SUNDAY HUNTING NOT ABOUT SPECIES OR SEASON

Statement to Pa. Game Commissioners, January 25, 2020
Executive Director Burhans, Deputy Executive Directors Grohol and Palmer, Commissioners, and Staff:

Good morning commissioners. My name is Kevin Askew, I am the Executive Director for Hunters United for Sunday Hunting. Let me first say that my organization, as well as the 20 other conservation organizations, remain focused on the mission and task to remove the prohibition of Sunday hunting in Pa Title 34 Game law, through education and influence the legislatures to change the law accordingly.

As commissioners, you are now faced with what do you do with the three Sundays of hunting opportunity for the upcoming season. It is not your fault that lawmakers anchored two of these Sundays - one in archery season and one in deer rifle season. It would have been best for all three Sundays to be set by you, the subject matter experts. But here we are today, with three additional days of hunting opportunity as dictated by Senate Bill 147. So what do you do?

The fight to bring hunting on Sunday has never been about a particular species or season. It is not about deer, it is not about specific seasons, it is not about this firearm or the other. It is about the increased opportunity based on your agency's resource first model and the North American Model of Wildlife Management.

Reports have indicated that in setting the upcoming seasons you are considering adding a Sunday for bear and as dictated by law the Sunday for deer rifle and the Sunday in archery. What has not been reported is what other species will be available to hunt on these Sundays. Will any of the small game or furtaking species be available to hunt on these Sundays? If not and there is a biological reason that is fine. Just let us know why a species can’t support additional hunting. We as hunters definitely will understand. But if there isn’t a biological reason, then let us hunt any and all available species. The time afield is very valuable to us, as you know. 

It is important that you get this as correct as possible from the beginning. There are still many nay-sayers among us who think the sky may fall when these three Sundays are implemented. These people, politicians included are just lying in wait to have another thing they can blame on you as the Pa. Game Commission. So, do all you can to not give them that satisfaction.

The conservation and hunting community supports the wildlife management decisions made by this agency. Sunday hunting is no different. All we are asking is that you maximize and set the upcoming seasons and bag limits for as much hunting opportunity as possible on these precious few Sundays. 

In closing, I want to take the time to thank the commissioners and PGC staff for the way you have handled the information regarding Senate Bill 147 as it went through the final steps. You kept people informed, were transparent, and educated as much as possible on what was happening. This helped my organization as well as others. For that I thank you. 

Again, as one of the leading organizations for Sunday hunting. Hunters United for Sunday Hunting asks that you maximize these three Sundays by allowing as much hunting opportunity that is biologically permitted. 

Thanks for your time;

Sincerely; 

Kevin B. Askew

Executive Director, Hunters United for Sunday Hunting

SB147 LAW. NOW WHAT?

Message from HUSH Executive Director

I have had a lot of people ask me ‘now what’ since the passing of Senate Bill 147.  Henry Ford said it best, “If everyone is moving forward together, then success takes care of itself.”

That’s exactly what we do - move forward. If we do not, then we are stagnant and ineffective. The fight remains the same, it hasn’t changed. The Pennsylvania Farm Bureau remains opposed to hunting on Sunday and will continue their hypocritical efforts to infringe on hunter-landowner rights all the while asking for politicians to grant exemptions and other favorable programs to farmer-landowners.

There are more hunters in this state and more than likely more hunter-landowners than there are voting farmer members of the PFB. We as hunter-conservationists just simply outnumber them. That is why we must remain consolidated in our efforts to bring this archaic blue law prohibiting hunting on Sunday to an end.
 
Politicians have learned that we have organized. The PFB has learned their dynasty is coming to an end. Their ability to hide behind PFB enabling politicians and the long-running ill-fated excuses of ‘why not’ will no longer be tolerated.   It is time that Pennsylvania entered the 21st Century in regards to hunting and conservation.

The sky has not fallen in West Virginia. There the legislature has done the right thing and ignored the West Virginia Farm Bureaus opposition and opened the state for hunting on Sunday. West Virginia is benefiting from this. If West Virginia legislators can ignore their farm bureau and reap the benefits the same can and should happen here in Pa.  

As I have previously stated. We are just getting started. This fight to bring Sunday hunting opportunities is much larger than any person or organization. It is based on our principles of life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. 

You have my commitment that Hunters United for Sunday Hunting will continue in our mission to bring full regulatory authority to the Pa. Game Commission. I ask that everyone stay engaged, involved and continue the journey with us.

Let’s make 2020 the year of real hunter-conservationist change in Pennsylvania. It’s time we take conservation out of the hands of politicians and Pa. Farm Bureau and place it fully where it belongs – Pa. Game Commission.

Sincerely,

Kevin B. Askew
Executive Director
Hunters United for Sunday Hunting