Pennsylvania Repeals 300-Year Sunday Hunting Ban

Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro has signed House Bill 1431, now Act 36 of 2025, repealing the state's longstanding ban on Sunday hunting. This law grants the Pennsylvania Game Commission full authority to set Sunday hunting dates, expanding opportunities beyond the previous limit of three designated Sundays annually. The change is expected to boost outdoor recreation, help manage wildlife populations, support hunter recruitment, and benefit agriculture by reducing crop damage from wildlife. Shapiro described the law as a restoration of freedoms for hunters and families to pass down traditions, while also modernizing Pennsylvania's hunting regulations. The law will take effect on September 7, with implementation plans to be announced soon, and includes enhanced trespassing protections to address previous concerns. This development marks a significant shift away from Pennsylvania's historical blue laws rooted in Quaker traditions and aims to strengthen the state's $1.6 billion hunting economy.