Keith Lusher 07.18.25
Pennsylvania hunters just got some great news. Gov. Josh Shapiro signed a new law this week that tosses out the state’s old Sunday hunting ban for good.
The governor signed on House Bill 1431 at the Blue Ridge Sportsman Club in Dauphin County. With that stroke of the pen, Pennsylvania joined 39 other states that don’t limit hunting on Sundays.
This change has been coming for a long time. The Sunday ban dates back to Pennsylvania’s early days, when Quaker blue laws prohibited certain activities on the sabbath. For most hunters, that meant losing a full day every weekend to get out in the woods.
“For years, we heard from hunters across Pennsylvania frustrated by the Sunday hunting ban,” said Pennsylvania Game Commission Executive Director Steve Smith. “From young hunters with school obligations to folks working two jobs and parents balancing family time on weekends, all wanting more time outdoors.”
The new law kicks in on September 7. It gives the Game Commission the power to set Sunday hunting seasons based on what is best for wildlife management and what hunters want.
Before this change, Pennsylvania only allowed hunting on three Sundays yearly: one during archery season, one during rifle season, and one picked by the Game Commission. Now the commission can open up on any Sunday they think works.
This isn’t just good news for hunters; it’s good news for Pennsylvania’s economy, too. Hunting brings in over $1.6 billion every year and supports more than 15,000 jobs. More hunting days mean more hunters coming to Pennsylvania from other states, which means more money flowing into rural communities.
Pennsylvania has about 850,000 licensed hunters, second only to Texas. That’s a lot of guys and gals who’ve been wanting more time in the field.
Rep. Mandy Steele, the Democrat who sponsored the bill, knows what balancing hunting with a busy life is like. She talked about how hard it was for working families to find time to hunt and pass on the tradition to their kids.
“I’ve seen the way that their brains awaken when we’re out in the forest, studying plants, animals, weather patterns,” Steele said about hunting with her four children.
The Pennsylvania Farm Bureau backed the law, too. They know that more hunting days mean better control of deer populations, which helps protect crops from damage.
The law also tightens up trespassing rules. If you get caught hunting on someone else’s land without permission, you’ll face harsher penalties and could lose your hunting license for up to three years.
Some environmental groups still oppose the change. They worry about safety for hikers and other outdoor enthusiasts. But supporters say this law is about freedom—the freedom to hunt, the freedom for families to spend time together outdoors, and the freedom for the Game Commission to manage wildlife properly.
The Game Commission has yet to announce which Sundays will be open for hunting. They’re working with their board and biologists to determine that. Smith told hunters to “stay tuned and buy your hunting license.”
After decades of fighting this old ban, Pennsylvania hunters finally got what they wanted. More days in the field, more chances to fill the freezer, and more opportunities to teach the next generation what hunting is all about.
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