EDUCATION SERIES 8 OF..... SECTION 2303 HUNTING ON SUNDAY PROHIBITED

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

Education Series 8 of……

§ 2303.  Hunting on Sunday prohibited

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.  

Hence the issue and problem.  The law provides all this guidance, authority, regulations, etc. but then you get to page 53 and it reads Hunting on Sunday prohibited. But there are exceptions.  Why?  These exceptions are wildlife management with the act of hunting on Sunday. 

There is only one way to translate this - the legislature trusts the PGC, but they don’t???  

This is why our mission is: Remove the prohibition of Sunday hunting in PA Title 34 Game Law through education, and influence legislatures to change the law accordingly.   

Solves the problem completely without exception after exception, species after species.  

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

§ 2303.  Hunting on Sunday prohibited.

(a)  General rule.--Except as otherwise provided in this title, it is unlawful for any person to hunt for any furbearer or game on Sunday.

(b)  Construction of section.--This section shall not be construed to prohibit:

(1)  The training of dogs.

(2)  The participation in dog trials as provided for in this title.

(3)  The removal of lawfully taken game or wildlife from traps or the resetting of the traps on Sunday.

(b.1) Exceptions.--Subsection (a) shall not apply to:

(1)  The hunting of foxes.

(2)  The hunting of coyotes.

(3)  Any hunting which occurs on noncommercial regulated hunting grounds holding a valid permit under section 2928 (b)(2) (relating to regulated hunting grounds permits).

(c)  Penalty.--A violation of this section is a summary offense of the fifth degree.

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 2 OF..... SECTION 322 POWERS & DUTIES

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

Education Series 2 of……

Section 322.  Powers and duties of commission.

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 15 you will find all that the Pa. Game Commission can do to set seasons, bag limits, possession limits, etc. The law gives PGC the power and flexibility to change things as needed. This would include Sundays once law is changed.

Pa. Title 34 Game Law: https://www.legis.state.pa.us/WU01/LI/LI/CT/HTM/34/34.HTM

§ 322.  Powers and duties of commission.

(a)  Duties.--It shall be the duty of the commission to protect, propagate, manage and preserve the game or wildlife of this Commonwealth and to enforce, by proper actions and proceedings, the laws of this Commonwealth relating thereto.

(b)  General powers and duties.--The commission has the power and duty to take all actions necessary for the administration and enforcement of this title.

(c)  Specific powers and duties.--In order to administrate and enforce this title, the commission through proper action shall:

(1)  Subject to section 2102(b) (relating to seasons, possession, bag limits and devices), fix seasons, daily shooting or taking hours, and any modification thereof, and daily, season and possession limits for any species of game or wildlife.

(2)  Remove protection, declare an open season or increase, reduce or close a season.

(3)  Increase or reduce bag limits or possession limits.

(4)  Define geographic limitations or restrictions.

(5)  Fix the type and number of devices which may be used to take game or wildlife.

(6)  Limit the number of hunters or furtakers in any designated area and prescribe the lawful methods of hunting or taking furbearers in these areas.

(7)  Govern the use of recorded calls or sounds or amplified calls or sounds of any description for taking or hunting game or wildlife.

(8)  Add to or change the classification of any wild bird or wild animal.

(9)  Prohibit the possession, importation, exportation or release of any species of birds or animals which may be considered dangerous or injurious to the general public or to the wildlife of this Commonwealth.

(10)  Manage and develop its lands and waters and other government or private lands and waters under agreement with the owners as it considers advisable and, by proper action and proceedings, enact and enforce regulations to insure the prudent and proper use of these lands.

(11)  Collect, classify and preserve such statistics, data and information as in its judgment will tend to promote the object of this title and take charge of and keep all reports, books, papers and documents which shall, in the discharge of its duties, come into its possession or under its control.

(12)  Take any necessary action to accomplish and assure the purposes of this title.

(13)  Serve the interest of sportsmen by preserving and promoting our special heritage of recreational hunting and furtaking by providing adequate opportunity to hunt and trap the wildlife resources of this Commonwealth. (June 28, 1996, P.L.428, No.64, eff. 60 days)

HOW DOES SUNDAY HUNTING MAKE THINGS BETTER

Executive Director Harold Daub receives a lot of questions regarding Sunday hunting and why a change in the law is needed. 

Here is a recent response to a concerned hunter and conservation group. 

Don and others, I can’t tell you it will get better for you or I personally, it sounds like we get enough opportunity to hunt. But the fact is that surveys of Pennsylvanians who are interested in hunting but aren’t hunting show the number one reason is: TIME.  

For those who work 6 days a week, those who have kids in sports, those with kids in split parent homes....Sunday will make a huge improvement in their hunting.

For all Pennsylvanians, having the strongest possible hunting community has a lot of benefits. Pennsylvania wildlife management responsibility falls on the PA Game Commission. There are 480 species the PGC is charged with management responsibility for, as stipulated in our Commonwealth constitution and Title 34 Game Law. This management system is referred to as the North American Model of Wildlife Management. The basis of that model is: hunters pay to hunt, that license revenue provides the funding needed to promote and protect healthy wildlife populations and habitats.

Another funding source comes from the Wildlife Restoration Act, have you ever heard of Pittman-Robertson (P-R) Funding? This is money collected from an excise tax on firearms and ammunition. A tax that was ASKED for by conservationists about 80 years ago. That funding is reimbursed back to states using a calculation that considers two things: a state’s land mass and the number of licenses sold.

With PA now surrounded by states offering 7 day hunting opportunity, and only 2 other states (Maine and Massachusetts) being more restrictive than PA, the risk is real that PA will see the continued decline in the number of active hunters.

Less hunters = less funding. Funding needed to control things like CWD, EHD, study declines in populations like grouse and bats, reintroduction efforts like the Bald Eagle, and ensuring healthy habitats on our 1.5 million acres of state game lands.  

You see guys, it’s much more than your personal experience. If you’re able to hunt enough today, you are lucky. Many can not.

Hunters United for Sunday Hunting

Executive Director, Harold Daub