On July 9, Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro signed the bill allowing Sunday hunting in the Commonwealth. Don’t rush out and start hunting on Sundays quite yet, there is now a 60-day window opened for the new law to take effect.

Once the law takes effect it will completely remove the prohibition on Sunday hunting. Congratulations to our friends and readers on the other side of the Delaware on this historic legislation! It’s been a long time coming, as they say.

The ban on Sunday hunting is a vestige of the “blue laws” which were enacted to prevent certain behaviors on the day when much of the population worships. I understand those laws and our traditions. But I’m in favor of this new law.

The Pennsylvania Game Commission has strongly supported the new law and tried to get it passed for many years. They rightfully feel that it will open up many opportunities for hunters and encourage more new folks to join our ranks.

Having Sunday hunting will help the wildlife biologists better manage the populations of game as hunters will hunt more and harvest more animals. At the end of the day, under the North American model of conservation, that’s what it is all about. Controlling populations makes the animals (and the environment) more healthy.

A whole lot of people need to be thanked for making this happen. Governor Shapiro, the members of the Assembly, the members of the Senate, the Pennsylvania Farm Bureau, the PA Game Commission staff and their Board of Directors. And of course, let’s not forget all of the hunters and sportsmen’s clubs that made phone calls, wrote letters and sent emails lobbying for passage.

One might ask why we need to thank the Farm Bureau. The farmers have been some of the strongest supporters of allowing Sunday hunting. More hunters and more opportunities will mean better chances to control the wildlife populations and protect crops.

I want to extend a special shout-out to the PA Legislative Sportsmen’s Caucus and to Senator Dan Laughlin and Representative Mandy Steele for leading the charge. Hunters owe them, and the Assembly and Senate, a debt of gratitude. The bill was passed by both houses with very strong bipartisan support.

Let’s all enjoy the outdoors!

John S. Van Etten is the current president of the Federation of Sportsmen’s Clubs of Sullivan County, Inc.