Legislatures in six eastern states are considering legislation that expand Sunday hunting opportunities.
“Expanding Sunday hunting is an easy way to expand access to sportsmen and women throughout the country. Lack of hunting opportunities is the most frequently cited reason why people give up hunting. It’s high time we opened this opportunity for the remaining eastern states that still have these unnecessary and harmful restrictions,” said Dillon Barto, manager of state services at the Sportsmen’s Alliance.
Below is a list of the status of the legislation pending in each state. Sportsmen need to contact their state representatives and senators to express support for allowing working-class hunters to participate in hunting on Sundays. Use the Sportsmen’s Alliance Legislative Action Center to contact your legislators.
Maryland
These Senate bills are currently pending before the Senate Education, Health and Environmental Affairs Committee and are scheduled for a first hearing on March 9.
- Senate Bill 98: Permits Sunday Hunting in Somerset County on both public and private property.
- Senate Bill 140: Permits Sunday Hunting in Talbot County on both public and private property.
- Senate Bill 220: Permits Sunday Hunting in Calvert County on both public and private property.
- Senate Bill 233: Permits Sunday Deer Hunting in Prince Georges County on both public and private property. The bill also adds expands safety zones for archery hunters.
- Senate Bill 342: Permits Sunday Hunting in Queen Annes County on both public and private property.
- Senate Bill 388: Permits Sunday Hunting in Charles County on both public and private property.
House Bill 1279: Permits Sunday hunting everywhere in the state on both private and public property, with limited restrictions by county and species. The bill also establishes uniform safety zones for bowhunters across the state. This bill is currently pending before the House Environment and Transportation Committee and is scheduled for a first hearing March 9.
New Jersey
- Assembly Bill 2591: Pending before the House Agriculture and food Security Committee, it permits Sunday deer hunting with firearms on wildlife management areas, private property and federal military land with permission from the appropriate authority.
- Senate Bill 1118: Pending before the Senate Environment and Energy Committee, it permits Sunday deer hunting with bow and arrow on federal military land with permission from the appropriate authority.
Pennsylvania
- Senate Bill 607: Has passed the Senate Game and Fisheries Committee and is awaiting a floor vote in the Senate. SB 607 expands Sunday hunting throughout the state for all hunting seasons where allowed by the Pennsylvania Game Commission.
Virginia
- Senate Bill 8: Permits Sunday hunting on both public and private property. SB 8 passed the Senate and is pending before the House Agriculture, Chesapeake and Natural Resources Committee.
Massachusetts
These pieces of legislation are currently pending before the Joint Environment, Natural resources and Agriculture Committee
- House Bill 914: Permits Sunday hunting with bow and arrow.
- House Bill 984: Permits all Sunday hunting.
- House Bill 1015: Permits Sunday hunting with bow and arrow.
- House Bill 1019: Permits Sunday deer hunting.
- House Bill 1023 and companion Senate Bill 547: Permits Sunday deer hunting and establishing protections against individuals intentionally impeding lawful fishing and hunting.
South Carolina
- House Bill 4614: Permits Sunday hunting in wildlife management areas and is currently pending before the House Agriculture, Natural Resources and Environmental Affairs Committee.
About the Sportsmen’s Alliance: The Sportsmen’s Alliance protects and defends America’s wildlife conservation programs and the pursuits – hunting, fishing and trapping – that generate the money to pay for them. Sportsmen’s Alliance Foundation is responsible for public education, legal defense and research. Its mission is accomplished through several distinct programs coordinated to provide the most complete defense capability possible. Stay connected to Sportsmen’s Alliance: Online, Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.