From: kdw@icd.ab.com (Kenneth D. Whitehead)
Subject: Re: Sunday Hunting blue law
Organization: Allen-Bradley Company, Inc.
Date: 15 Oct 92 08:46:23 CDT
Originator: hunting@osnome.che.wisc.edu

>From article <1992Oct7.094235.2610@doug.cae.wisc.edu>, by kdw@icd.ab.com 
(Kenneth D. Whitehead):
> I've seen the thread regarding prohibitions on Sunday hunting, and
> how there were some fellows that didn't believe they still existed.
> Believe me, they do,  In Pennsylvania and Ohio, the two states I hunt
> the most, you can't hunt Sundays (there are some variances to this,
> though - In Ohio, I think you can hunt waterfowl on Sundays.
> I've written to the DNR several times trying to get somebody to
> change the law so we can bowhunt on Sunday, but so far no luck.

Steve Frysinger replies:

>>New Jersey has this law too. And, as a hunter, I'm glad.  

>>By providing one day a week throughout the year on which non-hunters
>>can safely use the woods, this takes a lot of anti-hunting pressure
>>off of us.

These Sunday no hunting laws seem to be unique to each individual
state; for example, I had some guys come to my camp in Pennsylvania
for a weekend of spring turkey hunting (they were from Michigan) last
spring.  After spending $80.50 for a non-resident license, they were
dismayed to find out they couldn't hunt Sundays, for they could in
Michigan. (I thought they were a little strange for being willing to
pay that much for one day, but I never thought to ask, since I've
NEVER been able to hunt Sundays, and had no idea they expected to.)

In New Jersey, you may have such a small amount of habitat to hunt on
that conflicts between hunters and hikers are a potential problem;
under these circumstances, I must agree with your willingness to share
the woods.  However, in the places I hunt such a conflict doesn't
exist, and for most folks (those of us who work full time jobs and can
usually only hunt on weekends), providing Sunday bowhunting would
effectively double our available hunting time without using up
precious vacation days.

Keith Koman writes:

>>Isn't it also a matter of custom and etiquette?  A number of
>>landowners hold fast to the "No hunting, Sunday's" principle -- always
>>found it a good thing to ask about first.  And even if they don't
>>raise the subject, taking the initiative yourself works to your
>>advantage no matter what they happen to say -- it's just a matter of
>>common courtesy when a guest on someone's property.  On a personal
>>note, on a long hunt a Sunday break suits me fine -- bit of R&R you
>>might say!

>>Cheers,
>>Keith


Here in the US it's mostly a matter of state law, and as such, varies
>from state to state.  There was a time in US society when Sunday was
expected to be observed as a day of rest, and hunting as well as many
other activities were curtailed by both law and custom.  Then, some
years ago, laws prohibiting these certain activities (known widely as
"blue laws") were eliminated as unreasonable linkage between church
and state, and custom, for the most part, has followed suit (but not
everywhere).

As I understand it, the biggest opposition to Sunday hunting does come
>from farmers, who mostly don't want to hear guns going off on Sundays,
or be bothered for permission to hunt during Sunday dinner (or at
least that's the story I get in Ohio).  On the other hand, deer
depradation of farmer's crops is becoming a REAL problem, and
bowhunting is a pretty quiet an inobtrusive way to manage the herd.
Sunday hunting is a reality in most states; I'd just like to see the
two states that I hunt the most (Ohio and Pa.) catch up to the rest of
the country, so I'd have two days a week to hunt instead of one
(unless I use my vacation time).

Ken










Newsgroups: rec.hunting