Public Divided on Sunday Hunting

Hunting on Sunday for deer and other wildlife?

Some people are for it, some people are against it. Most hunters want it; most farmers don't.

Some say it will give the Commonwealth's economy a much-needed shot in the arm and get youth more involved in the sport. And some say that it will disturb a day meant for tranquility.

The state House's Game and Fisheries Committee heard both sides at a public hearing -- the second of three in the state -- before a standing-room-only crowd at the East Allen Township municipal building Thursday night.

"This is a very controversial issue," said state Rep. John R. Evans, R-5th, who co-chairs the committee and represents parts of Erie and Crawford counties in northwestern Pennsylvania. "We don't take this issue lightly."

In June, the Pennsylvania Game Commission voted 4-3 to support legislation -- House Bill 1760 -- to allow hunting on Sundays of deer and other wildlife. The law currently allows Sunday hunting of fox, coyote and crows.

The committee heard testimony from various groups, including farmers, bowhunters, a hunting club and the former adviser to the Governor's Youth Council on Hunting, Fishing and Conservation.

"You can fish on Sunday, you can buy liquor and go to the mall on Sunday, but you can't hunt," said Janet Nyce, advocate for women and youth in the outdoors and the former governor council adviser. "It's discrimination in its highest form and I'm tired of it."

Not everyone agreed with that statement, though.

State Rep. Marcia Hahn, R-138th, who hosted the session, said in a survey of constituents in her 138th district -- which includes the Bath area and parts of western and northern Northampton County -- 62 percent are against allowing hunting on Sunday.

"When this issue first came up, I was surprised," she said. "I thought this was a no-brainer."

In some counties, the first day of deer hunting is a day off from school. In others, hunting is a sport that should remain for just six days a week, some argue.

That was the thrust of the testimony of Robert Krause, master, Star Grange-Northampton, for the Pennsylvania State Grange, and Ray Mack, president of the Northampton/Monroe County Farm Bureau.

"Sunday is a day of rest and relaxation," Krause said. "We don't need the disturbance and danger of hunting to birdwatchers and anyone in any forest on a Sunday. People should enjoy the day without a fear of hunters."

"My statement is identical to Krause," Mack said.

Pennsylvania is one of 11 states in the nation where hunting is banned on Sunday, Evans said. There's also a debate that private landowners should be allowed to hunt on their property any day they choose.

State Rep. Joe Emrick, R-137th, who represents the Nazareth area, Palmer and Forks townships and part of the Slate Belt, said that he's concerned that farmers may ban their property from hunters on any day because they are angry about hunting on Sunday.

"One of my fears is that we may have hunters with a lot less places to hunt if this goes through," Emrick said. "That was not the intention of the bill."

Emrick also expressed concerns what Sunday hunting might bring to an already decimated deer population.

Evans told Emrick that his concerns would be addressed by Game Commission members at the third hearing in Harrisburg in October.

One major point that most who testified seemed to agree with is that youth need to be educated about the importance of hunting and brought into the fold to carry on the sport for generations to come.

"I treasure the Sundays of fall, for sleeping in and because I'd like to go hunting on Sunday," stated Jillian Clemente, a youth member of the United Bowhunters of Pennsylvania. "It would mean my family and I could hunt, it would create 4,400 jobs and appeal more to youth to enjoy the sport because we'd have an extra day on the weekend."

Tim Reiger, vice president of the Lehigh Valley chapter of the Safari Club International, said hunting would boost the economy by providing the sale of more licenses to residents and out-of-state residents and help generate income for gun shops, restaurants, hotels and mini-marts.

Nyce said she's waited two decades for hunting to happen on Sundays.

"This is about not having personal choice," she said. "I implore you to have the courage to get this right."