PA FARM BUREAUS OPPOSITION COST STATE $500 MILLION IN TAX REVENUE

Joel Rotz, Pennsylvania Farm Bureau, Government Affairs and Communications spokesman, in comments made to the York Dispatch, encouraged [Pa.] hunters to maximize their economic contributions on Sundays by ‘eating and drinking at bars and restaurants in their communities.’ 

This suggestion is truly offensive to sportsmen and sportswomen across the commonwealth and it makes a person wonder if Mr. Rotz and the Pa. Farm Bureau is in touch with the modern-day hunter and conservationist.  Instead of degrading hunters, wouldn’t it be better for the PFB to understand current hunting culture and stand with countless passionate hunters and conservationists disinterested in spending our Sundays in bars? 

The residents of Pennsylvania deserve to understand the loss to the economy, tax revenue, and wages that the PFB has continued to perpetuate in the state of Pennsylvania year-after-year.

A 2010 study commissioned by the Pennsylvania Legislative Budget and Finance Committee and completed by Southwick Associates, looked at the potential impact of Sunday hunting on our state [Pa.] and local economies. The study forecast a 27 percent increase in overall hunting activity along with a net increase in retail sales of associated merchandise of over $460 million dollars per year if Sunday hunting were allowed. Considering multiplier effects, the total output to the economy would be over $800 million dollars per year. This equated to over $56 million in state and local tax revenue that has not been realized by local communities because of the PFB current stance on Sunday hunting.

Interestingly this study was calculated using hunting license numbers for the fiscal year 2009-2010, which happened to be in the top three for lowest hunting license sales since 1990, according to the US Fish and Wildlife Service. Another study completed by John Dunham and Associates in 2018 for The National Shooting Sports Foundation lists total economic output at over $972 million. This would have put state [Pa.] and local tax opportunity at $68 million per year.

This data begs the following: What would the total economic impact have been if Pa. allowed Sunday hunting years ago? What would our participation numbers currently look like had we not limited hunters from enjoying their recreation? The results of these missed opportunities are staggering with over $500 million in state and local tax revenues forgone in the last nine years alone. Should this trend continue we will quickly reach $1 billion in lost tax revenue from increased hunting opportunities.

These numbers are far too large to be ignored by the Pennsylvania legislature.  Pa. House of Representatives, Pa. Senators and specifically both Appropriations Committees need to take a hard look at the data and get on with removing this 337-year-old archaic and discriminatory law that continues to cost Pa. hunters and the commonwealth as a whole.

The time has come for the Pennsylvania Farm Bureau to view hunters as partners in conservation and wildlife management and to stop their discriminatory policy recommendations, which are detrimental to conservation and our economy.

Written by: Carl Machamer, Research Analyst, Hunters United for Sunday Hunting

Southwick Study:

http://sundayhunting.org/PDF/PASundayHuntingSouthwickRpt.pdf

NSSF Study: https://d3aya7xwz8momx.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2019/01/Sunday-Hunting-PA.pdf

SATURDAY IS OUR DAY OF WORSHIP. SUNDAY WE COULD HUNT.

Daniel Bowers and his son share a day making memories while hunting. 

Story submitted from/by Daniel Bowers, Seventh Day Adventist; Saturday is a day of worship.

The ability to enjoy outdoor recreation is something everyone should have access to.  Fisherman, boaters, and hikers have the opportunity to choose from any of the seven days a week without regard to their religious affiliation.  For some reason, hunters are limited to only six days and not allowed to hunt on Sundays. 

As a Seventh Day Adventist Christian, my family observes Saturday as our day of worship.  This means we do not hunt Saturday and are left with only Monday through Friday.  The outdoor lifestyle is a large part of our recreation.  From the time hunting seasons end, we are busy preparing for the next year.  This includes land improvement, habitat management and planting crops.  All of this we can do during the five days of the regular work week (evenings of course...have to pay the bills and attend school) and Sunday but still observe our Saturday religious beliefs.  In order for us to hunt together, we maximize our time afield with short evenings or arranging work and school schedules to take the day off because we cannot hunt on Sunday.

Having Sunday hunting would be a game changer for us...we could hunt together without worrying about work or school schedules.  It would also allow us to further enjoy time in the outdoors that we work so hard on to prep for the hunting seasons.

I think this is also true for anyone that doesn't observe the same faith as our family.  Families can hunt full weekends at their camps instead of just one day.  As an avid outdoorsman for 30+ years, being involved with coaching archery for 25+yrs and having teenage hunters of my own, I can see NO downside to allowing Sunday hunting.

Story submitted from/by Daniel Bowers, Seventh Day Adventist; Saturday is a day of worship

THE REWARD OF A SUNDAY HUNT IN MARYLAND

The reward of a successful Sunday hunt in Maryland.  Fresh backed apple pie and 2 quarts of cherries. 

Story from Thomas Redfern, Legislative Team, Hunters United for Sunday Hunting

Going to try to make a long story short. So this past SUNDAY I drive to Maryland to help an orchard farmer with crop damage.  I end up shooting two doe.  The owner of the orchard is so pleased he pays with two quarts of the absolute sweetest cherries I have ever eaten and a freshly baked apple pie.  This is how farmers and hunters should help each other not whatever the hell the Pennsylvania Farm Bureau is doing to hunting conservation here in Pa. 

The cool thing is the venison stayed at the orchard and is feeding the farmers migrant workers  They are Mexican and I had a great time with them after the hunt as I speak Spanish being that I lived in Mexico for five years. 

This relationship started simply by me looking for a place to hunt on Sunday.  Needless to say, I will be going back...for the pie of course.

Thomas Redfern

 

SB 147 PASSES PA APPROPRIATIONS COMMITTEE - SMALL VICTORY

Executive Director Message to all Sunday hunting supporters and those supporting additional hunting opportunities.

We gained another small victory in our efforts to bring more hunting opportunity to Pennsylvania. Senate Bill 147 was passed out of the Senate Appropriations committee with a vote of 20 YES / 4 NO.   It is now on its way to the full Senate to be voted on.  There are several more hurdles and steps that SB147 must go through before it becomes law.  The legislative process is cumbersome.

What does SB147 say at this point in time?  The current stipulations are that three Sundays will be available for the Pennsylvania Game Commission to implement into their hunting conservation plans with full regulatory control. Trespass while hunting will become a primary offense, enforceable by both game wardens and law enforcement.

Is this good or not?   The answer is yes and no.  Hunters United for Sunday Hunting has always supported the strengthening of trespass while hunting laws. The hope is the primary trespass language remains and is not compromised as SB147 moves forward.  Hunting trespass laws have needed this update for many years.  The Pennsylvania Farm Bureau has always opposed because hunting trespass was always ignored.

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 the legislators truly understand that the Pa. Game Commission has the expertise and knowledge to implement them.  PGC has full authority to use and manage as they see fit.

I am going to ask everyone to look at this situation as the glass-half-full with the hope of more to come.   At this time last year there appeared to be no hope of Sunday hunting opportunities coming to Pennsylvania.  But here we are today with another step forward in making hunting on Sundays a reality. That is a direct cause from the dedication, passion, and effort that everyone has in removing the 337-year-old blue law that prohibits hunting on Sunday.  We truly are making history.

Is this perfect and what is needed.  That answer is simply NO.  But it is a start.  When these three Sundays are implemented more opportunity has been provided to hunters, the ‘nay-sayers’ sky will not fall, the politician's fears and concerns will be marginalized and all without detriment to game species.

The mission is not over and this fight will continue.  Hunters United for Sunday Hunting remains 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 will leave you with the words of George S. Patton [It’s] “Better to fight for something than live for nothing.”

Please stay the course.  This is a marathon, not a sprint. The future of hunting conservation will benefit from the work we do today.

Sincerely; Kevin B. Askew, Executive Director, Hunters United for Sunday Hunting

OUR HUNTING TRADITION - EXTRA TIME WOULD HELP

Pa. native Harry Shank, his son and grandsons proudly show bucks they harvested in Arnot Pa. 

My son, two grandsons and I are Pennsylvania natives who now live in California and Nevada. We return to our home state every year to go deer hunting.  Arnot, Pa. in Tioga County has been my hunting home for 40 years.

The travel and hunting license expenses are worthwhile to us, but an extra day of hunting when we make the trip each year would certainly be a bonus and extend the annual hunting experience for all of us.

My grandsons have both been through the mentored youth program and have both recently passed the hunter safety course.  It's my hope that they will continue to return to Pennsylvania as adults and pass the family tradition on to their children.  In past years they have both had to miss school days since the deer hunting season didn't open until Monday.  The ability to hunt on the weekend would be extremely advantageous as the west coast schools are not as open to the hunting culture Story by/from Harry Shank

EXTRA TIME TO CREATE MEMORIES

Jim O'Brien and his 15 year old son Logan hunting together.

My name is Jim O'Brien and I live in Waynesburg, Pa.. My son Logan who is 15 loves to be in the woods with me. However our situation is different than some others. Logan typically lives with his mother 65+ miles from me and I typically get him on the weekends depending on his schedule as a 15year old with sports, Young Marines, friends parties etc.

I work in Retail as a manager for Sportsman's Warehouse so my life literally revolves around the outdoors that we all love. My typical work week is Tuesday through Saturday. Being able to get into the woods to hunt on Sunday would give myself and Logan that much extra time to create memories in the woods. Because of the current law being no Sunday hunting my options are to use PTO days which I have no issue with but then I have to pull him from his education to get quality time in the woods with him. Please take this into consideration and get let's start making memories on Sunday in Pa.

FARMERS - I WONDER IF THEY KNOW WHAT THE PA. FARM BUREAU IS DOING

Farmer planting fields.  Photo courtesy of Pa. Game Commission

Published in The Shippensburg News Chronicle

From: Pennsylvania Outdoors Writer Association, Journalist Bell Ferris

According to the Pennsylvania Federation of Sportsmen and Conservationists that in their effort to stop any Sunday hunting The Pennsylvania Farm Bureau is threatening gun clubs, whose member shoot on Sundays or for that matter anyone wanting to shoot on their own property on Sunday.

According to their executive director farmers, hikers, horseback riders and others want to enjoy Sundays without hearing gunfire.

When I dealt with the Farm Bureau as a salesman, mostly what they did was sell high cost insurance and tires and wheels to farmers. Many farmers I spoke with in the course of doing business told me they bought insurance from other companies and they could buy tires and wheels for less money from other sources.

Apparently some farmers are members of the farm bureau, which probably means they buy insurance from them but I know farmers, who like to shoot on their farm on Sunday and several are members of local gun clubs that shoot on Sundays, too. I wonder if they know what their farm bureau is doing?

I do know that Sunday hunting is a hot issue and I haven’t made up my mind one way or the other about putting more pressure on a limited game animal resource but the Farm Bureau is definitely falling into the anti-hunting camp and farmers who are customers of the Farm Bureau need to discuss the whole issue with them before the legislature votes to ban Sunday shooting.

Sportsmen and conservationists have always supported farmers and most farmers are sportsmen and conservationists but if the Farm Bureau persists, shooters, who are also voters might withdraw their support for the next farm bill. Pennsylvania Outdoors Writer Association, Journalist Bell Ferris

Read Pennsylvania Federation of Sportsmen & Conservationists release:
PFSC Condemns PA Farm Bureau Attacks on PA’s Hunters and 2A Rights