PENNSYLVANIA, USA — Local lawmakers are hoping this is the year they can expand Sunday hunting in Pennsylvania.
The Pennsylvania Farm Bureau has been long against getting this passed.
But now, it says it will support adding more days as long as a few guidelines are approved.
Senate Bill 67 would remove all restrictions regarding Sunday hunting and give the Pennsylvania Game Commission sole authority to choose how often Sunday hunting can occur.
Back in 2019, the state legislature approved a bill that only allows three days a year for Sunday hunting.
The Pennsylvania Farm Bureau says farmers have long had conflicts with hunters on their land and were against additional Sunday hunting days in the past.
Now, they're willing to support adding more days as long as new legislation includes proposals to help farmers and the agriculture industry.
“Agriculture needs the hunters to harvest the deer off their land and the hunters need a place to hunt," said David Varner, media and marketing specialist for the Pennsylvania Farm Bureau.
"We’re all a part of that cohesive environment, and we’re really looking forward to hopefully working together not only now but in the future.”
To work together, state Sen. Greg Rothman wants to introduce a bill called the Ag Freedom Package.
This will include creating a database of vetted hunters, increasing penalties for trespassing on farmers' properties, streamlining the process for shooting and harvesting a deer for crop damage and adding a tenth member who is from the agriculture industry to the Pennsylvania Game Commission board.
State lawmakers hope to introduce the Ag Freedom Package when they reconvene in March.
If the package passes, legislators hope SB-67 will follow.