NEW LEGISLATION JUST INTRODUCED.

HARRISBURG, Pa. (WHTM) – Two Pennsylvania lawmakers have introduced legislation to allow Sunday hunting.
Reps. Frank Farina (D-Lackawanna) and Robert Godshall (R-Montgomery) said their proposal would remove a ban that has been in place since 1873.,
Their measure would allow the Pennsylvania Game Commission to decide what game could be hunted and which seasons would be open on Sundays.
Giving hunters an extra day in fields and forests each week, they said, would add 7,000 jobs and pump $800 million dollars into the state’s economy.
Similar proposals have failed to pass in previous legislative sessions, but Farina says he’s optimistic this time around.
“We’re at 30 co-sponsors now and there are still a few more that are looking to get on it,” he said. “We know if it hits the floor that we have the votes. So, there’s a lot of people right now who just don’t want to pick the fight early on.”
Pennsylvania Farm Bureau opposes any expansion of the current Sunday hunting laws. A spokesperson said farmers typically work every day of the week, but tend to seek peace and quiet on their farm or use their property for recreation purposes.

While on the fence with Sunday deer, although personally it would benefit me since where I hunt they really don't care when you kill them and an extra day would be nice, I understand that may not be the case for some, maybe even most, and could live without it, since I always have.

But for pheasants, that are basically put and take on SGL areas, I would rather me shoot them on Sunday than have the foxes, owls, and hawks eat them Sunday night.

Everyone trembles at posted signs. They are almost a must have from a liability stand point for a landowner with an substantial acreage. Posted no trespassing only applies to entry without permission. Unless it was a property purchased specifically for hunting, asking permission from the owner can usually do the trick. I even offer to lend a hand with any property maintenance or farm work he/she may have planned. I know I'd sure like to meet and shake the hand of anyone that would be traveling into my forest. The landowner could even increase his hunting success by coordinating the time and entry of the people he allows on the property.
 
The point is just go talk to the landowner. 9 out of the last 10 times I requested permission to hunt or forage I was granted it and often given helpful info on where to go on the property. I've also been told numerous times the reason for the posting of the property was because people were not asking permission and doing things the owner would have allowed if they'd asked first.
 
If hunting on Sunday goes into effect, be sure to ask the property owner where you hunt if he/she is okay with it. If we all do this, hopefully not too many people will be upset by it.   

Why would any pa. hunter want Sunday hunting.???? The deer herd has been shot out , the land has been posted , alot of land is posted because our own PGC made the landowner mad by telling him what he can or can not do on his own land. Mostly out of state hunters would take advantage of Sunday hunting not the church going Quaker.Also are you going to raise the hunting license fee I hope so to replace the extra game you are going to take on Sunday. This horse is dead because the land owners have alresdy said they want one day to enjoy the peace and quiet of there property. Just my thoughts on the matter.I think the good Dr. Trout hit the nail on the head about the public lands being over hunted and they don't open any new lands up.!!!!!!!!!!!! If it not broke don't fix it.

It's all about the deer and as soon as there is a year or two of Sunday hunting allowed deer will be included. 80% of landowners and a majority of hunters have said don't do it so what is the purpose unless it is to get more land posted, more pressure on a declining game population which will lead to less game and more dissatisfied hunters dropping out of the sport. I see it as a win for the antis.
I don't normally agree with Doc but he got it right on this one. Maybe the new jobs are WCOs to cover the additional hunting day which by the way will be the day the greatest number of hunters will be out.

This is Pa.    Same state different day.    And its ALL about killing more deer.   All one has to know is who the environmental types were that started it in the first place with their phony lawsuit.    They went as far as they did because they were trying to get some at pgc & dcnr exactly what they wanted to get more deer harvested.   And having all those sundays from Oct Through January would go a long ways towards that end.   #1 biggest tool pgc could use and also one that would be accepted by a fair number of hunters and legiscritters.    Don't think doubling the states antlerless allocations would work very well for them at this point. lol.   The financial mumbo jumbo was just downright hilarious. lol.    
 
I have followed this closely and had talks legislators etc.    Some of the very same people who have been pushing this Sunday hunting deal also want semiautos legalized (for deer again being end goal) and a Saturday opener for rifle that would add yet another high harvest day on top of it all.    And they won't stop the push for any of it, until pretty much all these things and likely more thereafter are on the table for deer management utilization.
 
Oh, and the ongoing "deer forest study" isn't for the purpose of building support for more deer in case anyone was wondering. lol.       And its also no coincidence all of this is going on at the same time. 
 
A license fee increase is also back on the table and being pushed very hard.   Im hearing its because in a few years, after the results to the deer herd of the planned moves are made, they will have absolutely no chance at getting it then.       We'll see soon enough I guess.
 
They get a fee increase padding their already just fine coffers this would leave them for a long long time free of political influence to "adjust" deer management to more hunter friendly directions, semis zapping does on the Saturday opener and also on sundays and umpteen lol sundsays in achery season, the "deer war" will be pretty much in the bag for pgc for the foreseeable future.  And then, no reason at all not to go back to the concurrent 2 week rifle season.    Doesn't matter if hunters and legislators like it then, after they have their big prizes/tools in hand.
 
The bogus forest study which has already shown that hunters aren't doing their job as "proven" by the tagged deer and what a tiny percentage were harvested by hunters.   This study to support further reductions will be finished and by that time the tools to make it happen will be in place, and they'll be free of our pressure since moneywise they will be set.   Pretty clear and obvious plan.  

Have you guys an opinion as why PA. allows the hunting of crows and coyotes on Sunday but, a guy can't shoot groundhogs?  Other than, this is how screwed-up the PGC really is!

"He doesn't seem to think it's going to get very far."   
 
Ive talked with some influential people on the issue and cant say for sure, I don't think it will right now, but far from certain.   Saturday opener is something that has been somewhat pushed a bit to the back burner in favor of the sunday hunting battle.    The focus of the stronger push is for sunday hunting   Saturday opener is being pushed but not the highest priority at the moment.   But like sunday hunting it will not go away and it will be next in line as soon as sunday hunting is passed.    Same with the semis deal.   Some have made it their mission and it will be no different than sunday hunt battle or the crossbows.  Thereafter the issue will arise year after year with legislators writing bills, the same antideer lobbiest will be able to devote more time and attention to and it will be just a matter of time.  
 
"And as for a Saturday opener for deer, the argument for them getting more dead deer with a Saturday opener would have held water if they hadn't gone to split seasons in pretty much the entire state now."
 
Actually they would never get the Saturday opener or for that matter Sunday hunting if they DIDNT go to split seasons.   And those split season can be changed in the blink of an eye back to what they were, just as they were changed now.    Deer management goals are long term.    Not one season.      Basically if they want something to kill more deer, they had no choice but to lessen the pressure first in other ways.   A token gesture for the cluelss among the legislators and to fool some of the hunters that arent overly aware of the political agendas actually in play.  Hunters have been absolutely screaming at legislators and pgc to do something that the deer herd was dwindling and the doe season was too long etc...    Pgc cant completely ignore this, as within the next 10 or whatever years, they will need a fee increase.  They also don't want legislators supporting deer management bills designed to change deer management.  That is the last thing they want.   Legislators wouldn't touch that with a ten foot pole if pgc ignored the hunters cries and pressure continued at those levels.   Going to "split seasons"  proves they are listening to us...so now legislators can throw them their bone.
 
 
"I hunted NY state for deer from '96-2012 and never saw any more cars in the lots on Sundays than I did any other day. "
 
I too hunt states where sunday is legal, not for a few years, but there is always more people hunting Saturdays and sundays than any other days, like Monday wed, etc..  Only common sense I guess due to no work and no school = high deer harvest days.
 
"big influx of Sunday hunters that is so feared here just didn't happen up there"
 
I dont know anyone that fears some big "influx".  We already have a big influx, being a state with such very high hunter density compared to pretty much all others.     More time even with similar numbers of hunters out compared to other no work no school days like saturdays = higher overall harvest due to the longer season length.   Its not really debatable and to say otherwise defies logic.   Only way it would apply is if tags were appropriately adjusted significantly lower, and if the push for this is all about deer and having less, than that adjustment simply isnt going to happen.  
 
Im also not guessing what it is or isn't all about.   I happen to know that here in Pa , it is all about deer  due to many things that are pretty much public knowledge as well as other things I cant really get into at the moment for various reason.   Anyway it was no coincidence that the lawsuit previously was put forth by people with strong ties to the deer hating faction within pgc, and was environmentalists known to be antideer as well as Mr. Vern Ross, the ex executive director that put herd reduction into place in the first place.   If you think they were just looking out for all of us poor hunters who would really love to hunt sundays and don't have time, and its not just about killing more deer, then you simply aren't aware of everything going on and the players involved. 
 
WIll it pass soon?   Can't say for sure, but I wouldn't be shocked or surprised either way.

maybe it was just the area I hunted but I stand by what I said, no big number of hunters on Sunday in NY.  Before they went to the Saturday opener the big days there were Monday opener, Thanksgiving day, and then Saturday.  There were many years that if I still had tags to fill, I was the only car in the lot by the time Sunday came.  

Sunday hunting; There is more support for a regulatory transfer every time it comes up. It may be awhile, but we will see it in time. Lots of data debunking every concern. As far as landowners threatening to close their lands down to all hunting. Pathetic and childish. Hunter trespass is far down the list of who trespassers. If you don't like the stink, don't buy a dairy farm. PGC again reiterated support for a regulatory transfer. 
 
Semi-auto rifles; This may actually happen in some way in the next year or two. Lots of momentum for it right now for coyotes and groundhogs. We are now the only state where they are not legal for hunting in some way. PGC supports semi auto for hunting but would prefer they have full regulatory control as they should. 
 
Air rifles; Been working on this for a few years now. HB 263 passed unanimously out of the house and passed unanimously out of the senate game and fish. It is on the senate floor for  consideration. PGC supports this bill and already has regulations drafted if it passes. Pa is one of two states where they are illegal for hunting. 

If everyone wants Sunday hunting so bad I feel the state should raise the licence to $50.00 across the board, thats for resident and non resident alike. If your going to have extra hunting I want it paid for . Also up the stocking allacations according to the new numbers of hunters you are going to add for Sunday hunting. Don't forget you are still going to have to get the farmer to let you hunt on his property on Sundays. Granted there aree state game lands to hunt but they already get alot of pressure. I'm just a common working man but I do know everything cost more to run these days. If you want to play you have to pay.!!!!!!!!!

I don't oppose you riding quads or hiking on your land because people may it on mine, without my permission. It seems some landowners that have the acreage for hunting feel that there should be special rules for their forms of trespass while other lanowners that have other forms of trespass that may be more frequent, have no dog in the SH fight. BS. Selfish amd pathetic.

BeenThereDoneThat.
DPMS,

Are you, by chance, ranting?

Maybe, lol. Done with all of the double standards that exist among many on the anti side and preferential treatment some landowners want when it comes to certain outdoor activites.

Your not making any sense ( buy a dairy farm and complain about the stink)??????

Think about it. When you buy a dairy farm it is going to stink. Why would you buy one if you don't like stink? It comes with the territory amd is part of owning that kind of land. Just as dealing with hunters is for some landowners, depending where you live.

I deal with quite a bit of non hunter trespass where i live. I knew that could be a problem based on where i chose to live. I will not lobby to restrict the outdoor activies of others because certain activites are issues for me.

Every landowner, regardless if they own 1 acre or 100 is responsible for their land. In this state every outdoor activity is legal every day except hunting. The outdoor activites that one landowner sees as concerns is not what another sees. Yet, it is hunting that is the only one illegal.

S-10
How much land do you own DPMS. I don't recall any of your deer or turkey being taken on your land. In fact I don't recall any prior mention of you owning huntable land.

 I never said I owned huntable land. I have said I experience trespass on mine and am not clueless to trespass issues. You, most likely don't deal with the trespass issues I deal with. Why should your form of trespass remain a illegal outdoor activity on Sunday and my forms of trespass are all fine and dandy? 
 
1/2 acre in a highly residential neighborhood bordering a community pool. As I said before, I deal with quite a bit of trespass. It is just different that what you or another may deal with. It is part of choosing to own land and settle where we choose to. I am not immune to trespass and unwanted activities on my land. I have the same dog in the trespass discussion as you may have or others. Only one outdoor activity is illegal by law on Sunday while all of the others that also involve trespass are legal every day. 

As far as the other two legislative issues I brought up that are in the works (semi auto rifles and air rifles) looks like the air rifle vote is gonna happen in the senate. If they pass it, without amendments, it will be onto the Governor. The Semi Auto bills sit in committee as they decide which one to get behind and try to move it. 
 
The initial semi auto bills had some language problems. I worked on both of those a bit.