 

Dogs and baiting are a "red herring", a logical fallacy. The discussion is not merely because some other state allows it Pat. That's only a single facet of supportive evidence. It serves as an example for all the naysayers and all their excuses that in EVERY state that has tried inclusion over exclusion, there have been no problems. No evidence has been found to exist in any of those states to support any of the concerns we hear in PA. Restrictions on our Freedoms without any legitimate reason violates the very principles of Freedom. This law is as burdensome as the rejected proposed regulation that would have had bowhunters wearing Fl. Orange merely because they were hunters with a complete lack of any reason other than they are hunters.

This law cuts the available participation time for most hunters by 50%. It discourages participation. It's kept in place by legislators who give excuses that would be laughed at if they tried to apply them to any other activity or group. There's little difference in most of those excuses from the same emotional concerns that were voiced about removing the bans on Sunday Fishing, Sunday Baseball and Sunday Shopping that we also once had.

Yes Pat, you may not be, but your views on this issue are no less anti-hunting than they would be anti-baseball if you supported keeping a Sunday ban on baseball when all similar bans against all other activities had been removed.

RE: NEWSFLASH: SUNDAY HUNTING IN PA!
 

Well said Ruffed-Grouse.:)

Please rememind me never to argue with you should the situation occur!:D[8D]

RE: NEWSFLASH: SUNDAY HUNTING IN PA!
 

Ok so Pennsylvania being the number one State in the amount of hunters has nothing to do with keeping some of the pressure down by not allowing Sunday hunting? My point is I was called an anti hunter because I don't believe it should be opened to Sunday hunting, I guess I'm an Anti because I argued that there shouldn't be a third turkey tag? It just seems to me that some of the hunters that are arguing for sunday hunting aren't arguing for the correct reason either. It has been a law for ages, and it has worked, so why all of sudden is it a nescessity to have sunday hunting? Some have even said it, if you want to hunt on sunday go shoot come crows, or even go call in a coyote or fox. They are arguing for sunday hunting Because they want to go hunt DEER, and yet they complain NOW because they aren't seeing deer, and how you can imagine that Sunday hunting wouldn't put even more pressure on the deer and even effect the population is beyond me.

RE: NEWSFLASH: SUNDAY HUNTING IN PA!
 

I am convinced that the only reason that the sunday ban remains has nothing to do with the reason it was instituted. It may have had something to do with "blue laws" initially but it stays to be a control method on harvest numbers. The amount of pressure increase on the deer would be unfathomable because sunday is a day when the majority of people would be able to hunt. I would say it would increase pressure by 40% on the deer. I'm all for Sunday hunting , don't get me wrong. I just don't expect it to happen and I understand why, too.

RE: NEWSFLASH: SUNDAY HUNTING IN PA!
 

One thing that strikes me is that everyone keeps referring to the impact on deer if Sunday hunting were to be allowed. What about turkey, small game, waterfowl, etc? Would you guys support Sunday hunting if there is a law saying everything but deer?

RE: NEWSFLASH: SUNDAY HUNTING IN PA!
 

Jeremy No I still wouldn't support it, but you know as well as i do that the sunday controversy is about deer hunting. It would have a big impact on turkeys also, Hens would be bumped off thier nest more frequently causing them to abandon the nests. believe it would have a large impact on wildlife period not only by harvesting but just the amount of hunters that would be in the woods on a sunday since most people are off only on the weekends.

RE: NEWSFLASH: SUNDAY HUNTING IN PA!
 

You're being ridiculous, searching for excuses, piling logical fallacies one upon the other. The PGC controls the deer harvest with tags and seasons and can already issue as many as they want or open up another week, month, or every Saturday in the year if that's what they decide is best. Removal of this outdated law would would still leave Sundays up to their discretion just like every other day of the week. If you want to debate having seasons set by politicians and popularity instead of game managers, let's have at it, cause you've obviously missed what's happened in WA, CA, CO and other states where popularity and politicians have already banned most trapping and predator hunting, or MI, where dove hunting is about to be put to a vote, and ME with bear hunting. Don't say it can't happen here. 40% of our population already lives in the SRA's and those are due to be expanded in the Lancaster and ABE areas, and their only exposure to domesticated farm animals and wildlife is their pet dog or cat and watching Bambi on the Disney channel. Game management decisions should be made by game managers, period. Seven days a week. You're just making excuses.

Simply because that's the way it's always been is just another of those fallacies that would have us still living in caves, keeping slaves, banning women from voting and banning all secular activities including shopping, football and baseball on Sundays, not to mention the lack of indoor plumbing seven days a week. Go look up logical fallacies or rhetorical fallacies in any search engine and you'll see that almost every argument that doesn't fall into those categories, does fall into fear-mongering, emotionalism or would be un-constitutional if applied to anyone else. Let's leave those tactics up to those who are morally against any exploitation of animals.

Even Bruce Smith, Chairman of the House F&G Committee and one of the most vocal oponents can't come up with anything better than your neighbor might post his land so you shouldn't be allowed to hunt on yours, religious groups that worship on Sundays oppose the issue, or you're a minority, and that alone is reason enough. Reasons that would be laughed at if he tried to apply them to anybody or anything else and even he doesn't have the gall to try and claim this outdated Blue law is some sort of game management tool.

Come on guys, quit being ridiculous, face the reality, the dog didn't eat your homework and there is no longer any justification for maintaining this draconian ban here in the land of the Free. It violates the very principles of Freedom. No matter why some people claim to support or oppose the issue, it has no legitimate reason to exist.

RE: NEWSFLASH: SUNDAY HUNTING IN PA!
 

You made it political, I didn't. I gave my opinion as to why I don't think it should be changed. You keep bringing up that it should be decided by game managers, I agree with that, it shouldn't be a political agenda. But you missed what I said from the very beginning...IT IS MY OPINION and not being based on anything POLITICAL and as far as I Know it is still FREE here that I can voice my Opinion. You say that the PGC governers the harvest with tags and seasons yet there was a post on here that says How Many PA hunters are Pleased? And just about every hunter that replied to that was slamming the PGC for having so many doe tags and them not seeing any DEER. SO make up your mind are you happy with how the PGC controls the population OR aren't you? Again as I have already stated there is Sunday hunting, if it's not the deer or anything else deal, then go out and shoot some crows, coyotes or foxes. If it's just sunday hunting you want and not a DEER thing.

RE: NEWSFLASH: SUNDAY HUNTING IN PA!
 

Ok, lets suppose Sunday hunting was made legal. What measures could the PGC take to control the population? Reduction in # of doe tags issued, statewide 4pt per side antler restriction, no buck hunting on Sunday, etc? It just seems to me that things can be done to lessen the impact on any animal whether it's deer, turkey, bear, etc.

RE: NEWSFLASH: SUNDAY HUNTING IN PA!
 

ROFLOL,
Let me see if I've got this straight Pat. You support scientific game management by game managers and not by political agenda/popularity but only six days a week 313 days a year, and one day a week, you feel game management should be by political agenda/popularity? You're certainly entitled to that opinion, but don't turn around and get upset when one day a week your fellow hunters refer to your opinions as anti-hunting.

Your reasoning that there's no need to hunt for squirrels or grouse or deer or other game on Sundays is right out of the anti-hunting agenda, where they claim our Freedom to hunt should require justification and there's no need to hunt, unlike the Freedoms of all others here in the land of the Free, where it's limitations that require those legitimate justifications.

Why don't ya join us Pat? Post your land against Sunday hunting. Teach it to your kids. Voice your opinion to the PGC Commissioners, but join your fellow hunters in supporting game management by game managers, seven days a week.

RE: NEWSFLASH: SUNDAY HUNTING IN PA!
 

I guess you still don't see it. There is Sunday hunting and I do hunt those animals that are allowed to be hunted on SUNDAY. AS far as you saying that I fall into the Anti category because i Hunt what is allowed to be hunted on sundays then so be it. My point in this whole thing was that there is only one MAIN reason people want Sunday hunting and that is they want to hunt DEER, no matter how much you argue about it not being that, it is exactly that. and again i say they are the same people that complained that they aren't seeing any deer now, imagine instead of only 1 million people hunting there are now 2 million hunting in PA cause that is just what you did by opening it on Sunday. And you say that will have no effect on the population? But hey if you want DEER hunting on Sunday then I guess we should give it to you. But don't whine and cry that you aren't seeing any deer. Guess i'll just keep doing what I do and take vacation during the week and enjoy the time when there aren't 1 million people in the woods.

RE: NEWSFLASH: SUNDAY HUNTING IN PA!
 

No one has any idea why sunday hunting is banned in Pa.I have yet to hear one legitimate reason why it should be.I do know that it has nothing to do with putting added pressure on our deer herd.Where has everyone been the last 5 years?The biggest goal in our deer management plan is to greatly reduce the herd,which according to Alt hasn't been successful.DCNR,the audubon and several other orginizations are supporting sunday hunting for that reason alone.It's an old law that makes no sense and needs to be changed.However,the pgc has nothing to do with getting it done.It's up to the state legislature and it's a very political issue.In order for a stupid law like this to stay on the books,someone should have to prove it's necessary and back up those claims with valid research and documentation.Emotions should never take precedence over common sense but unfortunately thats the case here.

With hunter numbers dwindling,added pressure will not be put on the the animals.
If safety is an issue,how come none of you area afraid to enter the woods when you hunt?Besides,I've yet to see a family taking a stroll in the woods during decenber.The animals already get plenty of rest during the week when everyone is working.

RE: NEWSFLASH: SUNDAY HUNTING IN PA!
 

ROFLOL. Come on Pat, admit it, there's no legitimate reason that game managers shouldn't set seasons and bag limits seven days a week. You're in denial of all the evidence from all those 40 or so states that have tried it. Facts Pat, not emotionalism, exageration and rhetorical fallacies. Scientific game management by game managers, seven days a week works. Inclusion, not exclusion. We don't have 1 million hunters in the woods on any day and we'll never have 2 million. Our numbers are already something like 20% or so off the peak years. Even in firearms deer season there's only 2-3 days when the majority of those hunters are in the woods and they are almost empty on those other days. The numbers of hunters for squirrels and other small game are down by almost 70% from our peak years and harvest data per day for almost every small game species remains steady.

Facts Pat. Scientific game management by game managers works, seven days a week.

There is no evidence to support any of your concerns. There is no legitimate reason this outdated law should still be on the books. There is no justification for treating hunters as second class citizens one day a week.

RE: NEWSFLASH: SUNDAY HUNTING IN PA!
 

I guess you still haven't seen it. I hunt what is Legal to hunt on Sundays and the PGC will probably not allow anything else to be hunted on Sundays, so really this debate is mute. My point was there is hunting on Sunday but if it's not what you like to hunt it is a Stupid antiquated law? If you aren't worried about what you can hunt on Sundays then by all means if you live in PA and want to come hunt coyotes with me I would love to have another gun there to help me harvest a few of em. Heck we could even pull up a couple of lawn chairs and get those crows fired up and attacking an Owl decoy, we could even just sit and enjoy being out there.

RE: NEWSFLASH: SUNDAY HUNTING IN PA!
 

Pat, You're the one who seems to be missing the boat. I wouldn't oppose the Sunday ban if it were a game regulation passed by game managers because of a need to control hunters numbers, or participation or some other legitimate game management purpose, but it's not. It's an outdated law, a remnant of a time of religious intolerance, that now singles out only hunters as a class of citizens, denied participation merely because of what day of the week it happens to be, and while all other similar laws have been revoked, it remains in place, banning those game managers from allowing any Sunday hunting for any game animals.

There is no evidence to support any of your concerns. There is no legitimate reason this outdated law should still be on the books. There is no justification for treating hunters as second class citizens one day a week.

Game management should be done by game managers, seven days a week.

Admit it, there is no legitimate reason for this law.

RE: NEWSFLASH: SUNDAY HUNTING IN PA!
 

Did ya ever think that the PGC hasn't pushed for it to BE changed? But I guess since you say I missed the boat then the sunday hunting I do is on my own little lost Island in Susquehanna County Pa. Like I have already said this debate is mute due to the fact that neither of us can come to mutual ground other than that I am a PA hunter and I guess you are too. But i am entitled to my opinion as you are. And everything I have stated is my Opinion and not a Political agenda. I could care less whether our politicians pass it or not. I will still have the same opinion as I do now. So I guess we are at an impass.

RE: NEWSFLASH: SUNDAY HUNTING IN PA!
 

The PGC has stated that are not yet ready to go to one side or the other. They put out a press release, last year I believe, that basically said at this time the PGC remains nuetral on the issue.

RE: NEWSFLASH: SUNDAY HUNTING IN PA!
 

i work in politics, in harrisburg. i've been told that there simply aren't the votes in either chamber to pass this bill, so the issue is probably mute for now.

ruffed grouse, if you ever run for office, give me a yell. you'd be hell on the stump.

Pat Ely, you defended your position well. If i ever figure out how to hunt coyote, i'd love to go with you.

RE: NEWSFLASH: SUNDAY HUNTING IN PA!
 

Sorry Boysda. Got carried away with some other things like hunting season and lost track of this one till I went searching for another similar thread that some moderator must have zapped.

Thanks for the offer, but don't think I'm pretty enough nor coiffed quite adequately to take to the stump except for defending hunting as a Freedom, but appreciate the offer anyway.

Will probably make it up your way to argue our Freedoms as hunters should be ruled by the same standards as the Freedoms of others when we finally see a hearing on the matter. Maybe you me and Pat could get together when he shows up to voice a differing opinion.

:D

RE: NEWSFLASH: SUNDAY HUNTING IN PA!
 

Sunday hunting should be private land only.The public lands sure don't need another full day of doe killing.Heck let's let a few out there anyway.