LETTER TO PA LEGISLATORS - I DON'T WANT TO WAIT ANOTHER 20 YEARS

 Submitted by Randy Stevens

Had a great couple of days hunting with the kids, Derrick Stevens Lyndsey Marie, and Brett Rote. It's been 20 years since Derrick, Lyndsey, and I spent time together hunting in Penns Woods.

Thanks for rekindling memories of the past and look forward to more time with you hunting in 

Penns Woods.

Thank you to the legislature for the passage of Senate Bill 147 but now it is time to pass Senate Bill 607. It just so happened that one of my kids, my son, only has off two weekends a month and if the opening weekend for whitetail here in Pennsylvania would not have opened when it did and he would've had to work, the opportunity for me to hunt with my son would've never happened.

I do not want to have to wait another 20 years of my life to have the ability to hunt with my kids and extended family members. It is time to get rid of this archaic blue law that prohibits hunting on Sunday with just a few exemptions in Pennsylvania.  It’s time to stop placating to the Pennsylvania Farm Bureau and start listening to hunters on this issue.  It is time for the legislature to pass Senate Bill 607 and let the Pennsylvania Game Commission manage all of the 480 wildlife species here in Pennsylvania seven days a week every week of the year.

The opening weekend of whitetail deer rifle season was the best weekend for me in the last 20 years. Without the season opener on a Saturday and the ability to hunt on Sunday, I would not have been able to hunt with two of my kids. One is a schoolteacher and the other one only has off work two weekends a month. The corporate and labor workplace schedules are not commonplace Monday through Friday schedules in today's world.

If the opener for whitetail still would've been on Monday two of my kids and my son-in-law would not have had the opportunity to hunt together.  It just so happened that the opening day and the one Sunday of rifle season fell on my son’s scheduled weekend off.  I also had the ability to hunt with my son-in-law who is an electrician and very rarely does he have the ability to get off work because of his company's scheduled jobs.

Needless to say, I myself am self-employed and am an Allied health provider so it is very difficult for me to get off work. I used to have to take off work to hunt on Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday, which would mean three days of not seeing patients and creating more of a backlog where my patients would have to wait.  But this year because of me being able to go back to work on Tuesday I only had to take off one day of not scheduling patients.

It is difficult for guys like me to understand what the problem is with passing a simple law like SB607.  We live in a society that operates 24 hours a day, 7 days a week conducting and participating in everything from politics to mail service.  But for some reason having the ability and opportunity to hunt on Sunday is something that you as the legislature believe you must control.  I and many others just don’t get it.  It is time to move SB607 and get it passed into law for guys like me and the many others out there.

Randy Stevens

Find your legislator here

HUNTERS UNITED FOR SUNDAY HUNTING TESTIMONY SUBMITTED TO PA GAME & FISHERIES COMMITTEE, SEPT. 10, 2019 HEARING

Pennsylvania House Representatives, Game and Fisheries Committee:  

Pa. Farm Bureau farmers do not own all the land.  We as hunters own ground as well.

Hunters United for Sunday Hunting welcomes the additional hunting opportunity in Senate Bill 147 and understands the task and decisions ahead of you as state representatives.

The three-day stipulation in SB147 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.

Educate yourselves a little bit and understand what Senate Bill 147 does.  The biggest misunderstanding is that it is only a ‘hunting’ bill.  The fact is, trespass is the main portion.  Specifically, the trespass that Pa. Farm Bureau has been wanting.  This is a very simple bill that does everything it needs, provides for landowner rights, strengthen trespass, and provides additional hunting opportunities. The Pa. Farm Bureau has been asking for decades for trespass laws to be updated, the language in this bill is exactly what they have been wanting.  Trespassing while hunting would be a primary offense and enforceable by both game wardens and law enforcement officers.  But yet they are still opposed? Why?  The Pa. Farm Bureau just wants to posture and stand in the way of wildlife conservation progress in this state for no real reason.  The Pa. Farm Bureau knows full well that they are getting stronger hunting trespass laws that benefit both farmers and landowners.  All the while providing additional hunting opportunities to farmers and others. 

It is no secret that the Pa. Farm Bureau wants to hold SB147 up by asking for a ‘written permission’ amendment.  What the PFB is not telling you is that they are working with Representative Dawn Keefer on a “use of paint to designate no-trespass areas”  better known as purple paint laws used in various other states. As written by PFB [purple paint]  “Would allow landowners to identify with purple paint on trees, fences and other structures those areas of the property where entry is prohibited, with paint markings having the same legal protection against unauthorized trespass as posting “no trespassing” signs.

This is very important to understand when it comes to Senate Bill 147.  ‘Purple paint’ negates the need for ‘written permission’ and confirms the PFB only wants to hold SB147 up for no real reason.  If the PFB were to come clean, you would find out their opposition has nothing to do with trespass and has everything to do with religion.

SB 147 is a step forward to correct a 337-year-old antiquated blue law.  If you do some research you will find that the four words ‘Hunting on Sunday Prohibited’ in Pa. Title 34 Game Law dates back to 1682 as a colony under British control.  The laws were enacted for religious reasons designed to drive people to observe Sunday as the Sabbath.  There are over 300 religions currently practiced in this century, not all of them observe Sunday as a Sabbath. As legislators you have a choice; continue to make history and help advance hunting conservation to fit modern times; or, continue a 337-year old outmoded law.

As you make your decision, think about the disdain the PFB displays towards hunters on this subject and ask yourself; is this the way forward?  The York Dispatch printed this from Joel Rotz, Pa. Farm Bureau, Government Affairs and Communications spokesman “hunters who can't go out on Sundays already have an economic impact, such as by going to sports events or eating and drinking at bars and restaurants in their communities.”

We encourage the passing of Senate Bill 147 in its current state. Without any additional amendments or hold-ups.  The quicker SB 147 gets through the legislative process the better.  Only then will we be able to come together on what is truly needed and what is best for the future of hunting conservation in Pa.   

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.

Sincerely;  

Kevin B. Askew

Executive Director, Hunters United for Sunday Hunting

FARM BUREAUS SURROUNDING PA SUPPORT SUNDAY HUNTING - STUDY

Research Conducted By: Hunters United for Sunday Hunting;  United Bowhunters of Pennsylvania; Safari Club International

Farm Bureaus Surrounding Pennsylvania Support Sunday Hunting, Strong Trespass Laws and Non-Participation of Politicians in Wildlife Management/Conservation

**Click Here to Read Full Study**

To whom it may concern,

Pennsylvania Senate Bill #147 proposes the removal of the prohibition on Sunday hunting and establishes stricter trespassing laws and enforcement.

Generally, when a bill is entertained it involves research in regards to what is occurring in the states surrounding Pennsylvania.  To our knowledge, this research has not been conducted.  Hunters United for Sunday Hunting Farmers Chapter; United Bowhunters of Pennsylvania; Safari Club International has completed the research with the following synopsis.

All states surrounding Pennsylvania and those state farm bureau chapters support the ability to participate in wildlife management/conservation, stiff trespass laws, and support that politicians and lawmakers need not be involved in wildlife management/conservation.

The surrounding state farm bureaus of OH, NY, NJ, MD, DE [five of six] support the ability of hunters and farmers to participate in wildlife management/conservation seven days a week including Sundays during seasons established by the respective state’s Department of Natural Resources/Conservation/Wildlife or state agency equivalent of the Pennsylvania Game Commission.  All surrounding farm bureaus OH, NY, NJ, MD, DE, WV [six of six] support stricter trespassing laws and enforcement.

Hunters United for Sunday Hunting is asking for your support of Pennsylvania Senate Bill #147 which allows the removal of the prohibition on Sunday hunting in PA Title 34 Game Law, provides stronger trespass laws and allows the Pennsylvania Game Commission the ability to regulate the participation of wildlife management and conservation seven days a week including Sundays during established game and furbearer seasons.  This is what is done in the six states surrounding Pennsylvania and agreed-upon by five out of the six state farm bureau chapters surrounding this great state of Pennsylvania.

Sincerely,

Interim Executive Director of HUSH - ///Signed/// Kevin B. Askew

Representative of the HUSH Farmers Chapter - ///Signed/// Douglas B. Lapp

Representative of United Bowhunters of PA - ///Signed/// Thomas W. Redfern

Representative of Safari Club International - ///Signed/// Cyrus Baird

**Click Here to Read Full Study**