Why Pennsylvania Needs Sunday Hunting

tes have a stronger hunting tradition thanothers who are not expecting to see them.”
Pennsylvania.“Farmers need one day they can move about
As the firearms deer season approaches, forwithout getting between a hunter and the
example, whole neighborhoods smell liketarget.”
Hoppe’s #9. Wives search vainly forFor the record, farmers who let people hunt their
husbands, who have quietly disappeared to get inproperty do a great service for hunters, and they
a few hours of pre-hunt scouting. On Openingdeserve our thanks for it. Even farmers that
Day, schools close because so many students,don’t let hunters in often enhance habitat
not to mention teachers, are absent anyway. Byto support various kinds of game. Whether you
nightfall, deer camps are full of bucks hangingknow it or not, NRA has a Hunter’s Code
from meat poles and every other pickup you seeof Ethics, and its very first point is, “I will
on the road has deer hooves or antlers stickingconsider myself an invited guest of the
up over the tailgate.landowner, seeking his permission, and conduct
At least that’s the way it used to be.myself so that I will be welcome in the future.”
But the number of hunters in Pennsylvania isThat said, it’s worth remembering that
dropping, as it is nationwide. In Pennsylvania, therehunters perform a service for farmers, too, by
has been a 28 percent decline in license salescontrolling the number of deer and bears that
between 1981 and 2006. There is a long list ofwould otherwise damage crops. A 1997 Penn
reasons—urbanization, expense, lack of time,State University study estimated crop damage by
overly restrictive regulations, anti-hunting attitudes,deer at $75 million. And farmers are not the only
etc.people who work long hours anymore.
Of these reasons, “lack of time,” mightThat’s why the average guy needs
actually be one of the easier problems toSunday — it may be his only day to hunt.
solve—by allowing citizens to hunt on Sunday.Regardless, farmers who don’t agree could
Currently, all Pennsylvanians can hunt on Sunday isalways put up a “NO SUNDAY HUNTING”
coyotes, foxes and crows, and it is one of justsign. Maybe there would be some trespassing
seven states with such a severe restriction.— and maybe there wouldn’t be
Arguments against Sunday hunting usually focusany at all.
on supposed safety concerns, clashes withWhat Are the Benefits?
landowners, church disruption or the idea thatMany of the benefits to Sunday hunting in
hikers and horseback riders need “one day aPennsylvania are economic. Studies show that if
week” they can be in the woods withoutSunday hunting were allowed during all seasons, it
“worrying” about hunters.would:
All of these arguments can be debated, but forStimulate $629 million in additional spending
the moment let’s not even bother. TheyCreate 5,300 new jobs
were the same arguments used in 43 otherGenerate $18 million in additional state sales and
states where Sunday hunting was debated—butincome taxes.
reason prevailed and now it is allowed. None ofPlus, 38 percent of Pennsylvania’s hunters
the predicted calamities in those(both lapsed and active) said they would hunt
states—whether regarding human safety,more or hunt again if Sunday hunting were
religious upheaval, landowner relations, privacyallowed.
invasion or run-ins between hunters andBut we don’t really need a study to tell us
hikers—has occurred significantly. Not one of thethat Sunday hunting would give people more time
states where lawmakers allowed Sunday huntingto hunt. Nonresidents would obviously be more
has seen any reason to change its policy due towilling to hunt Pennsylvania given the extra days.
any of those claims.Kids who can’t hunt on Saturday because
Who’s Against It and Why?of school functions, football or jobs would at least
Among the most vocal opponents of Sundayhave one weekend day to get out. And parents
hunting in the state is the Pennsylvania Farmand kids would get an additional opportunity to
Bureau. Some of their stated positions include:hunt together.
“Farmers do not get weekends off. Sunday isAnd all of this connects to the most important
the one day they tend to relax their schedule topoint made at the outset—that license sales
spend time with the families.”have dropped 28 percent in a state with a
“Many farmers only get Sundays to use theirpowerful hunting tradition. Giving people more time
own land for recreation.”to hunt is one of the easiest ways to start
“Posted land does not mean hunters will obeyturning that trend around and breathing new life
the signs. Trespassing hunters can endangerinto that tradition.