And on the 7th day, they hunted.  That is the wish of many sportsmen across Pennsylvania who want state lawmakers to permit hunting on Sundays.  We'll take a fresh look at the debate over lifting the ban on Sunday hunting on Smart Talk, tonight at 8, on witf TV.

Pennsylvania is one of only seven states that ban hunting on Sunday.  That prohibition has been in effect since 1873.  A bill in the state House (HB 1760), sponsored by Rep. John Evans (R-Erie/Crawford), would lift the ban and allow the Pennsylvania Game Commission to determine when and where Sunday hunting could take place.  The Game Commission voted last summer to support the measure.  The Pennsylvania Farm Bureau opposes lifting the ban, but expects its members to vote again on the issue at their annual meeting November 14-16.  The PFB fears that Sunday hunting could infringe on the rights and enjoyment of nature enthusiasts, hikers, bikers and "leaf peepers." That new term arose last week at a House Game and Fisheries Committee hearing.  According to Joel Rotz, state governmental relations director of the Farm Bureau, a leaf peeper is one who enjoys looking at the fall foliage.

But sportsmen's groups like the NRA argue that this old Blue Law costs Pennsylvania hundreds of millions in lost revenue from additional hunting.  The theory goes that if hunters could schedule an entire weekend of hunting, their numbers would increase and so would their spending.  Keep in mind that the number of hunters registered in Pennsylvania has declined consistently over the past 20 years.  The Game Commission reports that the number of licenses issued annually has fallen more than 20 percent since 1990, from 1.1 million to 927,655 in 2009.

A recent report from the state Legislative Budget and Finance Committee bolsters the argument for more hunting days.  The study put the figure to be gained from Sunday hunting at more than $800 million.  The Farm Bureau's Joel Rotz takes issue with that study.  He testified last week, "How much of the expected economic impact is actually new dollars coming into the state?  In other words, are we concluding that everyone who will be out hunting on Sundays currently does nothing to contribute to the state's economy on Sunday?"

Mike Budzik, a lobbyist with the U.S. Sportsmen's Alliance, also testified at the most recent House hearing.  He said Ohio lifted its Sunday hunting ban in 2002 and there haven't been any problems.  "We haven't shot any horseback riders, haven't shot any horses.  We haven't got any mushroom pickers, or berry pickers, or hikers, or peepers, or whatever.  Honestly, in not any joking form, it hasn't happened," Budzik told the committee.

Our guests include Gary Swan, manager of the Governmental Affairs and Communications Division of the PA Farm Bureau, and Ryan Furrer, a national champion archer and Northeast Regional Director of the Quality Deer Management Association. Join the conversation and let us know what YOU think of Sunday hunting.  Call in live at 8 p.m. to 1-800-729-7532, email us now at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it or post a comment to Facebook.