This week, Pennsylvania state Senators Robinson, Brewster, and 2019 SCI State Legislator of the Year recipient Dan Laughlin, introduced legislation to finally remove the remaining prohibitions in place regarding Sunday hunting in Pennsylvania.
Senate Bill 607 will give the Pennsylvania Game Commission the discretion to “institute Sunday hunting by regulation promulgated in accordance with section 2102” under the Pennsylvania Code. The legislation will also make it “lawful for a person to hunt for any furbearer or game on Sunday”.
In 2019, Senator Laughlin was the primary sponsor and vocal champion of Senate Bill 147, historic legislation that ended the century old prohibition on Sunday hunting in Pennsylvania. Safari Club International and its members in Pennsylvania worked tirelessly to support Senator Laughlin’s efforts with its members in Pennsylvania to advocate for Senate Bill 147, submitting written testimony and urging both House and Senate members to pass the legislation.
“Safari Club International and its members in Pennsylvania applaud Senator Laughlin for introducing Senate Bill 607 and once again leading the efforts to create more opportunities for hunters to take to the woods on Sundays by fully repealing Pennsylvania’s prohibition” said Safari Club International CEO, W. Laird Hamberlin.
After amendments were made to only allow hunting on three Sundays a year, the bill passed the state House of Representatives 144-54, then passed the state Senate by a 38-11, before being signed into law by Governor Wolf on November 27, 2019. Following that, Pennsylvania hunters had three successful Sundays during the 2020 season: one during rifle deer season, one during the statewide archery deer season, and a final during firearm bear season.
Sunday hunting is key to providing more people, especially youth, with more opportunities to engage in the sport, which ultimately leads to more hunters in the years to come. Maintaining America’s large number of hunters is crucial to maintaining the revenues necessary to sustain crucial wildlife and wildlife habitat conservation programs. Anti-hunting groups support Sunday hunting bans as part of their general opposition to hunting.
After the first successful season with of Sunday hunting with no hunting accidents and an increase of over 25,000 licenses sold, Senate Bill 607 will help build on the rich history of hunting in Pennsylvania by providing even more opportunities for sportsmen and women to take to the woods.
Sign up for Safari Club International’s Hunter Advocacy Action Center to stay up to date on this bill and others like it around the country.
