As a grassroots organization representing hunter-conservationists throughout the state that uses sportsmen clubs and in communicating with other conservation organizations Hunters United for Sunday Hunting OPPOSES HB2440 and Amendment 0583.
The overwhelming response from the hunter-conservation community is NO WE DO NOT NEED OR SUPPORT THIS LEGISLATION.
This legislation singles out sportsmen’s clubs for no real or good reason. Managers of outdoor sportsmen clubs, ranges, clubhouses, and other shooting activities are capable of determining measures to put in place based on the relative guidance at the time as it pertains to the COVID 19 situation.
There may also be an infringement on federal and state constitutional rights to consider with HB2440.
The best thing the Pennsylvania Legislature and the Governor can do is treat sportsmen clubs the same as golf courses and have them open and operate with current guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and Pennsylvania Department of Health.
The current and ongoing CDC and PADOH guidance is sufficient for sportsmen club managers to make an intelligent decision.
Jahred Klahrewas voted in as Vice President - East Region on Saturday, March 14, 2020. He assumes his duties immediately. As Vice President, East Region Mr. Klahre will work closely with the PFSC president to ensure all organizational goals are being met along with developing relationships in the eastern counties of Pennsylvania that benefit the mission of PFSC.
“ I’m a driven professional with a passion for conservation and the promotion of science-based wildlife biology. It is my goal to use my energetic and compassionate leadership style to move PFSC forward and accomplish the tasks ahead of us for hunter-conservation, second amendment, and our outdoor heritage.”
Jahred also serves in various volunteer capacities and is a member of Hunters United for Sunday Hunting, Quality Deer Management Association, Backcountry Hunters & Anglers, National Wild Turkey Federation, Sportsmen’s Alliance, NRA, Trout Unlimited, Ducks Unlimited.
Doug Lapp was voted in as PFSC Secretary on Saturday, March 14, 2020. He assumes his duties immediately. As PFSC Secretary Mr. Lapp will work closely with the President and Vice President on PFSC objectives. Doug will supervise and ensure proper recording and documentation of all Board and organizational meetings.
“There are two groups within American culture that claim to be the original conservationists. The farming community and the hunting community. My loyalties lie with science-based conservation. That’s why I am so heavily involved with both.”
Doug also serves in various volunteer capacities with Hunters United for Sunday Hunting, Cochranville Fire Company, Chester/Delaware County Farm Bureau, Lanchester Softball League, Highland Township Committeeman, Republican Committee of Chester County.
HUSH Mission Statement - Remove the prohibition of Sunday hunting in PA Title 34 Game Law through education, and influence legislatures to change the law accordingly.
PFSC Mission Statement - To protect and conserve Pennsylvania’s natural resources, outdoor heritage, and 2nd Amendment Rights.
###
For more information about this topic, please contact Hunters United for Sunday Hunting, Executive Director Kevin Askew at 717-350-6741 or email at huntersforsundayhunting@gmail.com. or PFSC Executive Director Harold Daub at 717-648-1835 or email at dauber@pfsc.org PFSC- Who Are We
Help turn 5 angry fishermen into 100,000 voices for hunter-conservation.
THE EDITORIAL BOARD Pittsburgh Post-Gazette September 25, 2019
Pennsylvania lawmakers should not allow ego and wounded feelings to stand in the way of a bill that would permit hunting on Sunday a few times a year.
Passage of the Sunday hunting bill was expected to be smooth and swift until some unfortunate remarks were made Sept. 10 by the new executive director of the Pennsylvania Federation of Sportsmen and Conservationists — a major proponent of the initiative that has been sought for more than a decade.
Harold Daub, a former leader of Hunters United for Sunday Hunting, was at a legislative meeting with the Game and Fisheries Committee, meant to prime the state House about a Senate bill that would permit limited Sunday hunting. But Mr. Daub rambled into territory considered by some as rude. The Dauphin County resident rapped the Pennsylvania Farm Bureau, urging lawmakers not to allow the bureau to “bully” them. He also made a sarcastic and dismissive remark about the Keystone Trails Association.
Mr. Daub was not diplomatic. Nor was he politically smart. But this bull-in-the-china-shop behavior shouldn’t derail a good move.
A Sunday hunting ban initially was part of a package of “blue laws” aimed at promoting church attendance, a notion that fails. Many Pennsylvanians are not Christian and Sunday hunting and church-going aren’t mutually exclusive.
Pennsylvania is one of only three states that haven’t lifted a general no-Sunday-hunting ban. Some limited hunting in Pennsylvania — coyotes and crows, for example — currently is allowed. The compromise Senate bill passed in June would have allowed three Sunday hunting days.
A perennial concern has been the safety of walkers, hikers and those who want to otherwise play in the woods. But this is a concern that applies seven days a week. Other states with safety concerns engaged in a test run of Sunday hunting, found it worked fine and lifted their bans.
The Pennsylvania Farm Bureau has opposed Sunday hunting for a reason that applies to the other six days of the week as well: trespass. Some hunters (and others) illegally trespass on private land. For farmers, that can mean crops being trampled at certain times of the year. For them, six days a week of hunting is better than seven days a week. This concern was dealt with in the pending legislation by creating a new primary offense: Hunting trespass. It would be enforceable by police and the state Game Commission and would be punishable by high fines and the possible loss of hunting privileges.
Senate Bill 147 was expected to pass the House with little debate until Mr. Daub’s inappropriate comments. That’s not a good enough reason for lawmakers to derail a process that’s been in the works for many years.
Please accept this letter in appreciation of the work you have done to get Senate Bill 147 through the Pennsylvania Senate with a vote 36 Yes and 14 No. We know this was no small task given the history here in Pa. and the tactics used by the Pa. Farm Bureau. Please extend our thanks to all of those Senators that see the value in providing additional hunting opportunities that SB147 brings. Is SB147 perfect? The answer is no. Does SB147 provide additional hunting opportunity? The answer is yes.
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 you as legislators truly understand that the Pa. Game Commission has the expertise and knowledge to implement them.
All hunting conservation organizations involved in support of SB 147 have always supported the strengthening of trespass while hunting laws. We are glad that was not amended. The hope is the primary trespass language remains and is not compromised as SB147 moves forward. Hunting trespass laws have needed to be updated for many years. The Pennsylvania Farm Bureau should be grateful that the Pa. Senate understands that and did not remove it like the PFB has been asking.
At this time last year there appeared to be no hope of Sunday hunting opportunities coming to Pennsylvania. But here we are moving in making hunting on Sundays a reality and taking steps toward removing the 337-year-old blue law that prohibits hunting on Sunday. The Pa. Senators are truly making history.
For us this is not the end, it is just the beginning. Please keep this in mind. When these three Sundays are implemented and more opportunity has been provided to hunters; when the ‘nay-sayers’ sky did not fall; and you as politicians have had your fears and concerns marginalized; and all without detriment to game species; we as a hunting conservation community will be knocking on your door once again. This time with less patience and an uncompromised complete repeal of the Sunday hunting prohibition. There will be no more hiding behind ‘the-fear-of-the-unknown.’
The mission is not over and this fight will continue. Pa. Federation of Sportsmen & Conservationist, Hunters United for Sunday Hunting and the over 20 supporting organizations remain 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 hope that we continue to build our relationship and work hand-in-hand as conservationists and politicians to strike the needed balance between laws and regulations to do what is best for Pennsylvania’s wildlife. Again, thanks for all the effort on Senate Bill 147. Looking forward to working with you in the future.
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
HUNTERS UNITED FOR SUNDAY HUNTING EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR ACCEPTS NEW POSITION
Hunters United for Sunday Hunting is announcing the departure of Executive Director Harold Daub effective April 8, 2019. Mr. Daub has been selected to lead the Pennsylvania Federation of Sportsmen & Conservationists as their Executive Director.
The work and dedication that Harold provided Hunters United for Sunday Hunting is undeniable and will not be forgotten. His successful leadership resulted in the education, gathering, and consolidation of sportsmen and sportswomen of all ages; conservation organizations, small and large; farmers and landowners to help correct four words to a flawed law - ‘Hunting on Sunday Prohibited.’ It is this work and recognition that made him the prime candidate for PFSC.
Though it is bittersweet, Hunters United for Sunday Hunting understands and is glad to see PFSC has selected a passionate, knowledgeable and visionary thinker to help bring their organization into the 21st Century.
Rest assured there will be no disruption to the mission of Hunters United for Sunday Hunting. Kevin Askew, Communications Director has been named the interim Executive Director. He has been instrumental in the past ‘year-of-action’ with Hunters United for Sunday Hunting.
Interim Executive Director, Kevin Askew -
“As we go through this transition period. I ask all HUSH members and Sunday hunting supporters to continue doing what you are doing. Everyone involved in this historic activity is ‘Keeping The Needle Moving’. We still have a fight ahead of us as Senate Bill 147 makes its way through the Pa. legislatures. It is your actions and engagement, your phone calls, your emails, your letters that are getting attention and causing action. Please continue and do not give up. If we all pull the rope in the same direction, we can correct this antiquated blue law once and for all.”
