FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE - IT'S ABOUT TIME CONFERENCE- FEB 10, 2019, NEW KENSINGTON PA

Contact: Hunters United for Sunday Hunting
Telephone: 717-350-6741
Email: huntersforsundayhunting@gmail.com
Facebook: @huntersunitedforsundayhunting

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

HUNTERS UNITED FOR SUNDAY HUNTING IS HOSTING AN INFORMATION CONFERENCE FOCUSING ON THE IMPORTANCE OF REMOVING THE PROHIBITION ON SUNDAY HUNTING IN PA TITLE 34 GAME LAW AND PROVIDING REGULATORY AUTHORITY TO THE PENNSYLVANIA GAME COMMISSION TO DECIDE WHAT IS BEST FOR SUNDAY HUNTING. ‘It’s About Time’ conference: Sunday, February 10, 2019; Penn State New Kensington Campus, 3550 Seventh Street Road, New Kensington, PA  15068 *Press/Media only 12pm-1pm - Harold Daub HUSH Executive Director; Senator Dan Laughlin Game & Fisheries Committee, Erie Co.; Senator James Brewster Game & Fisheries Committee, Allegheny/Westmoreland Co.;  Representative William C. Kortz II House Game & Fisheries Committee, Allegheny Co; Bryan Burhans Pa. Game Commission Executive Director available for interview.  
Public & General Attendees - 1pm - 4pm https://www.facebook.com/events/2174240692667160/ https://huntersforsundayhunting.blogspot.com/2019/01/its-about-time-conference-western-pa.html

Halifax, Pa. Feb. 6, 2019 – Hunters United for Sunday Hunting ‘It’s About Time’ invites all hunters, sportsmen, sportswomen, outdoor enthusiasts, conservationists, media outlets and all other like-minded people to attend this information session. Keynote speakers include Pa. Game & Fisheries Senate and House Committees Chair/Minority Senator Dan Laughlin, Senator James Brewster and Representative William C. Kortz II, all support legislative action amending PA Title 34 Game Law to remove the barrier to Sunday hunting and transfer regulatory authority to the Pa. Game Commission.  Laughlin and Brewster authored Senate Bill #147 repealing Sunday hunting prohibition and strengthening trespass laws in Pa. The bill passed out of committee with a vote of 8-3 February 5, 2019. Senator James Brewster represent District 45, Allegheny and Westmoreland Counties. Representative William C. Kortz II, District 38, Allegheny County. Topics of discussion: Senator/Representative - explain current hunting legislation and what is needed for future progress. Pa. Game Commission - discussion of the process of Sunday hunting implementation. Hunters United for Sunday Hunting - talk about mission, current progress and what is needed to help get the barrier to Sunday hunting removed in Pa. Other organizations in support of removing Sunday hunting prohibition in Pa.

Current surveys and polls conducted indicate an average of 80% respondents support expanding Sunday hunting opportunity. https://huntersforsundayhunting.blogspot.com/2018/05/sunday-hunting-what-do-polls-say.html

The Pa. Game Commission supports the law change and has stated: "

The Board of Commissioners of the Pennsylvania Game Commission does hereby urge the General Assembly of Pennsylvania to repeal the prohibition on Sunday hunting in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania." https://www.media.pa.gov/Pages/Game-Commission-Details.aspx?newsid=209

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.

For more information about this topic, please contact Hunters United for Sunday Hunting at 717-350-6741 email at huntersforsundayhunting@gmail.com.  View our Blog - https://huntersforsundayhunting.blogspot.com/

Executive Director Harold Daub, Communications Director Kevin Askew

LETTER TO PA. LEGISLATORS - SUPPORT SENATE BILL 147

Letter to: Legislators of Pennsylvania; State Representatives and State Senators. Support Senate Bill 147

This letter is to urge you to support the removal of the prohibition of Sunday hunting in PA Title 34 Game Law and allow the Pennsylvania Game Commission to decide what is best for Sunday hunting.  We ask that you recognize and understand that the Pa Game Commission are the subject matter experts for the management and conservation of Pa’s wildlife.  Case in point; Pa. Game Commission recognized as the best wildlife management agency in the country by the Quality Deer Management Association. https://www.qdma.com/pennsylvania-game-commission-named-qdmas-agency-year/

We encourage you to support Senate Bill 147 presented by Senator Dan Laughlin.  The bill strengthens PA Title 34 Game Law and leaves all hunting management decisions to Pa. Game Commission. It addresses the offense of trespass while hunting, making the violation a primary offense with increased penalties.  Enforceable by both game wardens and other law enforcement.

Streamlining of the law puts full management and conservation in the hands of the experts - Pa. Game Commission. The transfer of full regulatory control to Pa. Game Commission is the best solution for game management in Pa.

Studies have shown and sportsmen have stated the lack of time, work, and family obligations are among the most frequent reasons limiting their hunting opportunities. Recent polls from various sources indicate on average 80% overall support for removing the barrier to Sunday hunting. The Pa. Farm Bureau presented a statewide map during Pa. Game Commission public meeting April 23, 2018, that shows 64% approval for a law change. National Shooting Sports Foundation economic impact data on Sunday hunting in Pennsylvania shows an overall economic output of $972,589,148. Coupled with 18 Pa. voting districts having 85% approval and support for legal hunting; it leaves us as proponents scratching our heads and wondering what is the problem? Begs the question, why does the Pa. legislature as a whole not see that Pa. sportsmen have spoken and a change will benefit the commonwealth as a whole?

Hunters own, lease, use and control thousands of acres of land across this state.  Please stop ignoring us and change this archaic blue law that restricts our liberties.  Do the right thing - remove the prohibition of Sunday hunting in PA Title 34 Game Law and allow the Pennsylvania Game Commission to decide what is best for Sunday hunting?

Every conservation organization involved in this effort understands the importance of wildlife management and recognizes the agency best to do that is Pa. Game Commission, not you as lawmakers.  Senator Dan Laughlin has presented a common-sense law that addresses the needs of hunters, landowners, and other stakeholders. Hunters United for Sunday Hunting, Sportsmen's Alliance, National Shooting Sports Foundation, National Rifle Association has consolidated conservation organizations representing 1.4 million sportsmen and women of Pennsylvania all supporting SB 147 and advocate you to do the same.  Anything less fails the 480 species of wildlife in Pennsylvania.  

Sincerely; Kevin B. Askew, Interim Executive Director Hunters United for Sunday Hunting

P.S. Pa. Game Commission Executive Director Bryan Burhans has stated: “the biggest tool that I can give the farm bureau is Sunday hunting.” If you are listening and taking advice from Pa. Farm Bureau on this issue be advised the PFB represents less-than-half of Pa. farmers. There are 58,000 farming operations in Pennsylvania.  There are only 22,648 total farmers in Pa. Farm Bureau. 75% of the state delegates support a change to the policy regarding the existing Sunday hunting prohibition. Why would they [PFB leadership]say this and do they truly represent rank and file PFB members? Consider the statements of:

Jeffrey Grove, Governmental Relations Director, Pa. Farm Bureau on January 28, 2019, to Pa. Game Commission,  “We are a farming organization.  Not a hunting organization.” Darrin Youker, Government Affairs Rep. Pa. Farm Bureau  The Daily Review, May 28, 2018 “We are unique among any other organization, any other membership organization. I can’t negotiate on Sunday hunting, if I do, I’ve negotiated myself out of a job, I don’t want to do that.” 

"We’ve drawn the line in the sand and just said no. And it’s a hill that we die on and maybe we lose and maybe we win but we have protected the legitimacy of our policy development process so the future of Sunday hunting obviously rests with, not just the future of it but how we feel about Sunday hunting."

For Reference

Senate Bill 147

https://www.legis.state.pa.us/CFDOCS/Legis/PN/Public/btCheck.cfm?txtType=HTM&sessYr=2019&sessInd=0&billBody=S&billTyp=B&billNbr=0147&pn=0195

How Many Farmers In Pa.

https://huntersforsundayhunting.blogspot.com/2019/01/how-many-farmers-does-pennsylvania-farm_26.html

What Do The Polls Say https://huntersforsundayhunting.blogspot.com/2018/05/sunday-hunting-what-do-polls-say.html

Pa. Game Commission Support https://huntersforsundayhunting.blogspot.com/2018/05/game-commission-board-pledges-support.html

The National Shooting Sports Foundation, Economic Impact of Hunting 2016/2017 Data Pennsylvania Sunday Hunting Impact

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1Y6KpgyxBaZZGvj0Py53vddlZAiu1Vh8f/view?usp=sharing

WHY DADDY? I LIKE HUNTING!

Yesterday an interesting exchange took place at the Hunters United for Sunday booth at The Great American Outdoor Show.  I woke up this morning feeling compelled to write about it.

One of the many families that stopped by and struck up a conversation about Sunday hunting. The parents both eagerly signed the petition to remove the prohibition of Sunday hunting in Pennsylvania while their two young daughters [likely under the age of 10] waited patiently at their side.

In the midst of speaking with the parents, one of the two girls grabs her father’s pant leg and asks “What’s this daddy.”  The father responds, “this is a petition to allow us to hunt on Sundays.” 

Confused the little girl stood silent. The father continues, “in Pennsylvania we’re not allowed to hunt on Sundays.” The little girl's' eyes opened wide and as kids often do, she asks a tough question, “Why daddy? I like hunting!”

At that moment I wasn’t sure if the father would look to us for advice, but I was surely interested in how he would respond. He kneels down and whispers into her ear and shares a moment with his daughter only they will know, and finished by saying aloud “and that is why we are here sweetie, so you girls will never need to understand a world where you are told you cannot hunt on Sunday.”

Jahred Klahre

Hunters United for Sunday Hunting

DOUG LAPP, AG LIAISON HUSH, COMMENTS TO PA GAME COMMISSION - JANUARY 2019

Doug Lapp addresses the Pa Game Commission Board of Commissioners during the January 2019 public meeting. "It is past time for the Pennsylvania Farm Bureau to stop infringing on its member's liberty and they will hear that message loud and clear."  Video by John Buffone, YDR.com Jan 27, 2019 - To: The PA Game Commission Commissioners and Executive Director Bryan Burhans
My name is Doug Lapp. I am here today speaking on my own behalf as a farmer from Chester County Pennsylvania, not the Pa. Farm Bureau. I am on the Chester Delaware County Farm Bureau Board of Directors. I also am the Agriculture Liaison for Hunters United for Sunday Hunting. 
Along with my father and grandfather, we farm a few thousand acres. With it just being the three of us involved in the business it is quite the workload. During the spring planting season and fall harvest season we operate six days a week. We always take off on Sundays, no matter the weather, for two reasons; to attend church and to relax and decompress from a long work week. 
One of the fun activities growing up was going hunting with my father and grandfather. Harvest was typically done by Thanksgiving which allowed them to take off work the first day of the gun season and we would hunt together. As I got older I wanted to hunt more. Luckily crossbows had just been legalized in certain parts of the state. Since my father was never able to hunt in archery season he was not able to teach me how to use a compound bow. Due to this, my father bought me a crossbow for Christmas and we made a tree stand which would be safe enough for me to be in by myself. That was all my father had time for because we work all-day-everyday throughout the fall hunting seasons. Every day that is except Sunday.
I didn’t realize the experiences and memories I missed out on until I got married and started hearing the stories that my wife and her siblings have of going on youth hunts, small game hunting, and turkey hunting with their father and grandfather. It has always bothered my father and I that we could not hunt Sunday afternoons but after realizing all of the opportunity that is missed by someone in a circumstance like my own; I decided I was going to do something about it.
I called the Pennsylvania Game Commission and asked why can’t we hunt on Sunday? I was told that it is a legislative issue and to talk to my local representative. I talked to my state Representative John Lawrence, he told me that while he agreed with my points about Sunday hunting until the Pennsylvania Farm Bureau changed its position it would be very difficult to pass any Sunday hunting legislation.
After talking with Representative Lawrence I made it my mission to get involved with the Farm Bureau to try to change this policy from the inside of the organization. At a county meeting last September, I was voted in as a member of the Chester Delaware County Farm Bureau Board of Directors. At the same meeting, I proposed a Sunday hunting compromise to the county. I told my story and why we should not be restricted and have the ability to control hunting on our own land. The policy passed with only one no vote.
I was a delegate at the 2018 Pennsylvania Farm Bureau state meeting. While on the floor I was able to speak on the Sunday hunting policy that was passed by the delegate body. The Farm Bureau wants people to believe the main opposition to hunting on Sunday is trespassing and the Pennsylvania trespass laws. The truth is at the PFB November policy meeting trespassing was only mentioned once in the entire two hours worth of debate. The main arguments against Sunday hunting were: people should be in church; hunters are too lazy and have plenty of opportunities to hunt; horse riders can only ride on Sundays without getting shot at; farmers want to have one day a week they don’t have to wear orange while working.
The Pennsylvania Farm Bureau misses the mark on Sunday hunting. The
Pennsylvania Farm Bureau typically fights for the rights of farmers to be able to operate on their land as they see fit. Somehow on this topic, the messaging got switched and some of the hardest working people in this state have less opportunity to hunt on their own land because of their own advocacy group. 
So where do we go from here? The Pennsylvania Farm Bureau is still going to be opposed to Sunday hunting unless a very specific criterion is met. Hunters United for Sunday Hunting is working to educate lawmakers on the subject. I have turned my focus on farmers who are hunters. I had over two dozen Pennsylvania Farm Bureau delegates come up to me at the annual Pennsylvania Farm Bureau meeting and thank me for what I was doing in the Sunday hunting fight. The Pennsylvania Farm Bureau currently portrays that it is united against this issue but that is far from the truth. I expect legislation to legalize Sunday hunting to pass this year but if that does not happen; keep an eye on Hershey Pennsylvania in November of 2019 because sparks will fly at the next state policy meeting. It is past time for the Pennsylvania Farm Bureau to stop infringing on its member's liberty and they will hear that message loud and clear. Douglas Benjamin Lapp Agriculture Liaison, Hunters United for Sunday Hunting & Chester Delaware County Farm Bureau Board of Directors

HUNTERS UNITED FOR SUNDAY HUNTING COMMENTS TO PA GAME COMMISSION - JANUARY 2019

Jan 27, 2019 Hunters United for Sunday Hunting Executive Director Harold Daub presents public testimony to Pennsylvania Game Commission Board of Commissioners asking for continued support of legislative action to repeal the prohibition on Sunday hunting in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.

President Layton, Commissioners, Executive Director Burhans and Deputy Executive Director Grohol and Palmer,  

Good afternoon gentlemen.  My name is Harold Daub, I am the Executive Director for Hunters United for Sunday Hunting.  I am here today to ask you, the Board of Commissioners to continue your support of legislative action to repeal the prohibition on Sunday hunting in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.

In the past 10 months, Hunters United for Sunday Hunting has been working hard educating people on what your resolution means and what it will do for hunters, conservation and the commonwealth.  There is currently more support than there has ever been for removing the Sunday hunting prohibition language in PA Title 34 Game Law and transfer full regulatory authority to the Pa. Game Commission.

Many polls and surveys have been conducted by legislators, media, and others to find out what hunters and people have to say on the subject.  The result on average is 80% favor removing the prohibition on Sunday hunting.

I have presented to you an example of this. Five weeks ago we released the boards Sunday hunting endorsement.  It has been read nearly 21,000 times, shared 8,800 times and contains 509 comments.  As you read through it, keep in mind, these are direct comments on the PGC Board’s support for Sunday hunting.  Here is a sampling of what people are saying.

“Thank you for supporting Sunday hunting. A major step in getting the States approval.”

“It’s about time PA gets with the program. Sunday hunting would be a great thing”

“I think Sundays would be nice to get the kids out hunting. I don't see what the big deal is on hunting Sundays, a lot of farmers I know with crop damage would love to see hunting on Sundays.”

“Sunday hunting would be great. As I'm getting older I enjoy mentoring our youth and adult hunters more than I enjoy spending it alone in the woods by myself. This would give me and my youth hunters more time to enjoy the outdoors as they have school and I have work sometimes six days a week. It’s hard to keep their interests if I can’t get them out. I totally support it.”

“Between work schedules and school times Sunday would be a great idea, would allow my children to get another day besides Saturday to hunt. They have been hooked in the sport since five years old hunting under the mentor program. We are all for Sunday hunting”

To further demonstrate that there is support for the boards Sunday hunting resolution.  Hunters United for Sunday Hunting has over 1,400 pages worth of signatures backing it.

There are those that believe we need the Pennsylvania Farm Bureau’s approval for Sunday hunting; legislators included.  Our observation has been that the Pa Farm Bureau has bullied legislators to a point where they believe that Pa. Farm Bureau speaks for you as Pa. Game Commission on wildlife management issues as well as all farmers in the commonwealth.

The PFB represents less-than-half of Pa. farmers. There are 58,000 farming operations in Pennsylvania.  There are only 22,648 total farmers in Pa. Farm Bureau. 75% of those members support a change to the policy regarding the existing Sunday hunting prohibition.

Why is this important? It is time to stand up to the bully.  The Pa. Farm Bureau is going to present you with their demands for wildlife management.  The demands are not founded in any type of biology or science.  If you consider them,  I encourage you to follow in the words of Executive Director Bryan Burhans as he has stated: “the biggest tool that I can give the farm bureau is Sunday hunting.”  Then do just that, help educate legislators and people on the PGC established process for wildlife management and how hunting on Sundays will be of benefit to everyone, including farmers.

Recently Senator Dan Laughlin and Senator James Brewster have been named to lead the Senate Game and Fisheries Committee.  Representative Keith Gillespie and Representative William Kortz will lead the House Game and Fisheries Committee.  I am very excited by these appointments as all four have indicated their strong support for removing the prohibition.  To the best of my knowledge, we’ve never had this much support from the chairpersons of those committees.

Hunters want a change.  There are 20 hunting and conservation organizations representing 1.4 million Pa. sportsmen and women involved in this effort to grant authority to the Pa. Game Commission to decide what is best for Sunday hunting.

Your continued support of legislative action to repeal the prohibition on Sunday hunting will solidify your commitment to the hunters of Pa. and the newly appointed members of Pa. Game and Fisheries Committees.

I will close with the words of Representative Keith Gillespie where he said this about Sunday hunting prohibition; “What may have been suitable 10 or 15 years ago sometimes needs brought up to speed, and I think that’s what we have going on here.  I think a big part of that would be to put it in the hands of a professional agency like the game commission.”

With your help, the effort of all supporting conservation organizations, and most importantly the overwhelming support of Pennsylvania's outdoor community we can get this done during this legislative session.

Thank for your time, efforts, and dedication to conservation.

Sincerely;

Harold Daub

Executive Director, Hunters United for Sunday Hunting

Pa Game Commission Sunday Hunting Resolution