NO DAMPER ON ENJOYMENT OF OUTDOORS

Submitted, not printed in response to: York Dispatch, May 31, 2019 OP-ED: Sunday hunting wouldn't be the economic boon proponents suggest

Mr. Wayne Campbell, Pennsylvania State Grange,

Thank you for the economic information involving outdoor activities nationwide.  These 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, fishermen, fisherwomen, campers, hikers, bikers, hunters, wildlife watchers, outdoor outfitters, the trail sports of motorcyclists, ATV riders, horseback riders, and all others are all coexisting all days of the week in the pursuit of what they enjoy and spending money doing it.  This for some reason is something that people do not understand. 

But, these verifiable economic figures proves just that. 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. 

Thanks for making these figures available and clearing showing the $30.8 billion seven day-a-week monetary benefit of everyone recreating as they wish.  One can only hope that the Pa. Legislature will fast track lifting the Sunday hunting blue law with the national financial information provided by the Pennsylvania State Grange all the while knowing that 47 other states don’t discriminate when it comes to outdoor users.

Again, thanks Wayne Campbell and Pa. State Grange for your contribution in this effort to get this archaic law lifted. 

Kevin Askew, Executive Director, Hunters United for Sunday Hunting 

LETTER TO SPORTS/OPINION - REASON TO END SUNDAY HUNTING BAN

Photo courtesy of DTP

As published by Altoona Mirror Sports/Opinion, March 3, 2019 
Reasons to end Sunday hunting ban
Written and submitted by:
Bruce L. Tague, Vice President of Government Affairs of the Sportsmen’s Alliance Columbus, Ohio. Reasons to end Sunday hunting ban I found it curious as to why Campbell would attempt to confuse readers by using a federal study to convince your readers that hunting and hunting activities were “well down the list” and that “Other outdoor recreational activities provide as much if not more economic activity than hunting.” Here are some Pennsylvania numbers for your readers to consider, and we hope use to support us in our effort to finally end the ban. Pennsylvania has the most active hunters in the nation, and in 2017 alone, there were 885,632 general licenses sold. The average hunter spends $1200 per year. A recent economic impact study done by one of the nation’s top economic firms, John Dunham and Associates, New York, showed that Sunday hunting in Pennsylvania would create an economic boon of nearly $1 billion in economic activity per year and $310 million in wages from constructions jobs to manufacturing and financial services. Campbell and the PA Grange have every right to be opposed to Sunday hunting. However, I highly doubt that he and the PA Grange’s 7,200 members represent all Pennsylvanians nor all of the 885,632 sportsmen and women who hunted in Pennsylvania in 2017. It was disingenuous, at best, to utilize numbers from a federal study to claim that hunting in this commonwealth is, “well down the list and other outdoor recreational activities provide as much if not more economic activity than hunting.” Lastly, Campbell says “Hunters get six days a week. Other users of the outdoors should get one day where the fear of hunting accidents (ricochets, etc.) does not put a damper on their enjoyment of the outdoors.” Campbell correctly points out that sportsmen and women share the woods six days a week and have been doing so for decades. It is a fact that firearms are discharged in the commonwealth of Pennsylvania every day. It is also a fact that hunting in Pennsylvania is safer than cheerleading. Outdoor enthusiasts have safely enjoyed the wilds of Pennsylvania throughout hunting seasons for generations, and adding Sundays will do nothing to disrupt that history. In today’s economy, many of our hunters are working several jobs to provide for their families. In many cases, Sunday is the only day to go hunting because of their job schedule. We at the Sportsmen’s Alliance will continue the fight to end this economic unfairness. I invite your readers and all Pennsylvanians to join us. Bruce L. Tague

Columbus, Ohio

(The writer is vice of president of government affairs of the Sportsmen’s Alliance). Article Published Link: http://www.altoonamirror.com/sports/local-sports/2019/03/reasons-to-end-sunday-hunting-ban/