Last year, legislation to repeal Pennsylvania’s longtime ban on general Sunday hunting passed the state Senate.

This was Senate Bill 67, which had also gained preliminary approval in the House of Representatives before the legislative session expired and with it another opportunity for Sunday hunting in Pennsylvania.

Earlier this month, Sen. Dan Laughlin, R-Erie, reintroduced Senate Bill 67. If that legislation manages to pass both chambers of the General Assembly this time around and is then signed into law by the governor, general Sunday hunting could finally become a reality for Pennsylvania.

The ban on Sunday hunting in Pennsylvania is a relic of the so-called Blue Laws, many of which were installed in the 19th Century and some even earlier. Over the past 50 years, most of these antiquated statutes have been eliminated as society has changed its perspective on cultural normalcy.

The ban on Sunday hunting was enacted in the 1870s when some of the first game laws were established. Because the prohibition of Sunday hunting is a state law, it would take an act of the state legislature to repeal it. For as long as I can remember, there have been movements driven by various groups and individuals to motivate our state legislature to act to approve general Sunday hunting. Obviously, none of those efforts has been successful so far.

Back in 2019, however, a small crack opened in the legislative wall of no Sunday hunting. A bill, also sponsored by Sen. Laughlin, passed the state legislature and empowered the Game Commission to designate three Sundays for hunting. Those opportunities went into effect for the 2020 hunting seasons with a Sunday in the archery deer season, one in bear season and another in the firearms deer season and have continued each year since then.

This trial run into Sunday hunting has been well received by most hunters and could be generally considered a success overall. That possibly could provide the momentum to get Sunday hunting across the finish line this time around.

My positive stance on Sunday hunting, however, has more to do with hunting in general rather than just the addition of Sunday opportunities. I personally have not hunted on a single one of the designated Sundays in the past five seasons. That was completely my personal choice not to hunt on a particular day and had nothing to do with it being a Sunday or not.

I also know plenty of fellow hunters were glad to have the extra hunting days available and took full advantage of them. And that is how it should be — a personal choice. If you want to spend a Sunday in the fall attending church or watching football or just relaxing at home, that’s great. Or if you prefer to spend your Sunday hunting in the autumn woods alone or with family and friends, that’s also great.

Personal choice also factors into the Sunday hunting issue from the landowner’s viewpoint. One objection frequently offered against Sunday hunting is that farmers and other landowners will close their land to hunting if Sunday hunting is allowed. Of course, a landowner has the choice and the right to close their land to hunting.

In fact, it would be interesting to know how much private land has been closed to hunting in the past 50 years when Sunday hunting was not a factor in that choice. And if Sunday hunting is seen as a deal-breaker currently, just post the property as no Sunday hunting rather than no hunting at all. Surely our policymakers are smart enough to negotiate such a compromise.

As both a hunter and a landowner myself, I would offer another perspective on Sunday hunting to fellow landowners. Do you really like the state dictating what you can or can’t do on your own property on a Sunday? I surely don’t.

If I have friends or other family members who would like to hunt on my property on a Sunday, I don’t like the state telling me they can’t. Along with all my fellow Pennsylvania hunters, I am a part-owner in 1.5 million acres of land known as the state game lands system. These lands have been purchased largely through our hunting license dollars and set aside specifically for public hunting and wildlife management.

We also should factor in another 2.2 million acres of state forest, more public land that is almost all open to public hunting. Except Sunday. We’re well into the third decade of the 21at Century. It’s well past time to have finally have Sunday hunting. There just aren’t many good reasons not to anymore.

As might be expected, the Game Commission fully supports the proposed repeal of all prohibitions regarding Sunday hunting.

“Hunting takes time, and a lack of time is one of the biggest reasons cited by hunters who stop hunting,” Game Commission Executive Director Steve Smith said. “Repealing the Sunday hunting ban and allowing the Game Commission to fully regulate Sunday hunting is an opportunity to provide hunters more time, which will help keep them engaged and carrying out their vital role in managing key wildlife populations. This legislation is beneficial to hunting’s future and the future of wildlife management in the Commonwealth. We support it and thank Senator Laughlin for again championing this important issue.”