CLARION CO., Pa. (EYT) — The debate over Sunday hunting in Pennsylvania hasn’t waned in Harrisburg or locally.
According to PennLive, the House Game and Fisheries Committee hearing held on Tuesday, September 10, regarding Sunday hunting in Pennsylvania became heated, with one speaker in particular criticized for a perceived lack of civility.
Harold Daub, Executive Director of the Pennsylvania Federation of Sportsmen and Conservationists, was chastised by some legislators for accusing the farm bureau of “bullying” legislators on the issue and attempting to “run out the clock” on legislative sessions pertaining to lifting Pennsylvania’s ban on Sunday hunting.
Some of the other issues discussed at the hearings included the possible financial impact of Sunday hunting and its effect on declining hunter numbers.
Locally, the debate continues, as well, with many local residents and hunters on both sides of the issue.
Shawn Anderson believes that Sunday hunting would help get the youth involved in the sport.
“Pass it! Parents need an extra day to get the young ones in the woods. That’s the future of the sport. And, we are losing the youth. Anything we can do to get them involved and preserve the sport, we pretty much need to do, or we will lose the next generation of hunters,” Shawn Anderson said.
Nevertheless, Brett Siar sees other issues involving hunting in the area, such as posted land and lack of hunting grounds.
“Making hunting on Sundays won’t get kids and more people out in the woods, there are less hunters every year because of nowhere to hunt for them, when they see posted signs everywhere and no hunting, people give up and quit hunting altogether. Kids right now get bored with hunting if they don’t shoot a deer within 30 minutes in the woods, they then retreat home to play PS4 or XBOX,” Brett Siar argued.
Angela Smith Apel said she can see both sides of the issue.
“We have land and allow others to hunt. I would not allow them to hunt the land Sundays, however. I’d like for my kids and dogs to be able to be outside and in the woods without orange just one day a week during hunting season without fearing they might be shot,” she explained.
“However, I can make that rule on my property. That doesn’t mean others shouldn’t be able to make another choice for their property if they wish. I’m not an advocate for Sunday hunting for my family, but I don’t think I have the right to dictate what is good for others in this case.”
Brandi Renninger-Ritzert noted that she supports Sunday hunting, adding that “there are people who work later and only have weekends to hunt, this will give them an extra day to hunt,”
One landowner stated that he is against it because he would like to have one day a week that he can walk in the woods without encountering hunters.
“As a landowner I vote no Sunday hunting. Hard enough chasing trespassers 6 days a week. I would like one day to walk in my woods without encountering a stranger with a gun,” Mark Twiest said.
Cindy Lynds Bonner added that her husband is a hunter and they are both against it and emphasized: “Give the animals one day of break and let people walk in the woods without the fear of being shot.”
Other local residents are adamant about opening Sunday for hunting for many reasons, including engaging youth in the sport, giving more current hunters time in the woods, and increasing hunting license sales.
“PA hunting license sales are at an all-time low and dropping precipitously as older hunters die. We need something to keep young people in the game. Hunting on Sunday is a great idea, adopted successfully by many states. Let’s get hunters back in the woods,” Jerry Mayernik said.
Fred Sumner added, “For all you against Sunday hunting, PA already has it for some species. It’s time to open it for all species available to hunt,”
Regardless of all of the debate, one local man feels that it really doesn’t matter, as the officials will do whatever suits them.
“It really doesn’t matter what we think anyway,” John Fletcher Sr. said. “They are going to do what they are going to do. When they put their deer policy in effect they lost 200,000 hunters. If anyone was in an industrial setting and lost 20 percent of their customers, they would be fired. When game commissioner Bob Gilford left the game commission, he said remember Harrisburg is a political town.”
Senate Bill 147, which would open hunting on just three particular Sundays, was approved in June in Pennsylvania’s other legislative chamber.
Along with allowing for those special Sundays of hunting, it also upgrades trespassing while hunting to a higher-level offense and adds loss of a hunting license to the penalty for a second offense.
The debate seems primed to continue, as legislators have not yet voted on moving SB 147 out of committee for consideration by the full House.
