PITTSBURGH POST-GAZETTE EDITORIAL... REMARKS THAT MISFIRED: NOT A GOOD REASON TO DERAIL SUNDAY HUNTING.

View Video of Sunday Hunting Testimony Here

Ego and wounded feelings should not stand in the way of  commonsense legislation.

THE EDITORIAL BOARD
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette 
September 25, 2019

Pennsylvania lawmakers should not allow ego and wounded feelings to stand in the way of a bill that would permit hunting on Sunday a few times a year. 

Passage of the Sunday hunting bill was expected to be smooth and swift until some unfortunate remarks were made Sept. 10 by the new executive director of the Pennsylvania Federation of Sportsmen and Conservationists — a major proponent of the initiative that has been sought for more than a decade. 

Harold Daub, a former leader of Hunters United for Sunday Hunting, was at a legislative meeting with the Game and Fisheries Committee, meant to prime the state House about a Senate bill that would permit limited Sunday hunting. But Mr. Daub rambled into territory considered by some as rude. The Dauphin County resident rapped the Pennsylvania Farm Bureau, urging lawmakers not to allow the bureau to “bully” them. He also made a sarcastic and dismissive remark about the Keystone Trails Association.

Mr. Daub was not diplomatic. Nor was he politically smart. But this bull-in-the-china-shop behavior shouldn’t derail a good move. 

A Sunday hunting ban initially was part of a package of “blue laws” aimed at promoting church attendance, a notion that fails. Many Pennsylvanians are not Christian and Sunday hunting and church-going aren’t mutually exclusive.

Pennsylvania is one of only three states that haven’t lifted a general no-Sunday-hunting ban. Some limited hunting in Pennsylvania — coyotes and crows, for example — currently is allowed. The compromise Senate bill passed in June would have allowed three Sunday hunting days.

A perennial concern has been the safety of walkers, hikers and those who want to otherwise play in the woods. But this is a concern that applies seven days a week. Other states with safety concerns engaged in a test run of Sunday hunting, found it worked fine and lifted their bans. 

The Pennsylvania Farm Bureau has opposed Sunday hunting for a reason that applies to the other six days of the week as well: trespass. Some hunters (and others) illegally trespass on private land. For farmers, that can mean crops being trampled at certain times of the year. For them, six days a week of hunting is better than seven days a week. This concern was dealt with in the pending legislation by creating a new primary offense: Hunting trespass. It would be enforceable by police and the state Game Commission and would be punishable by high fines and the possible loss of hunting privileges.

Senate Bill 147 was expected to pass the House with little debate until Mr. Daub’s inappropriate comments. That’s not a good enough reason for lawmakers to derail a process that’s been in the works for many years.

Pittsburgh Post-Gazette link:
https://www.post-gazette.com/opinion/editorials/2019/09/25/Pennsylvania-Sunday-hunting-remarks-Harold-Daub/stories/201909160022

BACKCOUNTRY HUNTERS & ANGLERS TESTIMONY SUBMITTED TO PA GAME & FISHERIES COMMITTEE, SEPT. 10, 2019 HEARING

Pennsylvania Chapter of Backcountry Hunters & Anglers
www.backcountryhunters.org

September 10, 2019
Pennsylvania House of Representatives
Game and Fisheries Committee






Dear Representatives,

The Pennsylvania Chapter of Backcountry Hunters & Anglers is a nonprofit group that seeks to ensure preservation of Pennsylvania’s outdoor heritage of hunting and fishing in a natural setting. One of our main tenets is to maintain and enhance public access and opportunity for hunters and anglers.

We understand that the Committee is discussing the issue of Sunday hunting in Pennsylvania. We urge you to support the hunters of our state and give the Pennsylvania Game Commission the authority to regulate hunting on Sundays as they do with the other days of the week.

Sunday hunting would provide increased opportunities for junior hunters and working age adult hunters to become engaged in hunting and conservation. Additional opportunities will lead to better recruitment and retention of hunters throughout the state. Children's schedules today are more rigid than in the past.  Sunday hunting would double the amount of time that junior hunters can spend in the field without interfering with school and team sports, many of which have Saturday activities. Likewise, the work and social demands of many adult hunters limit their time and Sunday may be the only time available to hunt.

Lack of time plays a major role in why many Pennsylvanians leave hunting. Over the past several years, the Pennsylvania Game Commission (PGC) has identified a downward trend in hunting license sales over the last decade. In a survey of lapsed hunters conducted for the PGC, lack of time and work obligations were among the most frequently stated reasons for the decision to stop hunting. This was especially true in junior hunters and adult hunters under the age of 35. These are the groups that need to be recruited to maintain and grow Pennsylvania’s hunting population. Permitting Sunday hunting would work to alleviate the diminishing number of young hunters.

Increased hunting opportunities also would lead to increased profits for the rural communities and
businesses throughout the commonwealth. A National Shooting Sports Foundation study found that
Sunday hunting could create over 8,000 new jobs and pump $764 million into the state’s economy.
For these reasons the Pennsylvania Chapter of Backcountry Hunters & Anglers supports Sunday hunting in Pennsylvania and SB 147.

Sincerely,

Pennsylvania Chapter of Backcountry Hunters and Anglers

HUNTERS UNITED FOR SUNDAY HUNTING TESTIMONY SUBMITTED TO PA GAME & FISHERIES COMMITTEE, SEPT. 10, 2019 HEARING

Pennsylvania House Representatives, Game and Fisheries Committee:  

Pa. Farm Bureau farmers do not own all the land.  We as hunters own ground as well.

Hunters United for Sunday Hunting welcomes the additional hunting opportunity in Senate Bill 147 and understands the task and decisions ahead of you as state representatives.

The three-day stipulation in SB147 is disappointing. That decision is definitely not based on any scientific evidence, nor what hunting conservation in Pennsylvania deserves. The full complement of Sundays is truly what is needed without question.

Educate yourselves a little bit and understand what Senate Bill 147 does.  The biggest misunderstanding is that it is only a ‘hunting’ bill.  The fact is, trespass is the main portion.  Specifically, the trespass that Pa. Farm Bureau has been wanting.  This is a very simple bill that does everything it needs, provides for landowner rights, strengthen trespass, and provides additional hunting opportunities. The Pa. Farm Bureau has been asking for decades for trespass laws to be updated, the language in this bill is exactly what they have been wanting.  Trespassing while hunting would be a primary offense and enforceable by both game wardens and law enforcement officers.  But yet they are still opposed? Why?  The Pa. Farm Bureau just wants to posture and stand in the way of wildlife conservation progress in this state for no real reason.  The Pa. Farm Bureau knows full well that they are getting stronger hunting trespass laws that benefit both farmers and landowners.  All the while providing additional hunting opportunities to farmers and others. 

It is no secret that the Pa. Farm Bureau wants to hold SB147 up by asking for a ‘written permission’ amendment.  What the PFB is not telling you is that they are working with Representative Dawn Keefer on a “use of paint to designate no-trespass areas”  better known as purple paint laws used in various other states. As written by PFB [purple paint]  “Would allow landowners to identify with purple paint on trees, fences and other structures those areas of the property where entry is prohibited, with paint markings having the same legal protection against unauthorized trespass as posting “no trespassing” signs.

This is very important to understand when it comes to Senate Bill 147.  ‘Purple paint’ negates the need for ‘written permission’ and confirms the PFB only wants to hold SB147 up for no real reason.  If the PFB were to come clean, you would find out their opposition has nothing to do with trespass and has everything to do with religion.

SB 147 is a step forward to correct a 337-year-old antiquated blue law.  If you do some research you will find that the four words ‘Hunting on Sunday Prohibited’ in Pa. Title 34 Game Law dates back to 1682 as a colony under British control.  The laws were enacted for religious reasons designed to drive people to observe Sunday as the Sabbath.  There are over 300 religions currently practiced in this century, not all of them observe Sunday as a Sabbath. As legislators you have a choice; continue to make history and help advance hunting conservation to fit modern times; or, continue a 337-year old outmoded law.

As you make your decision, think about the disdain the PFB displays towards hunters on this subject and ask yourself; is this the way forward?  The York Dispatch printed this from Joel Rotz, Pa. Farm Bureau, Government Affairs and Communications spokesman “hunters who can't go out on Sundays already have an economic impact, such as by going to sports events or eating and drinking at bars and restaurants in their communities.”

We encourage the passing of Senate Bill 147 in its current state. Without any additional amendments or hold-ups.  The quicker SB 147 gets through the legislative process the better.  Only then will we be able to come together on what is truly needed and what is best for the future of hunting conservation in Pa.   

Hunters United for Sunday Hunting and the over 20 supporting organizations remain dedicated to our mission to remove the prohibition of Sunday hunting in PA Title 34 Game Law through education, and influence legislatures to change the law accordingly.

Sincerely;  

Kevin B. Askew

Executive Director, Hunters United for Sunday Hunting

LETTER OF APPRECIATION TO SENATOR JAKE CORMAN

The following joint organizational letter has been sent to Senator Jake Corman. To: Senator Jake Corman, Majority Leader

From:

Pennsylvania Federation of Sportsmen & Conservationists

Hunters United for Sunday Hunting

Senator Corman; 

Please accept this letter in appreciation of the work you have done to get Senate Bill 147 through the Pennsylvania Senate with a vote 36 Yes and 14 No. We know this was no small task given the history here in Pa. and the tactics used by the Pa. Farm Bureau. Please extend our thanks to all of those Senators that see the value in providing additional hunting opportunities that SB147 brings. Is SB147 perfect? The answer is no. Does SB147 provide additional hunting opportunity? The answer is yes. 

The three-day stipulation is disappointing. That decision is definitely not based on any scientific evidence, nor what hunting conservation in Pennsylvania deserves. The full complement of Sundays is truly what is needed without question. The encouraging thing with the three days is that there is no question that you as legislators truly understand that the Pa. Game Commission has the expertise and knowledge to implement them.

All hunting conservation organizations involved in support of SB 147 have always supported the strengthening of trespass while hunting laws. We are glad that was not amended. The hope is the primary trespass language remains and is not compromised as SB147 moves forward. Hunting trespass laws have needed to be updated for many years. The Pennsylvania Farm Bureau should be grateful that the Pa. Senate understands that and did not remove it like the PFB has been asking.

At this time last year there appeared to be no hope of Sunday hunting opportunities coming to Pennsylvania. But here we are moving in making hunting on Sundays a reality and taking steps toward removing the 337-year-old blue law that prohibits hunting on Sunday.  The Pa. Senators are truly making history.

For us this is not the end, it is just the beginning. Please keep this in mind. When these three Sundays are implemented and more opportunity has been provided to hunters; when the ‘nay-sayers’ sky did not fall; and you as politicians have had your fears and concerns marginalized; and all without detriment to game species; we as a hunting conservation community will be knocking on your door once again. This time with less patience and an uncompromised complete repeal of the Sunday hunting prohibition. There will be no more hiding behind ‘the-fear-of-the-unknown.’

The mission is not over and this fight will continue. Pa. Federation of Sportsmen & Conservationist, Hunters United for Sunday Hunting and the over 20 supporting organizations remain dedicated to our mission to remove the prohibition of Sunday hunting in PA Title 34 Game Law through education, and influence legislatures to change the law accordingly.

I hope that we continue to build our relationship and work hand-in-hand as conservationists and politicians to strike the needed balance between laws and regulations to do what is best for Pennsylvania’s wildlife.  Again, thanks for all the effort on Senate Bill 147. Looking forward to working with you in the future. 

Sincerely;

Harold Daub

Executive Director

Pa. Federation of Sportsman & Conservationists

Sincerely; 

Executive Director

Hunters United for Sunday Hunting

SB147 - HOW DID WE GET HERE? NEGOTIATION?

As of Aug 1, 2019 - Senate Bill 147 

Senate Bill 147 still has a few more hurdles to go through before it becomes law.  The best-case scenario is that SB147 gets through the Pa. House in September and onto the governor's desk for signature opening up the possibility for Sunday hunting opportunity this fall.  The other scenario is it gets held up in the legislative process and does not reach the governor's desk until late November or December effectively eliminating any Sunday opportunity for the 2019-2020 hunting season. Hunting on three Sundays each calendar year, as follows: - One day of Sunday hunting shall be instituted by the commission during the deer rifle season. - One day of Sunday hunting shall be instituted by the commission during the Statewide deer archery season. - One day of Sunday hunting as determined by the commission shall be instituted by the commission. **The anchoring by law of the two Sunday’s is not based on any science.  Legislators insisted and refused to vote if these Sundays where not specified.**

How did we get here? Timeline: Senate Bill 147

February  1, 2019 -  introduced by Senators Laughlin, Brewster, Street and Yaw

February 27, 2019 - passed out of Pennsylvania Senate Game and Fisheries Committee with a favorable vote of 8 YES and 3 NO.

June 27, 2019 - passed out of Pennsylvania Senate with a favorable vote of 36 YES and 14 NO.

June 27, 2019 - sent to Pennsylvania House Game and Fisheries Committee for voting.  

September 10, 2019 - Pennsylvania House Game and Fisheries Committee public hearing, 1pm room 60 east wing, Pa. state capitol building.  

Negotiation for SB 147 Sundays.  Who was in the room?  What happened?

**No Pa. based sportsmen or conservation organization present during negotiation.  Pa. Game Commission was not consulted or present.** Pa. Senators:

• original proposal was 14 Sundays of hunting opportunity to be determined by the Pennsylvania Game Commission.  
• negotiated to 3 days. Legislators insisted and refused to vote if Sundays and seasons where not specified.
  

Pa. Farm Bureau:

• asked and received stiffer trespass law.  Trespass while hunting is a primary offense enforceable by Game Commission wardens, local and state law enforcement.  
• sources indicate intentionally withheld ‘written permission’ in order to hold up and stall the vote in Pa. House. 
• Bullying tactic?  You decide? 

National Rifle Association:

• Notified legislators that SB 147 is and will be a NRA graded vote. 
• Legislators upset, worried about self-preservation.  View grading as being caught between sportsmen and farmers. 
• Their misdirected anger is towards sportsmen/women, not PFB who put them in this position. 
• Worked to get the 3 Sundays to be Pa. Game Commission choice, not dictated by legislation. 
• Counter Pa. Farm Bureau as SB147 moves forward.  PFB wants more, Pa. hunters get more.

Reference: 

Senate Bill 147 https://www.legis.state.pa.us/cfdocs/billInfo/billInfo.cfm?Year=2019&sInd=0&body=S&type=B&bn=147

Senate Game & Fisheries Committee vote https://legiscan.com/PA/rollcall/SB147/id/792847

Pa. Senate vote https://legiscan.com/PA/rollcall/SB147/id/887856

Pa. House Game & Fisheries Committee https://legiscan.com/PA/bill/SB147/2019

Public Hearing https://www.legis.state.pa.us/cfdocs/cteeInfo/Index.cfm?CteeBody=H&Code=18

PA FARM BUREAU SUNDAY HUNTING STANCE - RELIGIOUS OPPRESSION

Josh First, Jewish Faith, Saturday is a day of worship

Letter sent to Mr. Luke Brubaker, Chair of Lancaster County Farm Bureau’s Local Affairs Committee

From: Josh First

June 20, 2019

Mr. Luke Brubaker, District 8

PA Farm Bureau

680 Musser Rd

Mount Joy PA 17552

Dear Mr. Brubaker,

It is difficult to express the full amount of frustration my son and I feel due to the PA Farm Bureau's position against Sunday hunting. Like you we are religious people, but we observe Saturday as our day of rest, which prohibits us from hunting, driving cars, using phones or computers or doing much else other than attending services, Bible study, and relaxing with friends and family. That leaves us Sunday as our one weekend day to hunt, and as Isaac has gotten older we are seeing the end of his youthful outdoor opportunities before he goes off to college and moves out of our home. Maryland has Sunday hunting, so last November we went to Maryland, over three hours from our home, so Isaac could hunt deer without missing school. So it was on a Sunday morning in Maryland that my son killed his first deer, not in Pennsylvania, where he was born and has lived his entire fifteen years. Not at his family's hunting camp, where he has grown up shooting off the porch. Instead it was in Maryland, a serious inconvenience and a disconnect from what is an important rite of passage.

We own active crop land in Dauphin County and a tree farm in Lycoming County, and we would like to hunt on Sundays on our own land. We do not ask anyone for permission to hunt on their land, we are just fine with what we have. Our Dauphin County land is open to hunters we have approved. The PA Farm Bureau's opposition is the only reason Pennsylvania has not adopted Sunday hunting like the rest of the states surrounding us, and at this point, we believe the PA Farm Bureau is stealing our family's private property rights and persecuting us for our religion. I dislike saying these things, but the PA Farm Bureau's actions have put us in this position. You need to hear about the consequences of your actions.

How would you feel if you were in our shoes? I can answer for you.

You would feel terrible. You would feel like your fellow Pennsylvanians were oppressing you out of close-minded zeal, instead of making room for everyone to live happily here according to their conscience and free choices, as our state was originally founded. If you believe that the role of religion is to oppress, coerce, and deprive people, then you can guess why I eldered out of the Quaker faith decades ago. As I experienced then and now, too many Christians believe it is their duty to force others to live a certain way, instead of  demonstrating the correctness of their values and beliefs through their simple, gentle deeds and good living. That coercive behavior drives people away instead of bringing them closer, and the behavior of the PA Farm Bureau is driving me and many others far, far away from what you say your represent. If you are against other people enjoying Sunday hunting out of your own religious conviction about what is right for you, then you are shooting yourself in the foot, because you are setting a bad example by proving you believe in force, not love. Sorry to say. Thank you for your time.

Sincerely,                                                            

Josh First

**As of publication. Josh has not received a response to his letter**