Sunday Hunting Poll For Pennsylvania Shows Not Much Support
December 11, 2006
A recent survey conducted in Pennsylvania shows that it may be some time before expanded hunting, meaning big game – deer, bear, etc. – will be part of the hunters’ menu. According to Jim Collins of the Daily & Sunday Review, the survey shows most hunters don’t favor a Sunday hunt.
The readers have been passionate in their position on this subject. 70% of non-landowner hunters want to see Sundays open for hunting. A solid 80 percent of hunter/landowners want either no expansion of Sunday hunting, or a very limited trial. Almost 100 percent of non-hunter landowners object to any expansion of Sunday hunting.
I find this a more helpful survey in that it gives us a closer look at a broader cross-section of the populace, including hunters, non-hunters and landowners who hunt and those that don’t. The bottom line is that clearly the majority don’t favor expanding the Sunday hunt.
The difference that I see between the opposition to Pennsylvania’s Sunday hunt and in North Carolina, where they have been debating the same issue, is where the focus of the debate has turned. In Collin’s report, the focus of the debate seems to be directed at hunter’s actions and land access.
The problem is that many private landowners are opposed to any expansion of Sunday hunting. Since most hunting lands are private, the landowners control this issue. After all, without private lands to hunt upon, the issue is really moot. Expanded Sunday hunting cannot be sustained upon public lands only.
Most landowners who wrote, related stories of poor conduct of hunters during the other six days of the week. Their remarks made me almost ashamed to state that I am a hunter. I guess common sense is something rather lacking, especially among some deer hunters. Lest you think that all the complaints are against hunters from out of the area, alas, such is not the case. One farmer related how farm folks on either side of their farm simply hunted in their posted ground, without even asking permission. I must admit, I did not expect to read that. Nor did I expect that this farmer stated that many of the deer their neighbors shot were simply left to rot. What a wanton waste.
Other landowners told stories of hunters, especially deer and turkey hunters, who simply did not take the effort to ask permission to hunt. Not only that, the landowners told harrowing stories of litter, bad manners, and ATV’s tearing up their property. And that is just during the normal six days of hunting seasons. No wonder they want Sundays to themselves.
In North Carolina, these same issues exist but the focus has shifted to a debate over religion. North Carolina sits in the middle of what has been referred to as “The Bible Belt” and many there don’t want Sunday hunting to interfere with going to church. What is interesting is that polls and surveys similar to the one conducted in Pennsylvania, show very similar results. The majority of people, including hunters, don’t want Sunday hunting, yet the debate goes on in North Carolina over religion.
The Triangle Area News puts it this way.
Religion is perhaps the biggest reason why most people are opposed to hunting on Sunday. In fact, about 80 percent of people say they are in favor of hunting in general � just not on that day of the week.
Where the debate in North Carolina has centered around religion, many are bringing up such things as separation of Church and State as well as freedom of choice. Where we live in a democracy where the majority rules, it would only seem logical that when the majority of citizens oppose a Sunday hunt, that should be the rule.
But wait just a minute. There’s more to this story than religion, freedom of choice, separation of Church and State, landowner rights and the rights of hunters. There’s money! Hunting is big business and many in the business world are sitting and watching surrounding states rake in dollars because they offer Sunday hunting.
When money is the driving force, too many times we can toss out the window sense and sensibility. To me it is quite clear, at least in Pennsylvania and North Carolina. Not just a majority but an overwhelming majority of citizens have said no. They don’t want hunting on Sunday and that should be honored until such time that the majority view changes.
A fellow blogger and friend, Moose from over at Moose Droppings, on Sunday was interviewed by a local television station that is covering the debate on the North Carolina Sunday hunt. He was one of several hunters interviewed and claims to be the only one who spoke in opposition to overturning the law that bans Sunday hunting there. Visit his blog and find links to the story and a video clip of the compiled news story done by Ashley Smith of News 14.
If what Jim Collins writes in his article about the behavior of hunters in the Keystone state is true, it’s going to be a real long time before landowners are going to be willing to keep their land open at all, say nothing about an expanded Sunday hunt.
My advice to that crop of disrespectful morons who are ruining things for the rest of us is, grow up and learn some respect and decency for the generous land owner. The majority of us do and we aren’t going to sit idly by watching the likes of you be an instrument in spoiling the heritage of hunting.
Tom Remington
Most Commented Posts
If you enjoyed this post, make sure you subscribe to my RSS feed!
We feature the latest news, events and politics effecting the sports of hunting, fishing, and all outdoor activities in North America.
This article gets to the core of expanded hunting and we see both sides of the issue.
Yes many land owners are opposed to Sunday hunting as a consequence of poor manners by past hunters, so its nice to have a day with no pressure…
On the flip side when you work 9-5 five days a week having that extra day on the week end for more hunting time would be a great advantage for many hunters we speak too.
Tough call either way…?
Jim Collins is a writer for the Daily Review, but more than that he is also an insurance agent (property liability) and, apparently a sincere, practicing christian who seems to think we should not do much on Sunday except worship.
He paints a poor picture of Pennsylvania’s sportsmen and women that is not telling of a balanced view.
His “survey” also seemed customized to get the results he desired.
I posed the following comments and questions to Jim some time ago and he has not responded.
1. Please tell me what other recreation, licensed or non-licensed, including those that involve gambling and drinking, that one is prohibitied from participating in because of what day of the week it is.
2. I, as a landowner, have the right to deny Sunday hunting, or — Tuesday hunting for that matter. There is no compulsory compliance intended.
3. We talk fo saving the future of hunting by enlisting youngsters. However, some youngsters work parttime, or have farm chores on Saturdays, (as do some parents). Add that there are school requirements during the entire hunting season. Why then, would we support a discriminating policy that is so counter-productive?
4. “A day of peace — or rest” simply is not valid. We can shoot a hundred rounds of ammo into a target, we can hunt coyotes and vermin, we can hike, drive, quad and snowmobile, (on approved roads) — but we cannot take our bows to the woods!
5. Safety is not a valid issue. Boating, (fishing and recreational), typically causes more injuries to participants and by-standers than hunting. Statistics from states that allow Sunday hunting support that Sunday hunting does not increase accident rates.
Personnaly, I do not want Sunday hunting on my land when I have a cook-out, or am working in the woods. But I cannot stop my neighbors from riding their quads, shooting their guns or otherwise doing as they choose on their land — and that is America.
Jim Collins is a writer for the Daily Review, but more than that he is also an insurance agent (property liability) and, apparently a sincere, practicing Christian who seems to think we should not do much on Sunday except worship.
He paints a poor picture of Pennsylvania’s sportsmen and women that is not telling of a balanced view.
His “survey” also seemed customized to get the results he desired.
I posed the following comments and questions to Jim some time ago and he has not responded.
1. Please tell me what other recreation, licensed or non-licensed, including those that involve gambling and drinking, that one is prohibited from participating in because of what day of the week it is.
2. I, as a landowner, have the right to deny Sunday hunting, or — Tuesday hunting for that matter. There is no compulsory compliance intended.
3. We talk of saving the future of hunting by enlisting youngsters. However, some youngsters work part time, or have farm chores on Saturdays, (as do some parents). Add that there are school requirements during the entire hunting season. Why then, would we support a discriminating policy that is so counter-productive?
4. “A day of peace — or rest” simply is not valid. We can shoot a hundred rounds of ammo into a target, we can hunt coyotes and vermin, we can hike, drive, quad and snowmobile, (on approved roads) — but we cannot take our bows to the woods!
5. Safety is not a valid issue. Boating, (fishing and recreational), typically causes more injuries to participants and by-standers than hunting. Statistics from states that allow Sunday hunting support that Sunday hunting does not increase accident rates.
Personally, I do not want Sunday hunting on my land when I have a cook-out, or am working in the woods. But I cannot stop my neighbors from riding their quads, shooting their guns or otherwise doing as they choose on their land — and that is America.
Thanks for the comments Bob – both times, LOL!
All valid points that you make. I personally believe that the excuse that game needs “a day of rest” is invalid. Game never rest. They are always being stalked and disturbed by something.
In the overall discussion of Sunday hunting, I am reminded of an old story I use quite often in my writings. It goes like this:
Fred went next door to Joe’s house and asked Joe if he could borrow his ax. Joe said, “No, it’s Tuesday”.
Fred said, “Well, okay but what’s Tuesday got to do with me borrowing your ax?”
“Nothing,” replied Joe. “But if I don’t want you to borrow my ax, I guess one excuse is as good as another.”
I think this applies to the Sunday hunting debate. We all have our reasons why it should or shouldn’t happen but more often than not, we can come up with a host of excuses.