PA No Sunday Hunting

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Curious what other states don't allow Sunday hunting? PA only allows you to hunt on Sunday a few days per year.
 
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OP
Subliminal1
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I had to look this up because I thought you were trolling or referencing a meme I hadn’t seen. That law is one of the dumbest things I’ve ever heard.
Yup, I completely agree with you. Not being from PA and moving here a couple years ago I was completely surprised by this. Reminds me my college days down in SC. We would drive to NC if we ran out of alcohol on the weekend (dry County on Sunday) 🙄.
 
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OP
Subliminal1
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Spent some time out east and could never understand these laws/regulations.
I don't understand why the laws aren't updated. A few years ago they changed it to where you get to hunt like 2 days out of the year on Sunday... why not just change it to allow hunting on Sunday. Instead you have to mark it on the calendar and its like ok! Good to go this Sunday! That being said, how laws are created or amended in PA is really weird to me as well.
 
OP
Subliminal1
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I dunno if it's true or not but I did some work up in Northern PA (pretty nice up there) and they local company guys were telling me this came about because women wanted the men to be home and not spend all their free time hunting.
Haha thats pretty funny. Everyone tells me it ties back to Sunday being the day of rest thing (idk if that is true or not)...

what happened to separation of church and state lol
 

BBob

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“Sunday hunting had been prohibited in Pennsylvania since the 19th century—though crows, foxes and coyotes are an exception to the rule. The commonwealth was one of only 11 states with statutes that either ban or restrict hunting on Sundays.”

Sunday hunting was banned over what is termed “blue laws.” A holdover from Colonial America, blue laws were designed to encourage Christian worship on Sundays. Stores and taverns, for example, were closed on Sundays throughout much of Colonial New England. Work, various leisure activities and hunting also were banned or frowned upon by the larger society. When Colonial America became the United States, many of the states included the blue laws in their legal statutes.
 
OP
Subliminal1
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“Sunday hunting had been prohibited in Pennsylvania since the 19th century—though crows, foxes and coyotes are an exception to the rule. The commonwealth was one of only 11 states with statutes that either ban or restrict hunting on Sundays.”

Sunday hunting was banned over what is termed “blue laws.” A holdover from Colonial America, blue laws were designed to encourage Christian worship on Sundays. Stores and taverns, for example, were closed on Sundays throughout much of Colonial New England. Work, various leisure activities and hunting also were banned or frowned upon by the larger society. When Colonial America became the United States, many of the states included the blue laws in their legal statutes.
Thanks Bob! That explains a lot!
 

CJ19

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PA Game Commission did a good job finding a happy medium in getting a some Sunday hunting days in the calendar. Hopefully, as some of the large politically powerful groups become more comfortable with the change they will expand the number of days. I think its positive if they can move in that direction and eventually get all sunday hunting in but that will meet opposition im sure.
you can't fix stupid......and we got a lot of stupid here.

there is a lot of stupid everywhere, but this isn't a case of that. PA Farm Bureau and other organizations such as some non hunting trails groups etc etc (I cant remember the names and all the group bc its been a few years) were in opposition for their own reasons.
 
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Maine Connecticut Mass are also no Sunday hunting.
VA opened a few years ago. NC has limited Sunday hunting on public. I think SC opened this year.

It’s a stupid stupid law. I’ve been to a number of the public hearings to voice my opinion…
 

Jethro

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What @BBob posted is accurate. Its a legislature issue and the game commission doesn't get to decide on Sunday hunting. Even when we got the 3 Sundays in 2020 it was met by opposition. Farm Bureau, private land owners (even some PLO that are hunters), and non-hunting outdoor groups. Claims of increased trespassing, crime, and danger was the argument. Ultimately we got the 3 days, pushed through as more hunter opportunity especially for school age kids and hunters with school age kids. The PGC has taken a lot of steps to increase young hunter opportunity in recent years.
 

knale87

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It was great when Pa changed opening day to Saturday but you couldn’t hunt the following Sunday. At least they changed that now.

NJ you can bow hunt for whitetails on private or WMA’s on Sunday’s, but no other hunting.
 

CJ19

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It was great when Pa changed opening day to Saturday but you couldn’t hunt the following Sunday. At least the changed that now.

NJ you can bow hunt for whitetails on private or WMA’s on Sunday’s, but no other hunting.

Most people i know thoroughly dis like the whitetail opener move to Saturday. I thought it was great at first but I have to admit, I think it was better on Monday now that it has been in place a few years. There is a movement to move it back to Monday gaining steam from what I understand.
 

Yoder

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I think it started because the churches were losing money. If you hunt National forest land in PA, look up the regulations. One area I hunt has no hunting at all on Sunday. They don't care if the state allows it certain days. I'm glad I looked it up or I would have had no idea. Also no spotting.
 
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