Once again I received a dose of “calendar shock” this week as I noticed the Fourth of July is next week. It seems like Memorial Day was just here. Can summer really be going that fast? I suppose so.

Besides being the two popular summer holidays, Memorial Day and the Fourth of July have another thing in common. Both are Fish-For-Free days in Pennsylvania. when no fishing license is required to fish on any waters of the state. If your plans for the holiday weekend include spending time outdoors near the water, a Fish-For-Free day is a great time to introduce a friend or family member to fishing. Or if you know someone who used to fish but has drifted away from the sport, inviting them to dust off their tackle again for a day can be a welcome gesture.

Of course, kids under 16 years old don’t need a fishing license to fish in Pennsylvania, so any day is a great day to take a youngster fishing. With kids out of school now, handing a young person a rod and reel is a worthwhile alternative to smartphones, iPads or other electronic diversions. Teaching others of any age to fish has the potential to give the continuing gift of a wholesome form of outdoor recreation, something that could potentially be a satisfying lifetime hobby.

And for those who will be taking advantage the free fishing day, remember that only the license requirement is waived. All other fishing laws and regulations are still in effect and must be complied with. Bass season doesn’t open until June 14, but all other species of game fish are currently in season. If you intend to keep your catch, make sure you know the size and creel limits that apply to the water where you are fishing. Those regulations can be found online at fishandboat.com or a summary of the fishing laws and regulations can be obtained at any fishing license issuing agent.

It appears that after generations of wrestling with the idea, repealing the so-called Blue Law that has long banned Sunday hunting in Pennsylvania may finally happen. Earlier this month, House Bill 1431 was approved by the House of Representatives and sent to the Senate. This legislation was introduced by Rep. Mandy Steele, D-Allegheny, and would fully repeal Pennsylvania’s Sunday hunting ban. This bill is identical to Senate Bill 67 that was introduced last year by Sen. Dan Laughlin, R-Erie. That bill passed the state Senate and had also gained preliminary approval in the House of Representatives before the legislative session expired. Laughlin reintroduced the bill this March. If either of these bills pass both chambers of the General Assembly this time around and subsequently signed into law by the governor, general Sunday hunting could become a reality for Pennsylvania. Finally.

As would be expected, the Pennsylvania Game Commission supports the proposal to repeal the prohibition of Sunday hunting. Game Commission Executive Director Steve Smith, “Though hunters play an active role in helping to manage wildlife populations, through the purchase of their licenses and other revenue they generate, they also fund wildlife conservation at a larger scale, for all species. For those reasons and others, it’s important to keep hunters engaged and providing the valuable service they do. These bills would help accomplish that. One of the biggest reasons hunters stop hunting is a lack of time. 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. On behalf of the Game

Commission and hunters all across the Commonwealth, I sincerely thank Representative Steele for introducing this legislation, Chairwoman Anita Kulik for her leadership in guiding it through the House Game and Fisheries Committee, and all the members who supported this important initiative.”

One cause for optimism regarding the current attempt to establish general Sunday hunting in Pennsylvania is the apparent amount of broad-based support behind the effort. The Game Commission says it has been working closely with a coalition of interested parties including many sportsmen’s groups and Pennsylvania Farm Bureau to encourage the passage of legislation authorizing the Game Commission to regulate Sunday hunting.

Of course, we have long had Sunday hunting opportunities for foxes, coyotes and crows. In 2019, 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. Back then, I thought it would be another three years before general Sunday hunting was approved. Although it has been six years, and that trial run into Sunday hunting is generally considered an overall success and possibly the final push to get Sunday hunting across the finish line now.

Just a day or so after I completed the initial draft of this column, I received word that House Bill 1431 passed the Senate by a vote of 34-16. The bill will go back to the House of Representatives for a final vote on concurrence and then on to the governor’s office to be signed into law.