LETTER TO PGC COMMISSIONERS - SUNDAYS TO SEASONS IN VIRGINIA ARE BENEFICIAL - NAYSAYER CONCERNS NOT REALIZED

 

CONTACT: Hunters United for Sunday Hunting

TELEPHONE: 717-350-6741

EMAIL: huntersforsundayhunting@gmail.com

WEBSITE: facebook.com/HuntersUnitedForSundayHunting

         Dear Pennsylvania Board of Game Commissioners,

Please find attached a letter I was provided some time ago regarding the impact of adding Sundays to hunting seasons.  I thought this would be good information for all of you to have in preparation for your upcoming meetings as you look at how/when to implement Sunday hunting here in Pennsylvania.  Please feel free to share as you feel appropriate.

 

I've taken the liberty of highlighting what I felt were the important comments contained in the letter, which was sent from Executive Director Bob Duncan of the Commonwealth of Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries to the Congressional Sportsmen's Foundation in 2016.  This was written after the Virginia Sunday hunting inclusion had been in place for about 2 years.

 

Executive Director Duncan stated the following:

 

Virginia elected to largely leave hunting seasons in place as they had existed previously.  They also elected to not change bag limits.

 

Sunday hunting had no detrimental impact upon their deer herd.  And he went on to write that average deer harvests for Sundays more closely approximated the averages for weekdays and far less than Saturdays.  He details that archery and muzzle loader Sundays realized about 50% of a Saturday harvest.  And the Sunday harvest in rifle season in Virginia was roughly 20% of a typical Saturday.

 

He also stated that turkey harvests on Sunday approximated weekday averages.

 

Also included in his comments are Virginia's findings regarding law enforcement activity.  Many had/have concerns about the undue burden Sunday hunting opportunity might have on law enforcement.  In Virginia, those fears were not realized.  Hunting related calls to law enforcement dispatch on Sundays were similar to an average weekday, and in fact only increased modestly from the amount of calls that were received on Sundays prior to the change.  Hunting related arrests trended similarly as well.

 

He closed by stating "In Sum, I can say that Virginia's experience so far with Sunday hunting is that of additional opportunities for sportsmen and women in the field without unacceptable impacts upon our wildlife resources, notable increases in citizen complaints, or other serious law enforcement concerns."

 

I would like to close by saying thank you to each of you for your sacrifice and dedication to conservation.  The efforts each of you put into your position as a PGC Commissioner are appreciated by so many of us Pennsylvania hunters.  Thank you!

 

Kindest Regards,

 

Harold Daub

HUSH Legislative/PGC Advisor

SUNDAY HUNTING BAN UNDER FIRE - ARTICLE

Article by: Melinda Rizzo

Hunters United for Sunday Hunting contributor – Carl Machamer, Research Analyst

“We’re interest in protecting and preserving hunting family time, and passed-down traditions,” said Carl Machamer, a spokesman for Hunters United for Sunday Hunting, or HUSH, grassroots, pro-hunting organization based in Harrisburg. He said weekend hunting is popular among families, and the Keystone State is losing revenue to neighbor’s, including West Virginia, New York and Ohio, that allow Sunday hunting.   They’re all benefiting from Pennsylvania

He said hunters were important to conservation efforts and they play a vital role in population control, as well as preservation and protection of outdoor areas.

Read Full Article:
Sunday Hunting Ban Under Fire

EDUCATION SERIES 5 OF.... SECTION 2102 SEASONS, POSSESSION, BAG LIMITS, DEVICES

Education series: why this mission is important, why the law needs to be deconflicted, and what it would mean to people.

Education Series 5 of……

§ 2102.  Regulations

Many people do not understand or have the time to read what is in PA Title 34 Game Law.  

So let's examine the law as it pertains to wildlife management and the issue of removing the barrier to hunting opportunities in Pa.  

On page 43 you will find what the Pa. Game Commission can do in the interest of wildlife and hunting.

PA Title 34 Game Law link:

https://www.legis.state.pa.us/WU01/LI/LI/CT/HTM/34/34.HTM

Pa. Title 34 Game Law

§ 2102.  Seasons, possession, bag limits and devices.

(1)  The commission shall promulgate regulations relating to seasons and bag limits for hunting or furtaking, the possession of certain species or parts thereof, the number and types of devices and equipment allowed, the identification of devices and the use and possession of devices.

(2)  If in any year the commission fails to establish seasons or bag limits or fails to establish other hunting or furtaking regulations under authority of this title, the open seasons and bag limits for game or furbearers, Sundays excepted, unless otherwise provided by this title, and all other hunting or furtaking regulations adopted under authority of this title, shall be the same as set by regulation of the commission for the previous license year, and all seasons shall open and close one calendar day earlier than the previous license year. In the event the commission fails to establish seasons and bag limits for a license year beginning in a leap year, the seasons shall open and close two calendar days earlier than the previous license year.

EDUCATION SERIES 3 OF..... SECTION 2101 ADMINISTRATION OF TITLE

Education series: why this mission is important, why the law needs to be deconflicted, and what it would mean to people.

Education Series 3 of……

Section 2101.  Administration of title.

Many people do not understand or have the time to read what is in PA Title 34 Game Law.  

So let's examine the law as it pertains to wildlife management and the issue of removing the barrier to hunting opportunities in Pa.  

On page 43 you will find what the Pa. Game Commission can do in the interest of Pa. wildlife and hunting.

PA Title 34 Game Law link:

https://www.legis.state.pa.us/WU01/LI/LI/CT/HTM/34/34.HTM

Pa. Title 34 Game Law

§ 2101.  Administration of title.
The commission shall have the authority to administer and enforce this title and all laws of this Commonwealth relating to the encouragement, promotion and development of game or wildlife conservation interests and the protection, propagation, distribution and control over game or wildlife.