Local hunters react to possibility of added Sunday hunting
The Pennsylvania Game Commission is expected to vote during its monthly meeting on Monday, July 28, on a proposed resolution to add 10 Sundays to its 2025-26 hunting schedule.
The decision, which could bolster donations of venison to a local nonprofit and provide hunters with more opportunities, would follow the passage of House Bill 1431 — legislation repealing the existing Sunday hunting ban in Pennsylvania.
Gov. Josh Shapiro signed the bill into law on July 9. It takes effect on Sept. 7.
Under the proposed resolution, the 10 Sundays would run consecutively from Sept. 14 through Dec. 7 and would allow hunting of all in-season game except for migratory birds.
Prior to the signing of House Bill 1431, hunting on Sunday was almost entirely banned in Pennsylvania, with the exception of three Sundays during the fall when most game would be legal to hunt. Foxes, coyotes and crows are also legal to hunt on Sundays during their respective seasons.
“It'll give the guys at work an extra day to hunt,” said hunter Wayne Van Dyke of Marion Township, who is retired. “I already hunt coyotes seven days a week.”
Travis Lau, spokesman for the Game Commission, said, while he expected a final decision to be made during the Monday meeting, he stressed the text of the proposed resolution is tentative and could be changed depending on certain factors. He added the schedule of Sundays may be changed or reduced.
“I would imagine there's going to be a thorough discussion about Sunday hunting that would include whatever public comment we might get on that topic and also reports from our own staff in addressing any potential concerns with wildlife impacts,” Lau said. “Whatever we do, we need to make sure that we're taking care of our wildlife.”
The three Sundays set aside for hunting for the coming season were Nov. 16, 23 and 30, per the schedule set in April.
Tom Rossman is the county coordinator for Hunters Sharing the Harvest, a program which distributes deer meat from hunters who donate their surplus supplies. He said the extra hunting days may lead to extra donations.
“We may get more venison to pass out to the local food banks,” Rossman said. “I’m sure it’ll increase our production. We’ve done quite a bit, and this would only tend to increase it.”
He added he has no objections to the addition of Sunday hunting, as few other states have as many restrictions on it as Pennsylvania. Hunting on Sunday is outright prohibited in Maine and Massachusetts, and some prohibitions still exist in eight other states.
“When I go out West, I hunt on Sundays,” Rossman said. “I go to Colorado and other states out west.”
Robert Jesteadt, owner of Bob’s Deer Processing in Prospect, said he believes the extra days of hunting — if they go through — still may not make much of a difference to the deer population in Pennsylvania, which he believes is growing out of control.
“There's too many deer. They need shooting somehow,” Jesteadt said.
The Game Commission meeting was originally scheduled for July 11, but was postponed to Monday, July 28, due to the discussion on changing Sunday’s hunting situation.
