RESPONSE TO QUERY - HUNTING ON SUNDAY LIMITS US [HIKERS] TO NO SAFE TIMES TO ENJOY THE WOODS.

Hunters United for Sunday Hunting recently responded to a query submitted from the office of PA Representative Mandy Steele, (D) District 33 Allegheny County.  The questions and concerns came from a concerned hiker constituent upon learning of Ms. Steele's legislation - Repealing the Prohibition on Sunday Hunting in Pennsylvania.

Ms. Representative Mandy Steele,  please see the responses below to the concerns and questions regarding hikers and removing the blue law to allow seven-day-a-week hunting opportunities.

When this question arises I like to respond accordingly with this: “Would you as a hiker, walker,  horseback rider, all-terrain vehicle rider, bird watcher, leaf pepper, mountain bike rider, kayaker, snowmobiler, etc. support a law that prohibited you and all other non-consumptive users from participating in your sport on Saturday? 
The typical quietness and non-return of an answer tells it all when asked this question.  The fact is all forms of recreation are allowed on Sunday; camping, fishing, all-terrain vehicle riding, horseback riding, canoeing, hiking, etc.  The only one not fully permitted is hunting.

September 2019 - Statement to PA House Game and Fisheries Committee

Kevin Askew Hunters United for Sunday Hunting Executive Director

“Statistics are extremely telling of how all users of the outdoors interact through the money they spend on the sport they enjoy. There is a definite financial benefit that can’t be denied. All across the nation, in all 50 states, people are enjoying their time outside. If they weren’t they would not be spending this type of money. It is refreshing to see and know that boaters, anglers, campers, hikers, bikers, hunters, wildlife watchers, outdoor outfitters, those who ride motorcycles, ATVs, or horses, and all other outdoor enthusiasts are coexist all days of the week in the pursuit of what they enjoy and they are spending money doing it. This for some reason is something that some groups do not want to acknowledge. There is no damper on the enjoyment of the outdoors. Regardless of the activity people are willingly spending money and are taking to the outdoors without fear, concern, or regard to what others are doing while sharing the great resource of nature our country provides.”

 THE OUTDOOR INDUSTRY, PENNSYLVANIA’S $14 BILLION SECRET - 2023

October 2023 -Testimony to Joint PA Senate Hearing;  Bryan Burhans, Pennsylvania Game Commission Executive Director

“In the three years since Sunday hunting expanded there was not even one single incident in which a non-hunting member of the public was involved in a hunting accident.  Either mistaken for Game or being in the line of fire.”

Video Link: PGC Exec. Dir. Burhans Testimony

The fact is, “What kills America's hikers is mainly themselves,” as written in August 2023 in the inclusive outdoor recreational publication Sky Above Us. “The largest percentage of deaths for years have been consistently attributable to three things: Lack of knowledge; Lack of experience; and Poor judgment. “NPS [National Park Service] cites as contributing factors to rescue operations which cost the NPS over $5 million each year.”

Article Link: https://skyaboveus.com/climbing-hiking/Whats-Killing-Americas-Hikers

The Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources lists 24 different recreational activities: From hiking to biking, fishing to hunting, hang gliding to snowmobiling, Pennsylvania has a wide diversity of recreational opportunities in our state parks and forests during all seasons.   The only activity on the list that is prohibited on Sunday is hunting.  There is no logic to continuing the blue law restriction prohibiting hunting on Sunday well knowing that all 24 recreational groups are sharing the outdoors unrestricted six days of the week Monday through Saturday without issue or concern.

Response to direct query questions/concerns:

Q: There is a large quiet contingent of us that use the woods for recreation reasons other than hunting.  We are already limited to Sundays only during the hunting season and giving hunters an open pass to every Sunday limits us to no safe times to enjoy the woods.  There are motorcyclists, ATVs, horseback riders, foragers, explorers, etc. who should be allowed to enjoy the woods too.

A: Would you as a hiker, walker,  horseback rider, all-terrain vehicle rider, bird watcher, leaf pepper, mountain bike rider, kayaker, snowmobiler, etc. support a law that prohibited you and all other non-consumptive users from participating in your sport on Saturday? 

A: There is no law prohibiting non-consumptive users from enjoying the recreational sport of their choice any day of the week.  The only group that is maligned is hunters who are held to the blue law prohibition standard while others are not. 

A: Hunting is occurring on Sunday all the while non-consumptive users are in the woods.  Foxes, coyotes, and crows are permitted all Sundays of the year along with the ability to hunt on non-regulated hunting grounds with the proper permits.   Hunting on Sunday has been taking place in the agriculture community for 17 years since the passage of Act 26 2007.  Non-consumptive users recreate on many of the private agricultural lands and adjacent Commonwealth properties.  

A: The safety concern that some non-consumptive users have derives from emotional fear and self-perceived bias rooted in selfishness and lack of understanding or compassion towards those who enjoy recreational hunting.  Saturdays have proven the most used day of the week for all recreational activities.  People are not limiting themselves because hunting is occurring on that day.  If hunting is so unsafe, why would nearly 1 million people take the time and money to purchase a hunting license and then go afield for such an unsafe activity?

Q: Lobbying to take away one day of the week is detrimental to us and feels like catering to hunters.  I agree that it is for the community that is why I feel a large part of the community is slighted when the hunters get all the days. 

A: Nothing is being taken away from non-consumptive users.  They will still have the ability, choice, and opportunity to participate in the recreational activity they enjoy seven days of the week as they always have.  The only thing that will happen is the law will change providing hunters the same opportunity, ability, and choice to enjoy Sundays afield.

Q: I’m just concerned for those of us who only get one day.  All of the aforementioned utilize the woods during hunting season as that is often an ideal time for the pursuit of hobbies.

A:  There is no law prohibiting non-consumptive users to just one day.  If this is taking place it is by choice out of an emotional fear.  There is no statistical reason that a person needs to fear seven-day-a-week hunting.  Hunters and non-consumptive users are symbiotically outdoors in 48 other states on Sunday without issue.  Pennsylvania is and will be no different when the law is changed.

For more information about this topic, please contact Hunters United for Sunday Hunting at

717-350-6741 or email at huntersforsundayhunting@gmail.com.

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