View Full Version : Hiking on Sundays, No hunting on Sundays
The following states do not allow hunting on Sunday: PA, NJ, and MA. Can any one add to the list???
QuarterPounder
12-07-2009, 10:50
It is illegal to hunt on Sunday in Virginia except in "licensed shooting preserves".... whatever that means :-?
QP
North Carolina is another one.
To be 100% accurate, Pennsylvania does allow hunting of coyotes, foxes and crows on Sundays. I wouldn't hazard a guess as to the total number of people hunting on Sundays, but would think the number to be quite small. Sunday hunting likely occurs mostly on private land, particularly farms or hunting club owned land.
Snowleopard
12-07-2009, 17:27
CT, MA, ME in New England have no sunday hunting.
CT has no sunday hunting except on "licensed private shooting preserves".
ME "Sunday Hunting is illegal in Maine."
I'm pretty sure VT, NH and NY DO have legal Sunday hunting.
During deer season I'd still wear blaze orange on Sunday here in MA.
PA also allows hunting on Sundays in licensed hunting preserves. Those are places with high fences that have exotic deer and wild hogs in them. Here is one example: http://www.tiogaboarhunting.com/
To be 100% accurate, Pennsylvania does allow hunting of coyotes, foxes and crows on Sundays. I wouldn't hazard a guess as to the total number of people hunting on Sundays, but would think the number to be quite small. Sunday hunting likely occurs mostly on private land, particularly farms or hunting club owned land.
There may be Sunday hunting on preserves or at hunting clubs, I don't know the exact laws in that respect, but normal hunting is not allowed on "private land or farms" on Sunday.
The Sunday hunting to which I referred is specified in my 1st sentence. Ki0eh mentioned another.
When I was hiking in PA the week after thanksgiving I was headed south from boiling springs. I saw hunters just walking down the AT. I saw at least 3 tree stands with in 10 - 20 yards of the trail. When I was at a shelter on nights hike from the MD line I was woken up by sounds in the shelter next to me, I thought I was alone but I had to pee at that point. When I got up there was a hunter setting it up like it was his own personal hunting tree stand or something. I asked him was he was doing and he said he didn't think anyone was here and took off quickly. I looked at my watch it was about 530.
I thought there was no hunting with in so many yards of the AT. I saw signs at every road crossing. I would assume that means shelters and blue blazes also.
1forcamping
12-08-2009, 12:02
Just because hunting on Sunday is illegal for some areas, doesn't mean there won't be hunters. It's best to wear blaze orange or avoid hiking at all during hunting season.
Just because hunting on Sunday is illegal for some areas, doesn't mean there won't be hunters. It's best to wear blaze orange or avoid hiking at all during hunting season.
So true. While 99.99% of hunters are careful, respectful, and law abiding, the 0.01% who are not are the ones who hunt on Sundays and shoot first and identify later.
sbennett
12-08-2009, 12:36
I was talking to my boss about the no-Sunday hunting law in NC yesterday and we really have no idea why it's a law at all. Any guesses? Is it a vestige from the past similar to the blue laws regarding alcohol on Sundays?
I thought there was no hunting within so many yards of the AT? I saw signs at every road crossing. I would assume that means shelters and blue blazes also.
You thought wrong. There are no safety zones. Who do you think would post them and pay for it? Hunters could not be expected to know they are approaching the AT otherwise.
That said, some shelters in the county where I reside are on small NPS AT corridor tracts where the general policy prohibits hunting. I'm not aware NPS policy has been modified locally to permit otherwise. The AT passes through other NPS tracts at some but not all public roads here too. It takes KTA's maps or better to sort out who owns the land and what regulations apply.
For more information, refer to ATC's Hunting and the A.T. (http://www.appalachiantrail.org/site/c.mqLTIYOwGlF/b.4805497/k.C545/Hunting_and_the_AT.htm)
bronconite
12-08-2009, 14:21
When I was hiking in PA the week after thanksgiving I was headed south from boiling springs. I saw hunters just walking down the AT. I saw at least 3 tree stands with in 10 - 20 yards of the trail. When I was at a shelter on nights hike from the MD line I was woken up by sounds in the shelter next to me, I thought I was alone but I had to pee at that point. When I got up there was a hunter setting it up like it was his own personal hunting tree stand or something. I asked him was he was doing and he said he didn't think anyone was here and took off quickly. I looked at my watch it was about 530.
I thought there was no hunting with in so many yards of the AT. I saw signs at every road crossing. I would assume that means shelters and blue blazes also.
Once south of Boiling Springs, most of the trail is in Michaux State Forest where hunting is allowed. To my knowledge there are no special restrictions on or around the AT (while in State Forest). It wouldn't be uncommen to see tree stands on public hunting land. 5:30 is a good time to be getting in the woods for deer hunting. I'm not aware of restrictions on daytime use of shelters, maybe someone else will chime in on that. I know if I was hunting, and needed to escape weather, I wouldn't hesitate using a shelter, although, I wouldn't hunt from one.
Which shelter were you at? And what exactly did the signs at the road crossings say?
Here is a bit of info on the State Forest you were in.
http://www.dcnr.state.pa.us/forestry/stateforests/michauxactivities.aspx
Barring better arguments, leave Sunday hunt ban alone (http://www.whiteblaze.net/forum/showpost.php?p=930999&postcount=39)
The Issue: There is some sentiment in the Pennsylvania Legislature to lift the state's long-standing ban on hunting on Sundays.
Our Opinion: The ban allows hikers hunter-free woods and is favored by farmers who permit hunting on their lands, so leave well enough alone.
To read the full text of the editorial posted to another thread, click on the link above. To read the thread, click on the thread's title in the upper righthand corner of the linked post.
Right or wrong, Reading Eagle claims in its editorial 11 states prohibit Sunday hunting. Have we listed 11 and how many of the 14 AT states are included in our list?
beakerman
12-09-2009, 17:22
Add MD to the list except for the suburban archery and some areas of far western MD.
Hoop Time
12-10-2009, 23:52
Not sure the Sunday hunting push in Pa. has much momentum so far. I hear some hunters groups even oppose it. But it bears keeping an eye on. My concern is somebody will push it through touting supposed economic benefits such as increased tourism or something.
bronconite
12-11-2009, 09:26
It's important to remember that the current issue in Pennsylvania is not to allow Sunday hunting in PA, it is to repeal the current law which bans it. There is a difference. If the repeal were successful, the Pennsylvania Game Comission would then make the decision if there would be hunting on Sundays or not. They do a pretty good job with their current responsibilities and authority so I suspect they could be trusted with this one.
warraghiyagey
12-11-2009, 10:15
It's important to remember that the current issue in Pennsylvania is not to allow Sunday hunting in PA, it is to repeal the current law which bans it.
Spoken like a true politician. . . :)
bronconite
12-11-2009, 13:49
Spoken like a true politician. . . :)
I can't believe you just swore at me like that. :D