Pennsylvania Sunday Hunting Is Possible

[Roy from Pa]

Hey guys, there is a movement to overturn the ban on Sunday Hunting in Pa. It is a legal matter and we could use your support please. Thanks, Roy

 http://www.huntsunday.com/

[PEARL DRUMS]

I hope and pray it opens up Roybert. Im as Christian as they come and Im as much of a family guy as they come and I still say its silly and communist.

[Coonbait]

For the life of me I just can't wrap my mind around not being able to hunt on Sunday! I understand that once upon a time the blue laws existed, but that has changed EVERYwhere else! I sit here on Sunday the day before Memorial Day. I can go fishing, golfing, a Pro baseball game, the mall and just about anywhere else that I feel like spending my day. BUT I can't sit in a field and hunt groundhogs? The farmers need a day to rest without being bothered by hunters? I hunt on mostly private properties and honestly after the season openers and nice saturdays I rarely see anyone. Yesturday was the last day of spring turkey season and you could hunt all day. I hunted 2 different farms and saw KNOWONE!! Not even a vehicle in either parking area. And that goes on in every hunting season. Believe me, it shocks me everytime!  
If I hunted EVERY possible Sunday (not including summer groundhogs) you'd have maybe no mre than 20 Sundays in a hunting year. That would be from fall archery, gun, muzzleloader, and spring turkey.
I hope that it does happen, but as long as the farm bureau keeps stomping their foot I doubt it will happen!
Glenn

[flyfish1]

There is more to be considered than just what we as hunters want. countless farm/land owners that are gracious enough to allow hunting have already made it very clear that if it goes through their land will be posted. Good for them. I know first hand what landowners go through with trespassers and monitoring who is on land and when. We have had so many people trespass, and when confronted they said " its not posted". There is a belief that if land is not posted you can go hunt, or ride your four wheeler when you want. Not true, that means if I go down the road and your garage door is open without a sign I can walk in, no difference.Guess what, its posted now. from a landowners perspective its not necessisarily good and I beleive we will lose more land to posting. Nice to have one day without it

[PEARL DRUMS]

Trespassers dont take Sundays off. They are LOSERS to begin with and that switch doesnt shut off on Sunday. Land owners dont look for them on Sundays. No offense sir, I respect your opinion.

[flyfish1]

Point being more posted land is not good for hunters and the states farmers have let it be known, many will post. Seems awful selfish to put hunters desires above the farmers when many hunt the land they farm and the game they feed.Of course you will always have the state game lands for a quality hunt. Enjoy

[dnovo]

I don't have a dog in this, but have a couple questions.
Coming from a state that has always allowed Sunday hunting, how come none of these issues about hunting on Sundays has never even come up in a discussion with the different landowners I hunt on?
Have any of the farmers ever considered that letting a rsponsible hunter on their land can help keep the trespassers off?
I can't believe that none of these farmers want to hunt their own land on a Sunday.
Also, just because it becomes legal does not mean that you have to allow it if you don't want it on your land.
This discussion reminds me of the outcry over conceal carry laws. The end was upon us, but none of the problems materialize. I believe there is a vocal minority who just hollers louder.

[PEARL DRUMS]

Ron why would opening up Sunday hunting require more sings and posted land? What goes on the other 6 days? Am I missing something here? Agin I respect your opinions and I just dont understand them I guess.

[wood carver 2]

I live and hunt in Ontario, but we have similar hunting regs to most states. When I ask for permission to hunt a property, I ask the farmer if Sunday hunting is ok or the farmer sometimes just say outright, no Sunday hunting.
In this Province, we have had no Sunday hunting for years, but recently, more and more management units and counties are allowing it. I have not heard any reports of trespassing or illegal hunting that are out of the ordinary. Nor have I noticed any more posted land.
Those who trespass will continue to do so regardless of the law or what day of the week it is.
Dave.

[Coonbait]

I don't understand what trespassing and Sunday hunting have to do with each other? A very good friend and customer of my business is a local game officer. He told me in the 30+ years he's been a warden not once has he EVER wrote a ticket for someone hunting on a Sunday. As far as farmers, not all private property that is hunted is owned by farmers. And I mean someone who actually uses the property to grow or raise anything. The farm bureau beats and stomps, but won't budge even the slightest. For that matter they stick their fingers in their ears and won't even try and listen. I don't understand when asked how many members they have they tell the game commission it's know ones business. Bet The NRA, Wild Turkey Federation, Pheasants Forever and so on would scream from the mountains how many members they had when faced with an issue.
 And yes the FARMERS could and might post property, but a lot already do. And normally they do most of the complaining about crop damage. Post your property, ask the game commision for a permit to shoot crop damaging deer and let them lay. If the State had enough hunter backing they could tell farmers who banned hunting on their property (which they have every right to do, the farmers I mean) that they had know complaint on crop damage.
  Wildlife, no matter who's property it stands on belongs to the Commonwealth. That's All of us.
Glenn

[PEARL DRUMS]

Right on Glenn!

I have had free, open hunting my whole free life. Mostly on public land in grossly over hunted Michigan and I wouldnt trade it for the world. We are free to hunt when open seasons allow seven free days a free week. FREEDOM being the key word. Its just not right to shut it down one day a week for any other reason than the health of the wildlife.

[flyfish1]

to alot of them it is not just about hunting but the sabbath and sunday being a day of rest or various other reasons. I know many have attended meetings on this and it does not matter why, they will post. Pearl drums and any other non residents  unless you hunt here your input does not count in my book and putting a post on here to recruit people to "sign on" that dont hunt here  is bull s*!$

[PEARL DRUMS]

The statment below your name is a joke if thats how you feel about other hunters support. Its not just about PA. Its about hunters rights period, it doesnt matter where the hell you live.

For the record. I respected your opinions until you decided not to respect mine. I simply asked commen sense questions and you cant answer them without disrepecting me.

[flyfish1]

close minded is thinking just about hunters, and there are alot more involved than us as hunters. sometimes you have to give a little to gain and this is a perfect example

[flyfish1]

I dont think roy meant for debate here, sorry if i took the post of course. Not everybody feels the same on the issue and I feel strongly about loss of access for ourselves and future generations even more, and I will not apoligize for that. So YES I DO CARE ABOUT HUNTERS VERY MUCH. We are loseing access to huntable privately owned land at an alarming rate. Pearl Drums,If you have read pa outdoor news or attended meetings you should know that but I assume being in Michigan you havent done so, or am I wrong to assume that? These meetings are where members of state farmes associations have made very clear that the majority are against and will post. I just dont think the gain is worth the risk.

[PA stickbow boy]

I live in PA and I don't want Sunday hunting.  I think having a day with no pressure is a good thing. That's my opinion.

[PEARL DRUMS]

Michigan is another world compared to PA. Private land is scarce at best here. Not because of rude hunters, but because we have a TON of hunters and not enough private land to use. I hunt public land 90% of the time and always have. Could be why my opinion is as strong as it is. I pay money via licenses to maintain that land and keep it ours to use. It seems to me your situation is about old world government and private land owners, not so much "Joe" hunter and his rights. One question for you PA guys. Why do they still allow hunting of certain game on Sundays?

[flyfish1]

because those animals and those alone are classified as nuisance or overpopulated animals thats why

[Roy from Pa]

If the farmers want to post because of Sunday Hunting then fine. Maybe the PGC will give them free No Sunday Hunting Signs. I can't help but wonder what the Farmers in the Majority of States that DO allow Sunday Hunting do about posting their land.

Maybe the PGC could just open Sunday Hunting on the 1,300,000 + acres of state game lands that we Hunters PAID for.

[Coonbait]

My biggest problem with the Sunday hunting issue is the Farm Bureau holding the rest of us hostage! The only reason this issue has drastically stalled is the FARM BUREAU won't budge. Who is the Farm Bureau? Do they really have enough members to matter? If they have 100 members and 65 of them are stopping a million hunters from moving on this issue it's ridiculous. I have a sneaky suspecion this might be the case. Why else would they throw up their arms in disgust when asked a simple yet important question about member numbers.  
  Don't get me wrong, I totally understand both sides of this fight! I struggle with them myself. But it's a fight that should be argued like adults. And the Farm Bureau has acted like spoiled children so far!
Glenn