SB147 IS NOW LAW - GOV. WOLF SIGNS

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

Governor Tom Wolf has officially signed Senate Bill 147 into law.  Amending Title 34 Game Law to allow for additional Sunday hunting opportunity 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.

Many of you will understand the historic significance and what an incredible leap in the right direction this is for hunter-conservation in Pennsylvania.  Though this is not perfect and more work is needed it is definitely a step forward to correct a 337-year-old antiquated blue law.

Thank you Governor Wolf for signing Senate Bill 147 into law. Your signature helps bring Pa. wildlife management into the 21st Century standards.  

For all of you who have been involved with this Hunters United for Sunday Hunting.  It is your dedication and tenacity that has made this happen.  Please take pride in that.  Many have failed before us.  In March of 2018 we set out on a new course to bring Sunday hunting to Pa. You all have participated in history.  You all have been a tremendous influence that affected Governor Wolf’s signature.  For that be proud and start telling the story of how Sunday hunting prohibition came to an end in Pa.

We are just getting started. This fight to bring Sunday hunting opportunity 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.  Most of all, take time to reflect, understand and think about what November 21, 2019 means for the future of hunting in Pennsylvania.

Sincerely; 

Kevin B. Askew

Hunters United for Sunday Hunting

WHATS GOING ON WITH SENATE BILL 147? I HAVEN'T HEARD ANYTHING.

“What’s going on with Senate Bill 147?” I have been asked this question quite frequently since the September 10, 2019, Sunday hunting public hearing held in the Pennsylvania House of Representatives Game and Fisheries Committee.
  
Currently, our national partners from the National Rifle Association and the National Shooting Sports Foundation have asked if they can handle the continued negotiations. This is an agreeable request since these organizations have the resources, knowledge, and experts that understand all the legislative work that takes place.
  
As of this writing, Senate Bill 147 sits in the Pa House Game and Fisheries Committee. The current negotiations regarding whether the request for written permission from the Pa Farm Bureau will be added or not. The PFB is requesting SB147 be amended to include written permission on the Sundays stipulated in the bill. No other days are being considered to include written permission.
  
So essentially the PFB wants lawmakers to write a law for what we already have. Under our current posting regulations, a landowner can require or not require written permission to hunt on their property. If the landowner is comfortable with verbal permission, that is completely up to the property owner.
   
So the question becomes why do we need a law to do what we already can do legally at landowner discretion.

The NRA and NSSF are working through this. Neither has agreed or disagreed with the proposal. The negotiating team is working with lawmakers to understand why they think writing a law to do what can already be done makes sense or not make sense.
  
Now to the big question. Are we going to have the opportunity to hunt this hunting season? I wish I had a solid and straight answer but I don’t. I can assure you that HUSH, NRA, NSSF, and all the of the conservations organizations involved in the Pa Sunday hunting fight are doing all we can to get hunting opportunity as quickly as possible. We know and understand what the extra time afield means to everyone.
  
We are up against politicians and their willingness to act quickly for all the right reasons. As it stands the Pa House Game and Fisheries Committee must vote, SB147 then goes to the entire Pa House for a vote, then back to the Senate for a concurrence vote, and then to the governor's desk for signature. All indications are Governor Wolf will sign the bill into law.
  
The overarching and more pressing issue is: the longer the legislators choose not to take action. The longer SB147 is held up in the process. The timeline gets extended. 

This is why it is extremely important to continue calling and emailing legislators on SB147.

I get it, everyone has been doing that for the past 18 months. Please hear and read my words.  It is because of you, supporters of Sunday hunting opportunity that SB147 is where it is and the ‘needle moved’ further than it has ever been in the past 20 years. I am asking that you continue that momentum, keep those phones ringing and the legislator's email boxes full with SB147 and Sunday hunting messages. Continue making the hunter-conservationists voice heard. 

We are close, please stay in the fight. 

Sincerely;

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