ANOTHER COSPONSOR FOR SB607 - SENATOR MARIO SCAVELLO

Message from Hunters United for Sunday Hunting,  Executive Director Kevin Askew

On Monday, June 7, 2021, I had a meeting with Senator Mario Scavello and Ms. Christine Zubeck to discuss PA Senate Bill 318, Allowing Falconry on Sundays and PA Senate Bill 607, Repealing Sunday Hunting Provisions in Pennsylvania.  It was a productive and enjoyable meeting. 

Senator Mario Scavello

Upon entering the office I was completely unaware that Senator Scavello had already made the decision to become a co-sponsor for SB607.  Within a few minutes of conversation that was immediately cleared up and I was provided a copy of the legislation listing Senator Mario Scavello [R] as a cosponsor for SB607. 

Mr. Scavello’s support of SB607 is not to be taken lightly.  As a previous 2015-2016 majority chairman of the Senate Game and Fisheries Committee, he worked hard to bring Sunday hunting opportunity to fruition by holding a joint hearing with both the PA House and PA Senate Fish and Game Committees.  Unfortunately, the efforts stalled in the PA Representative side of the legislature. 

In regards to SB318, I have informed Mr. Scavello that we [HUSH] would not stand in the way nor oppose, and since SB318 is currently in the Senate F&G committee.  Senator Dan Laughlin’s [F&G Chair] office has been informed of the same.  

Why?  Though done through exemption SB318 does provide more hunting opportunities.  We must keep our goal and mission in mind and remember 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 the PGC’s resource first model and the North American Model of Wildlife Management.

To thank or provide your input on SB318 or SB607 to Senator Scavello; call or email Christine Zubeck at 717-787-6123 or czubeck@pasen.gov  

Senator Scavello SB607 Cosponsor 

LETTER TO SENATOR MARIO SCAVELLO - SB318 FALCONRY & SUNDAY HUNTING BLUE LAW REPEAL COSPONSOR

Hunters United for Sunday Hunting

huntersforsundayhunting@gmail.com

717-350-6741

Senator Mario Scavello

Senate District 40 serving Monroe (part) and Northampton (part) counties

Senate Box 203040

Harrisburg, PA 17120-3040

Room: 20 East Wing

POC: Christine Zubeck 717-787-6123 or czubeck@pasen.gov  / 570-620-4326 mscavello@pasen.gov

Mr. Scavello;  

I am writing this letter in regards to Senate Bill 318, Allowing Falconry on Sundays that you have introduced this legislative session.  My name is Kevin Askew, the executive director of Hunters United for Sunday Hunting. 

As one can conclude from your co-sponsor memo. You recognize the effort underway to streamline, bring a change and update PA Title 34 Game Law regarding the hunting on Sunday prohibition and the need and the ability for the Pennsylvania Game Commission to be able to set seasons and bag limits for all participating sportsmen regardless of how they choose to hunt.  Be that with a rifle, bow, or in this case falconry.  

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 the PGC’s resource first model and the North American Model of Wildlife Management.

Falconry is part of this.  Your legislation is astute in that it recognizes that falconers are currently in violation of the law if they choose to fly their birds on Sunday. Why should falconers have to risk being in violation of the law to feed or exercise their birds on any given Sunday? 

“[SB318]This legislation is being offered because these birds of prey are wild and need to fly and eat daily.  A falconer who wishes to take his or her bird of prey out in the wild, even for daily flight and not to hunt, would still be in violation of the Sunday hunting prohibition.”

Understandably, you have introduced similar or the same legislation in previous years.  The law is flawed and needs to be corrected.  Revisiting this issue every year is not the proper way to advance this legislation.  Changing/updating the law will save much-needed legislative time, effort, and money.  Exempting by law species and/or days is not the best way for our wildlife resources to be managed. 

There are 25 conservation organizations that support removing the Sunday hunting prohibition blue law and full regulatory authority to be given to the PGC.  

The immediate request is that you consider the above and understand what updating the law and removing the Sunday hunting prohibition will not only do for falconry but for hunting and conservation as a whole. Since you are both working towards the same goal.  Please consider joining with Senator Dan Laughlin and being a co-sponsor on his current legislation to Repeal Sunday Hunting Prohibition in Pennsylvania.  

I would also like to schedule a meeting to discuss this and answer any questions you may have.  Please let me know your availability. I can be reached at the contact info above.

Sincerely;

Kevin Askew

Executive Director, Hunters United for Sunday Hunting

REPEALING SUNDAY HUNTING PROHIBITION IN PENNSYLVANIA - LETS GET THIS DONE

The moment that we have all be asking for is here.  Senator Dan Laughlin has made good on his commitment to advance legislation to get the hunting on Sunday prohibition lifted once and for all here in Pennsylvania. 

The memo reads: 

From: Senator Daniel Laughlin

To: All Senate members

Subject: Repealing Sunday Hunting Prohibition in Pennsylvania

 

In the near future, I plan to introduce legislation that would completely remove the prohibition on Sundays available for hunting and trapping.  Currently, the law dictates which Sundays are open to hunting, and in certain cases, which species. This legislation would change that and would leave all wildlife management decisions to the Game Commission.

Over the past 40 years, hunting license sales have been steadily declining across the nation.  Countless surveys and research have been conducted in an attempt to determine the cause of this decline.  Over and over, the number one answer to why people quit hunting is ‘lack of time’. 

 

Act 107 of 2019 authorized the Game Commission to implement three Sundays for hunting. These three days were extremely successful and exceptionally safe. The Game Commission reported no hunting-related shooting incidents on any of those days. Additionally, implementing the three Sundays contributed to the increase of 25,152 licenses sold in the previous year. The additional opportunities that are available to hunters is paying huge dividends. 

 

By completely removing the prohibition on Sunday hunting, it will give the needed latitude to the Game Commission to increase hunting and trapping opportunities. 

Please join me in supporting this important legislation.

WHAT NEEDS TO HAPPEN?  WHAT YOU CAN DO?

The first step is to get the members of the Senate Game and Fisheries Committee to sign on and co-sponsor this legislation.  Here is every member of the Senate Game and Fisheries Committee.  

Contact them: Ask them to sign, endorse and co-sponsor the Repealing Sunday Hunting Prohibition in Pennsylvania legislation.  Post up who you contact and their responses.  

Let’s get this done.  

Link to:

Repealing Sunday Hunting Prohibition in Pennsylvania 

https://www.legis.state.pa.us/cfdocs/Legis/CSM/showMemoPublic.cfm?chamber=S&SPick=20210&cosponId=35151

Senate Game and Fisheries Committee members/names/contact

https://www.legis.state.pa.us/cfdocs/cteeInfo/Index.cfm?Code=11&CteeBody=S

ABC 27/WHTM

Pa. hunting advocates push to expand Sunday hunting

Currently, the legislature has control over Sunday hunting. Game Commission should have total authority.

LETTER TO PA. LEGISLATORS - SUPPORT SENATE BILL 147

Letter to: Legislators of Pennsylvania; State Representatives and State Senators. Support Senate Bill 147

This letter is to urge you to support the removal of the prohibition of Sunday hunting in PA Title 34 Game Law and allow the Pennsylvania Game Commission to decide what is best for Sunday hunting.  We ask that you recognize and understand that the Pa Game Commission are the subject matter experts for the management and conservation of Pa’s wildlife.  Case in point; Pa. Game Commission recognized as the best wildlife management agency in the country by the Quality Deer Management Association. https://www.qdma.com/pennsylvania-game-commission-named-qdmas-agency-year/

We encourage you to support Senate Bill 147 presented by Senator Dan Laughlin.  The bill strengthens PA Title 34 Game Law and leaves all hunting management decisions to Pa. Game Commission. It addresses the offense of trespass while hunting, making the violation a primary offense with increased penalties.  Enforceable by both game wardens and other law enforcement.

Streamlining of the law puts full management and conservation in the hands of the experts - Pa. Game Commission. The transfer of full regulatory control to Pa. Game Commission is the best solution for game management in Pa.

Studies have shown and sportsmen have stated the lack of time, work, and family obligations are among the most frequent reasons limiting their hunting opportunities. Recent polls from various sources indicate on average 80% overall support for removing the barrier to Sunday hunting. The Pa. Farm Bureau presented a statewide map during Pa. Game Commission public meeting April 23, 2018, that shows 64% approval for a law change. National Shooting Sports Foundation economic impact data on Sunday hunting in Pennsylvania shows an overall economic output of $972,589,148. Coupled with 18 Pa. voting districts having 85% approval and support for legal hunting; it leaves us as proponents scratching our heads and wondering what is the problem? Begs the question, why does the Pa. legislature as a whole not see that Pa. sportsmen have spoken and a change will benefit the commonwealth as a whole?

Hunters own, lease, use and control thousands of acres of land across this state.  Please stop ignoring us and change this archaic blue law that restricts our liberties.  Do the right thing - remove the prohibition of Sunday hunting in PA Title 34 Game Law and allow the Pennsylvania Game Commission to decide what is best for Sunday hunting?

Every conservation organization involved in this effort understands the importance of wildlife management and recognizes the agency best to do that is Pa. Game Commission, not you as lawmakers.  Senator Dan Laughlin has presented a common-sense law that addresses the needs of hunters, landowners, and other stakeholders. Hunters United for Sunday Hunting, Sportsmen's Alliance, National Shooting Sports Foundation, National Rifle Association has consolidated conservation organizations representing 1.4 million sportsmen and women of Pennsylvania all supporting SB 147 and advocate you to do the same.  Anything less fails the 480 species of wildlife in Pennsylvania.  

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

P.S. Pa. Game Commission Executive Director Bryan Burhans has stated: “the biggest tool that I can give the farm bureau is Sunday hunting.” If you are listening and taking advice from Pa. Farm Bureau on this issue be advised the PFB represents less-than-half of Pa. farmers. There are 58,000 farming operations in Pennsylvania.  There are only 22,648 total farmers in Pa. Farm Bureau. 75% of the state delegates support a change to the policy regarding the existing Sunday hunting prohibition. Why would they [PFB leadership]say this and do they truly represent rank and file PFB members? Consider the statements of:

Jeffrey Grove, Governmental Relations Director, Pa. Farm Bureau on January 28, 2019, to Pa. Game Commission,  “We are a farming organization.  Not a hunting organization.” Darrin Youker, Government Affairs Rep. Pa. Farm Bureau  The Daily Review, May 28, 2018 “We are unique among any other organization, any other membership organization. I can’t negotiate on Sunday hunting, if I do, I’ve negotiated myself out of a job, I don’t want to do that.” 

"We’ve drawn the line in the sand and just said no. And it’s a hill that we die on and maybe we lose and maybe we win but we have protected the legitimacy of our policy development process so the future of Sunday hunting obviously rests with, not just the future of it but how we feel about Sunday hunting."

For Reference

Senate Bill 147

https://www.legis.state.pa.us/CFDOCS/Legis/PN/Public/btCheck.cfm?txtType=HTM&sessYr=2019&sessInd=0&billBody=S&billTyp=B&billNbr=0147&pn=0195

How Many Farmers In Pa.

https://huntersforsundayhunting.blogspot.com/2019/01/how-many-farmers-does-pennsylvania-farm_26.html

What Do The Polls Say https://huntersforsundayhunting.blogspot.com/2018/05/sunday-hunting-what-do-polls-say.html

Pa. Game Commission Support https://huntersforsundayhunting.blogspot.com/2018/05/game-commission-board-pledges-support.html

The National Shooting Sports Foundation, Economic Impact of Hunting 2016/2017 Data Pennsylvania Sunday Hunting Impact

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1Y6KpgyxBaZZGvj0Py53vddlZAiu1Vh8f/view?usp=sharing