(The Center Square) – At long last, it looks like Pennsylvania’s prohibition of Sunday hunting will end.
The passage of House Bill 1431 in concurrence with the Senate signals a new era of game in the commonwealth.
Proponents of the prohibition maintain that a traditional day off should still be observed, while opponents maintain that the majority of hunters work throughout the week, limiting their opportunities to engage with the sport.
“The full repeal of this archaic restriction is finally coming to fruition thanks to the bipartisan support of the General Assembly,” said Sen. Dan Laughlin, R-Erie. “My advocacy for removing the state Sunday hunting restriction has been unwavering from the moment I was elected to office in 2016.”
After nearly a decade of unsuccessful attempts, Laughlin has seen the change through with a bipartisan and bicameral effort. The bill’s prime sponsor in the House was Democrat Rep. Mandy Steele of Cheswick.
The bill was the catalyst for much debate around the state’s game laws, leading to proposed amendments and arguments touching on other contentious issues within the hunting community, but a laser focus on the primary purpose of the bill saw it through.
Legislators weren’t the only ones who were enthusiastic to see the deal get done. Ahead of the vote, Steele read a long list of sportsmen’s groups who supported the change. Earlier this month, the state Game Commission Executive Director Steve Smith spoke about the pair of bills in the House and Senate.
“One of the biggest reasons hunters stop hunting is a lack of time,” said Smith. “While no one can add hours to the day or days to the week, removing the prohibition on Sunday hunting holds the potential to add significantly more time to the hunting calendar and keep hunters hunting.”
Detractors harkened back to days past when the traditional Sunday rest signaled quiet not only for hunters but for those who live near game land. Rep. Robert Leadbeter, R-Catawissa, said that the institution of Sunday hunting would create “another day of pressure, noise and conflict over shared land” and argued for the “cultural pause” afforded the state by preserving Sunday as a day of reflection.
The Congressional Sportsmen’s Foundation pointed to the potential fiscal impact of Sunday hunting, saying, “Pennsylvania Game Commission’s Budget receives no General Fund monies and is solely comprised of sportsmen and women generated dollars. In 2024 alone, the sale of hunting licenses contributed $41.9M in Pennsylvania, which in turn provided an additional $34.5M through the Pittman-Robertson Act, totaling around $76.4M in conservation dollars for the state.”
